Ren marched back to the main clearing, feeling infinitely more human in her clean, brown deer-hide dress and smelling zesty and fresh from the citrus soap. The sun was fully up now, beating down on the scattered remnants of the White Tiger Clan and the huddled groups of rogue strays.
It was time to get to work.
"Alright, listen up, everyone!" Ren shouted, channeling her absolute best, terrifyingly authoritative Executive Chef voice. "Bring it in! Huddle up! Chop chop!"
The beastmen and females jumped, startled by the noise, but they quickly scrambled toward the center of the clearing, forming a wide, slightly intimidated circle around her.
Ren looked at the mismatched crowd. There were scrawny wolves, a badger, a few apes and the white tigers. It was a motley crew of traumatized misfits. But Ren was used to running a chaotic kitchen brigade. She knew exactly what it took to mold a team of dysfunctional line cooks into a well-oiled, Michelin-star machine.
