The Beast World Resets

Chapter 29

The forest buzzed with quiet activity as the morning sun began to filter through the trees. Colette stood beside Curtis at the edge of the clearing, her mind focused on the work ahead. Today, the true work of building their new settlement would begin, and every beastman, whether feral or from the Blacksheep tribe, had a role to play. She glanced up at Curtis, his tall, powerful form rigid with anticipation. His red eyes were alert, constantly sweeping the area, watching for any sign of danger, his protective instincts already on high alert as their eggs lay safely back in the cave.

In the distance, the tribe members had begun to gather, some still wary of working so closely with the ferals, despite the agreements made earlier. Colette took a deep breath and stepped forward, her voice clear and calm as she addressed the group. "Today we begin the work of building both a village and a wall to protect it. Each of you has a part to play in this, and we will work together to make it happen."

The crowd was divided, with the single Blacksheep beastmen standing to one side, ready to take on the labor of building the wall, while the mated beastmen prepared to focus on rebuilding the village.

Colette turned to Seren, the snake beastman chosen to oversee the village construction. She handed him the designs she had sketched out, the layout of homes, storage areas, and gathering spaces all carefully detailed. "You'll be overseeing the village rebuilding," she said. "The mated beastmen will follow your lead. The materials are already drawn and marked. Curtis and the other ferals will help move the heavier stones and timber."

Seren studied the designs with his usual calm intensity, his green eyes flicking over the details before giving a short nod. "It will be done," he said simply, his coiled form already shifting as he prepared to lead his group.

Next, Colette turned to Tarek, the lizard beastman tasked with overseeing the construction of the wall and gates. "Tarek, you'll be working with the single Blacksheep males and the other Lizard beastmen," she said, handing him the design for the wall. "The gates are important, especially with winter coming, so make sure everything is secure. The materials you need are drawn for your reference, and we'll gather stone from the western ridge and timber from the northern forest. The ferals will assist."

Tarek's orange eyes gleamed with determination as he took the designs. His scaled tail flicked back and forth as he reviewed the details. "We'll get it done, Colette," he said confidently. Shae, standing beside him, offered a nod of support, though she remained mostly silent, her eyes scanning the crowd.

Colette watched as the groups began to organize, each moving to their assigned tasks. The ferals were already heading toward the western ridge to gather stone, while the single Blacksheep beastmen moved to start preparing the foundations for the wall. The mated beastmen, under Seren's guidance, began to assess the site for the village, gathering tools and materials.

The day was already busy, but Colette had one more thing on her mind.

She approached Elder Rin, who was overseeing the start of the village construction. "Elder," she began, her voice quieter now that the bulk of the planning was underway. "While the males are working on the wall and rebuilding the village, I'd like to teach the females and children some important skills—things like food preservation and preparation for the winter. They'll need to know how to handle these tasks when the ferals hibernate."

Elder Rin frowned, his expression thoughtful. "You want the females to work?" he asked, his tone laced with skepticism.

Colette shook her head. "Not labor. I want them to learn how to take care of themselves and their families during the winter. Some of the males will be hibernating while all of your kind are working, and the females need to be able to preserve food and keep themselves safe as the males have their hands tied."

The elder looked uncertain, but after a long pause, he nodded. "Very well. But I don't know how many will be willing."

Colette smiled. "Leave that to me."

By late afternoon, the clearing near Curtis's cave had become a makeshift gathering place, where Colette stood with several females—Nyssa, Kalira, Lirae, and Shae—who had already been learning from her for some time. They were eager to help, eager to take in her new techniques. However, the two Blacksheep tribe females, Alara and Keira, stood off to the side, their arms crossed and their expressions wary.

Alara, tall and sharp-eyed, was the first to speak. "This isn't our place. The males provide, we don't need to learn these things."

Keira, a quiet but intense female, nodded in agreement. "The males take care of everything. What's the point of learning?"

Colette smiled gently, understanding their hesitation. She stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "I know it seems unnecessary, but with winter coming and the males busy right now, you'll need to know how to preserve food and care for your safety and your children. It's not about taking over their role—it's about survival."

Nyssa, who had been by Colette's side for weeks, chimed in. "She's right. Curtis and the other ferals will be gone for a time, and we need to be ready. We've learned so much already, and it's not as hard as you think."

Kalira nodded in agreement. "We've made great progress, and the food we preserve now will last through the winter. You don't want to be left unprepared."

Alara and Keira exchanged glances, their hesitation lingering, but they slowly stepped forward, joining the group with reluctance.

Colette wasted no time, showing them how to dry herbs, preserve fruits, and store food for the cold months ahead. The other females watched closely, some more eager than others, but by the end of the afternoon, even Alara and Keira were starting to understand the importance of the work.

[Congratulations Host! You have earned 600 points from teaching the new females on preservation techniques.] A familiar mechanical voice chimed in making Colette's mood more brighter.