Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off

The atmosphere in Dragon Beast City had grown heavier with each passing day.

Ever since Rong Ye left, the cheery atmosphere from the house had disappeared. No one said it aloud, but everyone could feel it.

Inside her house, Su Qinglan paced back and forth.

Her steps were restless, her brows tightly furrowed. One hand subconsciously rested on her slightly swollen belly as she walked. She tried to stay calm... but how could she?

Just then, the door curtain was suddenly lifted.

Lin Muyu stepped in, supporting Bai Ling beside her.

Both of them looked exhausted.

Dust clung to their clothes, and Bai Ling’s face was pale, almost frighteningly so. Her large belly made every step look difficult, as if even breathing took effort.

Su Qinglan’s expression immediately changed.

"Come in, quickly!"

She hurried forward, helping them inside without another word. She quickly cleared a soft space and gently helped Bai Ling sit down.

"Careful... sit slowly."

Bai Ling lowered herself with difficulty, letting out a soft breath as she finally rested.

Lin Muyu stood beside her, her chest still rising and falling from exhaustion. Her gaze unconsciously shifted...

First to Bai Ling’s heavy belly.

Then... to Su Qinglan’s own slightly showing stomach.

She paused.

A faint sigh escaped her lips.

But she said nothing. Her mind was occupied by far greater things. Silence lingered for a moment before Bai Ling suddenly grabbed Su Qinglan’s hand.

Her fingers were cold.

"Qinglan-jie..." Her voice trembled slightly.

"What... what will happen to us?"

Her words came out in a rush, almost stumbling over each other.

"I heard the tribe is surrounded by so many different foxes... we haven’t even been able to leave for a week..."

Her breathing grew uneven.

"If this continues... how will we eat? Our stockpile of meat is already gone..."

She tightened her grip.

"We females can eat less... but what about the cubs? And our males... they need huge prey every day..."

Her voice cracked with indignation.

"If they can’t eat now... how will they conserve energy for winter...?"

She spoke almost nonstop, her anxiety spilling out uncontrollably. Su Qinglan gently patted her hand.

"Relax... Bai Ling."

Her voice was soft but steady.

"Take a deep breath with me."

Bai Ling, who had been huffing and speaking rapidly, paused.

She looked at Su Qinglan, then slowly nodded.

"Inhale..."

"...Exhale..."

After a few breaths, her trembling eased. Her shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Feel better?" Su Qinglan asked.

Bai Ling nodded. "Yes... Qinglan-jie..." But her brows still carried worry. "I’m still scared..."

Su Qinglan smiled faintly.

"Don’t worry. Everything will be fine."

Before the atmosphere could settle, Lin Muyu suddenly spoke.

"Qinglan... I heard your father, the tribe leader... he’s also imprisoned with them?"

Su Qinglan’s expression stilled for a moment. Then she nodded. After all, she had nothing to hide; everyone knew about it.

"Yes... he is."

Lin Muyu clicked her tongue softly.

"I also heard... your mother was the most prized female in the tribe. She is the Priestess."

Her eyes widened slightly.

"I’ve seen her once before... and oh my... she was so beautiful."

"By the blessing of Beast World... she’s the most beautiful female I’ve ever seen."

A small smile slowly formed on Su Qinglan’s lips. Her eyes softened. Her mother... She still remembered that face.

Gentle... radiant... like the moon. Her smile deepened unconsciously.

Lin Muyu continued, lowering her voice a little.

"I think they’ve confined all the city lord’s family together." She hesitated before adding,

"They probably thought your father was her mate... that’s why they locked him there too."

She patted her chest lightly.

"Good thing you weren’t there... or you would have been captured too."

Before Su Qinglan could respond, a sudden small figure rushed inside.

"Thud!"

A little lion cub stumbled in, nearly tripping over his own paws before hiding behind Lin Muyu’s legs.

Lin Muyu froze mid-sentence. Then she looked down. "...What are you doing here?" She frowned.

"Go outside and play with your elder brother and sister!"

She tried to push him out, but the cub stubbornly shook his head.

"No!"

At the same time, Bai Ling’s three children had also come along, along with her two babies. They had been playing outside with Su Qinglan’s children.

But this little rascal had somehow run inside instead. Lin Muyu grabbed him again.

"Go out..."

But before she could drag him away, Su Qinglan suddenly interrupted her.

"Wait."

She reached out and gently lifted the cub into her arms.

"What happened?"

Her fingers softly stroked his small mane and paws. The cub let out a soft, pitiful "meow," like a tiny kitten.

Su Qinglan chuckled softly.

"Alright, alright..."

She lightly rubbed his head, almost like petting a cat. The cub immediately relaxed, his body going limp as he comfortably lay in her lap.

Lin Muyu sighed.

"Qinglan, you really have a way with cubs."

Then she waved her hand.

"Do not pamper him. Just throw him out. What is he doing here with the females? Let him go play outside."

Su Qinglan shook her head slightly.

"Why so harsh? He’s just a cub."

She lowered her head and gently kissed his forehead. The cub happily let out a small growl, nuzzling into her arms.

Seeing this, Su Qinglan could not help but pause. Her fingers stilled for a moment.

She knew that for the cubs, she had a very soft spot in her heart, and she also realized she would never be able to treat them like how the people of this world treat them.

Even though she knew she was wrong, she still could not change. In her eyes they were just small babies; how could they always treat them so casually?

But she also knew they were beastmen, and most importantly, they were far stronger. Confining them into the house would only hinder their future path.

She knew she would never stop others, but she was also hell bent on giving all these cutie pies her full love.

And suddenly, she thought of Shi Feng. A faint warmth spread through her chest. If they had a cub...

A small lion cub like this...

How nice would that be?

Looking at the soft, adorable little creature in her arms, she suddenly felt that... she wanted one too.

The soft laughter inside the house had not yet faded when suddenly...

"Tap... tap... tap..."