Beastly Beauty

Chapter 11 : Morning Market

Morning came, and Aethon showed me the market. It's just a simple spreadsheet with items or goods on display. There are many merchants selling all kinds of furs, leathers, feathers with various colours! Even cotton and silk! They even sell random things like transparent crystals, shiny gems or colourful stones. Some even sell fruits coated with transparent jelly to preserve its freshness longer. I wanted to ask about the jelly but I'm too distracted by the locals and their own products, the strings of seashells which they're good at making, fishes freshly caught from the sea, and herbs. I wanted to check on the seashells since I lost mine last night but Aethon dragged me to choose some skins for my clothes, I guess he took it to his heart for what I said... In reluctance I followed him and picked some gray skins and some brown furs. He showed some spotted furs, striped skins, some scaled leather but I refuse them all because it's too flashy! I also asked him to buy some strings, since the locals are good with their hand maybe I will finally have a proper thread for sewing any torn clothes!

While Aethon was busy buying things for Rhea and carrying it all, she forgot to slow down to wait for him when she was browsing through the market so they got separated. Soon, the market was packed with newcomers from nearby small villages and the ones left behind by the caravan. Having lived her life tied down with expectations in her original world, she didn't have the luxury for leisure times. And from the memories of the original body owner, she had lived a lonely life, trapped within the centre of the village as expected of a Saintess. Now that she's free to walk on her own with no commitments, she recklessly went on her little adventure without fully digesting her new reality. She walked some more around the scattered market area and went past it to look at the floating houses. So far, the inhabitants of this tribe were mostly seabirds that live on the cliff's edges but they also have land beasts like turtles, seals, sea otters and sea snakes. Considering her snake's origin, her appearance on the shorelines was welcomed by the sea snakes... some smaller snakes hissed for her attention and invited her to swim and explore together which she gladly accept without second thoughts. She stripped and ran into the water following the little ones.

"Why are you here? I thought female snakes don't leave the Ravine."
A yellow striped adult snake swimming past her asked.

"I'm shunned in my village. So I left for an adventure with the merchants. I... I only followed my brother."
Rhea answered carefully.

"Awwww... you poor thing... Come live with us! The Sea Tribe doesn't judge us snakes! If you go anywhere else, they won't be so friendly to us."
A blue striped adult snake interrupted.

"Why is that? We live just like any normal beast too... most of the time."
Rhea asked with curiosity.

"Shhh... keep it a secret! It's for your own safety. Snake females are much tougher and easier to care for than normal ones, we kept the rumours to protect our females! Keep that in mind."
The yellow snake quickly answered.

"Anyway, if you ever change your mind... You're welcome here anytime! Maybe... we can spend some time together."
The blue snake smiles mischievously.

Rhea pretends that she didn't hear his last notation and chases after the smaller snakes. The sea snakes aren't as big as the snakes of Snake Ravines, although they can perfectly survive there with the giants, they prefer to eat fish and live near the salt water. This is what she sees from her observations... Guess it's not much different from earth... Her thoughts were lost when she suddenly felt something tugged at her necklace and ran away with it. That's the most valuable thing she possessed in this world! It's her key and hints back to her original world! She can't lose it!

"Hey! Stop! Give my necklace back!"
Rhea yelled at the thief. It looks like a small lean land beast.

The thief ran into the crowded market successfully concealing itself from her gaze. The crowd heard her yelling and stared at her figure in awe. Their instinct to please females kicked in so they tried to stop the thief but because of its small size, it had already disappeared from the scene. Some flying beastmen on the site managed to grab it a few times but it got away because they're inexperienced on hunting land beasts, they either got clawed or bitten by it. Her strong feeling of urgency called her mates to her aid. Rhea still didn't give up and continued to rush after it, yelling "my ring" hysterically by the time they arrived at her side. Aethon swiftly wrapped her with a raw skin and Nix noticed the missing necklace from her neck, quickly swoop towards the thief and successfully seize the small beast on a single try. He's an owl afterall! His wings didn't make much noise for the thief to notice in time! Nix landed with an otter firmly in his sharp claws... the necklace dangling from its snout. It is wiggling crazily to escape the owl's clutch.

"Nix! Let him go. I just want the ring."
Rhea pleads looking at the now bloody scene, the thief bleeding.

"No. Let me finish this vermin."
Nix said ferociously.

"Just kill him! That ungrateful child! You dare steal from a female!"
A thin female with white wings screams in the crowd.

"Just take him. Do whatever you want."
A male beast said calmly. It's their guide to the bath! It's his offspring!

"Very well. Nix, take him back. I know just what to do with it."
Rhea decided to end the scene in peace by dragging the perpetrator away and avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

The crowd dispersed and went to their own business. All the participating males gave up on chasing her as they had failed to catch the thief and the chances were low for them to impress her after watching one of her mate's abilities.

* * * * * * * * * *

Rhea grabbed the otter carefully from Nix once they were away from the market and carried it to their temporary bedding in the cave.

"Get me some water. I'm thirsty."

"What are you going to do with it?"

"I'm going to keep it. Its parents don't want it anyway."

"What?! It took your stuff! That's unacceptable coming from a male! And it's useless and small! And you can't understand it!"

At the same time, the otter hissed at Nix's comment while flashing its small fangs.

"Fine, keep it. But if it hurts you. I'll kill it, no compromise."

The otter chattered noisily unable to hold its deep hatred against the owl for bullying it earlier without mercy.

"From now on, you're Otto! I hope you like it. It's easier for me to call and remember your name. Heeeee~ But don't play with my ring anymore. It's important to me. I hope you understand."

The otter chirped and snuggled itself in Rhea's gentle hands as she treated its injury.