Beastmen: She Tames the Land-Chapter 121: Briefly meeting the Stonefang Pack

Three weeks passed in the blink of an eye. During that time, Lila thrived. After the first seven treatments, she was able to move on her own. She was running around with Kit and Nimo. Even though she only had a liquid diet, she still had endless energy.

The following two treatment phases were more of the same. Biron, Brin, and Lara saw Lila thriving, and they were all smiles all day long. As the treatment came to an end, the family hadn’t shown any sign of leaving.

Visha didn’t mention it. She wanted to see how long it would take for them to ask to join the pack. She didn’t mind waiting.

Visha, Uri, and Xeno were outside the caldera. Visha liked to go around looking for plants that might not be in the caldera. Recently, she found traces of something that might be rice. She wanted to check and see if whatever it was could be used as a rice substitute.

So far, she had a person’s basic needs: food, shelter, and clothing. She felt she was lacking in both clothing and food. She had found plant fibers that could be used to make clothes. The River Clan could actually weave clothing, but their fibers were rough. Visha wanted to try making something closer to cotton that felt good and didn’t scratch her skin.

Recently, they were negotiating with the River Clan to make a trade with the Fox tribe. It would be their farthest journey. According to the River Clan, the foxes were cunning. They traded in both salt and slaves.

When Visha learned that slave trading was actually something people did, she felt her worldview shift again. When Biron had said he would be her slave, she hadn’t realized he meant an actual slave. A servant, maybe. But the slaves she heard about were branded with the mark of a slave.

Not thinking about the complications.

Right now, Visha was on the hunt for rice. Flour is great, but rice is life.

They had been moving stealthily because they didn’t want to alert any animals. They were not hunting, but a surprise feast is always welcome.

Suddenly, Xeno stopped. His head cocked. His green eyes started glowing. A low growl rumbled in his chest. Uri froze, his hazel eyes narrowing. He assessed the risk and threat level. Visha felt the tension through their bond.

Then they heard it. A frantic crashing. A lone figure burst into the clearing. A young woman, her clothes torn, her face streaked with dirt and tears.

She skidded to a stop, her eyes wide as she saw the two massive predators before her. Her eyes met Visha, and a spark of hope flashed before disappearing.

"Please," the woman said. "Help me." Her voice broke as she spoke.

The woman took a hesitant step forward, her eyes locked on Visha. Her grey eyes were pleading. Before anyone could stop her, she darted forward, grabbing Visha’s arm in a surprisingly strong grip.

That’s when Visha smelled it. A strange scent. It was the scent of a beast, but one she had never encountered. It was the scent of a predator. Visha’s own beast stirred inside her. It was a subtle reaction. She felt a kinship pull to this strange woman.

"What’s your name? Visha asked, her voice gentle.

"My name is Lyra," she said, her eyes fixed on Visha. "I...I’m from the Stonefang Pack."

Visha could still feel the strange connection. She wasn’t from this world, and she had always wondered if she would be able to find someone like her. But this girl, she didn’t think she was like her. It was more like she had met a sibling she recognized through blood. But that was impossible.

Keep her by your side.

Visha hadn’t heard that voice for a long time. She didn’t hesitate; there must be a reason to keep her close.

Before Visha had the time to respond to either party, a group of wolf shifters appeared. They were led by a young man. He had broad shoulders, an arrogant stance, and the cruelty in his eyes almost became an entity.

"There you are, Lyra," he sneered. "Running away? We become partners soon."

"I’m not your property, Garm. I have told you before, I do not want partner with you." Lyra’s voice trembled as she spoke, but her eyes were defiant. Her body was poised, ready to run.

Garm laughed, a harsh sound. "You are a female. Your only value is in having a strong male breed you to produce offspring." He gestured dismissively to Uri and Xeno. "Do you think these worthless good-for-nothings can save you?"

Visha heard the insult and couldn’t stop the fury that welled up inside her. A sharp, involuntary growl rumbled in her chest. The sound was low, but the entire clearing heard it. It was filled with power Visha had never displayed.

Everyone there, the wolf shifter, Uri, and Xeno, were surprised by the sound. They felt the power it held. Even unsure of what the power was, Uri and Xeno stepped even closer to Visha.

She had closed her eyes so as not to show anyone her eyes. "She isn’t yours," she said, her voice a low purr. "Leave before I make you leave."

For the first time in his life, Garm felt fear. But behind that fear was an intrigue he couldn’t hide. This was the first time he had seen a female like her. He thought Lyra was special, but now he sees there may be more ’special’ females on the Beast Continent.

He left quickly, partly because of fear and partly because he wanted to report to his father. He wanted to tell him about the female he encountered.

"We need to leave," Uri spoke the moment he knew the wolf shifters had gone far enough.

He saw the fear and intrigue in Garm’s eyes. He feared that they and the Stonefang Pack would never be able to live in peace.