My Beastly Fertility System Chapter 82: The Serpent That Came and Went

After throwing out that final line, Jeffrey turned away and didn't spare Claire another glance. Claire headed toward the cave exit. Jeffrey didn't stop her.

As she stepped out, she spotted Fiona leaning against the wall of a nearby side cave not far below. Her eyes were filled with venom as she stared at Claire.

Claire walked down alone. The path led past Fiona's cave, and she stayed alert, watching her every move.

Fortunately, Fiona's cave was only about three feet off the ground. Even if she tried something, Claire wouldn't be seriously hurt.

"Cl... Claire... what... did Jeffrey... say to you..."

Fiona spoke in broken fragments, each word seeming to cost her everything.

Her fur tunic was torn to shreds, barely covering what little dignity she had left. Her exposed skin was covered in bite marks. Blood stained her legs in layers, dried and fresh overlapping again and again. She looked thinner, like something had been carved out of her.

For a brief moment, pity stirred in Claire's chest. She forced it down and turned her face away.

"He said he wants to bond with me."

Fiona froze, then let out a hollow, bitter laugh.

Claire asked quietly, "Do you regret it?"

Fiona's thoughts drifted back to those first few days with Jeffrey, when everything had felt perfect. She sank into that illusion and didn't answer.

Claire didn't wait. She was soon urged along by the rogue beastfolk and brought back to the cage.

Most of the females were already there. Those who weren't would never be again.

The rogue beastfolk called it normal loss. The broken bodies were simply tossed outside the cave.

The fox clan females had already fallen into despair. The faint hope they once held died the moment they saw Claire locked back inside.

Some of them had believed she might win Jeffrey over and beg him for their freedom. Now that illusion was gone.

One by one, they lowered their heads, arms wrapped around themselves, sitting in silence until exhaustion dragged them into uneasy sleep.

Claire leaned against the cage. She hadn't eaten or drunk anything all day. Hunger hollowed her out.

She waited. When the cave finally fell quiet, when the rogue beastfolk's snores merged into a dull chorus, when even the tear-streaked females slipped into sleep, Claire's eyes snapped open.

After making sure everyone was asleep, she moved carefully and took out a strip of dried meat from her storage space.

She chewed slowly. Rich flavor spread across her tongue. The meat was firm, chewy, and satisfying. It filled the emptiness in her stomach almost instantly.

She finished one, then took out another, cheeks puffed as she chewed in silence, careful not to make a sound.

What she didn't know was that, from the highest cave above, a pair of eyes was watching her with quiet interest.

Then, in the stillness of the night, a sudden explosion of sound shattered everything.

A series of violent crashes echoed through the cave. The ground shook.

Claire's first thought was an earthquake. She quickly stuffed the rest of the dried meat into her mouth.

Then she saw it. A massive snake head, the size of a truck, smashed through one side of the cave wall. Its skull was broad and rounded, chunks of rock still lodged on top as it burst in at terrifying speed, racing past Claire like a runaway train.

For a split second, its massive body passed right beside her. The distance between her face and that snake, nearly six feet in diameter, was barely anything.

She could see its blue-green scales clearly, each one the size of her palm, arranged in perfect order. The snake's head swept past the cage, then suddenly turned.

It looked straight at Claire. In that instant, she saw shock in its round eyes. They stared at each other, equally stunned.

Claire's cheeks were still stuffed with dried meat, her eyes wide as she faced the enormous serpent that had appeared out of nowhere.

Then the giant snake surged through the cave, its dozens-of-meters-long body smashing everything in its path. Rogue beastfolk jolted awake in confusion. Those who reacted too slowly were crushed to death under its bulk.

The females were too terrified to even scream.

"A titan python! It's the titan python. It's back!"

One of the rogue beastfolk shouted in panic.

The serpent moved with purpose. Wherever rogue beastfolk gathered, it charged straight in. Piles of food were scattered everywhere as it tore through the cave.

But strangely, it never once came near the central cage. Whenever it passed by, it deliberately avoided that area.

A thought flickered in Claire's mind. Could this titan python be a savior sent from above? Or someone Zane and Rufus had brought?

Did they really know a creature like this?

Just as hope began to rise in her chest, the serpent suddenly smashed another hole through the cave wall and vanished.

It came fast. It left just as fast. From appearance to disappearance, it lasted no more than three minutes. Yet the entire cave had been turned upside down.

Jeffrey roared in fury. "Damn it! If you've got the guts, don't run!"

But the titan python was already gone. Not even the tip of its tail could be seen.

Jeffrey's chest heaved with rage. He had only looked away for a moment, and his rival had seized the opportunity. It infuriated him beyond measure.