Chapter 7. First Mate
The warm water of the low depth still lingered on my skin as I stepped onto the shore, wrapping the simple, soft animal skin cloth the tribe females had lent me tightly around my body.
The red bikini Mei Mei had forced into my vacation bag peeked out from underneath, still making me feel shy and exposed.
Donna and Mera laughed beside me as we headed back toward the caves.
But I could feel them, eyes locked onto me from every direction.
Male beastmen lingered in the clearing, pretending to tend to chores.
One wolf beast hauled water back and forth for no reason.
A fox beast scrubbed a wooden bowl until it was nearly smooth.
Even Griz, the big bear beast who'd faked fishing earlier, hovered near the path, stealing glances my way.
My breath caught a little.
Every single one of them was tall, powerfully built like bodybuilders, with strong shoulders and defined muscles.
All had handsome, sharp features, paired with fluffy animal ears and tails that twitched whenever they looked at me.
They were all so shockingly good looking that I couldn't help but stare, wide eyed.
Before I could look away, one lean, dark furred leopard beast suddenly stepped forward, heading straight toward me.
My heart jumped.
But he didn't get far.
Two strong males immediately blocked his path, Donna's husband and Mera's husband.
They stood protectively in front of us, their expressions stern.
A brief, rough scuffle broke out, no serious harm done, just loud growls and shoving before the intruder was chased away.
Griz, too, was spotted and quickly herded off.
I stood there stunned, still taking in how fiercely the tribe guarded its females.
A splash of water hit my arm, jolting me back.
Donna grinned at me, eyes playful.
"What? Was last night not enough? You already got your eye on the other single males in the tribe? Fufu…"
My face burned instantly.
"It's not like that!" I hurried to explain, flustered. "I was just looking, everyone here is really pretty, that's all."
Donna smiled gently and shook her head.
"What do you mean pretty? We see faces and bodies like this every single day, what important is how strong they are,
But compared to them, you are far more pretty. I've never seen anyone as beautiful as you."
I felt my cheeks heat up even more, and we continued walking.
The cheerful atmosphere slowly faded as we moved away from the pool.
My chest felt tight, the earlier shock replaced by a quiet, heavy sadness.
I stared at the ground, voice small. "I… I wonder if I can ever go back home. I miss my family."
Donna blinked, confused.
"Why would you want to leave? Is our tribe not good enough for you? Tigris is strong. You can ask him for anything you want, he'll get it for you."
I shook my head gently.
"It's not that. I come from a faraway place. I miss my family, and my best friend, Mei Mei. She's the one who put this bikini in my bag before we traveled.
I'm just worried she's lost in the woods, like I was yesterday."
Mera's expression softened, her voice turning serious.
"Yesterday, there were catastrophe beasts everywhere. Even after the warriors fought and killed many, some might still be wandering around.
It's far too dangerous to go looking now. Wait for a few days. Then ask Tigris to help you find your friend. He's one of the strongest warriors, he will keep you safe."
I nodded silently, my heart heavy with worry for Mei Mei.
What if she was hurt? What if she was alone and scared?
The walk back to Tigris's cave felt long.
As soon as I stepped inside, my gaze landed on the remaining marine berries, the aphrodisiac fruit that had tortured me all night.
Anger and embarrassment flared inside me.
I quickly gathered all of them and marched outside, hurling them as far away from the cave as I could.
"I should get rid of all these before they cause even more trouble," I muttered to myself.
Just then, a voice called from far away, bright and excited like a child's.
"Lily! I'm home!"
I turned around and saw Tigris.
He was carrying a small sack and some wrapped goods, his face lit up.
The second he saw me, he shifted in a cloud of wind, turning straight back into his huge golden tiger form, and sprinted toward me at full speed.
He skidded to a stop right in front of me, then shifted back into the blond young man.
His eyes fell on the berries I'd just thrown.
"Why did you throw away the fruit? Did it taste bad?" He tilted his head, looking genuinely confused.
Then he brightened up again and lifted the sack he was holding.
"Never mind that! I traded for something good, look, I got rice!"
My eyes widened. "You got rice? That's awesome! I really want to eat some rice!"
"I also got salt," he said proudly.
"I'll grill meat for you too. Just wait and rest, okay, Lily? I'll go ask Donna's husband how to make the meat taste better for you!"
Before I could even open my mouth to reply, he turned and dashed off again, fast as lightning.
I stared at his disappearing back, then slowly walked back inside the cave. I let out a small, helpless groan.
"I think I know way better than these cavemen…"
As I glanced around the cave, I realized it was simple by the standards of intelligent beings, yet surprisingly sophisticated for a primitive beastman settlement.
On my walk back from the river, I'd also spotted small huts woven from wood and leaves.
Inside, only a straw mattress and a fireplace made of logs and dried mud furnished the space.
I was amazed they'd mastered fire, yet still relied entirely on wood and bark for everything.
No metal, no tools, this place felt straight out of the Paleolithic era.
There were no toilets, but as someone who loved the outdoors, I could manage.
Dig a hole, cover the waste, and be done with it.
Still, the thought of some monster or beastman appearing out of nowhere made my skin prickle.
'Sighed....'
I was halfway out of my bikini, slipping on my regular shirt, when a massive tiger slipped silently behind me.
I didn't even hear him coming.
"Lily… you're breathtaking."
That perverted tiger! His large, warm hands playing with my bare breast, and a shaky tingle shot straight down my spine.
"You pervert! Let go!" A soft, helpless moan escaped before I could bite it back.
I spun and shoved at his huge, solid frame, but he didn't budge an inch.
My own momentum only sent me stumbling backward.
Just before I hit the ground, strong arms caught me, pulling me firmly against a wide, warm chest. His playful golden eyes softened into something tender, almost melancholy.
"Sorry, Lily. Did I frighten you? I just, like you too much. I love you so much."
He nuzzled his forehead against my neck, his warm breath tickling my skin. My face burned, and my heart raced.
This beastman was dangerously charming.
I quickly changed the subject. "Did you gather what you needed? What are you making?"
"Everything! Wait here!" He lifted a sack proudly. "I even borrowed things from the others!"
"I'm making you meat soup!" He strode toward the fireplace at the cave mouth, tail flicking excitedly.
I watched him work, amused. His tiger ears twitched constantly, and every time I spoke, his striped tail wagged wildly. I didn't think tigers were supposed to act this cute.
"What are those?" I nodded at the roots he was peeling.
"Ginger. It'll warm you up and get rid of that meat smell you complained about.
I blinked in shock. Same name, same use. It was like a little piece of my old world had followed me here.
This might actually turn out like the simple Chinese style meat soup I used to love. I turned away.
"Tigris, I'm thirsty. Where's the fresh water?"
"Right next to the bed. I chose this cave for a reason, we have our own underground spring. I covered it with that striped quilt."
I walked deeper.
Beside the straw bed, I'd mistaken the covered pond for a table, zebra hide stretched over a wooden frame, acting as a lid.
I lifted it slightly, and clear, cool water glinted beneath.
I filled my bottle and drank deeply until my thirst faded. The cold, pure water washed away my soreness and exhaustion.
This was the luxury of the ancient world, clean, untouched, no pollution at all.
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