"Well that's to be expected, my dear Legi. The rating is quite difficult to accurately picture a familia's strength." Hathor said, ushering the grandkids off her lap, and she sat straight, swirling a small glass of white wine. "So, who's this girl with the fox ears, and tail? She's cute, and it seems she's quite interested in my son."
Legi let the girl go, opting to fully secure her hold on Ishtar. "Go on, girl, answer my goddess."
"Hey, pretty Legi, won't you let me go?" Ishtar spoke attempting to charm Legi, however… "Ow ow ow! What's wrong with you? I'm a goddess."
Legi had tightened her grip ever so slightly more. "Does it look like I care? Shut up. You're not my goddess."
"Haruhime, you know what'll happen if you disobey me." Ishtar stated, then Legi pushed her head to the floor.
Shurry already knew all about the renard girl, however, he still had to put on airs for the moment. He crouched down next to Haruhime, who was staring at him. He reached out and crushed the collar around her neck.
Haruhime was still a young child at heart, so the kindness shown led her to nuzzle her cheek into his powerful hand, and wave her tail through the air like a brush painting. Tears rolled, as if once mighty dams ruptured. And then charged in to hug him.
"It must have been hard on you, you're safe now. Ishtar can no longer harm you in any way."
"LIKE HELL!" Ishtar shouted from the floor, releasing her seal to some degree.
A huge mistake, and one that even Legi knew to move away as soon as possible. Shurry took one arm to comfort Haruhime, and then his other moved as if controlling a marionette of sorts… Ishtar rapidly accelerated towards the ceiling, back to the floor, each time she'd slam into a solid surface at speeds which made terminal velocity look tame.
""Like hell" you say? An immoral slut like yourself, dares to claim that my words have no merit?" Shurry spoke with an unshakeable firmness. "You dared to put a collar on such a child as if she were a pet… WE AREN'T PETS!"
"You're right, she's my slave. I bought her, you can't have her!"
"She's a slave no longer."
"And how do you plan on compensating me for her loss?"
"I don't need to. You were planning to kill her in a ritual, just to use her unique magic."
"WHAT!? How do you… I mean, how dare you."
"I know many things. And I'll tell you something else, even if you managed it, you'd never have enough power to pull off a victory against my familia." Shurry snarled, causing a goddess to tremble, and a renard to snuggle. "I had once thought all gods would understand what level 10 was. But it seems you're too blind to the desire for something…"
"Your seed is all I would need. Impregnate my familia, and I'll let you have Haruhime." Ishtar interrupted, stumbling as her power sealed up once more.
"Go have fun back in Tenkai, you miserable wretch."
With a flick of his wrist, Ishtar was sent outside, and then back to Tenkai. It would be a bit of a problem for everyone in a little bit, but he didn't care.
"As far as I'm concerned, all deities who ask me that, ought to leave Gekai for good."
"And what are you going to do with that renard?" Hathor asked, knowing what her son might say.
"She's had a rough time in this life, so I think she'll want to join a friendly familia. However, it'll all be up to her." Shurry explained, gently patting Haruhime's head as she cried herself to sleep in his arms.
"It's funny to see how openly accepting of you she was." Hathor giggled.
"Well, wolves & foxes are of close relation. I'd imagine the scent of someone so strong would be comforting to someone who'd lived through such abuse." He replied in a whisper, as his pups looked on with a mix of curiosity and jealousy. "Don't worry, she's not taking your spot. You can follow me to see for yourself."
Shurry stood up, holding the sleeping renard in his arms, and began to walk. Soon arriving to Astraea's room in the Hathor home, and knocked a few times. Alise came to the door with her comfy clothes on.
"Oh, Shurry, what's going on? Who's this?"
"She's a young renard, she had been sold into slavery years ago. I just freed her from such a fate, I was hoping Aunty Astraea would look after her. I have a feeling they'll get along well."
"Let me see her."
Shurry entered the room, and walked up to Astraea. She was sitting on her couch reading a hero tale to several children already. Once she got a good view of the renard…
"She's been crying. But they're of relief, and hope. She's a good soul who'd gone through some terrible times." Astraea spoke in a low, soft whisper while she gently felt Haruhime's cheeks. "Come lay her down with her head in my lap, I'll ask her to join my familia."
"Thank you, I had a feeling you'd get along well." Shurry smiled.
"Papa, can we stay here and listen to the stories too?"
"It is story time, so I don't see why not. So long as you behave."
"We will, we like great aunt's stories a lot!"
Haruhime stirred slightly, but didn't wake up.
"You need to be a little quieter this time. At least until she wakes up, alright dears?"
"We understand."
"Good, now, Shurry, you'll have to explain to the guild why you sent Ishtar back, but I doubt you'll have an issue with that."
"Not in the slightest. She was hurting my pack, she was a threat to it. And thus I dealt with it as the pack leader."
"Pfft, it almost sounds like a familia."
"In some ways it is, in other ways it isn't." Shurry smiled, and made his way to leave.
It was about an hour later of story time when Haruhime stretched, slowly waking up.