Beastmen: She Tames the Land-Chapter 156: The system’s request

Little chirping sounds rang out in Visha’s mind. She knew it was the system. It was so happy she said yes that it couldn’t hold itself back.

Don’t be happy too soon. What if I can’t do it?

[You can. Even if you don’t want to, you have to.]

Visha was incredulous when she heard the system’s response.

What do you mean, even if I don’t want to, I have to?

[You broke the world, you need to fix it. The things I need are the things you need.]

Hold on! When did I become Ms Fixit?

[When you performed the ritual. You have sealed your fate with your own hands. To be honest, I did not expect you to do that. You could have lived a peaceful life. But now... At least it will be exciting.]

The way the system spoke told Visha that it knew something. As for what, she did not expect it to say. However, she decided it was best to ask.

You know something, don’t you?

[Me? Just call me Jon, I know nothing.]

What? Call you, Jon? Why?

Visha waited for a response from the system. No matter how long she waited and called, the system did not respond. She knew it had gone into hiding. No longer feeling the need to wait for the system’s response, Visha left the room.

Outside, the cubs were running around. Those who had to go hunting had already gone. Those foraging were doing as they should. Everything was orderly. The sounds of laughing and talking filled the caldera.

Seeing their happy faces, Visha also felt joyful.

Unsure of what to do now, she mindlinked Uri and Xeno. She needed to know whether they had spoken to the pack about what had happened. She walked to the square.

As she approached, four beastmen sat, deep in conversation. It was Uri, Xeno, Roc, and Crosvil. Their voices weren’t loud, but Visha caught the tail end of the conversation.

She noted that her hearing had gotten better again.

Noticing her approach, they stopped talking. Uri and Xeno made space in the circle for her.

"Sha’mīn..." Uri’s eyes appeared worried.

She knew why he was worried. The time she spent talking to the system and stressing out about her new tail, she knew they felt it. If she felt the confusion and complexity of her own emotions, she could only imagine what they might have felt.

"I’m alright," she responded, not letting him continue. "So what are you all talking about?"

Xeno gestured to Roc and Crosvil, "They wanted to ask you about the ritual and the howl."

The two men stood quickly, giving a bow in respect. Visha gestured for them to sit down.

"Formalities aren’t needed right now," Visha said dismissively.

"No," Crosvil replied quickly, "You must receive my bow." Vish could see how excited he was.

"When I joined your pack, I was not sure I made the right choice. At the time, it was really the only choice I could make." He sighed. "I had to save my people. And this was the only way I knew how. The howl was the one thing I knew might help." A smile bloomed on his face. "I’m glad I chose correctly."

"I assume that means you were able to gain control of your beast?"

Visha was able to assume, not only because of Crosvil’s happiness, but because he, like everyone else, had his beast side on display. If, as he said before, they had lost their beasts, there should be no reason for them to display their beast qualities.

Crosvil nodded happily.

"And what about you? You weren’t losing your beast, so why are you here?"

She did not mince words with the ram. The only reason he would be here is that he wants something.

Roc coughed, embarrassed. Visha rolled her eyes, mentally. She was still a priestess. Even if she felt he was ridiculous, she should not show it.

"You know, just as I do, that we had no intention of joining your pack. What we brought were only the necessities. There are beastmen here who have left their partners and cubs at home and which to go back to retrieve them."

"I am here on their behalf to ask if it would be possible for them to leave to collect their families and come back."

Visha threw the responsibility to Xeno and Uri. Her head tilted, observing their faces. "The decision is theirs."

"If you were to go back now, would your former tribe leader accept you leaving?" Uri asked.

Roc held his head down. "It is unlikely. He already lost a part of the tribe; he would not want to lose more."

"We have no intention of making another enemy for ourselves. The Stonefang Pack has been quiet, but that does not mean they will never attack." Uri’s tone was even, steady. "You know your former tribe leader. What would make the transition smoother?"

Roc was quiet for a while. No one pushed him to answer. He would answer in his own time.

When he finally spoke, he said," The easiest way is to challenge him directly. If he loses the fight, he will allow us to leave."

Xeno scoffed, "It’s not allowing you to leave. It’s allowing you to take your family. You are already a part of the pack. There is no denying it. And he is the one who sent you to the pack personally. Now he would fight if you took your families with you?"

"Are you certain your families weren’t held to make sure you don’t defect in the first place?" Visha chimed in.

Roc had no answer. Based on the usual antics of the Ram tribe leader, he knew this was exactly what he was doing. At the time, he had no reason to say no. He was unaware of the pack bond. Thinking it was a simple matter, he never questioned anything.

His lack of response was all the answer they needed to know.

"Now we need to decide on whether or not to follow you to the Ram tribe to bring your females and cubs back," Visha replied.

"Go back," said Uri. "We will discuss it and let you know."

After the two left, Visha turned to Uri.

"You don’t really plan to leave their families in the Ram tribe, right?"

Uri shook his head.

"Then why did you make it sound like you would?"

"Who told him to mess with you during the ceremony? He deserves it." Xeno responded.

"The pack bond you mean?" Visha asked.

Xeno and Uri nodded sharply. Visha laughed.