Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Ninety-nine

*Not my art. I found it on Pinterest. I believe the artist's name is in the bottom right corner but I also think it is an AI generated mass produced image as I couldn't find any further details. Credits to the original creator.

Though I could see very little through the sheets of rain, the outline of a great tree came into view. It was enormous and had thousands of branches stretching out from its skyscraper thick trunk.

Alva squawked beneath me. I was holding on to his feathers too tightly again and some of the dark blue ones were coming off in my hands.

"Sorry." I mumbled and tried to loosen my grip.

He squawked again and landed us safely on a branch wider than a three lane road. It was much dryer beneath the tree's shelter. He shifted and didn't bother covering himself. Green feathers drew my eyes where they shouldn't go and I couldn't help admire him like I would the statue of David.

"Have you always been afraid of flying? Look what you did to my hair!" squawked the arrogant male.

I dragged my eyes back up. His hair looked like I had given him layers with a chainsaw. "Pfft!" I tried to turn my laugh into a cough. "Sorry. I've never flown before. It doesn't look that bad and I'm sure it will go back to normal the next time you molt." I reassured him

He uncrossed his arms from over his chest and gave me a sidelong glance. "Well. If it's you, I don't mind losing a few feathers." He moved closer to me so I had to look up to see his face. "I'm the strongest and most handsome single male in my tribe. I've never met a female as beautiful as you. You should allow me to court you."

It was my turn to cross my arms. "Hmmm? I have handsome and strong mates already. What do you have that they don't?"

"Wings." He said simply.

"If you hadn't noticed, I am not the biggest lover of flying."

"You just need time. I can teach you how enjoyable flying can be."

I had to smirk a little at that. This guys confidence was pretty amusing.

Then pine cones flew like grenades at the back of Alva's head. Behind him stood a blue haired female, red in the face with a just as red snake skin tube top and tiger skin skirt. "Alva! You flirt! I thought you wanted to be my first mate!" Screamed the girl in a shrill voice.

Alva turned to address her and I got a great view of his perfect ass. "Bella. As you can see, I have met someone more beautiful. You will have to find someone else to peel pine nuts for you."

The girl bit her lip and threw another pine cone at him. He let it hit. Then two other peacock males came out of nowhere and started comforting her. They lead her back to her nest leaving me alone with Alva again.

He turned back to me with a flourish, "Do you see how devoted I am to you already?"

I quirked an eyebrow. It was more like I saw he was just as fickle in reality as he'd been in the novel. I ignored his question and asked one of my own. "Where will my mates and I be staying?"

Alva looked like he'd had the wind under his feathers taken away and pouted. "This way." He gestured and led me down through the maze of branches until he stopped in front of a wooden house on a single lane width branch. I looked inside. It wasn't terrible. There was a straw bed on the floor that looked clean and covered in top layer of down feathers and a couple pelts. But there wasn't much else.

A breeze blew through the thin walls and I shivered.

"Are you cold? Wait here. I'll get you some more furs." He didn't wait for my reply before flying off.

I was exhausted. The stress of the day had been too much. I went to the bedding, grabbed one of the furs and wrapped it around my shoulders before lying down. It wasn't ideal but I would be fine. Harvey would be here soon and I could snuggle up to him for warmth. If Bai was following the novel, she was somewhere in the village in a nest that was far worse than this. I would need to speak to Alva about that and get her relocated somewhere more comfortable.

The sound of the rain tapping against the roof was hypnotic and before I had a chance to ask Alva about Bai, I fell asleep.

***

Alva returned with a whole stack of furs only to find the female sleeping peacefully on his nest. She shivered a little when he opened the door so he hurried inside and shut it quickly. He inched his way closer to her, afraid his footsteps would wake her, but all she did was curl up a bit more. He gently laid the thickest fur over her and then sat on his heels to admire her beauty.

She was the most stunning female he had ever met. With her long hair and her fair skin, she looked more like a phoenix than a fox. Her long lashes fluttered with whatever dream she was having and her full lips were slightly parted, showing the smallest bit of clean white teeth. If she were to eat more pine nuts, her hair would glisten as smooth as his feathers and he made a mental note to prepare some for her to snack on.

Sensing the warmth of the new fur, she moved in her sleep, trying to burrow further into it. Her right hand clenched around the fur and the dark scorpion mark on her hand was like blood in snow. It stood out so much that Alva couldn't help but notice. He frowned a little. This female not only had a snake mate but a scorpion too? Could it be she was being manipulated into keeping them as mates? Alva's imagination went wild with images of the fox being brainwashed and deceived by her males. How kind and naive must this female be to take on such terrifying brutes? He wanted to protect her from them and keep her safe inside the village but they were so much stronger than he was. The tiger was four stripes and Alva had seen other strong males in their group. All the males in the village wouldn't be enough.

He sighed and looked at her with pity. He could only hope she would accept him as a mate so he could undo whatever brainwashing they had done to her. He gently pushed a stray hair back behind her ear, "I'll help you." He whispered.

She frowned in her sleep, mumbled, "Mmno fanks." and rolled over, her back facing him.

His heart skipped a beat. Even in sleep she was kind!