Not Alone

Chapter 3: Catnip=Drugs?

I'm not gonna lie, I am pretty good looking back home. I would say a solid 7, an 8 at best. However, judging from all the very intense staring I'm getting from the beastmen around me, I think that ranking has just shot through the roof and exited the atmosphere. At least Dias matches the extremely attractive Beastmen surrounding us, his own looks falling around a 9.

Dias keeps a tight hold on my hand as we walk through the village, making our way to what seems like an open market.

So far, it seems that we walking into a mixed cat village as I can see that most of the males here have catlike ears and tails in various colors. Jaguar spots, Tiger stripes, and even a of couple Snow Leopard tails can be seen as we make our way to the closest merchant.

I take on a vaguely friendly smile as I approach the Panther merchant if I am judging his black ears and tail correctly "Hello, sorry to interrupt, but my mate and I are new to these parts. Would you mind if I asked you a couple of questions?" I can practically feel Dias internally wince at being called my 'mate'.

The Panther's bright yellow eyes go wide, basically sparkling as he eagerly responds "Of course! Please, ask me anything! I would be happy to help you in any way!" the merchant quickly glances me up and down, his silky tail flicking behind him.

I smile, a little put off by his exuberance, but hiding it well "Thank you! Can you tell me where we are? And what is typically used for trade here?"

The merchant looks a tad confused, but quickly moves to answer, obviously eager to please "You are in the Panthera territory. Cats are most common in this area, though females are more than welcome to bring their males from other tribes here," The panther rummages through a small animal skin pouch beside him before bringing out a pebble-sized, clear crystal "This is the most common crystal used for trade! The most valuable crystal is an Emerald, but those are rare and difficult to get"

Oh god. It's so close to the Manga. This is hell. "I am not familiar with these crystals, are they only used for trade?"

The merchant's confusion grows on his face, furrowing his brows a little "You're not... Oh, well, uh, no. Clear crystals are useful for promoting healing and give minor boosts in strength when eaten. Emeralds can heal even the worst of wounds, give large boosts in strength to males, and can allow females to live longer"

Holy crap, this really is just like the world of Beauty and the Beasts. Oh fuck, the amount of bullshit that happens in this world is INSANE.

I clear my throat, trying to clear the growing lump "And what would you say the land here is like?"

The Panther leans a little forward, his long dark hair swinging in thick braids "There is a huge mountain range to the north, that extends far to the west and the east. In the center are the plains, forests, and a swamp. To the south is a rainforest that borders the coast. Most of the Beastman Cities lie in the plains and forests. The Panthera territory has several Tiger, Leopard, Panther, Jaguar, and Lion tribes within its borders. We are not far away from the rainforest, a couple of days journey"

My breathing starts to stutter a little, I don't know what to do? There is just so much information being thrown at me, and I need to respond and make a decision and keep the story straight and—

Dias, feeling my hand start to tremble in his grasp, smoothly takes over "How would I go about getting crystals?"

The Panther, looking away from me, turns his gaze to focus on Dias for the first time since the conversation started. He pales a little when he spots the four golden stripes on Dias' face and lowers his gaze before answering "Uh, hunting sharp-toothed colossals is the most direct way to get clear crystals. The crystals can be found in their stomachs and organs. Emeralds can be found in the stomach and organs of prey Colossals, but the prey colossals are massive and hard to kill"