Azrakai had prepared some gifts for his chosen mate. Since he didn't know which tribe she was from, he only brought some fruits along with a bullpig, in case she preferred meat to fruits.
Rhaëlya was wide awake now. And she was staring at her own reflection in the small pond a few meters away from the entrance.
She was so absorbed in her own reflection that she even forgot about Azrakai and the pain in her body. She was looking at the small, drop like shap on her forehead.
Crypt kept eyeing the tiger at the entrance while Azrakai observed the new markings on the snake's body. He couldn't explain why, but he felt intimidated by them. Only a bit though.
He took his eyes off of the snake as he felt threatened the longer he stared at the hand shape on his mark. And although he couldn't see the female from where he was standing, he could smell her close so he kept waiting in silence.
At the pond, a bit further from the entrance.
"...What the f☆ck? What's this??" Rhaëlya questioned the jellyfish floating in front of her while pointing at her forehead.
"That's the mark that says that you've tamed a spouse. Meaning that you already own someone." The jellyfish stated calmly.
"I haven't seen any on those outside though?" She continued to question.
"Well yes, you're a special case." The jellyfish continued as well.
[Markings: The marks on your mate and on you are different from those of this world.
You are an 'Empress' thus you cannot be mated/owned by someone else. You will own others. And the mark of ownership will appear on your forehead.
These marks will turn transparent and will be replaced by more common marks to avoid troubles and suspicions.]
The screen popped up in front of her with a lengthy explanation.
Rhaëlya sighed while closing her eyes. When she opened her eyes again she didn't feel any different.
She frowned and looked into the pond again. The mark between her brows disappeared.
A bit further from her, Azrakai blinked his eyes a few times as he watched the marks on the snake fade from the visible eyes. Even Crypt was confused while looking at it. He even felt panic. He didn't want to lose those marks.
He whipped his head around and dashed inside the cave. Only to find Bloom already walking towards him.
He relaxed. His eyes softened as he looked at her delicate face.
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Rhaëlya quickly explained to Crypt what those marks meant, while avoiding important details like "empress" or whatnot, since she didn't truly know how he'd react. She accepted Azrakai's gifts and thanked him, before asking him if he'd accompany her today.
She needed to gather supplies and food for winter. But she didn't from where. Though she'd once had an interest in outdoor survival when she was young, she still needed some help with the wild animals.
Of course, she could take care of them herself but she was simply too lazy for that.
Thus she brought Crypt and Azrakai with her as a safety measure.
Crypt kept wanting to carry her but she refused each time. She wanted to walk as her body felt sore.
She looked around the forest they were in and decided to play the role of a bubbly and curious teenage girl. That was her personality of choice. Even at the academy, only Ran didn't have to put up with that.
"Look over there! Mushrooms!" She pointed at a small ring of suspicious looking mushrooms.
"Those are poisonous, don't touch them." Replied Azrakai, a bit taken aback.
'Host! Host! Only the top is poisonous!' The jellyfish, now invisible to everyone but Rhaëlya chirped in her ear.
Rhaëlya ignored Azrakai's warning and got closer to the mushrooms, leading to Crypt and Azrakai to block her path.
"They're dangerous." Affirmed Crypt once more.
"Not really. Only the crown is!" Rhaëlya responded.
Although Crypt was confused by her change of personality, he knows better than to question a female. Especially now that they're mated. And he also liked this side of her.
Rhaëlya skipped ahead lightly, the beast-skin skirt brushing her thighs with each step, while the cropped top clung to her upper torso. Her modern sneakers, mud-splashed but intact, padded quietly against the forest floor, looking bizarrely out of place among roots and moss.
Azrakai's eyes kept flicking down to her feet.
She smirked. "Yes, I know. They're weird. But they're comfortable, and no, you can't touch them."
Crypt silently slithered a bit closer in his humanoid form, his ever-watchful eyes scanning the treeline. Azrakai followed behind, a few steps farther away, carrying the makeshift bag she'd asked him to help with.
Neither of them spoke. They wouldn't, unless she initiated a conversation. They don't like each other, so they don't speak.
She stepped closer to the patch of mushrooms. Small, brown-capped things clustered around the base of a thick tree. Azrakai furrowed his brow but didn't move. He still felt uneasy.
"They're edible," Rhaëlya said, reassuring him again, before crouching to pluck them. "Only the tops are toxic. The stalks are full of protein if cleaned right." She joked. Though she repeated herself, she didn't mind.
Azrakai didn't argue, but Crypt moved forward, glancing at the mushrooms before nodding. "Understood. I'll collect the safe parts for you."
She gave him a small smile. "Good."
They moved deeper into the woods under her direction, collecting herbs and roots Rhaëlya identified confidently, edible leaves with peppery flavors, nuts hidden in thick brush, and tart berries growing low to the ground. Whenever either male tried to step in with advice, she only needed to raise a brow for them to fall respectfully silent.
Even the jellyfish kept its comments short, only adding soft hums of approval as she worked.
Eventually, they found a sun-dappled clearing with a flat patch near a small stream. Rhaëlya chose the spot without hesitation and gestured for Azrakai to build a fire.
"Yes, Bloom," he said immediately, crouching to gather dry branches.
Crypt helped arrange stones for a ring without waiting for her to tell him.
She smiled. It was easy to get used to this.
Once the fire crackled steadily, she laid out the ingredients. The flat rock she had Azrakai clean earlier was now heating beside the coals. She used another stone to mash roots and herbs, grinding them with a touch of water from a leaf funnel. It wasn't just functional, it smelled delicious already.
Azrakai leaned in slightly, eyes wide. "You... know how to cook?"
"Yes," she replied, then looked up with an amused gleam. "You thought I couldn't?"
He bowed his head slightly. "I've never seen a female prepare her own meal like this.You're..." different. But he didn't say the last word.
Crypt remained quiet, but his gaze was fixed on her hands, on the precise, calm motions as she mixed ingredients, wrapped them in leaves, and laid them neatly over the hot stone.
She took some of the mashed roots, added roasted mushroom stalks, and folded them into leaf packets with a light dusting of crushed nuts.
The mixture sizzled quietly, releasing a rich, savory aroma that even made her stomach growl.
"Host! This smells divine!" the jellyfish squealed in her mind. Beastmen usually just roast meat like cavemen! This is gourmet!
Rhaëlya allowed herself a pleased little hum.
Crypt's voice was quiet. "Can we... taste it?"
She handed each of them a packet. "Yes. I made them for you."
Azrakai took his with reverent hands, as though accepting an offering from a goddess. Crypt simply bowed his head before biting in and his eyes widened immediately.
"It's soft," he said, chewing slowly. "Flavorful. It doesn't even taste like food..."
Azrakai gave a low growl of approval, eyes closing as he devoured his portion. "It's better than anything we've had in our tribe. You're truly..." He looked at her, awe softening his features. "A rare kind of female."
Rhaëlya leaned back on her hands, satisfied. "You're both lucky to have me, then." She joked.
"Yes," Crypt said instantly.
Azrakai only nodded, expression serious.
After they ate, Rhaëlya made them clean up the small make shift camp. She stored a few extra ingredients in the bark-woven pouch Azrakai carried, noting which herbs and mushrooms to keep for future stews.
The forest, while peaceful, suddenly felt a little too quiet.
The jellyfish's voice whispered in her mind. Host... mana flow has shifted again. Something is lurking nearby.
Rhaëlya straightened. "We're leaving."
Neither male questioned her. Crypt moved to her side protectively, and Azrakai took position behind.
They moved quickly through the trees, the silence now pressing against their ears. Rhaëlya guided them back toward the direction of the cave, but the terrain had subtly changed. New moss patches, broken branches where there hadn't been any before.
And then. Crack.
The earth gave out beneath her feet.
"BLOOM!"
She didn't even scream properly, just grunted as her beast-hide skirt flared briefly before she tumbled down, vanishing into darkness.
She scraped along roots and dirt walls, until finally she landed with a dull thud on a wet, mossy floor.
She groaned. "Ow... not again."
Above, Crypt's voice echoed, furious and panicked. "I see her! Bloom!"
She could barely make him out through the jagged opening above her. "I'm okay!"
Crypt reached down, claws extended, but the drop was too steep. "I'll come down-"
"No," she said firmly. "You'll get stuck."
Azrakai's voice called from above. "There's another path. I'll find it. Don't worry."
"I'm fine," she repeated, brushing dirt off her legs.
She looked around. The tunnel curved off into shadow. There was no way back up. Not without help. But something was calling from deeper inside. She could feel it..something ancient, something... familiar?
She stood slowly, lifting her chin.
"I'll walk ahead," she said, her voice firm even if her heart was pounding. "Find me."
Crypt's fists clenched, but he bowed his head. "Yes, my mate. We will."
The light above her vanished as the tunnel twisted away.
And Rhaëlya stepped forward into the darkness.
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Sorry, there'll be only one chapter for now :( I had some issues to deal with so I didn't have time to write. I promise there'll be more chapters next friday!