Beast city

At the gates of the city, she could see a crowd cheering the arrival of the new females. Liss took in the sight, and it actually matched the discretion her mother had told her. She even thought of looking for her mother's mates and brothers.

"Excuse, can you tell me your name?"

Liss knew she should have asked for his name before... before lying in his arms for an hour, but the shock of it all displaced the ettiquete of her world.

"Semion"

"Nice to meet you Semion, my name is Liss"

The arms that carried the little girl tightened and squeezed her, which drew a look in response.

"If I may ask, what happens now that we are here? I don't have money to get a house."

"What is money?"

'Oh, there is no concept of currency here'

"It's a thing to exchange for other things"

"You are a female, your mates will hunt for you to eat and take care of you"

"And what to do if I don't have mates"

Semion had long decided to be her mate, to see this calm and cool female pitifully lost only meant that she really never had a mate and knew nothing of the world. Looking at her, he made eye contact and grinned.

"You just have to chose one"

"And what if I don't want to have a mate?"

Liss old habits followed her here, the need to fully understand the situation and to not be afraid to ask as many questions as necessary, Liss had no intention of just going with the flow and taking in a mate she barely knew just to have a roof over her head. And Semion could only understand everything she said literally, he winced and a grimace formed on his face as he heard something ridiculous.

"I will take you to the tiger king palace, there they will accommodate you"

Digging into her memories, Liss's mother was very quick to accept a man and knew that polyandry was the norm, and yet Liss couldn't care less about building a Haren.

"This is the Tiger king palace" 

.

.

.

All the females where gathered on a stone platform in the centre of the city. Looking at their bodies and faces, Liss felt the urge to hide, because she knew that she would be hunted like a delicacy, since the difference was huge and men would be men.

A tall, strawberry-blond man wearing a long coat of animal skin walked forward onto the platform and roared.

"Rejoice fellow tribesman, this year exchange brought us 6 females, when the night falls there will be a celebration welcoming the new females and the opportunity to fight to gain the chance to become their mates"

Liss looked around to find the only familiar face, thinking in panic of the hole she had fallen into, for she did not want to find a mate this way. The tiger king instructed those standing on the platform to follow him, at the bottom of the stairs Semion was waiting for the little one he had brought to come back.

"Semion, do I have to participate in chosing a mate?"

"Why don't you want a mate?"

"I just don't want to be with someone I don't love"

Semion hadn't expected this answer, he knew that females prefer strength and the strongest male is always their first choice, but this little snowball spoke of love. He had previously told the tiger king about her preferences and how she wanted a home first, not a mate. The king was willing to let her live in the outhouse next to his palace until she found a mate, but the problem was that she probably couldn't hunt or survive without a mate.

"Liss, I found you a place to stay, come with me"

Semion wrapped his arms around her, lifted her up, and walked to the stone wall that lay between the royal palace and the witch doctor's apothecary.

Inside there was wooden furniture and some skins on the floor

"Do you know how to hunt?"

"No, I don't"

"How to make fire?"

"I know but I don't think I have the strength to do so"

"Do you know how to sew?"

"I think I understand what you are trying to say... what should I do?"

Liss knew that in order to survive, she had to know when to advance and when to retreat. She felt that she was far too stubborn for a foreigner who knew little about the place, yet she would not compromise her beliefs. Even in a difficult and dangerous situation, she held on to the disgust she felt at the thought of acting like her mother and treating others like tools.

Semion saw the agonised expression on the little female face and became uneasy. It is true that he wants to pursue her, since she is a gentle and beautiful female but he does not want her to feel pressured.

"I can take you with me, I live with my training friends, there you won't feel cold nor hungry"

"Can I go even if I'm not your mate?"

Semion saw this situation as an opportunity, but it could also backfire because his friends are also very strong and there is a possibility that he is not the one she chooses.

"...Yes"