Witch Way Is Home?

Chapter 9: A panther's wish

3RD POV

Deep within the lush green forest a big black panther emerged. This curious orc wandered through the forest in search of one thing he really wanted...

A mate.

While he walked around, the panther orc grumbled, feeling hopeless. He, as a wandering beastman, had been searching for what seemed like forever. He had been trying to find a mate since he became an adult at fifteen, and now he is thirty-three seasons old!

He had traveled far and wide, visiting many other tribes along the way, just to find a mate. But every female he met would either reject him or look at him with indifference.

The panther didn't understand...

WHY WAS IT SO HARD TO FIND A MATE? ALL HE WANTED WAS LOVE AND AFFECTION.

The panther jumped up and down, having a small tantrum. He was so angry with himself because all the females he had courted in the past had rejected him!

Was he not good enough?

His heart thumped violently inside his chest. At such an old age he couldn't help but feel downcast. He knew he was getting old, and in the world he lived in, females preferred younger mates. If he didn't find a mate soon, he might end up alone like most males.

Despite the constant rejections that had weighed him down, the panther kept pushing forward to achieve his goal. Heavy steps left marks on the ground as a large black panther could be seen running through the vast forest. At this point, the panther orc had reached five marks a few months ago.

He ran so fast that it was hard to spot the animals around him. He hid in plain sight and peered through the bushes, waiting for any beasts to come near. When a beast approached, he pounced instantly, giving them no chance to escape.

The black panther was quietly waiting for his prey beneath the bushes. As soon as he heard footsteps getting louder he jumped out from the bushes, ready to pounce his prey.

Little did he know that once meeting his prey face to face. His blue eyes narrowed not from the deer that was dead in front of him but seeing another orc that caught the deer.

"Salem..." He said, growling at the jaguar.

In front of him, he saw the jaguar beastmen, named Salem. They were both five mark beastmen with the same strength. Unsurprisingly, Salem was a single beastmen like him but two years older. (35 seasons old)

The panther orc remembered that last month, he was about to get a mate but was ruined by him!

Out of all orcs, it was Salem that ruined his chances!

He remembers the tedious process of trying to bribe a young wolf cub into meeting the own mother. He took advantage of the cub trying to get to him so that he could meet the wolf's mother, to court.

By the end, it was Salem who also tried to bribe the wolf cub! As both of them had the same motives in wanting a mate. His own plans were ruined by Salem. He, himself, didn't care when hearing the wolf cub getting beaten to death by his own fathers.

In the beastworld, males are territorial. Especially, when it comes to having a mate. No males ever like the thought of sharing. It was every beastman's desire to have their own females to themselves. But having a mate of their own was not possible. Due to the scare population of female's it would be considered selfish.

Every male orc didn't care for other males. Even if it was a young cub, all that mattered to him was to survive. Survival was the top priority in the world he was living in.