Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Seventy-three

The next couple of weeks went by at a much easier pace. I spent my time outside by the fruit trees where Tristan was teaching Kit how to tunnel. I advised them to create some hiding places and escape routes so that the tunnels weren't just for fun but had an actual purpose. This would teach Kit to not be a beastman that solely relied on strength but on other inherent skills. By week two, I asked Tristan to teach him about pit traps, minus the sharp pointy objects, and how to collapse a tunnel for a quick escape.

Though Tristan wasn't surprised by my suggestions, Oliver, who came out sometimes to gather herbs, was. It was all 'How to be a Fox 101' but wolves also burrowed and I think he liked to skip out on his healer lessons to watch Tristan's tunneling skills. By the third time playing truant, I let him join in on Kit's lesson in exchange for a promise not to neglect healing lessons.

Today was a gorgeous partly cloudy afternoon and I was sitting high in an apple tree with Lance behind me and his tail curled around us so we wouldn't fall. Lance was the only one of my mates that wasn't busy all of the time. Though I made sure I was equally intimate with all of them during the night, Lance got most of my daytimes.

Kit and Tristan were far below and underground. Only the occasional dirt pile coming out of a hole indicated where they might be. Oliver was picking a few herbs, getting ready to go back to the clinic. A slight breeze blew the smell of rosemary my way and Lance took my flyaway strands and started to braid them as I watched the world go by. From my vantage point I could see the various grain and rice fields that belonged to other clans. The divisions between them were not so clear and some wolves had fields next to tigers, foxes next to bears. I saw the stream where cubs were playing and females were mingling. Some people were even bathing but I tried not to look too long.

That's when I saw two young males, about Olly's age, head up the hill towards our little sanctuary. Oliver seemed to recognize them as he suddenly stood upright, ears high and tail slightly tucked, an apprehensive posture. When they got a little closer, their voices were carried to me on the breeze.

"Oy! Cripple! Haven't seen you in while." The one on the left with long hair said while the one on the right with chin length hair swiped Olly's cane from him.

The one now holding the cane pointed it at Oliver, "We've heard you've been doing pretty well for yourself. Mom said it's about time you come work for the family if you have any skills. We're here to take you back."

"Can you even walk back or do you need us to carry you?" the long-haired one said mockingly. They both laughed.

I could feel Lance tense behind me but I patted the arm around my middle. I wanted to see how Olly would handle this.

"I'm not going back." Oliver said resolutely. His posture remained upright but his tail was swishing to assist his balance. "This is my family now."

I smiled a little. Good kid.

The two boys looked at each other before busting up laughing, holding their stomachs. "Family?! What family? You don't really think the Tiger Queen actually wants to keep you, do you? She just pities you!"

Olly shook his shaggy black head, "Even if that's true, I'm not going back."

The long-haired boy tsk-ed and the short haired-boy kicked Olly in the side, sending him to the ground. "You don't have a choice. Mom and our dads say you need to come back and that's that. Now get up. Let's go." The boy threw the crutch at Olly's head.

I growled and Lance's arm tensed even further around me. But before either of us could move, a blur of orange shot out from the ground.

Kit, my brave but naïve cub barked and growled at the two bullies, putting his tiny body defensively in front of Oliver. The boys, surpassed at first, started snickering at the puffed up angry baby. Oliver reached out to pull Kit behind him but Kit wasn't having it.

"Hahaha. Is this your bodyguard? Are you so weak now that you need a cub to protect you? You are so pathetic brother!" said the long-haired boy. The boy stuck out a foot to push on Kit's chest and Kit took the opportunity to clamp down on his ankle.

"Ow! You little shit! Let go!" Said the boy as he tried to shake of my cub.

Olly grabbed Kit by his middle. "Kit let go. It's ok. I can take care of it." He hurriedly tried to appease my offspring.

I was leaning far over the branch where I was perched, only Lance's arm kept me from falling.

Then the short-haired boy let his hands form into claws. He was going to attack Kit to get him off. It could kill him. I wouldn't be able to get there in time. But I didn't need to.

Just as the boy readied his strike, Tristan intercepted it. I hadn't even seen him come out of the hole. He moved just like a shadow and so quickly, the boys had no time to defend themselves as he threw the two teenagers to the ground. Tristan had leg swept one and threw the other down by the neck with sheer force. They both laid there with the wind knocked out of them, stunned.

Tristan's singer's voice, a juxtaposition to his looks, finished the fight. "The Queen will not take kindly to you hurting her only cub and her mate's apprentice. I suggest you go home and tell your family that if they want young Oliver back, they will need the Queen's permission." When the two boys remained on the ground staring at him, he spoke again. "Aren't you leaving?" He added a slight growl to the last word and the boys, finally getting the message, turned tail and ran.

I brought my hands to my mouth and yelled, "YEAH! AND I DON" T GIVE IT SO DON'T COME BACK!"

Olly turned to look at me, wide eyed and with his cheeks turning steadily red. Kit yipped and barked in agreement. Tristan stood there stoically.

With the situation resolved, I leaned back into Lance's broad chest. "Damn brats. And what the hell is wrong with some beasts? Our Olly is here because we want him to be here, not because we want him to work! How ridiculous." I crossed my arms and harrumphed.

Lance smiled and kissed my hair. "Should I go teach them a lesson on parenting?" he offered.

"I don't think they're smart enough to understand a lesson on pooping." I pointed out. "I mean really, who the hell tries to take someone from a Queen?"

Lance chuckled low, Olly's face turned a darker shade of red and Kit jumped happy circles around him as though claiming him.

Then I felt something warm and wet drip down the thigh that was hanging off the branch. The breeze blew and everyone froze. I looked down to find a thin trail of blood.

Damnit. Just as I was starting to enjoy my days outside. Freaking estrus had impeccable timing.

"CARL!" Lance yelled in his low voice so it carried to the tiger guard lounging hidden in the tall grass. His orange head popped up immediately after being called. "Go get the King and tell him to meet Bailey in the large bedroom." The cat nodded and took off.

Lance picked me up in his arms and slithered us down the tree at a quick pace. The wind blew again, carrying my scent past Tristan and Olly. As we got closer, I could see Olly's pupils dilate impossibly large. Then he started to growl. His skirt was pitching a tent with the scent of my estrus and he wasn't the only one. Tristan's was also tented but he had better control over his wits. Lance moved quickly and just as we were passing the boys, Olly lunged at me but Tristan quickly subdued him to the ground. Kit, utterly confused kept looking between Olly face down on the ground and Tristan with his knee on his back.

It was a normal reaction and I wasn't going to hold it against them. Boys Olly's age had a very hard time remembering themselves when next to a female on her estrus. Their beasts took over and all they could think about was 'gotta mate'. Tristan, being older, still had the physical reaction but could control the beast long enough to find somewhere else to be. A female's estrus was a powerful drug and mine was no exception.

Lance's expression was stiff and I swear I could see him trying to actively close his nostrils as he zoomed us back into the castle and to my bedroom.