My Beastly Fertility System Chapter 21: Fire in the Cave

"Fiona, that male is inside the cave."

"Really?"

She listened carefully and caught a faint, suppressed noise from within.

Fiona jumped in excitement.

She said to Nina, "You did well today! I'll tell my mom to give you extra meat later! Now get lost!"

Nina walked away with a wide grin.

Fiona could manage the rest on her own.

They had pulled this off several times before and everything had gone smoothly.

Fiona fixed her gaze on the cave, confident of victory.

"Even if you are a Level 2 beastfolk, so what?! After resisting for so long, you'll still fall into my hands! Heh! Rufus, you're about to become my sixth beast husband!"

She entered the cave but didn't spot Rufus immediately.

She looked deeper into the darkness and continued forward.

After walking dozens of feet, she reached a spacious area with faint light that revealed a pool within the cave.

A tall silhouette appeared to sit in the water.

Delight surged through Fiona and she hurried closer.

Without warning, sharp pain exploded at the back of her head, and she lost consciousness.

Claire stood there gripping a thick wooden stick, staring at Fiona on the ground with blazing anger.

"I knew it. How could a Level 2 beastfolk like Rufus end up like that? It was you. I should have realized earlier."

No other female would dare attempt such a trick.

Recalling past and present grievances, Claire lifted her foot and kicked Fiona hard.

"That's for plotting! That's for bullying! That's for being awful! You sly bitch!"

She stomped several more times before her anger slowly faded.

Leaving Fiona sprawled on the cold ground, she turned and hurried to check on Rufus in the pool.

"Mm, the heat has dropped a little!"

With hands on her waist, she admired her effort with satisfaction.

"Good thing I read enough to know cold water reduces the effect."

Rufus had steadied in the water, his lips moist, his short hair slicked back, and he looked much more composed.

Claire brushed her palm over his firm chest and clicked her tongue approvingly.

"You're lucky you ran into me, someone who behaves properly. If it were another female, you would've been assaulted by now. You should repay me properly!"

It would be best if he hunted plenty of prey for her so Zane's burden would lessen.

Claire drifted into cheerful fantasies.

In the pool, Rufus felt the scorching heat inside him finally recede as icy water surrounded him at a comfortable chill.

Through the haze, he heard the female talking nonstop. He forced his eyes open and saw a small figure busy emptying a swollen sack.

With nothing else to occupy her, Claire dragged over the sweet potatoes she had dug earlier.

The cave was spacious and cool, ideal for storing food.

The only problem was Fiona.

Humming softly, Claire buried the sweet potatoes one by one in dry soil.

Her grandfather had taught her this preservation method.

She refused to haul her hard-earned harvest back to the clan where most of it would be handed to Hazel, leaving her barely anything.

What was the point of that?

It was better to hide it here and take some when needed.

This place lay near the clan yet remained hidden.

Even if Fiona knew of the cave, she would never imagine food was buried underground.

"Or maybe I should just end Fiona. Then there would be no future trouble."

Claire nudged Fiona's body with the stick.

That dangerous idea flickered briefly before she dismissed it.

Life for beastfolks in this world was harsh, survival rates low, and females especially scarce. If they wished to sustain their numbers, every female counted.

Perhaps Fiona might even become an ancestor to someone remarkable in the future.

"Forget it. I'll spare her this time."

Muttering to herself, she dragged Fiona outside the cave.

By evening, the sun dipped toward the horizon.

Claire slung the hide sack over her shoulder and returned to the clan.

Chaos had already erupted there.

Before she could settle, Hazel rushed over and questioned her angrily.

"Claire, where did you take my daughter?"

"What are you talking about? Which daughter is missing?"

Claire replied calmly.

Hazel fumed with rage.

"Stop pretending! My daughter, Fiona! Did you take her? The gathering team captain said she left midway. Was it you?"

"I don't even know where the gathering team went. How would I know where Fiona is?"

As Claire answered, she noticed a nervous figure from the corner of her eye.

"Nina, you probably know where Fiona is, do you not?"

Nina had always been Fiona's most loyal follower, eager to carry out her orders.

With Fiona gone, the clan freaked out, yet Nina alone lingered uneasily as if hiding something.