Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Twenty-seven

Once the excitement had died down, we decided to make camp where we were, overlooking the village. We brought Harvey up to speed and introduced him to Lance.

Harvey, being Harvey, insisted on checking my wounds. Both he and Winston looked incredibly distraught when they saw the two scratches on my face.

"I'm sorry Bailey." Harvey said to me, looking like he was about to be grounded. "I think...it may scar." His ears were pinned back in guilt.

"Is there nothing you can do?" Winston asked from his place by the campfire with Kit sleeping in his lap.

Harvey shook his head and his shoulders slumped even further.

I placed a comforting hand on Harvey's shoulder. "It's fine. It's just a little scar. It doesn't bother me."

Lance chuckled. "I think your mates underestimate you, Bailey. Especially your tiger. If scars meant anything to you, he wouldn't be your mate. Beauty standards of the shallow many mean nothing. Besides, can't they see that unlike other females, no matter how many scars you get, you will always be far more attractive?" He stated like he was telling them the sky was blue. Just a fact of nature.

I blushed. Both men got a little defensive at the snake's words and rushed to reassure me that the scars did nothing to mar my appearance.

"Alright. Alright. I get it. Thank you all for your compliments but I'm really fine." With both hands palms out in surrender, I stopped them. It was getting embarrassing. "Enough about my face, we need to decide what we are going to do from tomorrow."

"We can rebuild but it may take some time until the ground dries out more." Harvey said as he tended to the slowly roasting pronghorn Winston had caught earlier.

"It might just flood again later and then what? We'd be stuck in the same situation." I shook my head, rejecting the idea. I never wanted to experience that again.

"We can evacuate to the City of Beasts, like the other villagers." Winston offered.

"True, but where would we stay? We don't have any way to buy a house and Rosa won't allow us to stay at the Tiger King's castle. Not to mention the Ape King's scheming." I listed the many obstacles that would come with that option.

"Are the Tiger King and the Ape King so powerful that your tiger should feel threatened?" Lance asked with a questioning look at Winston.

"Yes and no. Individually they wouldn't pose a danger but together..." I pulled Winston's tail into my lap, silently trying to let him know I didn't think him weak.

"Can't we just kill them off one by one then?" Lance asked like it would be easy.

"The Tiger King is Winston's brother." I said, trying to add context.

"So? Does that matter? Duals for power are common within litters. I'm pretty sure I killed off about half of my siblings." He looked to be counting in his head. He also wasn't wrong. Siblings would kill each other for mating opportunities and ferals killed each other just to survive. Animals were threats or food. Siblings were the same.

"There's still the matter of the Ape King. I think the Wolf King is also on his side." I said trying to let him know that it wouldn't stop at just killing one.

"I think you're just making excuses. If you don't want to go to the City of Beasts, don't. Find somewhere else. Your mates would follow you anywhere." He shrugged.

"That's not...." I was going to say he was wrong, but he wasn't. I was making excuses. I still hadn't quite decided what it was that I wanted to do, but I felt like going would be the 'right' thing to do. I sighed. I needed to tell them a bit of what I knew. It wouldn't be just my life I'd be endangering. "I have something I need to tell you. But you might think I'm crazy." I hesitated.

Lance snorted, "Now it's you, underestimating us. Putting myself aside, do you not trust your mates?"

"I do. I do. It's just hard to say," They all waited patiently for me to continue. I took a few deep breaths. "When I was injured by the scorpions that killed Ryan, I started to see images in my head."

"Like dreams?" Harvey inquired.

"Similar, but they weren't of the past or my imagination. I think... I think I may know a little about what's going to happen in the future." I squeezed my eyes shut, anticipating their disbelieving comments. When no one said anything, I opened them warily. They were still looking at me, waiting for me to elaborate. "I...I've seen Curtis kill Rosa's mate and cubs at the end of the cold season. I've seen the Ape King use the Tiger King to try to kill Qingqing at the grain distributing that happens at the start of the drizzle season. I've seen the Wolf King's son die trying to protect her. I'm not sure but If I'm right, then maybe I can do something to prevent some of those deaths." My voice lowered toward the end, my confidence completely disappearing.

No one said anything for a second and then Lance's voice broke the silence. "Who are Curtis and Qingqing and why do you care about some beastmen dying?"

Ah, the million dollar question. If I get this right can I buy a private island and get the hell out of dodge?

"Qingqing is a female that likes Bailey. Curtis is her mate. He is a venomous snake feral." Winston supplied. I noticed how he didn't call Bai my friend and I gave his tail another appreciative pat.

Lance's eyes glinted with interest. "Ho? A female that willingly took in a feral? Interesting."

I frowned a little. The last thing I needed was Lance becoming interested in Bai. "He kidnapped her when she found his skin. He also forced his mark on her." I blurted out.

Lance looked disturbed at that last bit.

"That female pretends to be kind but is too naïve to be helpful." Winston eloquently added. I cheered internally and snuggled into his side.

"Hmmm. Then I ask again, why do you care? Whether the Ape King manipulates the others or the feral kills those in his way. What does it matter to you?" Lance looked genuinely curious.

How do you explain altruism to beastmen who consider the death of their neighbor just another Monday? How do I explain that if I didn't try, I might regret it for the rest of my life?

Surprisingly it was Harvey that answered. Quietly, he said, "Because Bailey is someone who weeps over the death of a mate. She is someone who treasures the things left behind. She is someone who accepts others despite their faults and someone who respects their choices. And she is someone who values the lives of strangers... That's just who Bailey is."

I could feel a lump form in my throat. Harvey's words showed just how much he cared and respected the odd existence that I was.

Lance smiled appreciatively. "Interesting." He looked at me like a scientist looks at a petri dish. "Then let's do that. Let's go save these strangers from their fates."

"We'll need to find a place to stay first." Winston added agreeingly.

"Oh, that's easy. I'll just buy one. I think one of my stashes of gems is near the city. I should have enough that you can pick whichever suits your fancy." He flexed.

I just looked at each of them in disbelief. Not only had they accepted everything I'd said, but they were also willing to put themselves in danger to help me.

With my entire soul, I prayed that I wouldn't come to regret this decision. That I would actually make a difference and none of the people I loved would get hurt in the process. Was I being selfish? Probably. But I was also risking my own life. I comforted myself with the fact that I wasn't asking them to do anything that I wasn't willing to do myself. And if it truly got that dangerous, I wouldn't hesitate to leave.

We would not be going in blind. Before we left for the city, I would tell them everything I knew and we would make plans with ten backup plans before I was satisfied.