" My mate wants lion tribe's sacred stone. " Naga said casually as if they were talking about tea or coffee.
Alex who was in World War lll with his system turned his head. " Did he just asked him.... Just like that. No courtsey, no nothing. "
Leo's golden eyes narrowed, flicking between Naga and Alex. The injured white lion sat down slowly, wrapping his thick tail around his paws to steady himself. "Your mate wants the Golden Stone?! "
Alex hurried out from behind the tree (Naga's tail tried to block him, but Alex ducked under it) and approached Leo, hands raised in a placating gesture.
"Okay, first of all—Naga, we talked about this. You can't just demand things from people." He shot his mate an exasperated look before turning to Leo.
"Second, you're still bleeding. It must be painful right, let me give you first aid."
Leo's ears flattened slightly, pride warring with pain across his feline features. "I am fine. The injury is minor—"
"You're literally leaving blood drops on the grass," Alex interrupted, pointing at the crimson spots staining the golden savanna. "And you were just fighting seven-on-one. Minor, my ass."
[System: Language, Host! Though I appreciate the sass. +2 Confidence Points!]
Naga slithered closer, coils bunching protectively around Alex. "Beastmen heal faster. You don't need to worry about his wounds. We should take the stone and leave."
"We're not robbing an injured guy!" Alex planted his hands on his hips, channeling every disappointed teacher he'd ever had. "What kind of quest party are we if we just take advantage of people?"
"An efficient one," Naga muttered, but his tail drooped slightly.
Leo watched this exchange with growing fascination, his golden eyes tracking every movement Alex made. When the small human turned back to him, the white lion felt something in his chest tighten—something he hadn't felt since that female insisted on him being one of his mate.
Interest.
Genuine, unprompted interest.
"Please," Alex said, softer now. "Let me help. Is there any place where we can rest?" He turned to Naga and asked.
" There's a cave nearby. " Naga said thumping his tail on the ground.
" Great, we can set up there, I'll treat your injuries properly, and then we can talk about stones and quests and whatever. Deal?" Alex said beaming with smile.
Leo's tail twitched. No one had ever spoken to him so directly, with such lack of fear or submission. It was... refreshing. Intoxicating, even.
"Very well," he said quietly. "I accept your offer of aid."
[System: SIDE QUEST ACTIVATED!]
[" Heal the lion Lord" ]
[Reward: +50 SP, Increased relationship with Leo
Warning: Proximity + pheromones + gratitude = prime courting conditions
Naga's jealousy meter: 80%]
The cave was deeper than it looked from the outside—a natural formation with smooth stone walls and a ceiling high enough that even Naga could move freely without coiling too tightly. Shafts of afternoon light filtered through cracks above, illuminating the space with a soft, golden glow.
Alex immediately went into medic mode. He pulled out a medic kit from system's mall.(15 SP 20% off for being good-natured)
Leo's eyes widened at the impossible amount of supplies emerging from a small bag that came out of nowhere and began organizing: healing salves, bandages, a waterskin that never seemed to empty, and what looked like glowing moss.
"Okay, Leo, sit down properly. Naga, can you start a fire? Not a huge one, just enough for light and warmth."
"I am not your servant," Naga grumbled, but his tail was already gathering kindling.
Leo lowered himself carefully onto a flat section of cave floor, wincing as his injured hind leg stretched out. Up close, the wound looked worse—deep claw marks that had barely stopped bleeding, dislocated front arm and bruising spreading under white fur.
Alex knelt beside him, pulling on a pair of thin gloves (also courtesy of the system mall—apparently they prevented infection in 'primitive worlds,' which felt both helpful and slightly insulting).
"This might sting," he warned, uncapping the advanced healing salve he'd bought earlier.
"I can endure pain," Leo said, but his voice was strained.
Alex began cleaning the wound with careful, practiced movements. He'd taken a first aid course last semester—mostly to pad his resume, but now? Lifesaver. Literally.
Leo hissed softly as the salve made contact, muscles tensing beneath fur and skin. But he didn't pull away.
"You have done this before," Leo observed, watching Alex work with those unnervingly intelligent golden eyes. "You are skilled."
"Took a class. Figured it might come in handy." Alex dabbed at the deepest gash, frowning. "These are really deep. What kind of claws—never mind, I don't want to know."
Behind them, Naga had successfully started a fire and was now coiled in the corner like a sulking cobra, emerald eyes tracking every movement Alex made.
[System: Snake Hubby is BIG MAD. Current thoughts: "Why is my mate touching another male? Why is the lion looking at him like that? Should I eat the lion now or later?"]
"Stop narrating Naga's jealousy," Alex muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" Leo asked.
"Nothing! Just—hold still." Alex wrapped clean bandages around the leg, securing them snugly. The salve was already working, glowing faintly as it accelerated healing. "There. Should be much better by morning."
Leo flexed his leg experimentally, ears perking forward in surprise. "The pain is... nearly gone. This medicine is extraordinary."
"System mall perks." Alex packed away his supplies, then paused. "Oh, right—you don't know what that means. Uh, magic shopping catalog from another dimension?"
"Dimen...sion? Is it world of spirits? "
"Something like that."
Leo's tail curled thoughtfully. He studied Alex for a long moment—this strange, small male who smelled like serpent and spring fruits, who defended an injured and tended wounds without hesitation, who spoke to invisible spirits and commanded apex predator like unruly children.
"You saved my life," Leo said quietly. "Twice now. First from the golden lions, then from festering wounds that would have crippled me."
Alex waved this off. "It's fine, really. Anyone would—"
"No." Leo's voice was firm. "Not anyone. Most would have left me to die." He shifted closer, and Alex suddenly became very aware of how big the white tiger was. Massive shoulders, powerful limbs, fangs that could crush bone. "I owe you a life debt."
[System: Uh oh. Life debts in beastmen culture are SERIOUS. Like, "I'll follow you to the ends of the earth and possibly declare eternal devotion" serious.]
"You don't owe me anything," Alex said quickly. "I just—I did what was right. We're good. Square. Even-steven."
" Why were they attacking you? " Naga asked interrupting the conversation. His tail (definitely) not thumping on the ground and his expression (not) sour.
Leo's ears flattened, and his tail lashed once—a sign of deep irritation mixed with shame.
"They attacked me because I refused to mate with Raqasha, the tribe's Saintess. "
Alex's brain screeched to a halt like a cartoon car hitting a brick wall. "Wait, wait, WAIT. Hold up. You got jumped by SEVEN DUDES because you turned down the SAINTESS?!"
Leo's whiskers twitched in irritation. "Yes. That is what I said. They pushed me off the cliff when we were hunting which caused my leg and arm injury. "
"But—" Alex gestured wildly at literally everything. "You're like, apex predator! The high quality one, can't you just say 'no thanks' and that's that?"
"One would think," Leo muttered darkly, tail lashing against the cave floor. "But Raqasha is... persistent. And vindictive. She declared before the entire tribe that I would be her mate, that the spirits had shown her a vision." He snorted, smoke-like breath puffing from his nostrils. "I told her the spirits must need better vision."
[System: OOOOH BURN! Literally! He roasted the holy lady!]
"You WHAT?!" Alex's voice climbed three octaves.
Naga actually snorted—a sound somewhere between amusement and disbelief. "You insulted a saintess? To her face?"
"She insulted me first by assuming I would simply accept her claim without question," Leo shot back, ears flat against his skull. "I am not a trophy to be collected. I choose my own mate."
Alex felt that flutter thing in his chest again. Stupid chest. Stop that.
"So let me get this straight," Alex said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You publicly rejected the tribe's most important spiritual figure, she got mad, and now everyone's trying to murder you for hurting her feelings?"
"Essentially, yes." Leo's golden eyes flashed with defiance. "Though 'murder' is a strong word. They were merely attempting to 'convince' me to reconsider." He showed his fangs. "Violently."
[System: New information unlocked! Raqasha, Lion Tribe Saintess: Known for prophetic visions, healing abilities, and MASSIVE ego. Current status: Scorned woman with religious authority. Danger level: YIKES.]
"Great," Alex muttered. "So not only do we need to get the golden stone from a tribe that wants Leo dead, but we also have to deal with an angry psychic priestess. This quest just keeps getting better."
Naga's coils tightened possessively around the perimeter of their little group. "If this saintess is the problem, I will simply eat her. Problem solved."
"YOU CAN'T EAT THE SAINTESS!" Alex shrieked.
"Why not? She sounds unpleasant."
"Because—because—" Alex flailed his hands. "That's sacrilege! Religious terrorism! You'll start a holy war!"
Leo's tail did a slow, amused swish. "I would pay good meat piles to see someone try to eat Raqasha. She would probably give them indigestion."
[System: Leo's Affection Level: 78% → 82%. He appreciates your concern! And your mate's willingness to commit casual blasphemy!]
Alex shot a glare at the floating cat. "Stop tracking his feelings like a dating sim!"
"Spirit cat again?" Naga asked, head tilted.
"It won't stop being a creepy matchmaker!"
Naga hissed, smoke actually curling from his nostrils now. "There will be NO matching. Alex is MINE. Marked. Bonded. The lion can find his own mate."
"I already refused the one offered to me," Leo pointed out mildly. "That is why we are in this situation."
"Then refuse ALL of them and leave my mate alone!"
"I have not courted your mate."
"YOUR TAIL IS WAGGING AGAIN!"
"It is merely expressing—"
"RESIDUAL MOVEMENT, I KNOW!"
Alex clapped his hands loudly, the sound echoing off cave walls. "BOYS! Focus! We have bigger problems than Leo's tail semaphore!"
Both apex predators went silent, looking appropriately chastised.
Alex took a deep breath, organizing his thoughts. "Okay. Let's think this through logically. We need the golden stone. The stone belongs to the Lion Tribe. Leo is currently public enemy number one in said tribe." He pointed at the white lion. "You can't just waltz back in there and grab it, right?"
"Correct," Leo confirmed. "The stone is kept in the sacred temple, guarded by Raqasha herself. Only the tribe's chosen leader or the saintess can access it." His ears drooped slightly. "And I am neither."