"Leave him there." Curtis said as he slithered up to the deeply asleep Qianhuang.
"But-"
"I'm not carrying him." He clarified as he changed into his half-and-half form.
Oh right. Qianhuang's beast form was massive compared to Bai Di, who was much larger than Jiu Ruan. Curtis was the only one with the mass to heft the giant form of the winged lion to the upstairs bedroom. She looked around, even into the sky, "Where's Kimba?"
Curtis glanced around, true the cub was nowhere to be seen. He shrugged, "You'll have to ask the lion when he wakes up."
"Kurt! That's my child!"
The snake shrugged again. The cub was in his opinion plenty old enough to fend for himself. "We will still have to wait for your answer."
Chiaki sighed. "Yes, but now I'm worried!"
Curtis placed a hand on her shoulder. It may be the offspring of the other male, but he didn't want his mate to be upset. "I'm sure nothing has happened." Then he turned to Bai Di, "Tiger, I will show you the house." When Jiu Ruan tried to pass through the gate, Curtis smacked him with his tail. "You will find somewhere else to stay." He said sternly.
Jiu Ruan stood shakily after being batted back into the road. With his ears lowered he nodded and slowly limped off. Chiaki placed a hand over her face and sighed. Until Qianhuang woke up she'd have to do things to keep her mind off of worrying about Kimba.
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o
The short-winged birds were still here and alive, thankfully. A bit broody because they'd been allowed to keep their eggs, but otherwise they were ready for the fresh feed she brought out to them. As they pecked at the offered meal like it was below them to do such things, Chiaki checked the coop and eggs.
She held each egg up to the bright sun trying to check if any of them had somehow been fertilized. Who knew if there was a male around or not. It seemed that the eggs were not fertilized though and she piled them into the basket she'd brought with her from the house. A bird pecked her unprotected foot.
"Ow! Hey now! None of that!" She said as she used the same foot to quickly lift and toss the bird back a few feet where it landed softly. It flapped it wings at her in a huff. "It's a trade off. We don't eat you, we feed you, we get the eggs." She told the bird. It puffed out its feathers and strutted away. Chiaki rolled her eyes.
Back inside the house she brought the basket into the kitchen. She couldn't call it anything less, it was obviously designed by someone who had started cooking food in a much more modern way. It made her wonder about the builder and those who had live in the house before her. Had it been built by another transmigrated woman? It had been empty for long enough to be considered abandoned though, so she would likely never find out.
She heard footsteps and looked to the doorway to see Curtis showing Bai Di the room that held the stairs leading down into the basement. She placed the basket of eggs on top of the rocket oven, it hadn't been lit in days so the clay was completely cool. Bai Di's exclamation of surprise let her know he'd been shown the food supplies for the winter. She'd have to go through it and pull out anything that wouldn't last another season, and there was no meat stored yet at all. They were in a better place than many though.
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o
Chiaki was sure it was stress when she spotted blood the next day. It had been one thing after another from the moment they had moved to the City of Beasts. On top of that it had only taken a few hours for news to spread to the young males that she had returned home. Now they were once again gathering outside her stone walls, in the dusty street.
"You are even more beautiful than I remembered!" Called one young no-striped male.
Chiaki chuckled and shook her head. They needed new lines. Maybe she could throw them a bone? She took a deep breath and yelled back at him. "My mates number three now! Do something to prove you can help my family and I will consider you!"
Half a dozen sets of ears stood up at her words. Let them take it as they pleased. The young males scrambled away, leaving her in peace for the moment.
"That include me?" Came a voice she recognized.
Chiaki smiled at Jiu Ruan, as he leaned on the stone wall from the outside. "Oh, maybe?" She walked over to him. "I figure they will all go hunting."
Jiu Ruan's ears twitched. "Is that what you want?"
"I want them to think about where they fit into a family unit. Hunting is good, but what about a talent none of my mates have already?"
Jiu Ruan looked thoughtful. A talent?
Chiaki could see his confusion. "Curtis is very good at making clothing. Qianhuang makes sturdy pots of all sizes. Bai Di can haggle better deals when trading. Each brings more to the whole than another hunter and another mouth to feed." Jiu Ruan's eyes widened at the answer. Most females only looked at if a male would give her strong cubs... but this one had not even mentioned strength. "Knowing that, what do you want to bring to my family?"
Jiu Ruan pressed his lips together. What skill did he have beyond being a hunter? He was a good tracker, but that was a hunting skill. He had much to think about. With a nod to Chiaki to let her know he was going to think seriously about her question, he walked away. He would have to find a semi-permanent spot to stay in the city while he courted this female. He didn't notice the young male that he passed on the street, headed towards the home he had just been at.
Chiaki stretched her arms above her head. The street was finally clear of males vying for her attention. Just as she was about to enjoy the warm sun and quiet afternoon she spotted the newcomer.
He stopped dead still when he spotted her. His ears shot right up and he looked around, but he knew he'd been seen. He'd gotten too lenient while she and her mates were away. His hands gripped the leather bag filled with seeds for the short-winged birds.
Chiaki looked at the male as he fidgeted in the street. He was acting like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "Hello?" She said slowly.
He jumped in place and his black ears tilted backwards. "H-hi." He looked down.
Chiaki followed his eyes, noticing the bag. That was the same style as the one that had been left when she couldn't tame the short-winged birds. Had this been her secretive helper? She could almost place him... she was sure of it. "Are those for the birds?"
"YES!" He suddenly and swiftly was in-front of her, offering her the bag. "They liked these. When you were gone." He spoke quickly.
She looked at the bag. Would this be considered a gift? Should she accept it? Instead she studied the male in-front of her over the garden wall. He was short for a male, almost as short as her. His hair was chestnut brown and worn long like a great deal many males wore it. Ears and tail, black. Purple eyes flicked up to look at her before dropping back to the ground.
A no-stripe, like all the others. Curtis would toss him out of the city had the snake male been out here. Chiaki took the bag from his hands. "Who are you?"
He looked up. Eyes wide, mouth gaping like a fish. The male began to blush red. She'd taken the bag! "Skye!" He said, his voice cracking.
"Thank you for feeding the birds, Skye." Chiaki said.
"I-I just... you were the only one to pay attention to my stall in that market." He stammered.
Oh! That was were she'd seen him. "You- carved the figures, correct?"
"Yes!" Skye's ears tilted forward.
So she'd gained an admirer from that interaction it seemed. Chiaki sighed. At least her egg-layers hadn't starved while she was gone. Thanks to him. "Hmm." Chiaki looked at him again. He knew how to get the birds to eat. He was also the only carver she'd met on this world. Only- she stopped. She'd seen no real amount of jewellery in the towns she'd visited. A few decorative leather bands and feathers mostly. But beads? pendants? bangles? Nothing of the sort.
If Chiaki could see herself at that moment, she would have noticed a slight blue glow as her thoughts toppled forward. Farming, animal husbandry, new types of crafts. She didn't yet realize just how many new ideas she was spreading around the beast world with Ji Mo, Huanhuan, and even Qingqing.
"Can you carve things from a description?" Chiaki asked suddenly. Her mind had kept going, even while she was quiet and the question caught the male off guard.
"What? I- I mean... I think so?" Skye replied in confusion.
"Good, then-"
"What's this?" Curtis interrupted her. Chiaki's mind stilled to a halt. Oh, right, this wasn't her world and she couldn't be making random deals. She started to speak, but Skye spoke first.
"I've come to pursue this female as my mate." Skye said with as much confidence as he could muster. Curtis hissed at the words.
Had Curtis not been in his fully human form, Chiaki was sure Skye would have already been batted to the far side of the road. "Unthinkable." Curtis said, crossing his arms.
Chiaki held up the bag. "Well... actually..."
Curtis looked at the bag in his mates hands. So, she'd accepted a courting gift from this male? He turned to again look at the smaller male on the other side of the stone wall. A no-stripe... and from the smell of him, another flea-bitten cat to top things off. "If this is what you wish." He said evenly. He doubted the other would manage to garner Chiaki's favour any time soon. "I came out to let you know, the pots are ready to be organized." He carefully didn't mention that they were food storage. Not in-front of an outsider to the family.
"I'll be going then." Skye said weakly, unsure of how much longer he could keep his nerve in the presence of the four-stripe male.
Chiaki nodded. "Yes, I have things to do. Please, bring your carving tools with you next time."
"Right!" Skye nodded, then took off down the road. He was torn between elation and fear.
