Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Ninety-five

*Short chapter. Olly can fly now and has figured out how to get out of her indoor bed (tote) but I can't get her to sleep outside until she has a friend. So, I've been working on getting Olly a friend, upgrading the run and trying to balance work with my mental health. More chapters to come this weekend!!

Lance didn't release me from his coils until breakfast had been made and was being passed around. He gently lowered me from the tree and handed me to Shuu who was waiting with a leaf plated with rabbit meat and pine nuts, and a cup of Harvey's tea. Lance headed off to find his own breakfast. Tristan, who had been sleeping at the base of the tree was nowhere to be seen. Shuu placed the leaf and cup on the ground, catching me before my feet could touch the dirt.

Utterly exhausted, I leaned into him and drooped my head on his shoulder. "Good morning." I mumbled.

He nuzzled my hair and kissed me on the cheek, "Good morning." Then he sat us down on the ground with his back to the trunk and me in his lap. He tore off a piece of the meat and fed it to me.

We were starting to run out of the things we had brought and I wanted to make sure we had a few things to plant when we finally made a home. To save as much of our stock as possible, we had started relying on the local delicacies to get by. It wasn't just the food that was running out either. After the first week of traveling, my soaps had become a sought after commodity. I shared with the other females but that left me with a single bar. I tried to use it sparingly but at this moment, I really wanted a bath.

Shuu was trying to be discrete but I could see his nose twitching. Whether in disgust or desire, I couldn't tell.

"Is there somewhere I can wash up?" I asked him while popping a handful of nuts into my mouth.

He gave me his good ol' boy grin, "It's not much but there is a small stream not far. I'll take you."

After I finished eating, he took me to the stream. We did a little more than wash up. I don't know what it is about my wolf and water, but he sure is good at using it to his advantage. He brought me back to the group more exhausted than I was before. Winston gave me a look with his tiger features. It was a look that said he wants a turn on they merry-go-round sometime soon. My ears went red with embarrassment. Damn males and their great sense of smell.

I avoided his gaze and in doing so noticed many others. A lot of the single males in the group were giving me shy glances and had been since the start of the journey, but they'd all been too scared of my mates to approach. That was fine by me. Four, and a half, mates in a little over half a year was more than I could have ever hoped for. I put a lot of effort into making sure they all had equal time with me. It wasn't too complicated but if I added any more males, I couldn't guarantee I'd have the energy to keep up with them all. My relationship with my mates felt healthy and that is saying a lot when it comes to the beastmen.

Speaking of mates and health, as I mounted Winston, I let my eyes search for Harvey. He was nearby, crouched to pack away his supplies. Kit was helping him put things into the messenger bag. When he noticed my gaze and looked up, he gave me a wide loving smile. I smiled back and then I noticed Olly next to him. The young wolf was avoiding my gaze and keeping his focus on packing. It didn't stop me from noticing his bright pink cheeks. 

I had known for a while that I needed to stop treating him like my own cub or little brother. He was around fifteen now and old enough to look for his own mate. I made a mental note to be a bit more cautious around him if I didn't want to create the expectation that he would stay as my family forever. 

I felt a small pang in my heart at that thought and for the millionth time, lamented how friends between the sexes was not a concept in the beastworld. I didn't want to put up walls but would have to. It reminded me of the part in the novel with Bai being so surprised and appalled when Eve offered one of her cubs as a future mate. She had said it was better to have an old mate than none at all. I wasn't sure if I agreed with that, but I could understand it, especially when we had such things as emeralds.

I turned my gaze back to the tiger in front of me. Thanks to him and Lance, I wouldn't have to worry about wrinkles until I was forty. I leaned down a bit, careful of my slightly portruding belly and snuggled my face into his fur. He made a cute chuffing sound. Then my wolf howled. Everyone had eaten and packed up. It was time to move again. 

Five days later, we arrived at the peacock's forest. The problem was, it was on fire.