I Abandoned My Beast Cubs for the Protagonist... Oops?-Chapter 15: Grandma’s Stick of Truth

"You’re taking the cubs to the Eastern Hills?" Mo Xiao asked, wiping sweat from his brow. He and Mò Chéng were in the middle of a clearing, supervising a group of younger beastmen who were wrestling in the dirt.

Zhāo Yàn nodded, his arms crossed. "They want to see Yòu Lín. It’s better they go now while the weather is clear."

Both fathers stopped what they were doing, their gazes shifting simultaneously to Bai Yue. Mò Chéng’s black eyes were unreadable, while Mo Xiao looked at her with a mix of curiosity and lingering surprise.

"Be careful," Mò Chéng rasped, his tail flicking a warning.

Mo Xiao stepped closer to Bai Yue, ignoring the Fox Lord’s protective stance. "How do you feel today, Bai Yue? Truly?"

Bai Yue offered a small, weary smile. "I’m good, Mo Xiao. A little tired however."

Mo Xiao chuckled. "I must admit, the tribe feels... different when you’re not screaming at someone."

"Hey! I don’t scream that much," she protested, though they both knew it was a lie. It felt nice, though, talking to him like a friend rather than a predator waiting for her to slip up.

Suddenly, Elder Zhào Fēng approached the group, leaning on his staff. The clearing went silent. He looked at Bai Yue for a long time, his silver wolf ears twitching.

"Thank you for protecting our young, Bai Yue," the Elder said formally. "We are in your debt."

Bai Yue’s breath hitched. He hadn’t called her ’Cursed Female.’ He had used her name. She felt a prickle of heat behind her eyes and bowed her head nervously. "I just did what anyone would do, Elder."

"No," the Elder countered. "You did what a mother would do."

"Come on, Uncle Zhao!" Miao Miao interrupted the heavy moment, tugging frantically at the Fox Lord’s tunic. "I want to go nowwwwwwwwww! Yòu Lín is waiting!"

"Be careful!" Mo Xiao and Mò Chéng called out as the ragtag group finally began their trek. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

The journey was long, the path winding through ancient groves and over bubbling brooks. They talked as they walked. At one point, Ruì Xuě tripped over a gnarled root, but before he could even let out a whimper, Bai Yue had scooped him up.

He flinched, his tiny body tensing in her arms, but then he relaxed, whispering a very faint, "Thank you."

Bai Yue sighed, her heart aching. One step forward, two steps back with this little one.

Zhāo Yàn, walking beside her, watched the interaction with narrowed eyes. "So," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "You no longer want the Bear King, Tiě Shān?"

Bai Yue rolled her eyes. "Why would I want a Bear King when I have you?"

The words left her mouth before her brain could filter them. Her heart stopped. Did I just say that out loud?!

Bai Yue’s face went a shade of red that rivaled Zhāo Yàn’s hair. "I—I mean! Not like that! I just meant.....logically! You’re... uh... high quality!"

Zhāo Yàn stopped walking. He looked genuinely stunned, his red eyes wide. "But you left us. You spent months trying to entice him. You said we were ’primitive’ compared to the Bear Alpha."

"I was stupid then," Bai Yue muttered, refusing to look at him. She stood on her tippy-toes and, in a fit of awkward bravado, reached up and patted the top of his head, right between his fluffy orange ears. "You’re better. Way better. Now let’s go."

She tried to bolt forward, but he grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. His ears were moving up and down in a rhythmic twitch, a sign of extreme fox-happiness he couldn’t hide.

"Do it again," he commanded softly.

"Ugh? Do what?"

"What you just did. The.....patting."

Bai Yue awkwardly patted his head again. He let out a soft, satisfied hum before shaking himself and regaining his regal composure. "Well. Let’s keep moving, shall we?"

What was that?! Did I just find his ’good boy’ button?

The cubs were in high spirits. Miao Miao, Xiao Hei, and A-Li were playing ’warriors,’ growling and pouncing on each other, while Ruì Xuě and the snake twins joined in with high-pitched chirps and hisses.

Suddenly, Zhāo Yàn’s ears twitched. He went dead still. "Shhh. Be silent."

He looked up toward the canopy, his eyes scanning the greenery. Bai Yue felt a chill. "Zhāo Yàn? What is it?"

He waited a beat, then relaxed. "It was nothing. A bird, perhaps." But his tail remained stiff.

After several hours, the cubs’ energy finally flagged. "I’m tired," Xiao Hei whined, his little panther legs shaking.

The snake twins, however, were still slithering along perfectly. "We’re fine!" Shé Yì bragged.

Zhāo Yàn smiled. "I knew you would be." He looked at Bai Yue. "I will carry the triplets. You carry Ruì Xuě."

"Come here, little Xue," Bai Yue cooed. The cub hesitated, trembling slightly, before allowing her to lift him. He was so soft. As he dozed off against her shoulder, she couldn’t help but smile.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of climbing, they reached a high plateau. A large, sturdy hut made of cedar and stone sat nestled against the cliffside.

"We’re here," Zhāo Yàn whispered.

A woman stepped out of the hut. She was older, with silver hair tied back in a knot and eyes that held the wisdom, and the temper, of a thousand seasons.

Grandma! Bai Yue recognized her from the original’s memories. Her name was Gū Gū, and she was the only person the Fox Lord actually feared.

Gū Gū saw the group and ducked back inside for a split second. Bai Yue thought she was going to get a snack.

She was wrong.

Gū Gū exploded back out of the hut, brandishing a massive, gnarled wooden walking stick that looked like it was made of iron-wood.

"YOU!" the old woman shrieked, her voice cracking like a whip as she charged toward them with surprising speed. "YOU CURSED, PATHETIC, FUR-WASTING EXCUSE FOR A FEMALE! HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE AT MY DOOR!"

Bai Yue shrieked, clutching Ruì Xuě tighter as she dove behind Zhāo Yàn. "LADY! PUT THE STICK DOWN! I’M REFORMED! I HAVE A LOYALTY CARD!"

"I’LL GIVE YOU A LOYALTY CARD TO THE AFTERLIFE!" Gū Gū roared, swinging the stick and narrowly missing Zhāo Yàn’s shin. "GET AWAY FROM MY SON BEFORE I TURN YOUR HIDE INTO A RUG!"

[DING! ☆]

[Boss Fight Initiated: Grandma Gū Gū!]

[Weapon of Choice: The Stick of Truth (and Pain)]

[Advice: Run. Just... run.]