Wanderlust Beastkin, Beauty and the Beastkin

Perla’s Perspective

I was honing my bubble magic, combining it with my fishing skills to create a delightful spectacle of bubbles around the fish while they swam. Once they reached the shore, I would pop the bubbles, and I was thrilled to see my collection growing. Oliver stood beside me, cheering enthusiastically, his sparkling eyes and wagging tail adding to the charm of the moment. Meanwhile, Titus had his lion’s tail possessively wrapped around my waist, a reminder of our bond. It still puzzled me how the males in this world seemed comfortable sharing, as I couldn’t fathom remaining calm if another woman were to drape herself around Oliver.

Occasionally, I caught Oliver casting envious glances at him, but I was determined not to let Oliver think he could monopolize my attention. After all, Titus is my fated mate, and I had already shared an intimate moment with Oliver. I must remain firm in my decisions; I won’t allow either of them to think they can pressure me into anything I’m not ready for. There will be no guilt trips or rushing me—this is my journey, and I will choose who I want to be with on my own terms.

After a thorough conversation with Titus, he’s still a bit sulky, but he’s come to terms with my wishes and has chosen to respect them with only a few minor grumbles. I made it clear that his complaints would only irritate me and wouldn’t sway my decision; in fact, it might even push back our intimacy because I simply won’t tolerate being pressured into it.

"I believe that should be sufficient fish for us," I remarked, eyeing the impressive stack of fish that Oliver was wrapping in coarse cloth. It’s unfortunate that Milo isn’t here to craft us some baskets. I can only imagine how well he and Oliver would hit it off. I find myself missing Milo, and now that my anger has subsided a bit after my talk with Deity Duarte, I’ve started to feel the absence of Kai as well. Perhaps we should think about relocating to another village once we’ve completed our mission to save Elara. We could seek out a fresh start somewhere new. I have no desire to remain in a place filled with past grievances, where we must constantly be on guard for hidden threats. It would be ideal to find a peaceful village that doesn’t practice the snatching ritual. The thought of raising a daughter in a place where she could be taken from me, or forced into taking a mate that she doesn’t want, is simply too distressing; it’s such a primitive custom.

After Oliver and Titus finished gathering the fish, the three of us made our way back, with Oliver effortlessly carrying the catch. It was quite impressive how strong he was for his size, especially since he wasn’t typically seen as a fighting beastkin. He managed it all with ease, a result of the males deciding that I should always be accompanied by a strong male. This meant allowing Oliver to handle everything on his own while ensuring Titus’ hands remained free in case of any threats. Given the violence and harshness of this world, it’s no surprise that there’s a shortage of women.

As we approached the fire, we found Sam, who had laid out a collection of fruits he had gathered on a cloth nearby. Some resembled plums, others looked like grey-blue pears, and there were also round red cherries that were twice the usual size. They appeared absolutely delectable, especially after surviving on dried meat and hard crusts for what felt like an eternity. Sam noticed my hungry gaze and patted the blanket he had spread out, inviting me to sit beside him while gesturing toward the fruit. I realized I hadn’t given him much attention, despite the mark on his neck and the way his previous mate had treated him. While he was visually appealing, his personality was a bit rougher than I typically preferred. Nevertheless, he deserved my consideration, and I owed it to our relationship to give it a fair chance. His younger brother, however, was much more my type. Yet, with my limited experience with men, it was likely that my preferences would evolve as I got to know more of them.

I settled down next to him, leaving a comfortable yet respectful distance between us. I wanted to avoid giving the impression that I was pushing him away, even though I appreciated my personal space when I wasn’t entirely at ease with someone.

"So, Sam, what do you enjoy doing for fun?"

He took a brief pause as I picked up a small red fruit, identifying it as a Sweet Crimson Berry. It was supposed to be sweet when ripe and perfect for desserts. I took a bite, and it tasted like candied cherries, a delightful treat that brought back memories of candy. It was especially enjoyable since I hadn’t tasted anything reminiscent of sweets since the clear crystals Elara had given me. A wave of sadness washed over me at the thought of her absence, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was okay. I had to get her back soon; it was essential.

"I like to draw with charcoal when I have the free time and I enjoy cooking."

I straightened up at that. "Oh, really? What do you enjoy drawing?"

His face flushed as he looked down at his feet. "I draw beastkin in scenes with their families and I like do draw landscapes...and sometimes flowers. It’s not all that useful of a skill but it brings me some joy. Sometimes Oliver brings me various plants and has me draw them so that he can put up notices to avoid or request certain herbs. So I suppose it isn’t completely useless."

He shrugged it off, but I could see the spark in his eyes as he spoke about his art, making him all the more charming.

"Do your horns feel burdensome?" I inquired, reaching for another piece of fruit and quickly sinking my teeth into it.

He chuckled in response. "Is your hair heavy? Is your head heavy? I’m used to the weight of my horns although I suppose to someone else they would seem heavy, they are made from ivory and quite large."

I squinted as I examined his horns more closely; they were ivory. "It’s surprising that your previous partner didn’t remove them to sell."

He chuckled again. "Ah, had she known that they were ivory horns she likely would have. A rare few of my kind have ivory horns, only the bighorn sheep with high mana concentrations in their bodies, luckily she had no idea."

"So why tell me?"

"You wouldn’t cut off my horns, so why not tell you?" fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

I reflected on it and realized that I would never remove someone’s horns without their consent, unless, of course, it was my child’s horns that needed a little tidying up. The idea of having a baby with horns is quite peculiar, isn’t it?

"I genuinely wouldn’t do that; I’m just taken aback that you were aware of it."

"You’ve already demonstrated what kind of female you are in the time that I’ve known you. I’m very pleased to know that my little brother will be well loved in your care and am willing to do my best to honor our relationship though I’ve never been an outwardly affectionate type, I do intend to try to please you."

I exhaled softly, sending a few rebellious strands of hair fluttering away from my mouth. My fingers felt sticky, so I hesitated to touch my hair just yet. To my surprise, he looked at me with such warmth in his eyes as he gently tucked my hair behind my ear. It struck me how incredibly handsome he was when his expression softened like that. A sudden urge surged within me to keep that tender look just for myself, away from prying eyes.

"Please, don’t let anyone else see you like that," I blurted out, not even realizing I was going to say it.

He blinked in surprise, then a radiant smile spread across his face, illuminating the space around us. My cheeks flushed as a wave of jealousy washed over me, imagining some other girl catching a glimpse of his captivating expression. How mortifying.

"I’ll remember that," he replied, inching a bit closer, and this time, I didn’t pull away.

By the riverbank, Titus was busy cleaning the fish, while nearby, under a makeshift shelter crafted from propped-up fabric, Oliver was preparing some medicines for future use. The night was serene, with only the soft chirping of crickets filling the air, and I felt a profound sense of safety on my journey back, accompanied by my protectors. If any troublesome lizard beastkin dared to approach, I knew they would handle it effortlessly. It was at that moment I sensed an odd feeling of being observed. I scanned my surroundings, but seeing nothing, I let out a sigh of relief.

"Is something bothering you?" Sam asked.

"No, I was just reminiscing about my first trip through here and got a bit spooked. You remember that lizard beastkin that attacked me right before we met."

Sam surveyed the area with a discerning gaze, and I gently placed my hand on his arm. "I’m probably just scaring myself with memories; I doubt anyone is here."

He took another look around before exhaling deeply. "Once Titus finishes up, I’ll ask him to check the area. My night vision is practically nonexistent, especially compared to his."

Coming Next Time: Being Hunted