Chapter 37 - Primals

Chapter 37: 37 - Primals

Primals came from the word primordial. They were the ancient creatures that roamed the land before the beastmen evolved. Their intelligence was low, but their reproductive abilities were high. They could quickly infest an area, and when the food ran out, they would migrate to beastmen territories.

Their cores were valuable enough to serve as currency and had a wide range of uses, from prolonging the lifespan to boosting fertility. They were a precious commodity, and the beastmen would go to great lengths to hunt them.

We finally made our way into a new land, the tall trees providing shade from the sun. Damp leaves squelched beneath my boots. A thick blanket of mist clung to the ground, turning the forest into an eerie dreamscape.

I noticed a change in the vegetation. The colors shifted from green to purple and blue. The further we went, the more alien-like the environment became. I saw plants I had never seen before, some glowing, others pulsing.

There was no way for the eag?es to follow us from above, as the thick canopy blocked the view of the sky. They would have to come down to the ground to track us.

Dickhead brought back a bear beastman, who, upon sensing Kurus’s presence, ran for his life before he could even see me.

"You seem famous around here, Noodle," I noted.

"No bear mates," Kurus glanced at Dickhead. "They are too hairy and smelly. Their taste is not good either."

Dickhead returned with another male, this time a rhino beastman, who traveled here to try his luck at hunting a miracle beast. I didn’t even need to say anything. Kurus sent him packing with just a hiss.

"Not good," Noodle critiqued Dickhead’s choices yet again, as if we were building his harem. "They will make mate’s nest dirty and smelly."

The next candidate was a deer beastman, lanky, with big doe eyes. His deer ears twitched at the sound of our approach, and he turned to flee. But he was too slow, and Vick caught him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to us. He was dressed in leaves and vines, with a small bag slung over his shoulder.

"This one doesn’t smell," Dickhead said, pushing him forward. "He looks clean enough. What do you think? He has a pretty face. Delicate, almost feminine. I think our Precious will like him."

He pinched the male’s cheeks, pulling them this way and that. "Look at these rosy cheeks, Precious. Don’t you want to squeeze them?"

"What is a deer doing in this part of the forest?" I slapped Dickhead’s hand and approached the little guy, who was a few inches shorter than me.

"B-bait," the male stammered, "To f-feed beastmen...l-like," he pointed at Kurus, "...him... d-distrac-ction, so others can e-escape."

He trembled, his body shaking like a leaf, his eyes fixed on Kurus’s deadly tail. He looked like he was ready to bolt at any moment, but knew it was futile. He was trapped.

"Deer taste good," Kurus agreed, his tongue flicking out to taste the air, which caused the deer to faint on the spot.

His body went limp, and he crumpled to the ground. Before I could check on him, Kurus shifted into his snake form and gobbled him up. The only thing left was the small bag, which fell to the ground with a soft thud.

"..." I blinked at the scene before me. The deer beastman was gone, swallowed whole by my ’mate’. "What did you do that for?"

"He was food." Kurus shifted back, licking his lips. "I haven’t eaten one in a while. Their flesh is very tender. I like it."

"Now you make me want to taste it too." I sighed, shaking my head.

"Next one, mate." Noodle offered, "But I thought you only ate cold-blooded."

"I do, but I can make an exception for a cutie."

Dickhead coughed into his fist. "I guess no deer for the harem. He was too skittish anyway."

He reached for the bag, and before I could stop him, he opened it. A swarm of black spiders crawled out, covering his hand. "What the—?"

I kicked the bag away, and the spiders scattered into the forest. I didn’t know what kind they were, but they looked dangerous.

Dickhead slapped his hand against his chest, trying to get rid of the ones that clung to him. "...This feels familiar...too familiar..."

He emitted an aura that caused the other spiders to flee, leaving him alone. He rubbed his arms, scanning his surroundings. "How far can eagles see?"

"Far," Kurus answered. "But this forest is too thick for them to navigate easily."

I glanced at the traces behind us. My noodle was not the sneakiest snake around. He didn’t bother to hide his tracks. His mere presence was like a beacon, signaling our location to anyone nearby. Add his red color, and we might as well have been wearing neon signs.

The eagles didn’t even need to see us; they could just follow the mess we left behind.

We continued to travel deeper, meeting fewer and fewer beastmen along the way. The more we ventured, the more dangerous the plants looked, their colors more vibrant. Their aromas filled the air, some sweet, others pungent, all very alluring.

My boot snagged against a branch. The sole had worn through, leaving a hole that exposed my foot to the damp forest floor. I leaned down, pulling my leg up to examine the damage when a shadow passed overhead.

Then came the sound of wings beating against the air. They made a whooshing sound as the eagle landed a few meters away from us, his talons digging into the soil.

Light warped around his eagle’s form, and the bird transformed into a male. The feathered cloak and simple cloth skirt he wore fluttered in the wind. He was bare-chested, his muscles rippling beneath sun-drenched skin.

The braid in his dark hair fell over his shoulder, and the black scarf covered his mouth, leaving only his upper face visible. Predatory sharpness lurked in the depths of his blue eyes, and the deep set of his brows cast a shadow across his face.

"Allow me to assist your female," he said to Dickead and Kurus, his voice carrying a note of command that came from a position of high authority. "You’ve made her walk on her feet for too long. She’s reaching her limit, and these woods aren’t safe for her to continue this way."

"Hey─" My protest was cut short as Noodle’s hand clamped over my mouth. Dickheadhead stepped forward before I could bite my way free.

"I’m Vicerion, the family’s head male," he introduced himself, his hands casually tucked behind his head as if he were out for a stroll. "Our female wanted to walk by herself. If you doubt our word, feel free to tag along and see for yourself."

I shot the newcomer a withering glance. To my surprise, a flush spread across his cheeks. He looked away, refusing to meet my eyes directly.

"Moyu, Central Patrol’s Second In Command." He bowed his head slightly, keeping his eyes averted. "I seek the honor of courting your female. Please, allow me to prove my worth and convince you that I can provide for her."

He sounded formal, as if he hadn’t tried to assassinate us not long ago. As if the incident with the scorpion gas and other deadly traps had never happened.

This eagle nugget had some nerve to approach us. We were roasting him over a fire for sure. Noodle better have his skewer ready. I would volunteer to turn it.