30 - White Tiger (2.0k words)

"Don't wander off too far," I called out to Bai, not really expecting her to listen, but she did. She walked before us with Tony in tow while sharing her little opinions with him about how shallow it was for Winston to be disliked because of his looks.Bai was so much better behaved than I ever was at her age. I mean, back in my day, trying to get my rebellious ass to listen would be more challenging than trying to teach a fish how to fly.Besides her picky taste in food, Bai wasn't much of a complainer. She stuck around the mansion without much fuss, probably because she knew Muir would get her anything she wanted with just a word. Most of the things she wanted were to improve our living conditions anyway.I figured I'd need to resort to the old slipper trick to snap her young hormones into focus regarding romance. She actually had the nerve to ask if she could visit Parker, which prompted me to remove all the spices from the kitchen and have her eat Muir's food for a whole day.Persuasion through conversation was futile against some people; I'm living proof of that. This girl at least asked for permission, I would have sneaked out of the house to meet Parker the same night.With no persistent guys putting pressure on her, she mostly just blushed and sent mixed signals to other handsome beastmen, not an actual problem I couldn't deal with.Since I convinced everyone she was my cub, any potential suitors had to think twice ─ actually, three times ─ about whether they were ready to deal with the three formidable daddies behind her.Dear Yaya,I'm truly sorry if I've crossed a line somewhere along the way. That was never my intention.The recent incident with Sei, though, has deeply troubled me. To see someone so close to me hurt, especially by a friend, cuts deeper than I could have imagined. This isn't something I can easily move past or forget.Moving forward, I want you to know that you don't have to hide or cover yourself anymore. I am committed to fighting for Winston fairly and with integrity. He is someone whose heart, so full of kindness, should never know the weight of sorrow or pain. I will stand by him, defend him, and fight for him, regardless of our past ties. PS: Know that I'm still here for you, willing to work through this. Nivi."Under no circumstances should that white tiger be dragged into your dirty schemes," I said, folding Nivi's letter and tucking it into my sash. "I will find another male to fill in his role, so leave him out of it."Vick dismissed me with a laugh like he'd just heard the funniest joke today.Muir hid his reaction, acting as though the idea of a white tiger was new to him, and the thought of plotting something against one of the most famous fighters was totally foreign to him also.Curtis was the only one who replied with a quick, "Okay."This guy would occasionally ask me for my compact mirror. His stare would then turn venomous at the sight of his bandaged eye. It was as if he was sneering at his ancestors through his reflection: You fools told me the best feeling comes from breeding, a deed that will make females bear our hatchlings. But the things I do with my female are way more fun and satisfying than what you guys ever experienced, bah! Then, he'd hand back the mirror with the cutest smug grin, like he'd just smacked "Curtis version ancestor" with "Curtis version origin" in my stead, so I wouldn't have to waste my precious knuckles on him any time soon.Looking around, I pointed at the randomest beastmen in the crowd, "I want that kitten, and that one too."Vick chuckled mockingly, "Mixing two two-striped yellow big cats doesn't give you a fancy four-striped white one, Precious."Muir went over to the two tigers to investigate, then came back to report, "One is already taken, and the other already has an eye on someone else." He nodded towards Nivi, hinting she was that 'someone else'.I had this sneaky feeling that Nivi, dolled up in her finest dress and looking her absolute best, was on a mission to keep me from adding any more "victims" to my lair.I'm not blaming her that she was misunderstanding me - through her eyes, it probably looks like I'm just amassing hearts for the thrill of it, only to shatter them later.I glanced at Muir and Curtis. Would Nivi be able to shed some light on them in my stead? I think they need some holy blessings from a saintly being. I had to admit, my influence might not have been the best. Instead of lifting them up, it felt like we were all just sinking together in a sea of our own making.As if sensing my dark musings, Vick suddenly scooped me up into his arms and hoisted me onto Muir's shoulder, "Here you go, buddy. She looks tired, and you still need more strength training."Muir looked up at me with a soft smile, "We can return home if you want." With four stripes now, he didn't find it as hard as he used to, but lifting me effortlessly, as if I weighed nothing, remained a feat only Vick could achieve."No," I said, tucking the hood of my cloak lower.· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·As Winston made his way through the area, a cluster of beastmen gathered, their hushed tones filling the air."He only traded one female this time?" grumbled a large bearman, his fur bristling with disbelief. "What's gotten into Winston?"A wolfman, ears twitching, leaned in. "It's the aftermath of the drop in scorpion attacks. Heard there was a brutal massacre in the two villages near the Flame City ─ someone chopped up all the rootless into unrecognizable chunks of meat. All their mouths were stuffed with..."He continued, "Do you think it was Winston?""It must have been him, there is no doubt. Only he would march into a battle without being afraid of getting permanent scars. Aye, the villagers grew bold after that. They took the remains of the rootless corpses and skewered them on wooden spikes right through their tail hole and displayed them like trophies while praising the Beast God for showing his wrath against the sinners. Some eagles have brought remains of those corpses for good luck into other villages to be spiked as well.""Many ferals began to clear off those places, too. Their attacks have also lessened, making the villagers in other places feel safer and reluctant to trade their females."The wolfman's eyes glinted. "Safer, they might feel, but for how long? The Flame City King's wrath is not so easily quelled. Winston might have bought some peace, but at what cost? The females will become even more ungrateful and arrogant from the lack of danger..."I indeed spiked a few scorpions through a wooden spike in the first village, not expecting someone would actually take inspiration from it.I poked Muir's cheek, wondering if he was the one who had orchestrated that bold move ─ having his eagle buddies carry off a few of the corpses to other villages for a macabre display, serving as a warning from the Beast God.As if reading my thoughts, Muir gave me an adoring nod, his eyes subtly flicking towards Vick, silently confirming my suspicions, which added another layer to the tale.· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·As the crowd gathered around the ancient stone platform, the air was thick with anticipation. Four kings, regal and imposing, stood ready to address their people."Winston," the ape king's voice boomed, cutting through the crowd's murmurs. "The path you've walked has been like a light in the darkness for many around us. What you've done, the actions you've taken, they've brought safety and security to the lives of countless villagers."As Winston transformed into his human form, the crowd caught their breath. His presence was overwhelming ─ a blend of raw power and an unspoken threat.Shoulder-length white hair framed a face marked by battle; a fearsome scar slashed across his left eye. His stature was undeniably majestic, commanding respect and fear in equal measure."The stories of me warding off a scorpion attack might not have been entirely true," Winston began, his voice a calm contrast to his intimidating appearance. "I may have contributed, but─""There's no need to be humble about it, Winston," the ape king interjected, a stern look in his eyes. He then turned his attention to a single figure standing apart on the stage-a female, visibly weary and shaken. "Given that her rescue was not necessary, you cannot claim her as your mate by right. But...should you prove yourself the strongest by conquering other beastmen in combat upon this stage, the right shall be yours."Yet, not a soul stepped forward to contest Winston. His reputation, coupled with the formidable aura that clung to his very being, left the stage desolately empty.Winston had no choice but turn towards the lone woman on the stage. His indifference belied his fearsome appearance, "May I have the honor of becoming your male?"The moment their eyes met, terror overwhelmed the other female, "Nooo!" A scream burst from her lips as she collapsed to the ground. The sheer intensity of Winston's presence was too much for her to bear.The crowd didn't waste a second ─ they all rushed up to help her, throwing a mix of laughs, curses, and scornful comments at Winston for scaring a female as they went."That was so cruel of her," Bai covered her mouth in shock, "What is so bad about Winston? If I were in her place, I'd have at least pretended to consider his feelings and rejected him discreetly. Ouch, that hurts!" she winced when Vick flicked her ear."Well then, why don't you go and comfort his broken heart?" Vick whispered into her ear, his voice teasing,"Miss Better Than Everyone Else?"Winston, looking like he saw the rejection coming, smoothly transformed into his tiger form and hopped off the stage, leaving the drama behind.Then, out of nowhere, Nivi showed up in front of Winston, like a calm, understanding goddess amidst all the chaos.It was as if time itself had paused. The world around them melted away, leaving only the magnetic pull of two beings drawn together by an invisible, magical thread.How romantic. I couldn't help but think as Muir passed me over to Curtis's arm for some strength training too.Muir rubbed his cramped neck as he walked toward Winston, taking the sobbing Bai together with him, "My cub's been quite curious about getting to know you, but she was a bit scared to approach you on her own. Would you care to spend some time with our family by the bonfire tonight?"Before Winston could respond, Nivi interrupted, her initial shock masked by a serene smile. "Actually, I was about to extend the same invitation," she said. "Me and my mates would be delighted if such a formidable warrior like you could join us.""Winston will obviously join my bonfire. After all, I'm his niece!" declared a female with purple short hair, her voice laced with a hint of entitlement.Honestly, I'm still scratching my head, trying to see what's appealing about a dude who practically lines up to get publicly dumped every time he's back from a trip. He isn't genuinely interested in any of those women, and he knows they aren't interested in him either (whether he asked them during the trip or not, it's clear from their reaction). Yet, he still waits until they're back in the Beast City to face embarrassment.I can't even laugh at him; it's like watching someone slip on the same banana peel over and over. After the hundredth rerun, the joke just isn't funny anymore.Pity? Oh, please, that's a luxury I'll let Nivi and Bai to indulge in. ╔═══ Author's note ════╗Yaya seems to have a bad impression of Winston. 💀╚════════════════╝