Novalyn's arrival in Camel Hump Valley did not go unnoticed.
As she appeared out of thin air, a beastman elbowed his brother who was snoozing beside him on the tree limb.
"What?"
"Shh...look." A long fingered hand with sharp nails pointed down below where a female glimmered. As the rays of sunlight broke through the canopy her golden hair almost seemed to glow, and her pale skin looked so soft to touch.
Her rounded features were different from those of the females they'd seen in their travels. Where those females had lazy weight this female had lush rounded edges. Wide hips, round belly, circular face with rosy cheeks; she was the sort of female they had dreamed of but had never found. A female with enough body for both of them, but could hold her own weight. Her arms were strong and the peek of leg they saw from the parting of her skirts had both males nearly drooling.
Full kissable lips, large blue eyes that looked around in curiosity and wonder, a hand rested almost protectively around her stomach.
Slitted pupiled eyes narrowed, tongues flicked but they couldn't get the scents of any males on her but she smelled delicious. Like the air after rainfall mixed with something light and floral.
If the female was pregnant as they suspected, her males were most likely dead. No spousal marks could be seen on her chest, cleavage, or arms. They could be elsewhere but the serpent brothers doubted it somehow. There was a gentleness about this female, she didn't even seem to touch the ground.
"I know you are there." She looked up as if she could actually see them through the foilage. "Will you introduce yourselves?"
The brothers looked at each other before the bolder of the two leaned forward and spoke, "Only if you promise not to be scared."
"I promise." Her face was upturned, her lips curved in a smile and still the brothers didn't believe her for a moment no matter how her voice made them feel safe.
--
Novalyn wasn't sure what she expected when the system informed her of the location of "The Possessive Snake(s)" on her arrival to the outskirts of Camel Hump Valley.
Her eyes widened as she saw the tall figures that slithered down the tree and then stood staring at her with blank faces as if preparing for her screams of terror. But Novalyn merely tilted her head to the side and looked at the two brothers, twins she suspected. They both had identical facial features, sharp angles, thin lips and long noble noses. But the coloring of their eyes and hair were inverted, one had long silver almost white hair and red eyes (how she thought Reinhart from 'Failed to Oust the Villain' might look) and the other had long crimson hair and silver eyes.
"Hello, I'm Novalyn." She smiled and nodded toward both males who had not yet shown any hostility toward her. Plus she was expecting them which helped her not be so surprised at their huge python coils on the lower halves of their bodies.
The silver haired snake beastman smirked, "I'm Cadmus and this is my twin brother Kallis." He waved a sharp taloned hand toward the red haired snake beastman that's eyes seemed to still search Novalyn's features as if waiting for some certain reaction.
Kallis's voice was deep and solemn, "Where are your males, female?"
Novalyn couldn't help but tug at her skirts nervously, how was she to explain she didn't have any despite being pregnant?
"I do not have any."
Kallis frowned, looking down at her stomach, "You are pregnant."
Novalyn sighed and ran a hand through her hair, "I fear whatever explanation I give would sound like a lie but regardless I have no spousal marks on my body."
Kallis frowned deeper as he no doubt thought of some awful ways she could be pregnant but not have spousal marks...involving Rootless ones no doubt.
"Do you need protection?" Kallis's straight forward question didn't allow her to answer in anything but the truth.
"I do, but I would not wish to take advantage of any beastman by making him only a Guardian. Instead, I would hope they would court me and if myself and my future little ones are accepted only then would I take them as a male."
Cadmus grinned, before slapping his brother on his back, "Look brother we found the perfect female after all."
Curious to see if Cadmus was all talk, Novalyn checked his Affection percentage. It was at 15% and curiously when she checked the more serious of the twins' percentage it was higher at 25%.
"I have come from far away and only the clothes on my back. If you both or one of you would like to accept..."
Kallis stepped forward, strands of crimson hair falling over his shoulder. "My brother and I long ago decided we'd court the same female, and only if she accepts both of us continue. Will you allow us both to protect and court you, female?"
Novalyn nodded, "Yes but only if you'll call me by my name Kallis."
"Novalyn." Her name rumbled inside his chest and she felt a blush rising in her cheeks at how wonderful it sounded coming from his lips.