A New Life In The Beast World-Chapter 127: Life And Death

When did the wild birds get names? Did he name them himself? Questions began filling her mind as she gazed at Kiro. The cub noticed her gaze and smiled at her before turning to his friends.

She silently watched as the cubs chatted for a bit more until one of their fathers came by to tell them it was getting late. After promising to let them see the wild birds again, the cubs left, leaving the pair of siblings alone.

"So when did you name the wild birds?" Serena asked the moment the others had disappeared from sight.

Kiro grabbed her hand and answered, "I named them a few days ago... Do you not like the names?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"No, they’re fine." Serena responded, the two walking back to the hut hand in hand. "As long as you’re happy..."

She wasn’t going to complain about him naming the wild birds. Though a part of her did worry that naming them could form a pet bond between the birds and Kiro.

Guess that was a problem for her future self to deal with. She wasn’t in the mood to spoil his joy right now. They could always get other birds and keep those three as pest control pets.

After all, they were doing quite the job keeping the insects at bay and removing weeds before they became a problem.

"I am." Kiro nodded. He was quiet for a moment before he suddenly added, "I... I just wish mother and father were here..."

"Who says they’re not with us?" Serena mused. "Don’t you know they live amongst the stars with the Beast God, coming to see you every night. That’s why the stars twinkle at night. They’re waving to us from below."

It was a lie, one she was once told when she still believed in goodness back when she was just a kid. She could hardly remember who told her that lie, but it brought much comfort to her after her brother died.

Maybe that was why she always found comfort in looking at the stars...

Still, it was the only thing Serena could think to say concerning the death of Kiro’s parents. She knew that beneath all that happiness lay a cub crying for his parents to come back and she wanted to comfort him in the only way she knew how.

Kiro gaped at her as he came to a sudden stop. "Really...?"

"Yes really." Serena smiled softly at him. "That’s why you have to be good. Otherwise, they might not twinkle any more."

Kiro gulped at her words, taking them all too seriously before he exclaimed loudly, "Then I’ll have to be good!"

Meanwhile, Liz side-eyed from its spot on her upper arm and muttered, "I think you took that a little too far. The star thing was already much because the-"

Serena slapped her free hand over the system, shutting it up before it ruined this sweet scene any further. She was trying to have a moment here and didn’t need it ruined.

"Sister... What are you doing?" Kiro asked in confusion.

"Just swatting a bug." Serena answered, eyes wondering to the small blue bird hovering a few meters away from her. "Don’t worry about it."

"Looks like you missed." Liz taunted.

Serena ignored the immature taunt and added, "Anyway we should get going..."

Kiro nodded his head in understanding and the two made it back to the hut, finding that Theo had started with dinner. And had some water boiling so they could wash up too.

The pair of siblings quickly set to work helping out, Kiro eager to help out more than usual.

***

"Night Mother and Father!" Kiro exclaimed with a wave before heading into the hut. "I’ll see you tomorrow...."

It was late into the night, Theo, Serena and Kiro sitting by the fire after cleaning up from dinner. The cub was getting tired, staying up longer than usual to gaze at the stars with his sister, and was now ready for bed.

Theo frowned at the cubs actions, turning to Serena to give her a questioning look. Once the cub was gone, he asked in a low voice, "What was that about?"

"I told him that our parents live amongst the stars now, watching over him." Serena shrugged, turning to face the tiger beastman.

"Don’t you think that’s..." Theo tried to find the right words, but Serena already caught his meaning.

"It’s a lie, I know... Well, I guess so. After all, who knows what lies after death." Serena mused.

"But you do know. You died once before." Liz commented, the system laying on her head suddenly.

Serena ignored it and continued, "But it’s still better than telling him that his parents are rotting in the ground because who knows where their souls are... At least he can feel a bit of comfort believing that they’re watching over him."

"You could’ve just said they’re in the Beast God’s embrace." Theo muttered. "Why go with such extremes..."

"I don’t know..." Serena sighed. "The whole Beast God’s embrace sounds cliched. This world is harsh and full of death. Might as well make it fun."

Theo opened and closed his mouth a few times before he sighed, "Please never say that again..."

"Second that." Liz exclaimed.

Serena rolled her eyes, but stayed silent instead of saying anything. Perhaps talking about death wasn’t her forte. Sending people to their death, maybe, but everything else not.

Sighing, Serena decided to call it a night and go to sleep. Well, head to her subspace actually. She wasn’t ready to sleep just yet. There were some things she wanted to discuss with the all too chatty system currently snoozing on her head.

Once Theo and her settled in for the night, Serena waited until she heard his breathing even out before entering her subspace. Inside it, she spotted her rewards piled in the center of the room.

Guess her first order of business was to sort those out.

But before she could sort though her rewards, Liz shifted into a kitten and leaped down, landing in front of her. It then gazed up at her.

"You need to stop giving Kiro weird ideas." Liz stated.

Serena frowned. "Why are you upset now? Was it really that bad..."

"Not really..." Liz sighed. "I’m just being jealous. Though the star thing was a little weird. You could’ve said they were in the Beast God’s embrace and maybe told him about that realm you visited."

Serena stared at Liz before she muttered deadpanned, "And freak him out. No way! Only priests can speak with the Beast God."

"Fine, have it your way." Liz sighed before wandering off.

Serena shook her head at the system, wondering what had just happened. But she decided not to think too hard about it and turned her attention back to the rewards.

The salt was held in five pound clay jars and there were three of them to make a total of fifteen pounds of salt. Next to the three clay jars of salt was a pile of clothing.

They were all made from a combination of wool, cotton or animal fur and were quite thick. And when Serena touched the fabrics, she realized it was high quality too.

Good enough to keep someone warm even in the snow.

After organizing them a little, he found there was a set for Kiro, Theo and her. For now she decided to keep hers and Theo’s set in her subspace, but she would take Kiro’s out.

One because the growing cub would soon grow out of it so it was a waste to just keep it and two because even if he could weather the cold compared to other clans, she preferred not to test his limits.

Besides, having a small set of clothing for the cub wouldn’t be so strange. After all, no one knew exactly what she brought from her former tribe, so she could easily add it to the mix.

The only one who could possibly catch her out was Kiro. But she’d figured out an excuse when she got there.

The weather was more moderate here compared to where her former tribe was and didn’t experience snowfall. Though they got cold winds whenever it was snowing on the mountains.

At least that was what Elder Samuel told her. So, Theo and her didn’t really need the winter clothes for now. It was more as an emergency supply if they ever landed up in snow for some reason.

After adding the clothes to her basket of cotton, so they wouldn’t take up precious space in her subspace, Serena turned her attention to the salt. It was best she left them in their containers, just adding some more salt to their depleting pouch of salt.

But she’d have to do that when Theo was out hunting. As well as take Kiro’s winter clothes out to add it to the other furs. With all that sorted, Serena finally turned her attention to the kitten messing around her baskets.

"We need to talk." Serena stated, taking a seat on the ground.