The wind whipped past Rayna's ears as Soren soared effortlessly through the sky, each beat of his wings steady and powerful beneath her.
Rayna clung to his feathers, her earlier irritation fading as the landscape unfolded beneath them like a painting. It was beautiful.
Soren once looked back to check if Rayna is alright. Her brown eyes were sparkling, and her black wavy hair was shining under the sunlight. She looked like a child who marvels every new thing she saw.
"She was indeed pretty." Soren thought.
Soren had never seen dragons before and that too a female dragon. Yes, he had heard stories that they exist, and they live in a distant land which usually isn't accessible to all beastmen. Soren while he was in the city, heard that if you have connections with a dragon, you might get an entry into their lands. All this, made the place where dragons lived, seem a bit mysterious and everyone gets curious and their eyes perk up whenever they hear the word "dragon".
With that a thought struck Soren's mind. For now, in order to lay low in the village, Rayna needs to hide her beastform. And that strange...mark as well. It is better to not attract any extra attention for now. And she's pretty too so anyways, she will garner stares and many courters in the village.
Soren sighed.
After a few minutes of flying, Rayna could see a settlement with huts. It was nestled between two lush green hills, half-hidden by thick foliage and silvery fog.
Rayna leaned forward slightly.
"What... is this place?"
Soren's voice carried back to her, calm and low.
"The Vukari Village. Home of the fox beastmen. Be respectful. They're cunning, sharp and they see everything, even when they pretend not to."
Rayna thought, "Fox beastmen? According to the stories I have read, fox beastmen are also very handsome. Hehe. And their fluffy tails, they're very soft. I hope I get to touch them."
As they descended, the air shifted. The wind grew still.
Soren landed smoothly a bit far from the village, but not too far. Rayna slid off his back. In a blink, his feathers vanished, his form shifting seamlessly back into its usual shape—tall, composed, and far too handsome for her peace of mind.
Soren came closer to her.
"What?" Rayna asked.
"See, could you... probably try to hide those wings of yours. And that tail too?" Soren said in a deep voice.
"Why?" Rayna was curious. "Any problem with it?" Her tail swinged slightly and her wings twitched.
"I mean, unless you're dying to be the center of attention—mobbed with questions and stares—you might want to keep those wings and tails hidden. And that mark too." Soren walked behind Rayna and looked at her back. The mark was well hidden in her dress."
"You know, just the tail and wings." Soren crossed his armed waiting for Rayna.
Rayna huffed in irritation. "Why couldn't this man speak like a normal person for once? Always so sarcastic."
Still... he wasn't wrong. Dragons were rare here, and the last thing she wanted was to be swarmed by strangers.
Plus, socializing wasn't exactly her favorite sport—she'd much rather avoid unnecessary conversations.
Maybe it was better to keep her wings and tail hidden.
But the big question was, "How?" Rayna asked out loud to Soren.
Soren tilted his head.
"Just shift to your regular form—like I did. No wings, no tail. It's the same as moving from your beast form." Soren explained.
Rayna nodded. She closed her eyes. She tried to focus, imagining her wings and tails are not there. Something like pulling them within her body to hide them.
Soren gave a small nod, the corner of his mouth quirking up.
"Well, look at you. Congratulations—seems like you're not that dumb."
Rayna opened her eyes. The audacity of this bird. Rayna rolled her eyes.
"Please. I was never dumb to begin with, stupid bird." Rayna looked behind. No wings. She looked down. No tail. Good.
"Just a few things you should know before we go in," Soren began to explain.
"First, we'll meet the guards at the entrance. Try not to let them get on your nerves—they're a bit too fond of throwing heart-eyes at any female with a pretty face."
Rayna nodded. Seeing her listen attentively, Soren continued.
"Then, I'll take you to meet the village head. She'll officially acknowledge you, and if you want, help you settle down there. She might throw a bunch of questions your way, but don't stress—I'll be there. Just follow my lead and don't let her shake you."
He gave her a knowing look.
"And remember, you don't have to answer everything. You can always ignore her too if you feel like. That works too." Soren said.
He stepped aside, motioning ahead.
"Alright, now that we've cleared that up... shall we?"
Rayna straightened up, trying to keep a calm expression.
"Alright. Got it. Let's go," she said coolly.
But inside?
Oh, she was screaming.
More beastmen? A whole village of them?
She could already imagine the possibilities—tall, strong, mysterious types... maybe some with sharp eyes, or soft smiles, or deep voices that made your heart skip. Ugh! Her inner fangirl was losing it.
And she was about to walk into their world.
An actual beastman village. That too fox beastmen.
Rayna cleared her throat and shook her head.
Focus. Play it cool. Don't drool.
She followed Soren, heart racing faster than it had all day.
Rayna and Soren began walking toward the village entrance. The entrance came to view. A simple barrier made of interwoven bamboo poles marked the boundary—nothing grand or towering, just enough to signal that this was guarded land.
Two fox beastmen guarded the path, each gripping a sleek spear with practiced ease. They were tall, but not as tall as Soren. They had sharp amber eyes, alert and watchful, and tall orange fox ears perched atop their heads, twitching at every sound. Behind them, their bushy orange tails flicked idly—each tipped with a soft white tuft like a brushstroke of snow.
As they approached, one of the guards leaned forward slightly, his fox ears twitching. He placed his right fist over his chest, bowing slightly at the waist in a crisp, practiced motion.
"Welcome back, Soren," he said respectfully, his tone formal but familiar.
Soren nodded and acknowledged him.
The other guard's eyes locked on Rayna.
Rayna instinctively took half a step behind Soren.
Soren seeing this informed the two guards, "She's with me. We're heading to the village head for formal acknowledgment."
The first guard tilted his head, his eyes flicking from Soren to Rayna with open interest.
Rayna remembered Soren's instructions. She pretended to ignore the guards.
Soren's expression didn't change, but the air around him shifted—a quiet pressure, sharp and commanding, rolled off him like a sudden drop in temperature.
The guards immediately straightened, their gazes snapping away from Rayna as if they'd just remembered who they were talking to. One of them cleared his throat awkwardly; the other adjusted his grip on his spear.
Both guards stepped aside, tapping the base of their spears against the ground in sync.
"Go on in Soren. The village head will want to see her right away."
As they walked past, Rayna heard one of them whisper behind her,
"She's so beautiful... I might've tried my luck if Soren hadn't given me that death glare."
Her cheeks flushed, and she sped up to match Soren's pace.
Curious about the greeting which one of the guards did, Rayna asked Soren,
"Why did the guard bow in that way before you?"
Soren didn't glance back but replied while walking. "It's a sign of respect. Beastmen do it in front of respectful and powerful people. It can also be done in front of older beast men as a sign of respect."
Rayna nodded slowly, keeping pace beside him.
"Hmm... So, you're considered powerful and respectful here, huh?" she said, a teasing edge in her voice.
She shot him a sideways glance, smirking.
Soren didn't give a reply.
As they walked through the village she could now see the structure of the huts closely.
The huts were built from packed mud, their walls smooth and sturdy, with thatched grass roofs that sloped gently downward. Each had an open entrance—no doors though. Small windows let in the sunlight, and while none of the huts were particularly large, they all seemed uniform in size and neatly arranged, giving the village a simple but well-organized charm.
Rayna walked quietly beside Soren, taking in the village around her. Laughter echoed through the air—a light, joyful sound. She turned her head and spotted a male fox beastman crouched down, playfully tussling with a tiny cub. The little one let out an excited squeal, its fluffy tail wagging like a pup's.
Gods, it was so cute that she had to fight the overwhelming urge to scoop it up and squish it.
As they walked deeper into the village, Rayna became aware of a shift. She could feel it—eyes on her.
She glanced around and, sure enough, several villagers had paused what they were doing to look her way. Some were curious, others intrigued. The men, especially, stood out—tall, graceful, with sharp features, fox-like ears twitching atop their heads and bushy tails flicking behind them.
They were undeniably attractive, but... as her eyes drifted back to Soren walking beside her—
None of them quite compared.
There was something about him—his presence, his sharp elegance, his effortless cool—that made him stand apart.
Yeah. He was different. And it was hard not to notice.
Soren suddenly stopped in front of a hut. This hut was a bit bigger and at the entrance, it had beads swaying lightly in the breeze.
Soren turned around to face Rayna. "We've reached, let's go in. And remember all that I told you."
Rayna nodded.
Rayna followed Soren inside. The hut was pretty decent, primitive and had a heap of grass at one corner.
Suddenly Soren bowed. The same greeting the guards did at the entrance when they met him.
Rayna looked forward. A female fox. She had a quiet grace about her—elegant yet grounded. Her long white hair flowed loosely down her back, and though there were faint lines on her face, they only added to her dignified presence. Her amber eyes watched with quiet curiosity.
She wore a simple greyish tube top and a matching skirt, both appearing to be crafted from carefully treated animal hide. Even her shoes, laced around her ankles, were made from the same material—tough, worn, and clearly built for the terrain.
Despite the primitive style, there was something regal about the way she carried herself.
The white-haired fox woman took one step forward towards them, a warm smile spreading across her face as she caught sight of Soren.
"Get up, Soren. No need for such formalities," she said, her voice calm and clear, laced with familiarity.
Soren straightened without a word.
Then the woman's amber eyes flicked to Rayna, and she raised an elegant brow.
"So... did you finally find a mate, Soren?"
Rayna blinked.
A what now?
She stiffened ever so slightly and threw a sharp side glance at Soren.
A mate? Him?
Ugh. Sure, he was unfairly attractive—but his attitude? Absolute trash.
She crossed her arms, forcing down the weird heat creeping up her neck.
"Bleh. No thanks," she muttered under her breath.
Soren didn't say anything, but Rayna swore she caught the barest smirk playing at his lips.
Rayna scoffed inwardly.
No way am I falling for that overused trope from every story I've ever read.
I need someone with emotional intelligence—depth, maturity—not just a pretty face with a frigid expression.
Soren shook his head. "No. She's not my mate. While I was patrolling, I found her alone in the forest. It was dangerous, so I brought her here. I'm hoping you can give her official acknowledgment so she can stay in the village safely."
The elder fox nodded with understanding.
"Got it."
She then turned her gentle gaze toward Rayna, her amber eyes warm and kind.
"Welcome to our Vukari Village. Most of us here are of the fox clan. But because our tribe is known for its inclusive nature, we have beastmen of some other tribes too who have settled down here."
"May I ask you a few questions, dear? Don't worry—no pressure. There's no need to feel stressed."
Rayna nodded.
The elder fox woman gave Rayna a kind smile.
"What's your name, dear? And which tribe are you from?"
Rayna paused for a moment.
Something inside her told her not to mention the word dragon—not yet.
"I'm Rayna. I'm from the reptile kind," she said smoothly.
The fox elder's eyes lingered on her for a second longer than necessary, as if trying to read between the lines. But she didn't pry.
She simply nodded.
"Very well. Do you wish to settle here?"
"Yes, I do." Rayna answered confidently.
The elder smiled again.
"Then allow me to ask—would you like to choose some mates for your own well-being? It can be difficult to live alone in a new place. I can introduce you to a few capable bachelors..." she added with a twinkle in her eye.
"Or... do you wish to choose Soren?" she teased.
Rayna's eyes widened, a blush instantly blooming across her cheeks.
"No! I mean—thank you, but I'd like to postpone the whole mate topic for now," she stammered.
"If there's an empty hut, I can stay there. I'm perfectly capable of fending for myself."
The elder chuckled softly.
"Are you sure?"
Rayna nodded firmly.
"Yes. Absolutely."
The elder gave Soren a glance.
He stood nearby, arms folded, watching the exchange silently.
"Very well," the elder said.
"Soren, you know the village layout. There's an empty hut near the river—it's a bit farther out, but fortunately close to your treehouse. If she needs help, you'll be nearby. Take her there and help her get settled."
"As you say, Village Head," Soren replied with a nod.
The village head turned back to Rayna, her tone warm.
"Have a good stay here, Rayna. When you feel ready, I hope you'll find mates who suit you. If you ever need anything, you can come to me. And don't hesitate to ask for help—our people here are gentle and kind."
Rayna gave a small bow.
"Thank you so much for your—"
Before she could finish, a sudden noise erupted outside.
Rayna spun toward the open doorway, eyes narrowing.
"I'll check it out, Village Head," Soren said quickly.
"I'm coming too," the village head replied, already moving.
She turned to Rayna.
"Do you want to come see what's going on?"
Rayna nodded, curiosity getting the better of her.
As she stepped outside beside Soren and the village elder, her eyes widened in shock.
"What the heck is this...?"