[CC Command: Nope, Not Waiting Around Here!]<br/><br/>You spur your mount onward, not wanting to stay in this chilling 'town square' any longer than you have to be. Thankfully, they are just as eager as you are to leave, and both break into a run. The silence persists, disrupted only by the uncanny echoes of the footsteps and panting of your dogs. As you draw closer to the mansion, you begin to feel... afraid. Perhaps this isn't the best idea.<br/><br/>Half-way across the courtyard, your Dire Dogs both come to a sudden stop, nearly throwing you off. They begin to growl, their fur bristling as the male takes a step backwards. You wonder why, and then you see movement.<br/><br/>[RNG...]<br/><br/>From the mansion, a large form squeezes through the front door, the stone cracking as it forces its way out. It is large, four legged creature, just a little bigger than the female Dire Dog. Its fur is pitch black and long, and an equally long pink tail winds out from behind it. But its face is the real give-away: Its the face of a rat. Not a hybrid or an anthro... an actual, giant rat.<br/><br/>It lets out an ear-piercing screech, as a disgusting stench fills the chamber. And yet, for some reason, your dog begins to wag his tail.<br/><br/>[The Ancient Queen]<br/><br/>[Awaiting Input]