In the world of Beastmen, relationships are simple and instinctive.
Here, emotions are strong and direct. If a female likes a male, she chooses him. No ceremonies, no complicated steps, and no need to ask permission. It's all about what they feel in the moment.
Beastmen don't worry about rules or traditions when it comes to love. They follow their hearts boldly and without hesitation. If they care about someone, they show it. If they want to be close, they don't wait. They act.
It might seem wild or unusual, but in their world, this is normal. Their way of forming bonds is raw and honest, guided by instinct rather than social customs. It's not about being polite. It's about being true to what they feel.
After the incident at the falls, Aiden has been acting stubborn. Despite Sera's repeated refusals, he insisted on following her. His reasoning? The jungle was no place for a female to walk alone. And while he wasn't wrong, Sera wasn't just any female.
She was Leopard-born.
Small in stature, perhaps, but swift and lethal. The Leopard tribe prided itself on speed and precision. They were predators, through and through. From the moment they could walk, cubs were taught to hunt and that included the females. Sera had run these paths countless times. She didn't need protection. What she needed was for Aiden to understand that she was not prey.
"I can run and hunt on my own. I'm not a damsel in distress." Sera said sharply. For 18 years of living in a beast world, she hated how everyone see's women as weaklings.
"A damsel? What's that?" he asked, genuinely puzzled. The word was foreign to him, though the tone gave him a rough idea. "I don't think you're weak. I just wanted to make sure you were safe."
Sera's eyes narrowed. "Safe? From what? from you?" Her tone was cold and distant. "You should leave. You're not welcome here."
Before Aiden could respond, she turned and vanished into the trees, her movement so swift and fluid it was almost supernatural. He stood there, stunned, the forest already swallowing her presence.
As Sera approached the tribe's entrance, the two guards stationed at the gate raised their hands, signaling her to stop. Their reaction wasn't out of concern for her escape, they were used to her slipping out of the village from time to time.
What startled them was something else entirely.
Someone was following her.
Their eyes shifted past Sera, narrowing at the figure trailing behind. It was a male, unfamiliar and imposing, his presence stirring unease.
" Miss Phoebe, may we know who is the man behind you?" One of the guards asked. Every tribe in beast world guards its borders with tooth and instinct. The Leopard Tribe is no exception.
Resources in the jungle are scarce. To welcome a stranger means to share meat, shelter, and space. Whether male or female, young or seasoned, a newcomer must earn their place. They must prove they are not a threat, not a burden, and not a spy sent by rival tribes.
Sera was certain she'd lost him.
So when the guards asked who is behind her, she felt a jolt of surprise and a surge of annoyance.
"He insisted on following me," she muttered, her voice tight with irritation. "But I don't even know him."
Sera turned and faced Aiden.
"You're persistent," she said coldly.
"I'm not here to chase you," he replied "I'm here to help."
Sera narrowed her eyes. "Help? You don't even belong here."
"I know, I don't belong anywhere." Aiden said.
Sera was confused, but she didn't let her guard down. She knows he's from a tiger tribe. The Tiger tribe is one of the big tribes and closely connected to the nobles. There were few that separated from the main tribe, they branched to other areas. Sera was more concerned whether Aiden is connected to the nobles or if he's not.
"I left my tribe," he continued. "I've been traveling alone for a few years now."
Sera crossed her arms. "And now you want to join us?" Sera asked us full of suspicion.
"I can help this tribe. I can see this tribe is struggling, You're not going to survive when the bigger tribes decides to take this land for resources!" Aiden said.
The guards looked at Sera, their eyes full of questions but their mouths silent. They waited for her to speak, but she didn't answer right away.
Though the Leopard Tribe was small, Sera had changed it in big ways. With her modern knowledge, she had helped them solve problems they didn't even know they had. She introduced rules for hygiene, designating places to relieve themselves, encouraging regular bathing, and teaching the importance of clean water. She showed them how to preserve meat and store food for lean seasons. She even taught them how to raise livestock, and though Leopards were natural carnivores, she convinced them to try farming too.
Because of all this, they protected her fiercely. She was their secret strength, their hidden treasure. And now, with a stranger behind her, the guards weren't just worried about Sera's safety. They were worried about what his presence meant to her, to the tribe and what it might cost them.
"That's not mine to decide," Sera said, her tone clipped with irritation.
Aiden had a point, the tribe did need help. But help could bring trouble.
Sera had undeniably transformed the lives of the Leopard beast men, their barns overflowed with livestock, their fields thrived under a proper irrigation system, and their homes stood sturdier than ever before. Even the sewage system was a marvel compared to the dirty roads most tribes endured. But most alarming of all were the weapons. Sharp, polished daggers and swords that gleamed with craftsmanship far beyond what any common tribe should possess.
It was only a matter of time before the larger tribes took notice. And if a noble happened to see one of their men wielding such refined steel, rumors would spread like wildfire. The Emperor might see it not as progress, but as rebellion. A single decree could spell their annihilation.
They didn't just need protection. They needed someone with influence. Someone with ties to nobility. Someone who could shield them from the storm that was surely coming.
But, Sera didn't trust him.
Aiden might claim to offer help, but he could just as easily bring ruin. There was something about him that hinted at influence, perhaps even noble blood. That alone made Sera wary.
If Aiden saw the weapons, he might not see them as tools of defense. He might see them as a threat. A sign of rebellion.
And if he reported back to the wrong people, the tribe wouldn't stand a chance.
Sera turned to the guards, her voice firm. "Take him to the chief. Let him decide what to do with him."
Without waiting for a reply, she spun on her heel and walked away.