Breakfast was pure chaos.
Kael devoured most of the stir-fried pheasant, ate two raw potatoes because he wanted to try them the old way for comparison and then tried to eat the leftover bacon grease straight from the pan.
"Stop!" Ren slapped his hand with a wooden spoon she had carved from a twig. "That is heart disease in liquid form! Put it down!"
Kael grumbled, licking his fingers. "You are stingy with the fat. A good female fattens her mate."
"I am not fattening you for slaughter, Kael. And I am not your mate!"
Ren sat back and wiped sweat from her forehead. She felt gross. She'd fallen from the sky, rolled in dirt, been crushed by a tiger, cooked over an open fire, and even been drooled on. Now she smelled like a walking BBQ pit.
[System Notification: Hygiene Level - Critical. Host smells like burnt ham. Recommended Action: Bathe. Reward: +5 Charisma.]
"I need a bath," Ren announced, standing up. "A real one. With water."
Kael looked up, his ears perking. "Bath? The river is cold. I can clean you. My tongue is very rough. It removes ticks."
"I do not have ticks!" Ren said, horrified. "I want water. Flowing water. Now."
Kael sighed, standing up. The motion made the muscles of his thighs ripple under the leather loincloth in a way that was unfair to Ren's blood pressure.
"Fine," he agreed. "But I must come. The river is dangerous. There are... slippery things."
"Slippery things?" Ren asked. "Like moss?"
"Like Snakes," Kael said darkly. "And Crocodiles. And the Otter-men. They are perverts."
Ren blinked. "Otter-men?"
"They steal your loincloths while you swim," Kael explained with a serious face. "Very dishonorable."
The so-called river was actually a beautiful, crystal-clear lagoon fed by a waterfall about ten minutes from the cave. Large, warm rocks surrounded it, making it a natural hot spring.
It was paradise.
"Okay," Ren said, turning to Kael. "Turn around."
Kael crossed his arms over his massive chest. "No."
"Kael!"
"I am guarding you," he stated flatly. "If a Water Beast grabs you, I need to be ready to rip its head off. I cannot do that if I am looking at a tree."
Ren groaned. She knew she wasn't going to win this argument. And honestly, she was terrified of the jungle too.
"Fine. But don't stare. And don't make any weird comments."
Ren walked behind a large boulder for a semblance of privacy. She stripped off her grimy cargo pants and tank top, shivering as the cool air hit her skin. She quickly waded into the warm water.
"Oh, sweet mother of sanitation," she moaned as the heat soaked into her sore muscles.
She opened her inventory and summoned the [Rose Scented Soap].
It was a pink, oval bar that smelled like a concentrated English garden.
She lathered it up. Thick, white, fragrant bubbles began to form. She scrubbed her arms, her neck, and her hair.
The scent hit the air instantly.
On the bank, Kael froze.
For a tiger, the jungle usually smelled like rot, earth, and musk. But this was different. It smelled like flowers and sweetness. The scent was intoxicating, hiding the usual smell of prey and replacing it with something that made his head spin.
He walked to the edge of the water.
Ren was covered in white foam. To Kael, she looked like a spirit.
"What is that?" Kael asked, his voice husky. "It smells... strong."
"It's soap," Ren said, sinking down until the water reached her chin. "It cleans the dirt off."
Kael crouched down. He dipped a finger into the floating suds. He tasted it.
"Blegh!" He spat it out, making a face. "It tastes like poison!"
"You're not supposed to eat it, you giant doofus!" Ren laughed, splashing water at him.
Kael froze. Water droplets glistened on his chest. He looked at her laughing face, her red hair wet and slicked back, her blue eyes sparkling, and her skin pink from the heat.
He felt something tighten in his chest. It wasn't the Feral Rage. This was heavier. Hotter.
He stepped into the water.
"Kael? What are you doing?" Ren stopped laughing.
He didn't stop until the water was waist-deep on him. He waded over to her, towering over her floating form.
"You missed a spot," he murmured.
He reached out, his large hand taking the bar of soap from her. He rubbed it between his palms, creating a mountain of lather.
"Turn around," he ordered.
Ren hesitated, then slowly turned her back to him.
His large, calloused hands landed on her shoulders. He began to scrub.
He wasn't exactly gentle. He washed her as if he were polishing a precious weapon, using firm, thorough strokes down her back and arms. His thumbs worked into the knots in her shoulders.
"You are so small," Kael whispered, his chest pressing against her wet back. "So soft. No armor. No fur."
Ren closed her eyes, leaning into the touch despite herself. "That feels... good."
"I am the best groomer in the clan," Kael bragged quietly. "My tongue is better, but... this is acceptable."
He slid his hands down her sides, his fingers brushing the curve of her waist underwater.
Ren's breath hitched. "Kael. Hands."
"I am just cleaning," he rasped, his voice dropping to a growl. "You smell like roses now."
He buried his nose in her wet hair, inhaling deeply. The heat from his body was hotter than the spring.
Ren felt a dangerous tension building. The water, the steam, and the naked tiger man rubbing her down all added to it.
Snap.
A twig broke nearby.
Kael stopped at once. His hands shifted from massaging to gripping her shoulders tightly. His whole body went rigid.
A low, menacing growl ripped from his throat.
"Come out," Kael roared at the jungle, spinning around and pulling Ren behind his massive back to shield her. "I smell you, Fox."
Ren peeked around Kael's arm.
From the dense ferns on the other side of the river, a figure stepped out.
He was lean, lithe, and exceptionally beautiful. Unlike Kael's rugged, brute strength, this man was elegant. He had long, silky copper hair tied back loosely. He wore a robe made of red fox fur that hung open, revealing a slender but defined chest.
On his head were two plush, triangular fox ears, and behind him, Ren counted three fluffy red tails waving hypnotically.
He held a fan made of feathers in one hand. He was smiling, but the smile didn't reach his narrowed, calculating green eyes.
"My, my," the Fox drawled. His voice was smooth as silk and sharp as glass. "I was just coming to wash my tails, but I seem to have stumbled upon a private grooming session."
He looked at Kael, then his gaze slid to Ren. He licked his lips.
"And what is this?" The Fox stepped closer to the water's edge, ignoring Kael's growling. "A hairless female? With the scent of... roses? How exotic."
"Leave, Vex," Kael warned, his claws extending. "She is mine."
"Yours?" Vex, the Fox, chuckled. He snapped his fan shut. "Beast Law says a female belongs to the male who can satisfy her. And we all know Tigers are... fast finishers."
Ren choked on a bubble. "Did he just...?"
Vex winked at Ren. "Hello, Little Rose. I am Vex. I am the Shaman of the Red Fox Tribe. I know many things. Herbs. Potions." His voice dropped to a purr. "And knot-tying."
[System Notification: Target Detected – 'Vex' (Fox Shaman). Threat Level: High. Horniness Level: Off the Charts.]
"Oh no," Ren whispered. "Another one."