Rayna sat cross-legged in her hut, sunlight streaming in through the windows, casting soft patterns on the floor. Behind her, Ezra gently combed through her long hair. His fingers were careful, untangling each knot with patience before braiding the strands neatly. Small white flowers, freshly picked, were tucked into the braid delicately.
"This comb is really well made," Rayna said, admiring it in her hand. "Thank you, Ezra."
Ezra chuckled softly. "No problem. It's perfect for detangling your hair."
Rayna smiled, a mix of fondness and mild guilt blooming in her chest. Ever since they became mates, she'd been shamelessly exploiting Ezra's thoughtful, crafty nature. But she can't help it because he was just so good at making things like this—so willing, so attentive.
Still, to balance it out, she made it a point to cook for both him and Soren, feeding them whenever she could. It was her quiet way of returning the care they showered on her.
Soren was away again, out hunting. With the wet season approaching fast, the entire village was busy gathering supplies. "It'll rain non-stop for days," Soren had told her when she asked once why they hoarded so much hunt together.
Ezra didn't have much work that day, so he had dropped by to check on her.
Rayna, still thinking about the panda beastman she'd rescued three days ago, glanced at him. "Hey Ezra, how's Yunxi?"
Ezra looked up after braiding her hair, "That panda guy? He's doing alright—better than before. Turns out he injured a bone in his arm, but it's healing well."
Rayna blinked. "You know he looked really weak so at first I thought he was a very young beastman."
Ezra let out a soft chuckle. "Same. But can you believe he's my age?"
That made Rayna pause. "Wait... how old are you, Ezra?"
Ezra grinned. "Approximately twenty-four."
Rayna nodded slowly. "So he's four years older than me..."
"Did he have any connection to the two panda beastmen who came to the Nomei Festival?" Rayna asked, curiosity lacing her tone.
Ezra's expression shifted slightly. "Well... it's kind of a messy situation."
Rayna leaned in. "Messy how? Tell me."
Ezra let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "At first, when I asked the two panda beastmen, they flat-out denied knowing him. They seemed in a hurry to leave, too. But when I brought them to the injured guy, things changed."
Rayna's brows furrowed. "What happened?"
Ezra continued, "As soon as he saw them, Yunxi called them brothers. That kind of forced their hand—they finally admitted they knew him."
Rayna's eyes widened. "So they lied at first?"
Ezra nodded grimly. "Yeah. According to Yunxi, the three of them were traveling together to the festival. But somewhere along the way, those two abandoned him in the forest, and that's how he got lost and injured."
Rayna frowned. "And what did they say?"
"They stuck to their story. Claimed Yunxi wandered off and got lost on his own. So, it's a case of one word against another."
Rayna sat back, lips pressed in a thin line. "Anyways, Yunxi was the sufferer."
"Yeah," Ezra muttered, voice low. "Whatever really happened, he clearly didn't deserve to be left behind like that."
Rayna nodded.
Ezra said quietly, "Well, Rayna... he was asking about you too."
"Me?" Rayna blinked in surprise.
Ezra nodded. "Yeah. Said he wanted to see you. Wanted to thank you for saving him."
"I should go meet him then," Rayna said, already starting to get up.
But Ezra gently pulled her back into his arms, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. "You don't need to."
Rayna looked up at him. "I want to, Ezra. I saved him when he was injured, and I never got the full story. I want to hear his side—how he got hurt, what really happened."
Ezra studied her face, then gave a small nod. "Alright. I'll take you."
He stood, pulling her up with him, and as she rose, he leaned in and kissed her softly.
Rayna smiled against his lips. "Let's go then."
Ezra led Rayna through a narrow path that wound past a grove of tall, flowering trees, finally stopping in front of a modest, moss-covered hut. "This is the healer's place," he said quietly.
Rayna stepped inside, her eyes adjusting to the dim, herb-scented room. An older beastman sat near a low stone table, grinding herbs into a thick paste. His fur was patchy gray, and his movements were slow but precise.
On a bed of straw near the wall lay Yunxi, still in his beastform. His black-and-white fur was matted in places, thickly coated with greenish salves and wrapped with layers of bandages. His eyes were closed, but his breathing was steady.
Rayna leaned closer to Ezra and whispered, "What kind of beastman is the healer?"
Ezra glanced at the old man and replied softly, "A rock hyrax. Came to the village years ago, no mates, no kin. Just settled here and started healing anyone who needed it. He's been with us ever since."
Rayna nodded slowly, her gaze drifting back to Yunxi. She took a quiet breath and stepped forward, unsure if he was awake.
Rayna stepped closer to the bed of straw, crouching beside the still figure. "Yunxi?" she said softly.
The panda beastman stirred. His ears twitched first, then his eyes opened slowly, blinking against the dim light. For a moment, his expression was dazed—until his gaze locked onto Rayna.
"You..." His voice was raspy but filled with recognition. "You're the one who saved me."
Rayna gave him a gentle smile. "Yeah...I'm Rayna. You were in pretty bad shape."
Yunxi tried to sit up but winced, one paw instinctively pressing to his bandaged side. Ezra stepped forward. "Easy. You're still healing."
Rayna exchanged a glance with Ezra, then asked softly, "Do you remember what happened before you got hurt?"
Yunxi nodded slowly, eyes clouded with the memory.
"I was coming with my brothers to the Nomei festival. It was night... quiet, mostly. We had stopped to rest near a clearing. I went a little way into the trees to relieve myself."
He paused, fingers curling slightly into the bedding.
"But when I came back... they were gone."
Rayna leaned forward slightly.
"I thought maybe I was just slow, and they moved ahead. " He gave a soft, bitter laugh. "So I followed. Walked and walked, calling for them. But their scent—there was nothing. I couldn't track them."
He shook his head. "And the moonlight... it was barely enough to see by. I tried hard to track them.
...and then," Yunxi continued, his voice trembling slightly, "the moonlight vanished. Just like that—gone. The forest turned pitch black, like something swallowed the light whole. I stopped walking, my instincts screaming that something was wrong."
He swallowed hard, eyes distant. "That's when I heard it. A slow, sickening click... click... like claws tapping against stone. Then, from between the trees, it emerged."
"It was a huge beast.I hadn't seen it before in my village. It was massive—much bigger than me. Its body was black with some silver lines across its back. Its eyes glowed red in the dark, and it had eight legs that moved fast—too fast. I got scared and ran, but my speed wasn't enough. It came after me, like it had chosen me to hunt."
He looked down at his bandaged arm, then back at Rayna.
"It had these long, curved fangs, and I swear I saw something dripping from them—venom, maybe. Wherever it dropped, the ground looked like it sizzled. It was hunting me."
Rayna listened, her expression tense. She realized, the beast with eight legs, can be a spider.
"I kept running the whole night. It wouldn't stop. It was so persistent—like it had locked onto me. Just before dawn, I somehow managed to climb up a tall tree to hide, and for a moment, I thought I lost it. But I was already hurt... and then I fell."
"I dragged myself as far as I could, but I was done. Tired, hopeless, and ready to give up."
His eyes met Rayna's, softer now.
"And then... you appeared. You saved me."
Yunxi looked at Rayna for a long moment, then lowered his head slightly.
"I never got the chance to thank you properly," he said, his voice quieter now, steadier. "You didn't know who I was. I was just a stranger, injured and bleeding, outside your village boundary... but you still helped me."
His eyes met hers again, filled with something raw—gratitude, humility, and a hint of disbelief.
"People don't usually stop for someone like me. Not when they don't have to. But you did. You're really a very kind female. You saved me.I owe you my life. I won't forget it. I'll always be grateful to you."
He gave a soft, respectful bow of his head.
Rayna smiled gently.
She knew that in the beastworld, casual touch between males and females wasn't common—but something about Yunxi's quiet vulnerability moved her. Breaking the norm just a little, she leaned forward and gave him a brief, light hug, gently patting his back. Then she stepped away, composed, and said softly,
"I just did what felt right, Yunxi. You were hurt. Anyone would have done the same."
She paused, her voice calm but kind.
"Get better soon. And... if you feel like it, you're welcome to stay in our village. I mean, I can't make that decision myself—but it's safe here. Do what feels right for you."
She hesitated, then added, "Did you get a chance to speak with your brothers properly?"
Before Yunxi could respond, Ezra cut in, his voice quiet but heavy, "They left, Rayna."
Yunxi's head lifted slowly, his eyes wide for a moment, then dimmed.
"They left?" he repeated, voice hollow.
Ezra nodded.
Yunxi looked down, shoulders tense, his paws clenched in the hay. "So... they abandoned me again. After everything."
His voice cracked slightly, but he held the rest in, blinking rapidly as he stared at the floor, fighting back the sting of fresh betrayal.
Rayna watched him in silence, a deep ache blooming in her chest.
She knew that feeling. The dull, sinking weight in your chest when the people you trusted—counted on—walked away without looking back. Her own memories flickered in, uninvited. Friends she had once laughed with, stood by, who had left her behind when it mattered most. That helplessness, that gnawing question of why wasn't I worth staying for?
She took a slow breath.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" she said softly, her voice lower, steadier. "When people you believe in choose to leave."
Yunxi glanced up at her, startled by the quiet understanding in her tone.
Rayna gave him a small, sad smile. "You didn't deserve that. No one does."
She didn't touch him this time—some wounds weren't ready for closeness—but she sat down near him, close enough for him to feel he wasn't alone.
"Let yourself heal," she said gently, "in your body, and in your heart. You're not alone here."
To lighten the mood, Rayna smiled and said, "I'll bring you something tasty, Yunxi. Food always makes everything feel a little better, right?"
Yunxi's ears perked up slightly, and a flicker of excitement crossed his face. "Really? I love trying different kinds of food!"
"For sure," Rayna chuckled. "I'll bring you something truly appetizing—you're going to love it."
She stood up and dusted off her skirt. "For now, we'll be leaving, but we'll come back soon."
She gave him a small wave, and Yunxi nodded eagerly, a faint smile curling on his lips. His black, fluffy ears twitched as his mood visibly lifted.
"Thank you, Rayna," he said softly.
Ezra gave a small nod of farewell, and together, they stepped out of the healer's hut.
As they walked away from the healer's hut, Ezra glanced at Rayna. "You look a little down."
Rayna forced a small smile. "It's just... what Yunxi said hit a little close. I know how it feels to be left behind by people you trust. I guess I just... felt it too deeply."
She paused, then added, "I'll make something warm and good for him. Maybe we should visit more often. He's all alone here, injured, and just... abandoned by his brothers. He seems like he's carrying a lot."
Ezra watched her for a moment, admiration clear in his eyes. "Rayna... you're really kind. You're like sunshine after a storm. You don't even realize how much you change the people around you."
Rayna looked away, a light blush rising to her cheeks. "Come on... enough flattering me," she mumbled, trying to hide her smile. "Let's go—I need to gather stuff to cook."
Ezra chuckled, eyes twinkling. Without warning, he scooped her up in a princess carry.
"Then let's go, sunshine," he said with a grin. "Just say the word, and I'll handle everything."
Rayna chuckled.
Then drifting to her thoughts, Rayna asked softly, "By the way... the beast Yunxi mentioned—the one that attacked him—have you ever seen anything like that before?"
Ezra's expression darkened, "Yeah... lately, we've been keeping the patrols tighter. Some creatures like the one Yunxi described have been spotted near the borders, it's still far away though."
Rayna's brow furrowed. "So you've seen one?"
Ezra nodded. "I did. But the one I saw was different from Yunxi's spider. Still terrifying, though—even from a distance. It was a half-beast... with a massive stinger on its back."
Rayna's eyes widened. "What was it?"
"Soren said it's a scorpion," Ezra replied grimly. "Really vicious. Cruel and barbaric. Not the kind of creature you want wandering into the village."
Rayna's face paled slightly. "A scorpion... seriously?"
She had read about them in the manhuas of the beastworld—scorpion feral beasts, vicious and relentless. The kind no one ever wanted to encounter, not even Rayna herself.
Rayna shivered slightly at the thought. They're the kind of nightmare you hope never steps out of a page.
Rayna looked away, unease creeping up her spine. "No... not here," she whispered under her breath, more to herself than to Ezra.