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Chapter 4 - Chapter4:The Surprising Village

She was brought to his tribe, a modest yet well-planned settlement nestled deep within the forest. The village was primitive in materials but surprisingly advanced in structure. Earthy huts with curved wooden frames stood on raised stone platforms, designed to avoid ground moisture. Each dwelling had slanted thatch roofs for rain runoff and carefully channeled gutters that fed into a central drainage trench lined with smooth pebbles. Elevated wooden walkways linked homes above the undergrowth, while sky bridges tied the treetops together like veins of the forest.

As they entered, villagers emerged silently from their huts. Most were beastfolk of various animal lineages—wolf, deer, fox, and panther-like Kael. Tall, broad-shouldered, and cautious, their ears flicked and eyes watched. Some held tools, others cradled bundles of herbs or woven baskets.

A child peeked from behind a tree trunk. An elderly beastwoman with silver fur and a feathered cloak narrowed her eyes, then gave a single nod toward Kael.

Charlisa stood still, heart steady but aware. She bowed slightly, palms pressed together—a respectful gesture she had learned during her travels back home.

One of the villagers—a young wolf-beast woman—stepped forward and offered a small clay bowl of water. Charlisa accepted with both hands and drank, then returned the bowl.

No words were spoken, but a murmur passed among them. Acceptance, not celebration.

Charlisa exhaled slowly. She knew she hadn't been fully welcomed yet—but the door had opened.

And she intended to earn her place beyond it.

They were wary but not cruel. Charlisa observed more than she spoke. She accepted what food they gave—dried roots, smoked meat, wild berries. She cleaned her plate and always offered thanks. She didn't complain, didn't demand, didn't try to "fix" them. And so they let her stay.

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