...
Behind the Beast God Temple, the hidden wine cave.
Galian Walto was decanting the fruit wine from a large stone urn into gourds and bamboo tubes, one by one.
Ashley looked at this fellow Rat Clan mber who had undergone the coming of age ritual with her, now residing in the Female Cave, and with each encounter, she seed more haggard and gaunt than the last. Compassion welled up in Ashley, "Galian, we're short-staffed over at Cub Paradise. I'll arrange for you to go there."
"No need," Galian replied as she packed the filled fruit wine into a wicker basket, "I still want to beco pregnant, but no male will marry . With my low fertility strength and unattractive appearance, the Female Cave is the only place where I can hope to conceive. Didn't Sally's mother, a lower-ranking female from the Female Cave, manage to conceive? If she could, so can I."
"Every body is different," Ashley said.
"But we are all of the Rat Clan. Sally didn't even have her Fertility Strength asured during the coming of age ritual, yet she birthed two females and a male."
"That was her luck. You can't use soone else's luck as a standard," Ashley remarked.
"I just want to get pregnant and have cubs. But no male will marry because of my low fertility strength, and I'm not good-looking. Apart from the Female Cave, I can't think of any other place that would allow to beco pregnant," Galian said.
Sally knocked on the door of the cave, "Hey, what are you beautiful ladies discussing?"
"Sally, you're here," Ashley greeted her warmly.
Galian's expression beca slightly uncomfortable, but she lifted her hand in greeting to Sally as a response.
"I have Zulu taking care of my tasks, so I sneaked away to ask you for so berries, the ones you gave this morning," Sally said to Ashley.
Upon hearing Zulu's na, Galian's gaze suddenly dimd, and then she continued with her work.
On her way here, she had encountered Zulu, the handso and divine male as radiant as the morning light, who made her, who lived in the ditches, feel much warr.
"That's easy, there's more than enough to eat. Co on, I'll get so for you," Ashley said.
"Aren't you saving them for guests tomorrow?" Sally asked.
"There's more than enough. It's the berries' ripening season now, and they're everywhere on the mountain," Ashley assured her.
"Which mountain? I'll have Zulu go pick them."
"Ah? Having our great hero pick wild berries? That's making poor use of his talents," Ashley exclaid.
"Who cares if it's a great or small use of his talents; as long as it works, that's what matters," Sally said, unconcerned.
"Only you would dare say that, bossing him around," Ashley chuckled, shaking her head.
"That's because I am the wife-chief. Galian, why the silence?" Sally looked over at Galian, noticing her quietness.
Only then did Galian lift her head, "Hmm? What is it?"
"Nothing, you just look a bit pale. Do you want to rest for a while?" Sally asked, looking over to Ashley.
Ashley sighed, "I had her co help so she could also take a break. She's too tired over there."
Sally knew about Galian's situation in the Female Cave and had even told Robby and Auro to avoid buying dried at from Galian if possible.
But Galian never ca to their stall to buy dried at again.
"I am not like you, with parents and grandparents to take care of you and top-quality Fertility Strength. I am the breadwinner of my family, with the lowest level of Fertility Strength and not good-looking, so I can only live where you all look down upon, struggling in the Female Cave," said Galian, her head bowed.
Sally was stunned to hear this.
Ashley, too, was taken aback and didn't know what to say for a mont.
Finally, Sally spoke softly and kindly, "Galian, what you beco in the end isn't decided by others, nor is it sothing given by others, but by yourself.
"Before the coming of age ritual, I lived in the Senyu Beast Forest all the ti. There were no fathers or brothers to care for , just like a wild beast, living al to al, but still, I survived."
"It's the sa in the Female Cave; as long as you can feed yourself, there's no real difference between high and low, noble and humble."
Galian suddenly snickered, then burst into loud laughter, looking sowhat mad, "Yes, you have Zulu, your beautiful face, and you can bear children. In the Rat Tribe, the female that everyone is most jealous of is you. Even Sister Ashley is the sa, in Brother Lin Lang's heart, you are an irreplaceable importance. If anyone says a single bad word about you, he'd turn on them imdiately."
Ashley's expression turned cold, "Galian, have you been overco by drink, spouting all sorts of nonsense?"
Then she apologized to Sally, "Don't take it to heart; she's talking drunk. I'll take you to get so berries."
With that, she took Sally and started walking outside.
Sally looked back at Galian, who had lowered her head again, a dark aura emanating from her, "I'm fine, she must be tired. You look after her."
Zulu happened to appear.
He said to Ashley, "I've sorted through all the Beast Skin Scrolls; I'm taking Yanyan ho."
"You've really helped a lot," Ashley said with a grateful smile, "I'll personally pick out the best fruits later to send over."
Sally hurriedly said, "There's no need, just save them for the celebration feast tomorrow."
"There's plenty, I'll go pick so for you now."
"Just tell where the fruits are growing. I'll pick so for her. Lately, her taste has been fickle and not so easy to cater to," Zulu said with a helpless look, yet his eyes were full of eager joy.
Sally gave him an annoyed glance, "Stop talking nonsense; let's go."
Zulu scooped her up in his arms, "The ground is uneven, don't get hurt."
Sally's arms reflexively wrapped around his neck, "What are you doing... Mmm~"
Zulu suddenly lowered his head and captured her lips, taking in her sweetness, completely unconcerned whether anyone around was watching them.
In an instant, Sally was kissed into a daze, her face flushing red, as if brushed with rouge, bewitchingly attractive…
Ashley watched them leave and only after a while did she turn and go back to the wine cave.
Galian curled up on the ground hugging her knees, her body trembling slightly, as if she was crying.
Ashley originally wanted to scold her, but ultimately she swallowed her words and walked over, crouching beside her and gently patting her bony back, "If you want to go to Cub Paradise, just tell anyti."
After speaking, she got up and left. She had taken a few steps before pausing, without turning her head, she said, "You're right, I once envied her too. But now I don't care anymore because I've realized she is more important to than Lin Lang. Being on good terms with her offers much more benefits than being enemies.
"Our coming-of-age celebrations are over; we're not children anymore. You said you're the pillar of your family. Life isn't just about love between n and won. There's more to it—survival and the strength of the tribe. Don't be capricious any longer. Recognize reality and make better decisions for yourself."
Galian's body grew still, remaining that way until Ashley had left the wine cave. Then she slowly lifted her head, her eyes full of resentnt. S he grabbed a gourd of wine and guzzled it down, "You all sit high above, held and pampered by everyone, pure and untainted. How would you know the pain in this filthy place? I hate it!"
…
There Sally was, carried through the crowd under the watchful eyes of the public, in Zulu's arms.
Not until they had left the Beast God Temple did Sally protest, "If you don't put down, I'll starve your cub."
Only then did Zulu let go, "What do you want to eat? I'll prepare it for you."
"Those berries Ashley was giving away, sour and sweet. And... juicy roasted at with a crispy crust!"
Zulu laughed, his smile seductive and charming, "Fine, I'll grill it for you."
Sally was briefly dazzled by his smile, "You know how to grill at?"
Zulu pinched her soft, tender cheek that seed like it could squirt water, his smile deepening, "For you and the child, I'll learn anything."
Sally: "…"
Mom used to say—n with honeyed words are the most unreliable.
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