Ezra stormed out of the hut, his eyes blazing with fury. The guard standing outside took a cautious step back as Ezra barked, "You disturbed me at a very important moment. Couldn't this wait!?"
The young guard flinched but stood his ground. "You told me to inform you the moment there was an update... about the insects," he said, his tone quieter now, almost apologetic. "Their movement—it's been spotted near the east ridge."
Ezra's scowl faltered. His jaw tightened, and the fire in his eyes shifted from anger to icy focus. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice low and sharp.
The guard nodded. "Yes. The scouts just returned. They're on the move again."
Ezra exhaled slowly, his expression hardening. "Fine. Let's go."
With one final glance back at the hut, where the warmth of Rayna still lingered in his memory, he turned and walked along with the guard.
Rayna went to explore the other room. There were various kinds of weapons. Spears, bow and arrow, dagger all created with sharp bones and stones. One thing that Rayna realized about Ezra was that he possessed the quality of being inventive. He was a tinkerer at heart, a natural craftsman—quick with his hands, sharp in observation, and always building something out of nothing.
As Rayna examined the dagger it was quite sharp. She stupidly tested it on her fingers and obviously cut it. It was a small cut, but it did bleed. Rayna sucked her finger to stop the bleeding. "I'll have to wrap a small bandage later, just in case, to prevent infection."
Rayna wanted to keep the dagger with herself. For self-defense purposes. It's always necessary. In her world she used to carry an electric taser gun and also knew basic taekwondo, to protect herself. Just in case.
She knew Ezra would give it away just like that the moment he knows she wants something. Still its basic decency to ask once. After all they just became mates.
Ezra did tell Rayna to wait there, in his hut, but she was getting bored. Besides, she had no idea when he was coming back. So, she decided to take a stroll again, not too far, just enough to pass the time. Without mobile phones or laptops, life felt painfully slow. She found herself craving the comfort of her manhwas and K-dramas more than ever. But, nevermind.
As Rayna walked, she found many big trees lined in a vertical row. One after the other. She went there and saw fruits hanging from it.
"Oh, so this is the source site of the various fruits that Ezra brought for me. Great now I can come here too." Rayna went near the trees.
The fruity aroma wafting through the air made Rayna's stomach growl. She had only eaten some soup in the morning, and now, hunger gnawed at her. Tempted by the ripe fruits hanging high above, she considered climbing the tree—only to remember she didn't actually know how to.
Instead, she began searching for stones. After a few determined throws, she managed to knock down three of the fruits. They had a yellow, slightly spiky exterior—somewhat like a dragon fruit—and a juicy, white pulp inside. The shape was round, but the crisp, sweet texture reminded her of an apple.
She took a bite, savoring the refreshing sweetness, then decided to explore further into the area, energized by her small but satisfying find.
Rayna wandered deeper into a thick canopy of trees, the dappled sunlight barely filtering through the dense leaves above. The air was cool, and every step she took was cushioned by moss and fallen leaves. She just finished her fruit when a faint, trembling voice reached her ears.
"Help..."
Her body tensed instantly. That voice—it was weak, frightened.
Without hesitation, Rayna broke into a run, weaving through the trees toward the sound. She crossed the village boundary. Her heart pounded in her chest as twigs snapped beneath her feet. Pushing past a thick patch of ferns, she stopped abruptly.
There, nestled between the roots of a giant tree, was a panda in beast form—his fur was matted, limbs scraped and bloodied, and his round, tear-streaked eyes were wide with fear. He was an adult male panda beastman evident from his size.
"Help me," he whimpered again, his voice barely audible.
Rayna rushed to his side, kneeling beside him. "Hey, it's okay. I've got you now," she said gently, trying to soothe him as she examined his wounds.
"You're hurt badly, how did this happen, are you being chased?" Rayna asked concerned.
The panda beastman weakly nodded.
"Then, we need to get out of here. Now." Rayna looked around. "Can you walk? What's your name?"
The panda beastman shaked his head in denial. Then he added faintly, "Yunxi."
Rayna nodded while taking one of his furry arm around her neck, supporting his weight. He wasn't that heavy, manageable for Rayna to take him to the village.
"Let's go Yunxi."
Yunxi was barely conscious. But still he moved. He was still shaking. For a male beastman to shake in fear and be so weak physically here, was a strange thing to Rayna. She hadn't spotted any till now, in the beastworld, and he was the first one.
Rayna emerged from the forest canopy, supporting the weight of a heavily injured panda beastman. His fur was matted with blood, and his breaths came in ragged gasps. As she approached the village boundary, the sight that met her was tense—guards scrambled in urgency, murmuring among themselves, and at the center of it all stood Ezra, his aura sharp with anger and frustration. Rayna had never seen him like that.
When Ezra's eyes landed on her, all the tension seemed to snap. He rushed forward, eyes darting between Rayna and the man she held.
"Rayna! What happened? Are you alright? Who is this?" he bombarded her with questions, taking the panda beastman from her arms with surprising gentleness for someone so visibly rattled.
Rayna exhaled, her voice steady. "His name's Yunxi, I think. He was beyond the boundary... I heard someone calling for help. When I followed the voice, I found him—scared, hurt, and barely able to move."
Ezra's brows furrowed deeper. "Rayna, I told you to wait at the hut. You shouldn't have gone off alone."
Rayna met his gaze without flinching. "I'm capable of doing things alone, Ezra. You know that. What mattered was helping him in time. Now don't waste another second—get him to the healer."
Ezra gritted his teeth, clearly torn between worry and frustration. But after a tense pause, he nodded sharply. "You're right. We'll talk later. For now, I'll take him to the healer."
He shifted Yunxi's weight more securely in his arms, his tone turning commanding as he addressed the guards. "You—escort Rayna back to her hut. Make sure she gets there safely."
Rayna opened her mouth to protest but stopped herself. She knew this wasn't about control—it was about care. She gave Ezra a nod, watching as he carried the unconscious beastman away toward the healer's hut, his pace urgent.
As she turned to walk with the guards, a flicker of unease remained in her heart.
As Rayna reached her treehouse, the two guards who had escorted her bowed respectfully before departing in silence. She exhaled, about to climb up the wooden ladder, when strong arms suddenly swept her off her feet.
"Soren!" she gasped in surprise.
He didn't say anything—just held her close, wings spreading as he ascended smoothly into the air. When she caught sight of his face, she relaxed. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes were steady on her.
"You need a wash," he finally said, voice low. "You smell like blood."
Rayna had a small cut on her finger, barely noticeable — or so she thought. Soren's sharp eyes caught it the moment she reached for something.
"What's this?" he asked softly.
Rayna chuckled, brushing it off. "Oh, it's nothing. Just a scratch."
But Soren didn't smile back. Instead, he pulled a clean cloth from his belt and carefully wrapped it around her finger with practiced ease.
"It may be small, but I still don't like seeing you hurt," he murmured, his touch tender.
Rayna was going to say something but without waiting for a response, he carried her towards the nearby river. Throughout the entire time, as the cold water ran over her skin and he helped her rinse away the crimson stains, Soren remained utterly quiet.
He didn't ask a single question—he just stayed near, his touch gentle, but his silence weighing heavily.
When they returned, he helped her dry off and set her down at the treehouse. Inside, she found a fresh dress laid out—something simple but elegant, clearly chosen by Soren.
As she slipped it on, finally unable to bear the silence, she broke it herself. "Why aren't you asking me anything?"
Soren turned slowly to face her, his expression unreadable. "Tell me, then. I'm listening."
So she did. Rayna recounted everything—how she had gone to see Ezra to give her answer, how he'd been called away urgently, and how she had wandered a little, only to hear a desperate cry for help. She explained how she had followed the voice, found a bleeding panda beastman just beyond the boundary, and carried him back to the village.
Soren clenched his jaw, the sharp edge of his teeth showing slightly as he grit them—but he didn't interrupt. When she finished, the silence returned, heavy and choking.
Rayna stepped closer. "Say something, Soren."
Soren finally looked up at her, his golden eyes sharp and shadowed. "You crossed the village boundary alone. You carried a blood-covered male back into the village. You could have been ambushed. Hurt. Worse."
Rayna opened her mouth to respond, but he gently placed his hand over hers.
"These days we have noticed the movement of some vicious creatures lurking around the village. That's why we're on high patrol, as its dangerous outside the village boundary. Ezra told you to wait so you should have waited you know." Soren said grimly.
"But..." he added softly, "You also saved that beastman and brought him here all alone. That takes guts. And a heart."
He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers. "Just promise me next time, you'll call for me."
"I know you can do things on your own, but I want to protect you Rayna—not control you. Watching you walk into danger without a word... it kills me."
Rayna nodded slowly, her hand squeezing his.
Soren gave a small, tired smile. "That's all I ask."
Soren sat down beside her, the tension in his shoulders easing just slightly. He reached out, gently tucking a damp strand of hair behind her ear before asking in a quieter voice,
"Did you find out who he was?"
Rayna shook her head. "No. He couldn't speak properly. He was hurt, terrified, just kept crying for help. But he said his name was Yunxi."
Soren nodded slowly, eyes narrowing in thought. "A weak panda beastman... We only had two panda beastmen visit during the Nomei Festival," he murmured. "If that's the case, maybe he's with them. Might've gotten separated somehow."
He leaned back, gaze drifting toward the window as if piecing it together. "If those panda beastmen are still staying in the village, I'll ask them later. See if they know him."
Rayna gave a soft hum of agreement, watching Soren's face as he slipped back into his usual composed self, thoughtful and sharp.
"I'll handle it later, Rayna," he added gently. "Do you want to rest a little?"
Rayna gave a small shake of her head. "I'm fine... though, I think a nap might be a good idea after all," she admitted, her voice growing quieter.
Soren smiled faintly, leaning in to press a warm kiss to her forehead. "Then sleep," he murmured, his fingers gently brushing through her hair as he guided her toward the bed.
He laid her down with care, pulling the light blanket over her and softly patting her head, like one might soothe a child after a long day. Rayna let out a small sigh, her body finally allowing itself to relax.
She wanted to know what happened to the panda beastman but she felt tired.
Her eyes fluttered shut slowly, the tension in her body slowly uncoiling. She could still feel Soren's presence nearby—calm, quiet, watching over her.