31 Bear Snaps

Deer tried to hold back his laughter, but still chuckled as Bear entered the oasis walking next to one of the senior forest spirits. The first thing Kai noticed was the stench of death and he also noticed the blood on the fangs of some of those seniors.

Kai awkwardly waved at Bear as he commanded the beasts to drop the bodies they were carrying on the ground.

"Do your job," Bear's solemn voice echoed in Kai's mind. He walked past Kai without giving him a second glance.

"Well," Deer sent a telepathic message to both of them, addressing Bear as he suppressed his laughter, "You do keep growling at him."

"That idiot can stay as long as he is useful in one way or another."

"Hey, I heard that!" Kai exclaimed out loud, but was ignored, nonetheless. The two Skinwalkers quickly discussed how to meet the enemy marching at their door. Their plans reflected the nature of the animals they symbolised quite well.

Bear suggested they simply forcefully barge outside before their army could surround here and take the heads of the commander. Deer, on the other hand, like the noble stag, wanted to stand their ground and destroy every enemy that dared pass through.

"The demons will be here first," Bear spoke up with a hint of contempt in his voice, "They'll be rushing forward after the welcoming I gave them. Perhaps they'll burn the forest if we stay here."

"It had been quite a while since we slaughtered the forces of a higher-ranked demon," Deer giggled. Even though he didn't think going towards the enemy was the smartest course of action, he didn't disagree with what he said.

Deer sounded to be more amiable of the Skinwalkers at times, but he said horrifying things at other times. Kai felt that guy probably was dangerous. But he dismissed the thought.

This world was a whole lot different to his own, it was expected that he would be the odd one out with his mentality and understanding. Moreover, these witches were somewhat abnormal even in this crazy world. He decided breaking the tension could be a good idea.

"See, dude, the fact that you giggled as you said that is really unsettling," Kai commented once more. Due to his lack of facial expressions, it wasn't obvious as a joke. However, thanks to the wimpy voice Kai used, he wasn't taken seriously by the witches anyway.

Before Deer could respond, Crow appeared inside the oasis with a flash. She wasn't as fast as Deer since Kai could feel that he could perhaps get used to her speed as long as she didn't attack from a blind spot. But Deer's speed was surreal, not anything Kai could hope to match with as he is. Crow went up to the Skinwalkers and talked with the others using telepathy again.

"We'll use the skeleton's undead creatures as cannon fodder," she said. "If they can halt the enemy's advance momentarily, it'll be enough."

"Oh my God," Kai finally snapped as he walked up to the witches, shaking his skeletal hands to get their attention, "Am I invisible or something?! Hello?!"

"Don't speak out of turn!" Bear snapped back. He turned to face Kai and spoke loudly, his voice reverberating in the oasis as the threat of demons and the City Lord loomed over the residents of the forest.

"We have only not disintegrated your worthless being because you brought that kid who may achieve the same status as us one day and protect the forest!"

Bear had never been so insulted by anyone before, but this damn skeleton kept making jokes at his expense. Wherever he went, he was revered and respected, even by figures much stronger than himself.

Kai was shocked by Bear's outburst. He felt indignant. He hadn't even meant anything by it. That's just what his personality was. He joked around, especially when he was uncomfortable. Kai wanted to retort, but he knew he was weak and even brought immense danger to their forest. He was taking multiple steps back as Bear blatantly continued belittling and insulting him.

In total, there were a total of 30 zombies he could raise, and that's what Kai did as he was slowly forced into the amidst the freshly-killed bodies. Kai raised them all with silent commands. He felt threatened.

The newly-raised zombies belonging to Kai slowly started staggering towards the duo. They weren't frantic, but rather, calm.

"In fact, you know what I am going to do once we find that kid?" Bear pushed Kai's chest as he enunciated each word. His push was finally enough to push him out of the dense trees covering the entrance to the oasis. Furthermore, Kai's currently poisonous bones seemed to have no effect on Bear.

Both Deer and Crow watched Bear blow his top off. Crow, albeit being the leader, knew it wasn't normal to be insulted by being called as stupid as an animal for someone of Bear's status. He was a proud warrior, he had always been.

They stepped aside, but Crow decided to stop Bear if he got too carried away. Perhaps it would have been good for Kai to be taken down a notch. She had realised his heart wasn't bad, but what he is and what she was wholly disagreed with one another.

Just as Bear was about to answer his own rhetoric question, however, another voice was heard from outside the oasis. The other two witches immediately sprinted outside to see the owner of the voice. It was a rather tranquil voice, yet one so familiar to Kai.

"I wonder what you will do, Bear of the Forest of the Blessed, to my property."

Bear turned his head to see an array of necromantic spells stacked on top of one another, trying to circle himself. He had yet to see the owner of the voice behind the smokescreen created by the spells, but he quickly recognised it. After all, they had a quick exchange such a short time ago.

"LLOYD!" Bear raged as he activated multiple spells. Kai felt dwarfed even further, being so close to him.

"Rabid animal, where's your keeper?"

Bear's spells rapidly took effect. His muscles bulged and his size grew further. His skin looked similar to bronze and it felt hot to touch. He truly resembled a large Bear as he roared, causing palpitations in the air around himself.

"How did things become so serious all of a sudden?" Kai couldn't believe his eyes. He also knew the voice belonged to the City Lord. Perhaps he wasn't abandoned by him, after all. He felt a deep shame.