Chapter 163: Episode 162: Teaching the children.

"No more weapons in the house!" Rue yelled, pointing a strict finger at Knox.

The Southern King flinched. He stood right in the archway of the living room. He held little Seika in his massive arms. The baby panther slept soundly, wrapped in a pink blanket. Knox looked down at the heavy steel dagger lying on the floor near Rue’s feet. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking very guilty.

"I just set it down for a second," Knox mumbled. His deep, rumbling voice sounded like a shy boy caught stealing sweets. "I needed both hands to pick the baby up. Mochi must have grabbed it."

"She was swinging it around like a toy," Rue scolded him. She put her hands on her hips. Her soft pink eyes glared at the giant warlord. "She is a toddler, Knox. She doesn’t know any better. But you do. You cannot leave sharp steel lying on the rugs. What if she fell on it? What if she cut her brother?"

Knox shrank down a little bit. The fierce ruler of the southern swamps folded under his mate’s angry stare. He didn’t argue. He knew she was right.

"I am sorry, little one," Knox sighed. "I will lock all my blades in the wooden chest from now on. I promise."

Drax watched the whole thing from the front door. The Dragon King crossed his arms and let out a low, amused chuckle. He loved seeing the soft rabbit put the loud panther in his place.

Rue let out a heavy sigh. She rubbed her tired eyes. She didn’t want to yell at anyone. She was just so exhausted.

But she couldn’t rest just yet.

The glowing blue letters still hovered in the air right beside the stone hearth. The system demanded she teach the cubs a survival skill. The glowing text threatened her with a sleepless night if she failed. The men couldn’t see the blue light. They didn’t hear the sharp ringing noise in her head. Only she knew about the strange magic pulling the strings.

She looked at Theron and Mochi. The two toddlers stood near the hallway, watching her scold Knox. They looked a little scared. They thought they were in big trouble too.

Rue dropped her strict posture. She gave them a soft, warm smile.

"Come here, you two," Rue called out gently.

Theron and Mochi walked back into the living room. Their bare feet slapped softly against the cold stone floor. They stopped right in front of her. Theron looked down at his toes. Mochi grabbed the edge of her own shirt, twisting the fabric in her chubby hands.

"I know wooden blocks are boring," Rue told them. She knelt down on the rug so she was right at their level. "I know you want to build a real fortress and protect the house. But we don’t use sharp knives. Knives are for the warlords. We are going to build a different kind of fortress."

Theron tilted his head. His golden snake eyes blinked. "What kind?"

"A stealth den," Rue answered. She tapped her own long rabbit ear. "Predators use claws and teeth to fight. But the smartest animals know how to hide. If a scary monster comes into the woods, fighting is dangerous. Hiding is a real survival skill. I am going to teach you how to build a den so safe and quiet, no monster will ever find you."

Theron’s eyes lit up. He liked the sound of that. Mochi bounced on her heels, her fuzzy gray ears perking straight up.

Rue lays down the law. She creates a strict routine for the toddlers to earn the system’s approval. She teaches them how to make use of other stuff to play that isn’t wooden blocks or weapons.

She walked over to the heavy oak chairs they knocked over earlier. She pushed them into a tight circle. She grabbed a pile of thick, fluffy gray pillows from the couch. She tossed them onto the floor right in the middle of the chairs. Then she grabbed the largest fur blanket in the room. She draped the heavy material over the backs of the chairs. It created a perfect, dark little cave.

"This is the stealth den," Rue whispered, acting like it was a huge secret. She crawled onto the pile of pillows and patted the empty space next to her. "Come inside."

Theron and Mochi scrambled under the heavy fur. The inside of the blanket tent was warm and cozy. The firelight barely peeked through the gaps in the chairs.

"Now," Rue said in a hushed tone. "The rule of the stealth den is simple. You have to be as quiet as a mouse. You cannot talk. You cannot giggle. You just listen. We are going to practice hiding."

Theron and Mochi actually listen to her, treating her like their true alpha. They took the game very seriously. Theron clamped his small hands over his mouth. Mochi curled up into a tight little ball, hugging her knees to her chest. They didn’t make a single sound. They barely even breathed.

Rue sat with them in the quiet dark. She felt a warm swell of pride in her chest. She was actually doing it. She was teaching two wild predator cubs how to be patient and still. She wasn’t just a soft girl they needed to protect anymore. She was their mother. She was setting rules and expecting them to listen.

Outside the blanket tent, Knox and Drax stood in pure shock. The house was dead silent. The usually loud, chaotic toddlers were perfectly still.

Suddenly, a bright flash of light filled the small space.

The system chimes with a success notification.

The blue screen popped up right in front of her face. The words shifted fast, praising her parenting choices, rewarding her with a [Soothing Lullaby Skill] to help the babies sleep.

Rue felt a warm, golden energy settle right into her throat. The glowing screen vanished into thin air. The threat of a restless night was officially gone. She let out a happy breath. The system was annoying, but she really liked this reward.

She crawled out of the blanket tent. Theron and Mochi followed her, looking very proud of their quiet hiding skills.

"You both did a great job," Rue praised them. She kissed Theron’s forehead, then kissed Mochi’s cheek. "Now it is time for bed."

Knox walked over. He handed Seika to Rue. The baby panther shifted in her blankets, letting out a tiny, fussy squeak. She was starting to wake up.

Rue held her daughter close to her chest. She looked at Theron and Mochi standing on the rug. They usually fought bedtime. They usually ran down the halls and hid under tables to avoid going to sleep. But tonight, they looked up at her with pure respect.

Rue decided to test her brand new reward.

She swayed gently on her feet. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She didn’t sing real words. She just started to hum a slow, soft melody. It was a simple tune she remembered from her old life on Earth.

The magic from the system wove itself into the sound. Her voice vibrated with a warm, heavy energy. The notes floated through the living room like a thick, invisible blanket.

The effect was instant.

Seika stopped fussing right away. The baby panther went boneless against Rue’s chest, falling into a deep, peaceful sleep. Her tiny golden eyes shut tight.

Theron yawned a massive jaw-cracking yawn. His small knees wobbled. He reached out and grabbed Mochi’s hand. The little leopard girl rubbed her blue eyes with her fist. They didn’t argue. They didn’t try to run away. The magic lullaby pulled them straight into dreamland.

They stumbled toward the hallway together, dragging their feet on the stone floor. They headed straight for the nursery without a single complaint.

Rue kept humming. She walked behind them, making sure they found their beds. She tucked Theron under his quilt. She laid Mochi down on her soft pillow. Finally, she placed little Seika into the wooden crib. She pulled the blanket up to the baby’s chin.

She stopped humming.

The house finally goes quiet.

The loud, chaotic fortress turned into a peaceful sanctuary. The only sound left was the soft crackle of the fire burning in the living room hearth.

Rue walked out of the nursery. She left the door open just a crack. She walked down the long, dim hallway. Her muscles ached. Her feet felt like heavy lead weights. The day’s drama finally caught up to her. She wanted to collapse onto the nearest soft surface and sleep for a week.

She reached the living room. Knox and Drax were gone. They went outside to do their final perimeter check for the night.

She walked toward the warm fire, ready to sit down on the thick fur rug.

Before she could reach the hearth, a tall figure stepped out of the shadows.

Axel walks up behind her, wrapping his arms around her tired waist.

He pulled her back against his broad, muscular chest. He rested his strong chin on the top of her head. He buried his face in her silver hair, breathing in her sweet scent. The heat radiating off his body soaked right through her clothes.

He held her there for a long moment, swaying them slowly side to side. He watched her tame the wild babies. He watched her scold Knox. He watched her use her soft voice to bring pure peace to a house full of apex predators.

He leaned down. His lips brushed against the sensitive shell of her long rabbit ear. His voice was a low, raspy whisper that sent a happy shiver straight down her spine.

"You make a terrifying mother... I love it."