Beauties and Beasts

Chapter 127: brought to you by imperfect parents

Because all of us need to come to terms with one day that our parents are only human, and very rarely need to be cut out from our lives. Don't be so quick to think you are rare.

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Lazy Boi half believed his father could kill with looks alone when he wove into sight. Pity he wouldn't live long enough to figure out how his old man had managed to shoot invisible poison with his eyes.

"You must be the father of these odd young ones," said the monster beastman.

"Unfortunately," hissed his father. From behind him Lazy Boi could just make out the beaten and whimpering form of Freckles.

Stars, who came up from the rear, actually screamed when their father's gaze fell on him. He then flipped over as though dead, pink belly in the air.

The beastman chuckled. "I'm surprised these snakes know their way home, let alone know such tricks from just a look from their sire."

"What do you want?"

A wave of power rushed out from his father, like a ring of condensed air. Lazy Boi fell and rolled onto his back, exposing his belly, before he'd even thought otherwise.

The black beastman also flinched back, tucking his enormous pinsers against his face.

Then Lazy Boi blinked and the monster had turned into a man, with dark skin that was lighter and more brown than father Ryan's, and with a long, shiny black braid of hair that reached his knees. It's stinger-armed tail remained.

As the new man lowered his arms from his face, three black stripes over his collarbones appeared.

"I mean you nor your family any harm," said the beastman. "I only need some medicine. As you know, doctors won't serve scorpions. We are the most hated of savage beastmen."

"Scorpions don't need doctors," spat his father. "Hundreds are born at a time."

"It is for my mate," he said. "Please, she's very unwell."

"Where is she?" Ryan stepped out from the doorway. He didn't bother wearing his usual satchel on his thigh, so all four of his yellow marks shone out.

The scorpion's black eyes shivered at the sight. "I...never thought I'd see a black panther again...I, I left her at the peacock village. She wasn't able to travel with me any farther."

Lazy Boi's father scoffed. "Peacocks? They wouldn't let anyone in, not unless she was beautiful, and I doubt anyone you could get could be so."

"They did, because she's with child. A female child."

Lazy Boi cautiously turned his head around as his father's start.

"Then...then couldn't you have found a doctor to treat her?" said Ryan.

The scorpion wagged his head sorrowfully. "All her mates are scorpions. They wouldn't even let us come within sight of the village, let alone close enough to ask for a doctor, and...and she can't walk but a little ways. Her legs..."

At the scorpion's obvious distress and discomfort, Lazy Boi's fathers looked at each other.

"I'll ask my wife," said Ryan. "But you'll most likely have to bring your mate here. Can you do that?"

"I--I don't know. She's grown quite large, and with her sickness traveling is--and it's so cold--"

"We'll discuss it," said Ryan, cutting him off. "We have an Eagle beastman here. He may be able to fly her."

While Ryan stepped back inside, Curtis stayed outside, keeping his eye on the scorpion. From around the house Parker came, who also folded his arms, being sure to flex his muscles, and looked down at the scorpion with a sniff.