"We've reached your hut", Soren brought back Rayna from her zoned out state.
Rayna blinked, "Oh yeah... yeah."
"I'll see you tomorrow then." Soren said that and turned to flap his wings when Rayna interrupted his take off.
"Hey, I was wondering... where exactly am I supposed to sleep? Just... on the grass? Or is there something else people use here?" Rayna asked.
Soren didn't respond. He simply turned on his heel and flew off without a word, his wings slicing through the air in one powerful motion.
Rayna blinked, watching him disappear over the trees. "Okay... rude?"
But a few minutes later, he returned—his arms full with a bundle of soft dried grass and a neatly folded piece of beast hide slung over his shoulder.
Without making eye contact, he stepped into her hut, going to the adjoining room next to her kitchen, and laid the grass down in a thick, even layer. Then he carefully spread the beast hide on top like a makeshift mattress.
Stepping back, he gave a small nod. "There. Your bed."
Rayna peeked in and gave a low whistle. "Wow. Thank you Soren."
He shrugged casually. "No problem."
After Soren left her hut, Rayna plopped down on the newly prepared bed with a soft thud. The beast hide was surprisingly warm against the dried grass, and though primitive, it felt... cozy.
"Hm. Not bad," she murmured, stretching her arms above her head. "But I definitely need to build a proper bed soon. Maybe something with a raised frame and a softer top." She let out a sigh. "But not today... I'm way too tired."
She turned her head toward the open window, watching the deepening hues of twilight bleed across the sky. The last sliver of sunlight had dipped beyond the trees, leaving a gentle indigo glow in its wake. The chirping of insects had begun, and the air felt cooler now.
"The sky's already dark," she whispered. "Guess I'm sleeping early tonight."
She curled up on her side, hugging her arm under her head, her eyes fluttering shut... then blinking open again.
The Nomei Festival... she thought. What will it be like? Will I be able to choose good mates?
Ezra's charming smile flashed in her mind. He seemed nice... too nice maybe?
She let out a little yawn and pulled the beast hide closer.
"Too much thinking," she mumbled sleepily. "I'll figure it out later..."
With that, her eyes closed for good, her breathing slowing, and soon, the soft rise and fall of her chest was all that moved in her dim room...
The soft sound of waves filled her ears. Rayna stood barefoot on cool, pale sand, the sea stretching endlessly before her—calm, blue, and sparkling under a golden sunset. A warm breeze rustled her hair, carrying the faint scent of salt and sweetness.
"It's so beautiful... I finally made it to the seaside— even if it's in the beastworld, it still counts as a trip." she whispered, her heart oddly full.
Then suddenly, a pair of strong arms gently wrapped around her waist from behind.
She turned around and—it was Ezra.
"I knew you'd like it," he murmured close to her ear, his voice deep and smooth. "But not half as beautiful as the view I have right now." Ezra kissed her cheek, nuzzling in.
"Hehe it tickles..." Rayna's cheeks flushed. The warmth of Ezra's arms was abruptly replaced by another's. She gasped as she was pulled firmly back into someone else's chest—familiar, strong, and crackling with tension.
Soren.
He didn't say anything at first. Just held her tight, possessively. His golden eyes locked with Ezra's, his jaw clenched.
"Already flirting again?" Soren said coolly, narrowing his eyes. "Do you ever give her a break?"
Ezra chuckled, crossing his arms. "It's not my fault she keeps ending up near me. Maybe she just likes the company."
Rayna opened her mouth, but before she could speak, she heard laughter behind her.
Another man walked into view, carrying a bunch of vivid red fruits that glistened with juice. His smile was bright, carefree. There was something energetic and boyish about him.
"Yunxi!" Rayna called out without even thinking. "Where did you find such juicy fruits?"
Yunxi beamed. "Down the hill! Near a grove behind the waterfall. You've got to try them!"
Behind him, yet another figure approached—a quiet presence with silver hair and stormy gray eyes. He didn't say much, just walked up and stood beside her.
Rayna smiled at him. "Come on, let's all enjoy this view. And the fruits."
The five of them stood there, surrounded by soft breeze, laughter, and warmth. It felt perfect—strangely perfect.
Until—
A great shadow passed overhead.
The sky darkened for a moment as something large and winged flew above them—fast and powerful.
Rayna looked up, shielding her eyes.
He came down in a swift blur of motion, landing near her with barely a sound. The figure was tall, cloaked in twilight, and though his face remained hidden, there was an overwhelming presence around him.
Soren clicked his tongue. "He's always like this. Doesn't like her out of sight for too long."
Ezra folded his arms, voice lower. "And you all say I'm the most clingy." Ezra pouted.
The man just stepped forward—and her mark flared on her back, glowing a vivid crimson, hot and alive.
Rayna tried to speak something but couldn't.
Huh? Rayna asked, spinning around as the dream began to blur, colors swirling.
Her heart pounded as the sound of waves faded. The faces around her grew hazy. She tried to hold on—tried to speak again—
But the words slipped away.
Her eyes flew open.
She was back in her hut.
The fire had long since died down. The night outside was still and quiet.
Rayna sat up slowly, her heart still racing, her back slightly warm where the mark lay hidden beneath her new clothes.
She stared at the ceiling, blinking in the dark.
"...That was a dream?" she whispered, pressing a palm to her chest. "All of it?"
A dreamy sigh escaped her lips. "Ezra, Soren, Yunxi...another unknown figure and who was that last one?"
Her brows furrowed.
That shadowy figure... that strange, powerful presence... and the way her mark had reacted.
She lay back down, still shaken—but a little amused.
"Okay," she muttered. "That was definitely a weird dream. And I might need to start sleeping less on an empty stomach..." Rayna was hungry again.
She went and picked up a fruit from the basket Ezra had brought.
"I'll quickly eat this fruit and go to sleep I'm still drowsy." Rayan quickly finished her fruit and then again fell in her bed, already drifting off to sleep, her memory of the strange dream slipping away from her head.
Next Morning...
Rayna stirred as a voice called out to her, firm but familiar.
"Rayna!"
She groaned and rolled onto her side, eyes still shut. "Ugh... what are you doing here so early in the morning?"
Soren's voice came again, a bit amused. "Early? I've already finished my patrols. The sun's nearly above my head."
Rayna cracked one eye open. Sure enough, sunlight was streaming through the gaps in her hut walls, way brighter than she'd expected.
Great.
Rayna had never been an early riser. If given the chance, she could easily sleep into the afternoon as late as one or two—unless she had classes or a part-time shift back in the human world. She hated alarms, and here in the beastworld, Soren's voice waking her up from her beauty sleep. She groaned in irritation and sat up, her hair a wild mess, blinking at the sunlight like it had personally offended her.
"I'll have to install curtains. The sunlight is blinding" , Rayna covered her eyes.
As she stretched, a thought struck her.
"I need to brush my teeth," she mumbled, looking up at Soren who stood just outside.
She asked Soren about it.
Soren blinked. "Brush... your teeth?"
"Yeah. You know, with a toothbrush? Toothpaste?" she tried.
He tilted his head like she'd just spoken in riddles."What's that?"
She got up and searched around her supplies. "Do you at least have something prickly? Prickly fruit? Like a hard fruit with fibers?"
"No fruit like that grows around here," Soren replied, slightly confused.
Rayna slumped down in defeat. "No brush... no paste... I feel betrayed by nature."
Soren watched her with that unreadable expression.
Soren then stepped forward, his tone casual. "Let's go. The Village Chief asked me to give you a proper tour today."
Rayna stretched once more, still not fully awake. "Wait up," she muttered, quickly trying to tame her tangled hair with her fingers. It was a losing battle, but it would do for now.
As she walked out of her hut, she mentally made a checklist:
Toothbrush, comb, something for washing, curtains, maybe a basket or two...
She sighed while making a mental list. "I need a lot of things."
The two of them began walking through the village, the soft dirt paths winding between huts, trees, and open clearings. Rayna observed everything with curious eyes.
The two of them began walking through the village, the soft dirt paths winding between huts, trees, and open clearings. Rayna observed everything with curious eyes.
Beastmen moved about—some hauling large bundles of branches, others returning with fresh hunt, slung over their shoulders. She saw one tending to furs stretched out to dry, another sharpening a bone-tipped spear.
Her gaze drifted to a particularly odd sight: a female beastwoman lounging on a flat stone bench, sunbathing with utter ease. Around her were eight or ten males, fussing over her like she was royalty. One massaged her hands while another fanned her with a broad leaf. A few were offering juicy fruits, and someone was braiding her hair with little flowers.
Rayna blinked. The female had blond-orange tinted hair and a soft, smug smile as she enjoyed the attention.
"Nice fan club huh, or no...harem is a more appropriate word" Rayna whispered, mostly to herself.
Further ahead, she spotted a beastman handing over a bunch of bright-colored fruits to another, and in return, he received a small bundle of dried herbs.
Rayna furrowed her brow and leaned toward Soren. "Hey, so... if I need stuff for my hut, do I need coins? Do you use currency here?"
Soren shook his head. "No currency. We barter."
"Barter?"
He nodded. "Trade one thing for another. Food, herbs, materials, anything of use."
Rayna processed that. "Hmm. Okay. I can work with that."
She smirked slightly to herself. I can roast fish. That's something. And I'll definitely ask Ezra where he picked those fruits—those could be great for trading too.
Rayna's eyes gleamed with quiet determination.
She was already scheming—mentally mapping out how to get her hands on everything she needed. If bartering was the way of life here, then she'd play the game well. Roasted fish, sweet fruits, maybe even some clever charm.
Operation: Beastworld Setup? Already in motion.