Surviving The Beast World With My 'Sassy' System-Chapter 24: White As Snow

The scent of crushed leaves and warmed blood mixed in the air while her fingers were stained green and her palms smelled of crushed leaves and fading blood.

She reached for the soft fur strips, wrapping them carefully around Lavayla’s shoulder and upper arm. She tied the knots snugly but not tight enough to restrict her breathing. The bandages looked far too big on the human’s small frame, but they held the herbs firmly in place.

When she was satisfied, Ressha slid an arm behind Lavayla’s back and another beneath her head, lifting her just enough to make her drink.

The stone bowl of boiled-leaf water was still warm between her fingers.

"I know you can’t hear me," Ressha muttered softly, "but you need to drink this to wake up. Please try to swallow it."

Lavayla’s lips were barely parted, breath shallow and trembling. Ressha brought the bowl close and tilted it carefully, letting a thin stream roll against the corner of her mouth. Some trickled out, but after a few attempts, Lavayla swallowed — reflex weak, but present. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Good," Ressha praised, continuing slowly until she managed to get several mouthfuls down the woman’s throat, a small smile appearing on her lips.

Once finished, Ressha lowered her back onto the newly layered leaves. She adjusted the bandages, checked the herbs again, then reached for the thick fur lining they carried for overnight foraging.

She draped it over Lavayla’s body — all the way from her shoulders to her feet — tucking it around her sides so the precious warmth wouldn’t escape.

"Nima," Ressha said without looking away, "wash her cloth. Use the warm water. Leave it by the fire to dry."

Nima nodded and hurried off, carefully holding the strange, buttoned garment as if it were some delicate artifact.

Behind them, Vira paced gently with the baby cradled against her chest. His cries had been intense at first — piercing in a way that made even the warriors twitch — but now, finally, after what felt like an eternity, he had gone soft and quiet, tiny breaths brushing against Vira’s arm.

She let out a relieved exhale. "About time. I was starting to think this tiny thing had lungs made of stone."

Ressha managed a tired smile as she adjusted the fur one last time. "Keep him warm. If he wakes before she does, she’ll panic the moment she hears him cry."

Vira nodded, rocking the sleeping infant a little tighter against her.

Around them, the fire crackled, the warriors kept watch at the treeline, and Lavayla — bleeding, exhausted, but no longer helplessly slipping toward death — lay swaddled and still beneath the fur.

•••

Hours slipped by. Ressha checked Lavayla again and again — touching her forehead to make sure she wasn’t burning up, pressing lightly around the bandaged wound to confirm she wasn’t tensing in pain. Each time, she let out a quiet breath of relief when the human’s condition stayed stable.

Vira, whose arms had finally begun aching, slowly lowered the baby onto a thick layer of leaves. She moved like she was handling a fragile egg, holding her breath until the baby settled without stirring.

The moment her hands were free, she finally got a proper look at the tiny bundle’s clothes.

"What... is this made of?" she whispered, gently poking the soft fabric.

That was all it took.

Sela leaned over her shoulder. Tali practically crawled across the ground. Nima hurriedly finished washing the cloth and darted about over. Even Eiran edged closer, curiosity impossible to hide.

Soon the baby was completely surrounded — a circle of wide-eyed Beastmen whispering like gossiping village aunties.

"This fabric is too smooth," Sela murmured.

"Too fine," Eiran added.

"Too... perfectly cute?" Nima guessed.

They all nodded vigorously.

Ressha, from her spot beside Lavayla, glanced back with a dry look. "Keep your voices down. If you wake him, you’re rocking him back to sleep."

They all instantly quieted but resumed staring.

Eiran ran a thumb along the tiny sleeve. "I’ve never seen clothes like this. Not even from travelers across the Great Peaks."

"Same with hers," Sela said, pointing to the strange buttoned garment Nima had washed. "It’s like they were made by magic. Or stitched by some... otherworldly weaver."

"That’s what I’m saying!" Eiran whisper-yelled. "Both of them look like they came from somewhere we’ve never heard of. Another region entirely —"

"Farther from the great peaks," Sela finished.

They fell silent at that, exchanging uneasy glances.

A moment later, Kal — who’d been pretending he wasn’t interested — finally gave in and walked over. He crouched beside Lavayla, studying her face.

"...She’s looks good," he said before he could stop himself.

Vira rolled her eyes so hard her head tilted. "Oh, look at him. Already praising the human."

Eiran snickered. "Just admit it. You think she’s pretty."

Kal scowled, ears flattening. "I’m just observing. Her skin’s... unusually fair."

"Fair?" Vira laughed. "She’s white as snow. That’s different."

"It’s the blood loss," Ressha said without looking up. "Her color will return when she’s stronger."

They nodded, reassured — though several still glanced at Lavayla like her strange beauty was some kind of omen.

By evening, the two warriors returned with hunted game. They prepared the meat quickly and left portions aside for the scouts. Everyone settled in a circle, finally ready to rest and eat after a long, tense day.

But they didn’t get the chance.

Three panthers burst out from the trees, shifting mid-stride into their Beastman forms.

Drak. Miren. Tharn.

Every head snapped toward them.

Drak didn’t waste breath. "We need to leave. Pack everything. Now."

Ressha stood immediately, stepping toward him with her brows drawn tight. "Why? Did you find Tark?"

"No," Drak growled. "But we got close enough to the Sunmane camp to hear them. They’re preparing to search for him at dawn. If they find him paralyzed on the ground, they’ll follow every trail leading away from him."

His meaning hit them all at once.

"They’ll find us," Vira whispered.

"Exactly. We leave before they start looking," Drak ordered.

The campsite exploded into motion.

They packed skillfully — hides rolled, herbs gathered, tools bundled. Anything they couldn’t fit into their hide packs was wrapped in large leaves and tied with vines to carry on their backs.

Lavayla’s clothing had dried by then, so Ressha dressed her quickly. Garrick lifted her with ease and settled the unconscious human onto his broad back. Sela used two fur wraps to secure the sleeping baby against her back, shielding him from the night air.

As the evening darkened into true night, they slipped into the forest in a tight line. The air filled with the distant calls of nocturnal beasts, low growls, wingbeats, the snap of heavy footsteps far off.