Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter One Hundred and Four

Harvey and I spent the better part of the day helping Bai get her fever down. Harvey informed me that Bai was most likely in around her second trimester with three leopard cubs and she became sick from lack of sleep and malnutrition. I figured her immune system must be a wreck with how she neglected her health during pregnancy. It was now late evening and the light from the sun was slowly fading but Bai was still in my nest because Muir had not yet returned.

Harvey went to do evening rounds and to hunt for our dinner with Olly. Alva was my constant shadow. It took me the whole day to realize that the nest I was in was probably his. He was sleeping outside on the branch above this one. I didn't feel bad. He was the one who chose to let me stay here.

I placed the wet soft leather I'd been using on Bai's forehead into the wooden bucket. The water in the bucket had all gotten too warm. It needed to be replaced. I got up and carried the bucket to the door with the intention of asking Alva to get me some fresh cool water from the river.

The moment I opened the door, a blur of yellow flew at me. I backed up in reflex and lost my balance, falling to the floor on my tush and upturning the bucket of water all over me. I looked in alarm at the intruder and found a skinny leopard standing over Bai's sleeping form. He licked her face with his scratchy tongue and roused the girl.

"Parker? What a nice dream. I miss you." She said weekly.

Parker shifted and pulled Bai into his arms. "I'm here. It's not a dream. I finally found you!"

The sleep cleared from Bai's eyes and her face lit up in surprise and joy, then she started to weep in relief. "It's really you! You dummy! What took you so long."

Now that I knew the intruder wasn't going to kill me, I got my wet ass up from the floor and left. I looked around for Alva and found him still peacefully asleep. I shook my head. Idiot. Not a single peacock had noticed a strange leopard enter their village. Either they were way too lax in security or Parker had spent the past month perfecting his ninja skills.

I sat on the branch outside watching the sun slowly lower towards the horizon. Though it was my temporary nest, I wanted to give the two some privacy as they hadn't seen each other in over a month. Since the water that had spilled on me wasn't dirty, I let it dry naturally in the summer evening air. The small breeze smelled like a mix of sea and mulch. It was pleasant and I closed my eyes relieved that I wouldn't need to go on a hunt for Bai's mates any longer.

A short time later Harvey and Olly came back after finishing their rounds, with a pudu deer for dinner. I got up from my seat to greet them and Alva finally woke up at their presence.

"Why are you out here?" he asked as he flew down.

I gave him very judgmental look, "We have a guest."

Both Olly and Harvey growled at the bird for his obvious neglect of my surroundings.

"Guest? Who? How?" he asked, shocked.

With perfect timing, the door to my nest opened and Bai walked out supported by Parker.

"Bailey. Thank you for letting me stay here and for taking care of me. Now that Parker is here, I am going to go find Curtis. He says he thinks he might know where Curtis was last." She gave me a hopeful smile.

For a moment, everything seemed so surreal. The story was going back to the outline. Bai and Parker would find the cave and she would curse Muir for his deception. It was Muir's main turning point in his life. I had an overwhelming urge to watch as the story unfolded just as it had before my rebirth.

I also didn't want to stay in this village a moment longer. If Parker could sneak in, it wasn't as safe as they all wanted to believe. Though less competent, this village already had a healer. The other females could stay if they wished, but I saw no reason to. They'd only made silly requests of Olly and Harvey anyway. Besides, even though it had only been a couple days, I missed the rest of my family.

Though I knew where they were going, I asked, "Where is it?"

"Why do you care?" Parker replied sassily.

Bai gave his arm a weak slap, "It's near the burned area of the forest."

I looked at Harvey and Olly, trying to communicate my thoughts with my eyes, "We'll go with. I want to get back to my family anyway"

The handsome peacock interrupted, "What?! What about me?"

I shrugged, "What about you? You'll have your nest back. Besides that, you are free to do as you wish."

"Then I'm coming too." He said determinedly with hands on hips.

Bai held up a hand, "That really isn't necessary."

"I want to go back to my mates. I'm sure they have at least one shelter built and the burned area is on the way."

She couldn't protest. My arguments were sound and my reasons my own.

She finally nodded. Parker glared a little at me for intruding on his alone time with Bai but I ignored him.

I turned my back on them and faced my leopard and Olly. "Is that alright?"

Olly dropped the deer he'd been holding, and Harvey shifted. "That's fine. But you should eat first. The journey takes a few hours."

I nodded, "Agreed. Qingqing, you should eat too. You aren't well yet but some food will do you good."

Parker didn't argue this time. After the males dismantled the meat, Qinging and I prepared the meal and we all sat down together for what might be the last time for a long while.