Chapter 39 - A New Threat

Chapter 39: 39 - A New Threat

"Now go, warm-blood." Noodle pointed at the cave’s exit, then at the sky, indicating Nugget should fly.

Nugget’s lips pressed into a thin line. He was not used to this type of treatment, but he didn’t show his irritation. The exact opposite of Noodle. One was all about being subtle and playing the nice guy; the other was all about being direct and brutal.

One of the heroine’s males was an eagle (not specifically Nugget), and the only issues between them were the distance and lack of communication. He saved her from a cold-blooded snake (Kurus), only asked for a clutch of eggs as payment, and then disappeared. He would only appear when she needed saving.

His character was flimsy, and his role in the story was minimal, but he had his own fan base. The ’mysterious, cool, lone’ type, who slowly opened up to the heroine and became a devoted partner in the end. No flaw, except the lack of personality.

What was his name again? Oh, right. Nivi never bothered to remember it. She called him by the nickname the heroine had given him ’Mr. Feathers’. Feathers, because his touch was as soft as a feather, and his personality was as light as one.

Most eagles were expected to just drop their seed and come back to collect the eggs. No one had seen an eagle stay with the female for more than a few days. Their aloof nature and majestic appearance made them popular, but their lack of commitment made them less desirable as mates.

With that in mind, the heroine’s treatment of Mr. Feathers was seen as ’special’, as she didn’t try to tie him down or demand more from him; she was happy to have him visit from time to time.

Was that the only way to get rid of Nugget? By trying to cage him? The risk was high, as it might backfire and I could end up stuck with him, but the kicking apparently wasn’t enough.

"It’s late. I will do it in the morning." With a resigned sigh, Nugge turned his attention to me, his eyes softening as they met mine. "Are you not going to eat? Your stomach was growling earlier."

He extended his arm, presenting a piece of meat carefully arranged on a broad leaf, its dark juices soaking into the green surface. "It’s alright. You can eat without the covers. I won’t judge your looks."

I took the leaf and poked the meat with my finger to test its texture. It looked rotten, the flesh decaying and green, with a foul odor wafting from it. Invisible to the naked eye, but for someone with amplified vision, it was not appetizing. The smell was hidden behind some herbs he used to mask it, but my nose caught it regardless.

I didn’t say anything and lifted my scarf to take a bite. The taste was even worse than the smell. It was like chewing on a sponge soaked in sewage water. It was gritty and slimy, coating my tongue with a thick layer of mucus.

I swallowed it with some difficulty, trying to keep my face neutral. That’s it. He was trying to kill me as well.

"Is it to your liking?" The damn bird asked. His eyes darted away from mine, then back again, glinting in the firelight as he waited for my answer. "It’s my first time cooking, so I’m not sure if I did it right."

"First...time?" Dickhead came to sit on my other side, snatching the leaf with the meat from my grasp and tossing it into the fire. "What do you mean, first... time?"

"..." Nugget’s eyes followed the leaf as it burned. "I don’t like to eat cooked meat, but I know females prefer it that way...so I thought..." he looked at me. "...she would like it as well."

"...what about other chores?" Vick asked, shifting his weight beside me. His shoulder brushed mine as he leaned closer, fingers drumming absently against his knee. "Do you know how to sew? Wash clothes? Clean? Build a shelter?"

"I can...learn," Nugget replied without missing a beat. "I’m first to find and bring back the information, first in my class, and have led many successful missions. I can kill a medium ranked scorpion with a single strike from above, fly through the densest forests without a scratch, and track a prey from mountains away."

His proud boasts only revealed how his domestic skills were nonexistent.

"We have enough fighters," Kurus said, not bothering to hide his disappointment. "You are useless to us."

Noodle was not known for his tact, and his blunt words made Nugget’s face fall into a frown. "Useless? I’ve earned my position through countless battles and... I can be...I can be of service to your female..."

I snorted.

Nugget fell silent. "If you don’t like the food, I can hunt for something else, something more to your taste..."

I snorted. Louder this time.

"Precious, you are being rude. He is trying his best."

"His best is...pathetic," I said, looking up at the stars, observing them through my peripheral vision. "I’ve seen more competence in a pile of dung. At least it can fertilize the land."

Fingers curled into fists at Nugget’s sides, but he kept his composure. "I admit, I have no experience in domestic matters...but I’m willing to learn. I am a quick learner, I swear."

"Shouldn’t you be on duty?" I leaned back against the cave’s rough wall. Vick’s arm snaked around my shoulders, and I flicked it off. "Your absence would have been noted by now. Do they know you’re here, chasing after a female who rejected you? She is also mated to a cold-blooded... I wonder what they would say if they found out."

"I informed them I was pursuing an important mission." He lifted his chin, feigning confidence. "They trust me to do what’s necessary for the good of the community. They won’t question my decisions."

"What mission? To betray all warm-blooded and join the enemy? The whole Beast Kingdom will celebrate your treachery, for sure."

The moment the words left my mouth, I saw the shift in his behavior. The confident facade cracked, revealing an exposed look.

"I haven’t betrayed anyone." His denial lacked conviction, but he didn’t give up on salvaging his image. "I’m here to ensure a female’s safety, that’s all. I have the right to pursue a courtship if I wish. There’s no law against it."

I thought he would end there, but his mouth kept going, spilling what he was truly thinking. "You are the one who is mated to a cold-blooded, and you are traveling with another. If anyone is endangering the kingdom, it’s you."

"Me?" My brow arched. Was my mockery finally wearing him down enough to lash back at me?

"Cold-blooded reproduce like weeds. One clutch can hold dozens of eggs, hatching within weeks. If you bear their offspring, they will grow and swarm the Beast Kingdom. You are a threat to all warm-blooded, and if you continue to associate with them, you will be treated as one."

"Whoa, there, buddy," Vick said, his tone light, but his eyes sharp. "You’re crossing a line here."

Nugget could be a politician, the way he was trying to spin the situation in his favor. And he did it so convincingly, I almost believed it myself for a second. A few more words, and he could turn the whole Beast Kingdom against me.