Beastmen: She Tames the Land-Chapter 90: Creating a bond

Visha woke up in the room by herself. She could smell the scent of Uri and Xeno in bed, which meant they hadn’t left that long ago. She splashed some water on her face and headed downstairs.

She walked out to see everyone gathered in the square. The fire crackled, casting long shadows across the faces of the pack. She heard Kael’s voice. He was talking about what the Tiger tribe did.

He told them about his choice to leave the Tiger tribe completely after they tried to use Heta repeatedly. He told them about the deal. Heta would add small details here and there. It wasn’t the first time Visha noticed, but Heta was much calmer now than she was during the winter.

When Kael finished, the square was silent.

"So how do we know we can trust you?" Krag asked? "You say you have left, but we can’t be sure of that. There is always a chance you are lying."

The silence became heavier because of Krag’s statement. Visha didn’t speak up for them. She wanted to see what Krag would say.

"I could have taken her to the Tiger tribe. I didn’t need to come here." He looked over at Visha, who was walking over. "Taking her would be the easiest way to get back in their good graces. But I understand why you can’t trust me. I would feel the same if it were me. All we can do is try to earn your trust."

The answer didn’t put to rest the distrust others had. It only made them aware that Kael and Heta would be trying to integrate. It would be up to the pack members to accept them.

"We will see if you can be trusted. For now, I will say this pack will never be like the Tiger tribe." Uri’s eyes swept over everyone. "We will not cast aside our own because they are wounded or because they no longer serve a purpose. As long as you do not betray us, you will be a part of the pack for life."

His words pressed on the heart of each person there. They knew what the tribes were like. Rogues were rogues because they were thrown away by their tribes. There are some who have committed serious crimes, but the majority are people who have simply lost the strength they had before or had some kind of physical discomfort.

The night continued. Moving from the heavy atmosphere to something lighter. The rest of the night was people catching up and getting to know each other all over again.

Later, after the pack had gone to their beds, Visha, Uri, and Xeno sat together in the privacy of their own homes. The atmosphere wasn’t oppressive, but it didn’t suit a reunion of lovers.

"Why’d you bring them back?" Xeno asked. "They’re a risk we can’t afford."

"I know," she said, her voice soft. "The system asked me to gain their trust. The only way to do that was to have them come back." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"We’ve already made the statement that we won’t cast them out. Except for betrayal, there isn’t a reason to ask them to leave." Visha said, trying to sound reasonable.

"If we wait until they betray us, it will be too late." Uri’s cold tone caused Visha to flinch slightly.

She knew he was telling the truth. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand.

"I have a way to solve that problem. A way to know whether they betray us." Visha reached out, taking a hand in each of her own. "We need to perform a ritual."

She leaned back, releasing their hands. "When we invited Kaelen, it was a verbal agreement. We haven’t had time to completely welcome him into the pack. I know you should have a bond with the tribe you were born into."

She peered at both men. Seeing them nod in agreement, she continued. "What I’m offering is something similar to that bond. It isn’t words or the bond of being born in the same tribe. It’s a spiritual connection. You feel it with the pack now. When we formed the pack, you noticed it, just barely there. The ritual would make it stronger. It wouldn’t be a guessing game of betrayal. It would let us know the exact person."

There was silence for a moment before Uri spoke. "A bond so strong would be useful. It would ensure that all members are truly on our side."

"But would they be willing to do it?" Xeno asked.

"They already have a bond with us by being part of the pack, why wouldn’t they want to strengthen it. Just tell them that it is for the safety of our pack. No one would be able to betray."

"No." Came the firm tone of the two men.

Visha’s brow furrowed. "Why? We should tell them what the bond does."

"We can’t tell them. They don’t need to know. As long as they don’t harbour thoughts of rebellion, they are safe. Knowing would only make them uncomfortable."

Uri nodded. He agreed with Xeno because he understood that sometimes the tribe didn’t need to know everything their leaders were doing.

"But, what would we tell them if they question it?" Visha asked, unsure.

"Tell them it will help us feel more like a pack. They do not need to know the finer details. They will feel the change, they will be happy, and we will keep the secret for as long as it is necessary." Uri’s soft gaze landed on Visha. "This is the way we protect them."

Visha didn’t agree, but she could understand why telling them might become a cage rather than a blessing. So after talking some more, she agreed. She would not tell the pack about the ’security feature’ of the pack bond.

With that sorted, she went on to tell the two men about the grotto. She told them what the system said to her. She told them about hiding the grotto. She made them aware that the reason she wanted to try the pack bond in the first place was because of the spring water.

It is an added security measure. Both for her and for them.

"This is why we can’t tell them," Xeno said.

The conversation ended with the three people huddled together. The day tomorrow will be busy; they wanted to make sure they were ready for it.