Chapter 5: The Emberfrost Tribe

Seraya stared at the tigress in disbelief. The beast lying at her feet whimpered twice more, resting its snout upon massive paws.

Seraya flinched, taking half a step back:

"Oh shit... Sister, you can't repay kindness with betrayal! I just saved your life!"

"That is an expression of gratitude, not an attack."

The clear, melodic voice made Seraya jump. She spun around, staring at the petite tribal girl.

"You?! You can speak?! You were playing mute a second ago!"

The pretty girl blinked her wide amber eyes.

Her soft white rabbit ears twitched atop her head, and a bushy snow-fox tail swayed gently behind her back.

She tilted her head with sweet innocence:

"Did I ever say I was mute?"

Seraya froze, scratching the back of her head.

Right... she never said that...

"Then how do you know the beast is showing gratitude and not getting ready to rip my throat out?" Seraya asked suspiciously.

The girl explained with endless patience, brushing a hand against her furry ear:

"When predators attack or freeze in fear, they tuck their tails under their bellies. When they wag the tip and flatten their ears, they are showing submission and thanks."

Seraya blurted out without thinking:

"Just like dogs!"

The girl wrinkled her nose, looking at her blankly:

"What is a dog?"

"Never mind... forget it," Seraya waved her hand.

The great tigress, having finished her ritual of thanks, pushed up from the ground with heavy grace.

She let out a low rumble from deep in her chest and padded toward the thicket with a short wag of her tail. Trotting right behind came the little cub, chewing on a twig.

Only when the predators vanished into the brush did Seraya let out the breath trapped in her lungs. Her shoulders slumped, her racing pulse slowly steadying.

Relieved, she walked over to the girl and took her delicate hand:

"Sister, why didn't you say a word earlier?! I thought you were mute or in shock! Seriously, that wasn't funny!"

Noticing the stranger eye her hand with timid apprehension, Seraya caught herself and pulled back.

Back in her old world, the gesture was completely normal, but here, an unknown, six-foot warrior with a blood-mark on her face was bound to inspire fear.

"I thought... I thought you belonged to the Obsidian Maw Tribe... That's why I didn't dare make a sound," the girl whispered, looking at Seraya with awe tinged with lingering dread.

"Obsidian Maw Tribe? What kind of name is that?" Seraya pointed to her own nose, thoroughly confused.

"The strongest and most brutal tribe in the whole region," the girl explained, hugging her arms.

"They eat everything and everyone... including the women of my people! That great horned snake was their sacred totem! Since you killed it, the Obsidian Maw warriors will hunt you down and eat you alive!"

Seraya was struck dumb.

What the fuck is this?! I thought killing that horned bastard would make me a local hero, and instead I'm first on the cannibals' menu?!

Seeing her grim silence, the girl assumed the tall warrior was angry over her earlier silence. Shifting her weight, she blushed and asked shyly:

"Which tribe are you from? You're so tall and strong... Do you hunt nearby? I've lived here all my life, but I've never seen you..."

Learning that a cannibal empire had put a bounty on her head put Seraya in a foul mood. She sank onto the moss, resting her hands on her knees.

Her thin, sweaty shirt stretched tight across her chest, outlining the fullness of her bust.

Her heavy breasts rose and fell with each irritated breath, the nipples pressing against the damp cloth. Between her thighs, the tight underwear kept pinching her swollen futa anatomy, sending dull, stinging discomfort through her groin that drove her crazy on top of all the stress.

She rolled her eyes and muttered crossly:

"What tribe? I don't have a damn tribe!"

To her utter surprise, hearing this made the girl's face light up with pure delight.

Is something wrong with this kid's head? Seraya thought.

"That's wonderful! Come with me to my tribe, to Emberfrost!" the fox girl chimed, clapping her hands.

Seraya raised an eyebrow:

"Huh? Wait a second, sister... You want me to go home with you to your people?"

The girl nodded hard, her soft ears flopping.

Seraya narrowed her eyes:

"And why would I do that?"

She hadn't done anything extraordinary. Besides, she didn't buy into tales about magical protagonist charm.

The girl scratched behind her ear in embarrassment, glancing over Seraya’s build, her muscular arms, and the claw-shaped Crimson Mark across her right cheek:

"The Obsidian Maw warriors captured me as a sacrifice for their serpent totem... You killed the beast and saved my life. You're a great warrior!"

Seraya smirked to herself.

Look at that! I knew that worm was good for something!

Soaking in the pretty girl's admiration, Seraya felt her pride swell.

She puffed out her chest, her breasts lifting beneath the fitted shirt, and gave a careless wave of her hand:

"Oh, come on, I just squashed an overgrown worm, no big deal. Anyone in my shoes would've done the same! Anyway... you mentioned your tribe. When do we leave?"

The girl blinked, thrown off by the sudden shift in mood.

"Earth to kid! Are we moving or standing here?" Seraya prodded.

The girl snapped to attention, bowing with clumsy respect:

"We can leave right now. Great warrior, please follow me!"

Seraya nodded grandly like a monarch accepting tribute:

"Lead the way."

The fox girl was so thrilled she hopped in place, stepping back with deferent care to let Seraya set the pace.

It looked almost comical - like a palace maid escorting an empress on a hunt.

Only after several paces did she realize Seraya was walking empty-handed. The girl hurried back to the clearing, skewered the bloody haunch and purple fruit onto a sturdy stick, slung the load over her slender shoulder, and trotted ahead with a beaming smile.

Watching her brisk stride and the sway of her fluffy tail, Seraya sighed in quiet appreciation:

What a hard-working, clever, darling girl... Back in my old world, guys would fight to the death over someone like her.

They descended the rocky ridge for three solid hours. Seraya had naively hoped for a quick half-hour stroll, but the hike down uneven slopes dragged on forever.

The damp shirt clung to her skin, sweat trickling down her belly and chest.

When Rimefall Valley finally spread out below, ringed by sheer cliffs, Seraya let out a long breath of relief.

Finally, this marathon is over! I'll take a hot bath, eat roasted meat, and sleep like a civilized person!

Lost in her daydreams, she followed her guide into the settlement.

The girl cupped her hands around her mouth and let out a high, distinct hoot that echoed off the canyon walls.

In response, dozens of villagers emerged from natural caves and crude shelters.

Within moments, nearly a hundred people gathered on the clearing.

Seraya studied them closely and felt a weight lift from her shoulders. They all looked human - no terrifying ape-men!

The only difference was the animal traits: horns, fluffy ears, feathers, and tails, mixed in unique combinations on each person.

And the fact that the crowd consisted entirely of women and tall, heavily muscled futa bearing crimson marks on their right cheeks.

A pair of older women rushed from the crowd.

Weeping and shouting with relief, they threw their arms around the girl in a tight hug.

Ah, so those are her mothers... Seraya thought, piecing together the lack of men and the local biology in an instant.

After all, her own body had undergone an odd transformation when she arrived here.

So the women with those red cheek marks must be just like me...

Not wanting to intrude on the reunion, Seraya leaned on her stick off to the side.

Her tall, purely human frame without a trace of animal traits drew curious stares at once.

The warriors appraised her proportions, the sharp claw-shaped Crimson Mark on her face, and her strange, torn clothes soaked in sweat.

Meanwhile, the rescued girl gestured with animated excitement, reporting to the council of elders and families, pointing back at Seraya every few seconds. Seraya met the elders' gaze with a polite, if tired, smile.

Ten minutes later, the girl returned to Seraya with her head down, her fluffy ears drooping in sorrow.

"What's the verdict?" Seraya asked.

The girl looked up with uncertainty:

"The elders say... the Obsidian Maw Tribe is too strong and dangerous. They can't accept an outside warrior just like that, or it will bring war upon us. They will only take you in if you pass the Trial and prove you can kill great beasts and tame predators..."

Seraya snorted inwardly.

That's it? Some stupid test? Give me a break! What kind of test could these primitives come up with? For someone with modern knowledge and my strength, it'll be child's play!

Confident, she gave a haughty nod:

"I accept. Show me your trial."

The girl's face brightened, and she ran back to announce the decision to the council.

What unsettled Seraya, however, was the reaction of the rest of the tribe. When the elder futa heard she had accepted the terms, they stared at her as if looking at a walking corpse ready for burial.

An icy shiver ran down Seraya’s spine.

Wait... are these old hags setting me up?

Guided by the crowd, she walked over to a deep, natural rock pit at the edge of the valley.

The entire tribe gathered around the rim, their eyes a mix of shock, mockery, and expectant curiosity.

At that moment, an elder with heavy shoulders and goat horns stepped forward, pointing her gnarled staff down into the pit:

"Trapped at the bottom is a wild beast that broke into our valley following the scent of meat. It has been down there three days without food. Your trial is to kill it with your bare hands... or tame it. If you survive, you will be welcomed into Emberfrost!"

"What the fuck?!" Seraya gasped in disbelief.

She ran to the edge and looked down.

Inside the stone pit, six feet deep, crouched a striped predator resembling a great cave lion with the build of a panther.

Starved, the beast curled in the shadows of the rock. Hearing the noise, it lifted a blunt head, fixed maddened eyes on Seraya, and let out a bone-chilling roar, baring fangs sharp as daggers.

Seraya jumped back two paces, her heart leaping into her throat.

She turned to the elder with a strained grin:

"I think we have a misunderstanding, grandma... You want me to jump down there and beat that monster to death with no weapons?!"

The elder smiled gently, baring yellowed teeth:

"If you prefer, you can simply pet it and calm it down. We will count that as well."