Wanderlust Beastkin, Beauty and the Beastkin

There he was, nestled in a box I had crafted from medical tape, the shape carefully outlined on the floor. I had once seen a zookeeper perform this enchanting trick with a tiger in a video, where the big cat was irresistibly drawn to sit within the confines of the taped box, ensuring all its paws were safely inside.

He was purring softly, his tail wagging with delight. With a playful smile, I leaned down and gently pulled one of his feet out from the confines of the tape border, then sat back up. In an instant, he scooted his foot back into the box. I leaned over again, this time freeing his other foot, only for him to quickly retract it back inside.

Feeling quite pleased with myself, I sauntered back to the cushion and lounged on my elbows, a smirk dancing on my lips as I stretched my back, letting my cleavage peek out just a bit.

He gazed at me, utterly captivated, and attempted to step out of the box. But as soon as his foot left the safety of the box, he frowned and pulled it back in.

I couldn’t help but giggle, flashing him a cheeky grin and batting my eyelashes from across the room.

He shot me a sultry look, then cautiously placed his other foot outside the box, only to retreat it moments later. Frowning, he tried again, this time focusing intently, but his feet just wouldn’t stay out.

"What kind of top-tier magic is this?! I’m a blue aura combat type and the General of the Eastern Alliance! How is your magic completely overpowering me?!"

"This magic was crafted specifically with your kind in mind. So now you see, I have my ways," I replied with a yawn, then laid back on the cushion, drifting off to sleep in an instant.

When morning came, I was amused to find Kai curled up in a ball in the corner, snugly nestled inside the tape box. It seemed cat beastkin were particularly susceptible to this little trick. I had expected him to escape at some point during the night. Chuckling, I peeled off a strip of tape, rolled it up, and tucked it back into my bag. After changing into fresh clothes and tying my hair up with my favorite fuzzy blue scrunchy, I stashed my pepper spray, lip balm, dried cherries, and a spare pad into my jacket pocket, leaving my bag behind. I then stepped outside, heading to my new toilet room before strolling by the pond, jacket on and ready for the day.

I had finished brushing my teeth and was washing my face when Milo came down from the cabin.

"Um, hi Perla, I was just wondering how you slept last night?" He seemed a bit shy and flustered after asking, quickly averting his gaze. "Oh, um, just ignore that I even brought it up."

"Everything’s great, thanks! I had a lovely sleep. The cushion is super cozy, and the blankets are top-notch. Did you make them yourself?"

His eyes sparkled with happiness. "I did." freeωebnovēl.c૦m

"After breakfast, I’m contemplating a refreshing swim. Perhaps that’ll help with my scales coming in and ease the itchiness in my legs. I keep wishing I had that bug bite spray I left at home; I seem to have packed everything but some obvious basics. Classic me, right? Sometimes I feel like a total airhead. And let’s not even get started on my navigation skills—definitely a family trait, since my mom and grandma were just as hopeless! Speaking of which, I’ve been trying to avoid thinking about my grandma lately. She was my rock until she passed away, and everything changed after that. My mom stopped pretending to care as much, and honestly, I’ve felt pretty lonely since. Wow, I’m really going off on a tangent here, aren’t I?"

I paused to dab at the tears on my cheeks. Ugh, these hormonal swings are the worst! I probably sound like such a whiner! But hey, at least I’m keeping the potential mates at bay with my emotional rollercoaster and awkward ramblings! No need to worry about how to juggle a dozen men.

"Swimming was the whole point of being here, right? How long do we get to enjoy this place?"

"I, um, think we could stay here for as long as you’d like, but, um, it’s important that we’re here for at least a week so you can really become a mermaid. I’d hate for your scales to only partially come in and for it to ruin your ability to properly shift."

"That’s possible?"

"Sometimes, beastkin may find themselves unable to shift due to interruptions or a lack of access to what they need during their initial transformation. This can be quite debilitating for them. I recall a story about a female beastkin who was a hawk. While she was attempting to shift, a girl who held a grudge against her leaped over her family’s wall and bit her wing just as it was beginning to form. As a result, the hawk girl never experienced her first flight, and the cat beastkin who attacked her was ultimately expelled from their village. Unfortunately, for beastkin who are cast out, finding a new community can be challenging, as news travels fast, often leading them to Outsider Villages."

Transforming into a mermaid... wait, does that mean I’ll become a beastkin? Am I really losing my humanity? And will I actually be able to lay eggs like a chicken? Yum, eggs.

"Do we know what’s on the breakfast menu?"

"I can help you gather some ingredients if you’d like. You’re an omnivore, right? So am I."

I blinked, then a smile spread across my face. "That sounds fantastic! Let’s explore the property together and find some safe foods to create something delicious. Can your crafting skills extend to food items as well?"

"Sadly, no."

"That’s too bad."

He seemed a bit disheartened by my response, but honestly, he shouldn’t have been. "Don’t fret! What you can do is already amazing, and you’ll be a wonderful addition to our group."

We strolled toward the edge of the woods surrounding the camp by the pond, staying well within the safe zone. I described a large basket with leather straps for both shoulders and around the waist, perfect for wearing on your back.

"I hope it’s okay to say this, but if I want to create things for you on a regular basis, I think I should probably gather some supplies first."

"How does your power work anyway?"

"I have a little storage area in my space where I can keep materials I find and load them into my abilities for crafting. There’s a crafting station within my abilities that lets me shape those materials into what I envision. Since I’ve reached level green and above, the deities have kindly gifted me a system to help enhance my powers. It analyzes items for me, identifying components and checking if I have the necessary materials. Each person’s system is unique, tailored to their specific powers. As a crafter, my system supports me in that area, while Kai, being a top offensive general, has a system that aids him in his role."

"The wolf brothers are only at level yellow, so they don’t have a system. This highlights the significant gap between level yellow and level green, and an even larger one for level red, who can’t cultivate due to lacking magical powers."

"Once I create something for the first time, I can write down the instructions on a magic scroll and store it in my inventory, allowing me to recreate the item whenever I wish. There are also additional scrolls available for beastkin in magic shops, either blank or filled with other people’s creations."

"However, a good scroll tends to be quite pricey."

"Is that so? While we’re on the hunt for edibles, I’d like you to gather all the supplies you think will come in handy. And if you stumble upon something out of the ordinary, just give me a shout."

He conjured a basket that materialized before him, much like the toilet setup had earlier. It was precisely as I had envisioned—truly a marvel! I eagerly picked it up and secured it to my back.

"You really don’t have to lug that around. I might not be the biggest guy, but I’m more than capable of carrying a basket," he said, mumbling, "That is, if you choose to keep me, of course."

I laughed lightly. "Oh, I’m definitely planning on keeping you around. Plus, I can handle this basket just fine; it’s designed to be worn comfortably. I know how to strap it on properly, and I’m strong enough for the job. But you have the expertise on what should go in the basket and what shouldn’t, so it makes more sense for me to carry it."

"What if we invited Kai to join us and assist with carrying the basket?"

"I’d prefer it to be just the two of us; I’m eager to spend some one-on-one time getting to know you better."

He hesitated, biting his lip as he weighed his options on whether to push back against me. Meanwhile, I was already making my way toward the woods, the basket securely fastened to my back.

Coming Next Time: Foraging