My Beastly Fertility System Chapter 29: Fruit and Rumors

Rufus looked confused.

"What do you mean, don't worry about it? What does that mean?"

Claire quickly realized beastfolk only understood simple phrases. She hurried to explain, "It just means you don't need to thank me."

After that, she stepped around him and started to leave.

As she passed by, Rufus suddenly wrinkled his nose. His eyes widened.

"Female, you're pregnant?"

"Yeah!"

Once again, Claire was amazed by the beastfolk's sense of smell. It was practically better than an ultrasound.

Rufus looked nervous.

"Then why are you running around? Pregnant females should stay in their nest. I mean, in their cave. It's dangerous to wander around like this."

The night before, Rufus had agreed to Zane's request. So the moment Claire left the clan, he had flown down to guard her.

At the time, he hadn't known she was pregnant. Now that he did, he couldn't believe Zane had let her go out.

"Your beast mate is way too irresponsible. How could he let you come out alone?" Rufus complained.

Claire smiled casually.

"What's the big deal? Even if I'm pregnant, I can't stay in the clan all day. I'd go crazy. Besides, Zane doesn't even know yet. Don't worry. I'll protect my cubs."

She rested a hand on her lower belly, her face glowing with quiet happiness.

Rufus had no choice but to stay close. Any movement within thirty feet put him instantly on alert.

Claire wanted to pick some sour fruit today. Most beastfolk rarely gathered it. Only some pregnant females developed a strong craving for it.

The sour fruit trees grew right next to the clan's foraging grounds.

When they arrived, many females were already collecting food.

As soon as Claire walked closer, every female turned to look at her.

They wondered if she had come to apologize to Hazel and rejoin the foraging team.

One female sneered, "I knew she wouldn't last long."

But they were quickly proven wrong.

Just before entering the foraging grounds, Claire turned and headed straight for the nearby sour fruit trees instead.

Two steps behind her stood Rufus, cold and imposing like an iceberg. His icy gaze swept across the area, making the females shrink back and quickly return to their work.

A few braver ones still sneaked glances at the two of them.

The sour fruit trees were heavy with fruit. Claire simply reached up and picked a ripe one. She wiped the dust off on her animal-skin dress and popped it into her mouth.

The sharp sour taste instantly suppressed her nausea.

"Claire, that fruit is really sour and tastes awful. Here, have these instead."

A young female who had just reached adulthood stood a few steps away, shyly holding out two dark red fruits.

Claire looked at her in surprise. The girl looked only 13 or 14.

In the Beast World, females reached adulthood at 13. They could bond with males and bear offspring.

Life was harsh here. Beastfolk began aging rapidly at 30, and many didn't live past 50.

Claire had never interacted with this kind-hearted girl before. It was surprising that she offered her food.

From a distance, an older female called out sharply, "Tyne, don't meddle in other people's business. What if Fiona finds out and gets upset?"

At those words, the girl named Tyne hesitated. She started to pull her hand back but looked at Claire with sympathy, clearly torn.

Claire smiled.

"It's okay. I'm not hungry. You should keep them. I actually like the sour fruit."

She meant it sincerely, but Tyne thought she was just trying to save face.

When Tyne returned to the group, several friendly females asked what happened. None of them believed Claire truly liked the sour fruit.

Everyone knew the fruit was painfully sour and bitter. Who would actually enjoy that?

That was why the trees were always loaded with fruit.

The females chatted noisily while gathering food.

Claire filled her animal-skin bag until it was bulging. The weight dug into her shoulder, making it ache.

Rufus reached over with one long arm and took the bag from her, lifting it easily with one hand as if it weighed nothing.

"Thanks," Claire said.

The two of them soon left the foraging grounds.

Only then did the females speak freely.

"Claire's so hungry she has to eat sour fruit to fill her stomach. That's pathetic."

"Pathetic? She picked a fight with Fiona. She brought it on herself."

"But that Level 2 beastfolk was standing right there. Would she really fall so low as to eat sour fruit? Doesn't he hunt for her?"

"Zane's really careless..."

Their overlapping voices quickly filled the foraging grounds with gossip.

By the time Fiona arrived, she had already heard about it.

But her mind was on something else entirely.

...

Claire walked ahead, scanning the surroundings for anything else she could eat.