Whispers of the Beast Realm

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With the meat roasting over the fire, Ace handed me a stick, offering a skewer of roasted meat. "Here," he said, a friendly smile playing on his lips. I sheepishly declined, admitting, "Uhh... Actually, I don't eat meat." Did the concept of vegetarianism even exist in this world?

"Oh, you must be from a herbivore tribe then. No issue, eat these berries instead," Ace replied, handing me a handful of cherry-sized red berries. The concept did exist then. I gladly accepted, hungry after the chaotic events of the day. The berries were sweet, providing a burst of much-needed energy. Luckily, Ace didn't question how I remembered my dietary preferences.

As we savored the food, one of the women beside me asked about my clothe's material. "It's called... cotton, I think," I answered. The amber-haired woman commented, "Your tribe must have a secret technique to make cotton so strong that they can be worn as clothes." She then pointed at the anime print in the middle asking "What's this but?"

Uh-oh. How could I explain the colorful anime eyes and the big bold Japanese letters covering my whole front? "It seems like dried-up clay," Ace remarked, leaning in to touch the print. His fingers unintentionally grazed the print over my chest, startling me. I jumped back, halting the comfortable conversation abruptly. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I was just curious about the cloth," he apologized genuinely.

Before I could respond, one of the woman interjected, "Yeah, don't just randomly start being comfortable and getting your hopes up. She didn't even give you permission to court her and you proceed to touch her. Stay away." The words were unexpectedly harsh but despite its rudeness, the group seemed unfazed, even agreeing with her. "I apologize again," Ace muttered, standing up and relocating to the other side of the fire. What just happened?

For the remainder of the evening, I observed the interactions around me. The men attempted to woo the women, and some approached me, but my short replies made it clear there was no room for further conversation and they eventually went to try their luck with other three. This world used a language I understood, but social dynamics seemed different. The women were assertive, almost abrasive, yet the men appeared undeterred, likely aiming to be chosen as mates. I had dared to ask the amber-haired woman about the number of mates one could take when she was talking about her previous mates and how they would find her in few months, and she nonchalantly replied, "As many as one wants." The way she leaned towards the wolf offering her food hinted at her plans.

Ace stayed on the other side the whole time, tending to the meat. As the other women retreated to leaf beds for the night, I decided I'd had enough berries.Though nobody seemed to blame me for my earlier reaction, the women's words lingered, leaving me with a sense of discomfort.

Approaching Ace, I sat down beside him. He furrowed his brows, perhaps expecting a continuation of our earlier awkward encounter. "Actually, sorry. I was a bit jumpy, especially after today's events, so I reacted that way." I chose not to mention the awkwardness I felt with his indirect touch. "It's understandable. I was at fault," he admitted. "Nah, I apologise too, I kind of made it awkward all of a sudden" He gave a half smile. "I'll get going then. Thanks for the berries; they were delicious." With that, I retreated to a leaf bed for the night, pondering the nuances of this strange world and the unfamiliar relationships that governed it. As I drifted into slumber, Ace's handsome features lingered in my thoughts—the intensity of his eyes, the tousle of his dark hair, and the undeniable magnetism that surrounded him.