Well. The wolves aren't making an obvious appearance, although there is signs that they exist.

There's also a farmhouse nestled in the hills who might better know where the wolves have been roaming - it looks like they might have livestock, and there's warm light coming from the windows.

Well that might be a good plan. She heads towards the farmhouse, assuming a more-or-less typical human appearance as she approaches.

The door opens as she approaches. A man emerges, his hand tight on a boy's shoulder, face angry.

He stops as he spots her. "...Can I help you, miss? Don't often get folks out here this late?"

The boy looks scared, head ducked down, and curled in on himself as much as he can be. (If she looks closely, she can see bruises, faded and fresh, and his clothes are far more threadbare than those of the man holding him.)

"Yes, I've been told wolves have been seen in this area."

She notes the bruises on the boy and her eyes narrow.

"Y'ain't wrong," the man agrees, almost pleasant. "W've had some trouble wi' them. Can't say 'd suggest going looking for 'em."

"Oh, I can handle myself."

The man considers her for a second. "Pardon my saying, but you don't look quite prepared for a wolf hunt?"

"I know what I'm doing, sir."

The man narrows his eyes. "Well, ain't gonna argue with you. Seem to have their den up towards the hills in the east," he points. "Now, if'n y'll 'scuse me. Got things t'deal wi'."

He touches the fingers of his spare hand to his forehead, his other tightening on the boy's shoulder.

"M'sorry. M'sorry, didn't mean to," the boy's words are nearly inaudible, and gain him a sharp, almost violent shake.

"Is that really necessary?"

"Miss, y'don't know what the boy is, s'necessary."

"S'hardly your concern, miss," the man says firmly. "Y'got wolves t'be hunting."

The boy shifts, and there's something not entirely...human, to the way he's suddenly slipped clear of the man's grip.

The man doesn't hesitate and a sharp hit to the upside of the boy's head sends him to the ground.

"That's enough."

"Not y'r concern, miss, 'd move along if I were you."

The boy's curled in on himself, head buried in his knees, rocking slightly. "Sorrysorrysorry.."

(The man looks like he wants to aim a kick at him, but doesn't follow through on it, in deference to the surprisingly concerned stranger.)

She maneuvers herself between the man and the kid.

The man does not look happy about this. "'Ve been polite, miss, but I'm reaching th'end of my patience. This ain't your concern, just move along."

"I don't appreciate threats Or cruelty to children."

"That," the man gestures behind her. "S'hardly human. Really would be better for you t'just move along and mind yer own business."

"He's a person."

She considers her options and manifests a third eye out of sight of the man but in sight of the kid. It winks.

The kid flinches and folds in on himself, obviously not sure about what to do with that.

The man sighs angrily. "Please, miss. Just move along and let us deal with it how we see fit."

She scoops the kid up, gently but firmly.

"No, I don't think I like your idea of 'dealing with him'."

He lets out a half-terrified sound, but it probably has far more to do with her touching him at all than her personally. He doesn't actually try to escape.

The man seems startled for a moment, then gives a low shout that summons the sound of running feet.

"You should just let us deal with him, miss," he says as another two men, younger than him but older than the boy in her arms emerge from the house brandishing wicked looking farm tools in place of true weapons. "He's wicked."

(The boy curls tighter and may be, a little, clinging to her.)

The kid can have a reassuring squeeze.

Also, some thin but surprisingly strong tendrils emerge from somewhere under her shirt. They defty remove the improvisioned weapons from their wielders.

"I suggest you reconsider the wisdom of your course of action before I get really angry."

The tentacles should have been more of a warning than they take them as - although it gets low, angry murmurs, and another yell that draws more attention from the house - although apparently these two boys were the best of a chance at a threat. But they think they have numbers, and that gives them a false sense of bravery, thinking they have this lone woman outnumbered.

"You really should just put 'im down and walk away," the first man says, clearly trying to be intimidating now. "Really ain't your business."

Oh really. Well two can play the intimidation game. She...stretches, looming over the man.

"And I suggest you quit while you still have all your limbs attached."

(she carefully ensures her grip on the clinging child remains snug)

...Apparently the threat of limb removal does actually get through their surprisingly thick skulls. They back away.

The first man is spluttering, half formed words about evil and wickedness escaping, but nothing massively coherent.

She starts walking away, tentacles lashing threateningly in their directions. The farm implements will be deposited some place where they can have a fun time getting them back later, in a tree if there is any convenient trees available on the premise. Assuming nobody interrupts her first.

Apparently they are suitably cowed. There is indeed a convenient tree. That even better appears like it will be very difficult to climb.

The boy is shaking against her, his form not entirely solid, trying to be something altogether more tentacled.

Well good for them. They get to keep their limbs intact. The farm implements go up the tree.

The kid can be whatever shape he feels like, she will just adjust her grip accordingly and murmur reassuringly.

"M'sorrysorrysorry," he mumbles, clearly struggling to stay human-shaped. "Know m'not supposed to."

It's not entirely clear whether he's processed the fact his rescuer has tentacles herself, or whether he's working on the assumption that different rules apply.

Several small tentacles stroke his cheek.

"Sssh, it's okay. You don't have to follow their rules anymore. It doesn't even work, staying in one shape all the time."

(Another tentacle grabs a stick and uses it to write rude words in the dirt at the edge of the property. In three languages. Not that she actually expects any of those people to be able to read any of them.)

He flinches away from the tentacles slightly (but they don't hurt, they don't hurt, and she's...like him? Except she can't be, because he doesn't think she's evil or wicked.)

"I- I- if- you're sure?"

"Yes."

He's still for a moment, not entirely believing but-

But-

Abruptly, he is a small ball of tentacles, curled in around himself, eyes barely peering out at her.

Awww.

She pets the tentacleball gently.

He retreats a little, obviously expecting it to hurt and then...let's her. Because it doesn't hurt. And that's...new, and a little wondrous.

They can stay like this for a while.

He seems to settle against her some, and while most of him stays a ball, one tentacle slides out (perhaps not entirely consciously), to wind loosely around her wrist.

She will stroke him with assorted appendages.

Eventually though they will probably have to move if the don't want to end up in the middle of nowhere in the dark.

The sun is getting lower in the sky, but she probably still has time to make it back to the nearby village if she hurries.

The tentacleball seems sleepy, and is possibly dozing, but will likely respond to any change in motion.

She carefully nudges the sleepy tentacleball (awww).

"It's getting late. " She gestures towards the sinking sun since she is not sure if he is currently able to hear speech. "We should go to the village before it gets dark."

He flinches a little, curls a little tighter, and blinks up at her, still sleepy, but seems to process her words.

He manages something that is probably a garbled 'm'sorry', and attempts to reform arms and legs - without much obvious success.

"It's okay, I've got a bag here you can ride in out of sight when we get into town if that's easier for you."

He freezes, blinking up at her. He doesn't say anything, but he still somehow manages to get across 'is that okay?' and 'wouldn't that be an inconvenience for you?' and (somewhat harder to read) 'pleasepleaseplease'.

"I wouldn't have suggested it if it was a problem for me."

She shows him her spare bag. It should be more than roomy enough to hold him at his current size.

"I can try to find something in my supplies that will work as padding if this isn't comfortable enough."

It takes him a moment and then he kind of...schlups into the bag, settling into the bag with no apparent complaint. Whether that's because he is actually comfortable or because he's been taught not to complain is her guess.

Good enough for now she guesses.

She jostles the bag as little as possible while still moving quickly enough to get to town by nightfall.

Either way, she doesn't hear any complaints. In fact, by the time she reaches the village, he does appear to have fallen asleep.

She has a brief conversation with the innkeeper before going upstairs and putting the bag down on the end of the bed.

He stirs briefly during the conversation, but settles again. He doesn't immediately emerge from the bag when it's set down.

She'll give him a couple of minutes while she busies herself with cleaning and relighting the fireplace. This is faster when you aren't limited to the usual number of appendages.

He is...peeking over the top of the bag when she finishes. Although sort of ducks back out of sight at any seeming attention directed at him.

She squats by the end of the bed so as not to loom over him.

"So how about I bring some food up for both of us? I can cut it up for you."

He peeks out again, small tentacles folding over the edge of the bag. He seems, somehow, startled by the offer of food, staring at her in amazement.

"Did they really...of course they did. I'll get food and you can have as much as you'd like."

If anything the amazement increases, but he retreats back into the bag.

She goes and comes back a few minutes later with an assortment of meat, bread, and vegetables on a tray and a couple of plates. She places one plate within easy reach of the bag and starts delivering small pieces of food to the plate.

To start with there's no reaction. Eventually though, a tentacle sneaks out scoop up a couple of pieces and retreats again. There's a pause as he presumably eats the pieces he's taken before the tentacle sneaks out again.

She will continue delivering pieces of food without comment until he stops eating at which point she takes portions of food onto her own plate

She manifests an extra mouth so she can eat and talk more conveniently "So, I didn't introduce myself properly, I'm Zarân."

His eyes emerge over the edge of the bag again, tentacles curling over the top again. He blinks a couple of times, then utters a slightly muffled and indistinct: "Squid."

"That's not much of a name, do you want a better one?"

He retreats slightly, manages to give the impression of a shrug as his tentacles tighten on the edge of the bag. "M- I- They- Don't know." The words are slightly less indistinct, but still jumbled and he definitely doesn't seem to know how to express a preference.

"You can think about it if you like. No rush."

There's no response for a moment and then: "D'you need m'to...do...'nything?"

"I've got everything covered."

She sets a bit of bread aside. "If you're hungry later you can have this."

There's an acknowledging sound that doesn't sound entirely trusting of that, like it might be some sort of trap, and the tentacles slip away from the edge of the bag, mostly likely to return to the ball.

She puts the plate of food on the floor by the foot of the bed. She checks the latch on the door and slips into the tiny adjacent chamber to perform necessary activities before crawling under the sheets and shucking her outer clothes onto the floor. A tentacle sneaks out from under the sheets and folds the clothes neatly.

There's no response from the bag, not even a curious eye or tentacle.

At some point in the night, however, the cold will get the better of him, and (not entirely consciously), he migrates from the bag to being latched onto Zarân for warmth.

...Well that's adorable. Clearly this calls for cuddles. Getting out of bed can wait.

He's sleepy, and warm, and feels (almost) safe, snuggles against...

He manages to go rigid even as he retracts his tentacles to be more ball shaped. (He doesn't try to move, he's still not practiced at moving without legs.)

"M'sorry," he mumbles.

"I don't mind, it gets a little chilly at night doesn't it?"

He's still, blinking at her in lost confusion. "Mhmm," he hums his agreement, but doesn't uncurl or move closer again.

She extends a hand invitingly.

He flinches a little away from the hand, obviously not used to that not being a potential threat. But when, after a moment, nothing happens, he shuffles closer again.

Gentle pat?

Confused, but receptive tentacleball!

At some point she will need to get dressed and there will probably need to be breakfast.

She may need to encourage Squid to move so she can get dressed, he doesn't seem entirely inclined to move unprompted.

"I should get dressed and go down and get breakfast, can you scoot?

He scoots off her, a little quickly, with a muffled, half-panicked apology.

"No need to apologize, I'm not upset. I just need to get dressed is all."

She pulls her clothes on.

He stays a small ball, watching her a little suspiciously, wrapping a few tentacles around part of the bedframe in place of her.

She finishes getting dressed and goes to take care of personal hygiene matters in the next room.  Then she comes back.

"I think it's time for breakfast, how about you?"

He manages to give the impression of a slight shrug. "M'fine," he mumbles.

"Well I'll get food and you can have some if you want."

He blinks at her a little confused, and then curls tighter around the part of the bedframe he's latched onto. (He doesn't understand why she's being so nice.)

She goes and comes back with breakfast on a tray.

He hasn't moved, still a ball wrapped around part of the bedframe, although he blinks at her when she returns.

She sets about demolishing breakfast, while casually leaving some tempting food bits (sausage and bread with jam) by the edge of the tray.

Every so often, he will sneak a tentacle out to snaffle one of the bits she's left at the edge of the tray.

"Tasty?"

He freezes briefly, and then curls into a tighter ball, shaking slightly.

"I'm sorry."

He doesn't uncurl, but two eyes appear facing her, blinking in confusion - clearly not sure why she's apologising.

"I don't want to scare you."

That gets more confusion, but also Squid shuffling a little bit closer to her along his piece of bedframe.

Pet. Moving slowly to give the tentacleball plenty of warning and chance to object.

Confusion, and wariness, but no actual objection!

Gentle pets. Also a forkload of food?

No reaction to the forkload of food for a moment-

And then a tentacle quickly scoops the food back into the tentacleball.

She reloads the fork.

There's not as much of a pause before a tentacle scoops the food up. He edges closer to Zarân again.

She provides another forkload. The petting hand sort of elongates and softens to provide more cozy pets.

Again, the forkload disappears, and the tentacleball makes a surprisingly content humming sound that makes him vibrate slightly.

She will continue providing pets and also forkloads of food until the food stops being eaten.

That doesn't take too long. Although when he stops eating, he curls a little tighter, and the humming and vibrations seem to ramp up a notch.

Adorable tentacleball is so petted.

A tentacle cautiously wraps around her wrist again, and if it's not greeted with violence or any apparent disapproval, more will follow until the tentacleball is attached to her rather than the bedframe.

This gets approval! Also more petting.

Well, she now has a purring tentacleball attached to her arm, almost desperately.

Awwww. Does purring tentacleball want to be on a lap?

He'll make a startled sound as he's moved, and half-flinch, but will actually find himself feeling surprisingly content in her lap.

Then he can be on her lap and she will slightly abandon being human shaped in favour of Cuddle. It helps to have loose fitting clothing for this.

He snuggles into her slightly, enjoying contact that doesn't hurt, and if he notices her changing shape he doesn't respond to it.

Yeah they'll be here a while.

After a little while he shifts, not exactly restlessly, more worriedly.

"Hmm?"

There's a pause, him drawing himself smaller again. "Don't wanna- m'keeping you from something?"

"mmm. I did tell the village folk I'd deal with those wolves, but I wanna look after you, too."

He doesn't seem to have a response to that except curling slightly tighter again. (And perhaps presses a little more into Zarân.)

Snuggle.

Well, he's probably not going to try and make any further prompts towards movement right now, and will just settle into being a relatively content ball in her lap.

Slightly pensive snuggling for a little while.

Then, "So would you rather I leave you here while I go out or would you rather come with, most of the way anyway. Or we could stay here for today I suppose."

The tentacles he still has wrapped around her arm tighten, but he gives the impression of a shrug.

Aww snuggle.

"I really won't leave you alone if you don't want to be left."

His grip doesn't loosen. "M'fine going with, if- y'don't mind?"

"I don't. I'll not want to be carrying you while I'm busy fighting because it's safer that way, but other then that it's fine." Snuggle.

"Please?" he requests, snuggling a little closer.

"Sure. If we are going today we should go soon so we can be back before dark."

He doesn't move at first, but eyes reappear, clearly looking for the least inconvenient place to be.

She puts the tentacleball on her shoulder.

"Can you hold on there?"

He adjusts himself slightly, and carefully winds tentacles so he's holding on in a way that hopefully doesn't restrict her movement too much.

She flexes her muscles a bit experimentally and nods. "That'll do."

She grabs assorted dishes on the way out and takes them downstairs to the counter. Then she heads out of the village. Hopefully nobody will pay enough attention to notice the living fashion accessory.  But people are busy at this time of day.

He curls a little tighter, trying to make himself smaller and less noticeable.

Doo doo doo. Nothing to see here random villagers.

They will get out of the village pretty quickly, it's not a large village.

He relaxes a little when they leave the village, but stays pressed pretty close - snuggles perhaps a little closer to her neck.

She pets him reassuringly while walking roughly in the proper direction looking and listening for signs. (she will give the farmhouse a wide berth).

He settles a little more, resuming his vibrating purr.

Eventually, there will be wolfsign! Paw prints in the mud of a stream bank, carcasses with signs of gnawing and biting. Definitely signs they're heading in the right direction.

"Close now."

She follows the signs, carefully, staying very alert.

He goes still against her neck - more caution than fear.

Soon, they reach an area near where the wolves den probably i - there's more signs here, and the sounds of wolves moving lazily.

There's also a couple of places Zarân could leave Squid - a pile of rocks he could hide in, or a tree with no low hanging branches.

"Do you want to hide in this tree here while I do this?"

"mhmm," the hummed agreement sounds a little reluctant, almost a little scared. (He's not entirely certain yet that she's not intending to just leave him here.)

She gives him a reassuring pat, then extends a tentacle to lift him carefully into a secure position in the tree.

He withdraws his tentacles from her shoulder a little reluctantly, but latches onto the tree when she puts him there.

"I don't expect this to take too long."

He makes a neutral humming noise, and wraps himself tighter around the branch he's latched onto.

Off to heroically slaughter some beasties then.

The wolves are not that much further on. They're lolling around near a cave. There's not many of them - maybe half a dozen adults - but there's a bundle of cubs play-fighting.

And now there is a writhing mass of tentacles, teeth, and spines descending on them.

Apparently wolves have more self-preservation instinct that the people she dealt with last night. Assumedly one of the males lunges towards the writhing mass of tentacles, getting between her and the pups. The others are trying to round up the pups and flee.

Yeah, that is not going to be very effective. the attacking wolf gets slightly shredded. The rest get encouraged to run with some slashes and bruises to drive home the point.

The wolves flee, yelping and whining. They probably won't be back.

She pries a couple of teeth out of the dead wolf for proof of mission accomplished, resumes human shape, gets back into her slightly rumpled clothes, and returns to where she left Squid.

He is exactly where she left him, wrapped around the branch. If he currently has eyes, they're not looking towards Zarân.

"Hey, I'm done. Wolves are gone and probably won't be back anytime soon."

Eyes appear, looking a little startled - perhaps from not having realised Zarân was back, perhaps from not expecting her back.

She extrudes a tentacle to reach up and pat him.

He twitches slightly away - more habit than anything else - and then presses up against the tentacle, some of his own looping around it.

She entwines her tentacle with his.

He snuggles against it, making a quiet humming sound. "y'came back."

"Of course I did."

He winds tighter around the tentacle, detaching from the tree branch to do so. "I- thank you."

She reels him in carefully in order to snuggle him in her arms.

He curls into more of a ball again, giving another vibrating purr against her.

Snuggle. While heading back towards the village because the middle of the woods is not optimal for snuggles.

Squid adjusts himself, managing to make himself an optimal shape and size for carrying.

Yes, good. Such a good ball. He is being so snuggled.

He resumes the low, humming purr - which he doesn't seem entirely conscious that he's doing that - and presses closer against her.

Awwww.

"You are so adorable."

Eyes blink up at her in confusion.

"You are."

Another blink, and then the eyes vanish and he curls tighter against her, humming out a sound that might be a 'thank you'.

"You're welcome."

And they continue on the way.

He stays settled close against her.

The villagers are a little more interested in her return this time, probably hoping for some good news.

She shows off her trophies.

"They're gone, and I don't think they'll be back for a good while."

Squid is doing his best to hide against her.

The villager busy paying Zarân is obviously trying to avoid looking at the tentacleball attached to Zarân.

"We are grateful, Miss," he says. (He can't quite not look at Squid.)

She shifts her grip so that the tentacleball is partially shielded from view.

"You are quite welcome of course."

He presses closer and smaller.

"Did you intend to stay much longer?" the man asks neutrally.

"Hmm no, I don't think so. Another day or so and I'll be on my way. Perhaps even tomorrow."

He nods, almost thoughtfully. "Well, let us know if there's anythin' you need."

"I shall, thank you."

He wrenches his gaze from where it has once again wandered to where Squid is hiding, inclines his head, and departs.

She heads in to the room and flops on the bed.

Squid stays curled tight against her, shaking a little now rather than the content vibrating.

Pet, pet.

"You're safe. I won't let anyone hurt you."

He snuggles, and slowly the tremors subside back into the low, vibrating purr.

Soothing pets.

The vibrating purr lowers in intensity as he drifts off again.

Awww.

Eventually she'll need to disengage and go get dinner.

He'll wake abruptly when she moves to disengage, and retreat to the bedframe again, with a quite apologetic sound.

"Aww, cutie, it's dinnertime, okay?"

He gives an affirmative hum, and stays wrapped around the bedframe.

She goes and comes back in a few minutes with the usual varied assortment of food.

Four curious eyes observe her return.

Meat! Bread! Cheese! Assorted vegetables!

Careful, surreptitious eating, but done from being perched on Zarân's shoulder this time.

Companionable eating then?

Companionable eating! And when Squid's done he snuggles against her neck.

Aww snuggly tentacleball. He can have pets.

Then Zarân will having a purring tentacleball snuggling against her neck (occasionally making a quiet, but definitely happy, squeak).

Pets.

"I have a nice little cottage a day or so's travel from here. That's where I usually stay. You'll like it. There's goats."

He stills briefly, clearly confused, before resume purring. "Don't take up much space," he promises.

"It's true you don't, but space is not that much of a concern. Really it's a little empty with just one person."

He gives a quiet hum, but doesn't seem to have anything else to say.

Well fed snuggles then.

Snuggles! Content, purring tentacleball.

Eventually she will start yawning and want to get ready for bed.

Well, Squid will schlup back onto the bed frame when she starts yawning.

"Mmm, thanks. Bedtime."

She goes to get ready for bed.

She gets a brief, confused blink, before his eyes disappear again, and he stays wrapped around the bed frame - apparently perfectly comfortable.

Well she will wash up and other such things and then rejoin him in the bed.

He doesn't immediately return to being snuggled with her, but does twitch in her direction.

She sleepily reaches out to stroke him.

He gently winds two tentacles around her wrist again.

"C'mere?"

There's a brief, cautious pause, and then he slides back over to her.

Snuggle. And soon, sleep.

Squid doesn't fall asleep quite as quickly as her, but follows fairly quickly after.

She will sleep until morning if nothing disturbs her.

Well, Squid certainly isn't going to, although he does wake before her. He stays snuggled where he is though.

Sleepy stretch. More stretch then a normal human could manage.

"G'morning."

He echoes the cadence and basic beat of her greeting back, without actually saying anything. Stays snuggled against her.

Pets.

More content humming purring.

"Did you sleep well?"

He considers the question and then hums out an affirmative, a brief pause, and a sensation of a frown. Then: "You?"