Chapter 189: Let’s Run, Fox (V)

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Chapter 189: Let’s Run, Fox (V)

That night, a well-fed Mutu slept at the fox’s place. By the time he woke the next morning, Yanu had already gone out with the hunting party, but a bowl of bean porridge and several strange bird eggs had been left on the table for him.

Yanu was an outsider the lion tribe had taken in. Insecure, mute from birth, male, and unable to reproduce, he had virtually no status in the tribe and was assigned the hardest work. Before dawn each day he had to go out hunting; after returning, he still had to help tamp earth, forge tools, weave, and perform other labor. Only at night was he given a small food allotment and allowed time to himself. If he still had the strength then, he could also hunt on his own, and anything he caught would not need to be turned over to the tribe.

Mutu only realized this after leaving Yanu’s home. The food he had eaten the night before had probably been hunted during what little free time the fox could squeeze out of his exhausting day. Yanu could not speak, but his consideration and gentleness showed in everything he did.

When Mutu returned to his house, a lioness was waiting for him with a bowl of steamed meat. Taking notice of his return, the lioness immediately walked up to him beaming, “Chief, I’m here with food for you.”

Mutu glanced at the food in her hands and waved her away. “I’ve already eaten. Share it with the others.”

The Lion King controlled how food was distributed. Each day he chose first from the day’s catch, and whatever remained was divided among the tribe. The previous Lion King had even kept a private storehouse filled not only with food, but also with the finest pottery, beast fangs, hides, armor, weapons, and other valuable objects.

After becoming Lion King, Mutu had distributed most of the storehouse’s contents among the tribe according to each person’s contribution.

From his point of view, everything else was worthless aside from food and weapons.

Mutu paid the girl no further attention and went straight to the prison, intending to interrogate the captives properly. He had barely reached the entrance when a young lion on guard duty came rushing toward him. “Chief, something happened! All four Avani prisoners are dead.”

“Dead?” Mutu strode inside and found all four Avani with their throats cut. Anger surged through him. “Didn’t I tell you to guard them? How did this happen?”

The young lion rubbed the back of his head. “We watched them all night. We don’t know how they were killed either.”

“Who visited the prison last night?” Mutu asked.

The young lion thought for a moment. “Only Qiaoge.”

Qiaoge was the senior shaman-healer’s son and had always been close to Xite. After questioning the guards, Mutu pieced together what had happened. The night before, Qiaoge had unexpectedly invited the guards to eat with him, leaving the prison unwatched for a period of time. The captives had most likely been killed then.

It was difficult to blame the guards entirely for their negligence. In their eyes, the captured Avani were already as good as dead. If anything, they probably did not understand why Mutu had bothered keeping them alive at all. The prisoners had killed so many lions that no one found it strange if someone slipped in and finished them off.

Mutu knew he could not pursue the matter openly any further. Even as chief, he could not kill or expel a tribesman without evidence—especially when that tribesman was his own brother. The only person who could accuse Xite was Yanu, but Yanu was mute and held almost no standing in the tribe. Dragging him into the center of the conflict now would only make him a target.

Everything could wait until he came of age. A cold gleam flashed through Mutu’s eyes.

After the dead were dealt with, the tribe threw itself into preparations for Mutu’s coming-of-age ceremony. A Lion King’s coming-of-age was naturally a major event, and Mutu and the other young lions alike looked forward to it. It would be the new Lion King’s first great celebration—and the first occasion on which the other young lions could freely seek mates of their own.

Before the ceremony, the Lion King had to hunt a powerful beast. Its finest pelt would then be worn during the celebration to display his strength, identity, and status.

Lately, Mutu took Shang Ke with him whenever he left the settlement. The obvious closeness between them quickly made the rest of the tribe realize that the mute fox had become favored by the Lion King.

Since Shang Ke had remained at the Lion King’s side throughout his recovery, the favor did not seem entirely unreasonable. Some were still dissatisfied, but the tribe’s treatment of Shang Ke improved considerably. At the very least, no one ordered him around as casually as before.

Mutu led Shang Ke north from the settlement, then abruptly changed direction partway through. After weaving through several detours, they eventually ended up heading south instead.

Shang Ke understood immediately. Mutu had learned from the ambush and no longer allowed his true destination to be easily discovered.

“Fox, what kind of beast do you think I should hunt to demonstrate my power?”

You could always skin yourself. That would certainly look powerful enough.

Shang Ke eyed Mutu’s thick curls and imagined the man spread-eagled and mounted on a wall… Huh. Disturbingly manly. Disturbingly sexy.

Mutu glanced at the large tail swaying from the corner of his eye and suddenly asked, “How about a white xiao?”

White xiao were rare, massive beasts resembling a cross between a tiger and a leopard. Their bodies were covered in snow-white fur, while their faces were black as ink and ferocious to look at. Nocturnal by nature, they were notoriously difficult to track.

Mutu’s interest lay in two things: the white xiao’s rarity and its snow-white pelt.

With their target chosen, the two began searching for signs of a white xiao.

Out of self-preservation, animals tended to favor environments that helped their coloring blend in. Shang Ke assumed white xiao would be no exception.

White xiao were omnivorous. Besides meat, they were especially fond of a wildflower called cloudvine, and an entire patch of it grew in the southern mountains.

The two made their way there, concealed themselves among the flowers, and waited patiently. Since there was no guarantee a white xiao would appear, they agreed to stay for three days before giving up and choosing another target.

The night was quiet, a cool breeze stirring loose petals through the air. Lying hidden among the cloudvine, Shang Ke suddenly felt warm breath against the back of his neck.

The tickle made Shang Ke instinctively sweep his tail up to block it. A heavy body immediately settled against his back, burying itself in the fluffy tail and even rubbing against it contentedly.

Shang Ke: …Was this really the time to play with his tail? Who was the one who had sworn so confidently that he was here to hunt a white xiao? Could he please take this seriously?!

Mutu enthusiastically “studied” Shang Ke’s tail, sometimes even wrapping it around his own neck.

Shang Ke: Are you a lion or a cat?! Put my tail down, or I’m clawing you!

As though hearing his thoughts, Mutu finally released the tail—only to begin “exploring” Shang Ke instead. He pressed close and sniffed along his skin, occasionally giving an approving bite or a slow lick whenever the mood struck him.

Shang Ke held himself rigid and endured it without moving until Mutu’s hand wandered beneath the base of his tail. Then he smacked the man’s arm several times with his tail. Unfortunately, the fluffy thing carried no real force; instead of hurting Mutu, it only made him itch with desire.

Mutu’s breathing grew heavier as he pressed closer, nearly covering Shang Ke with his body while grinding deliberately against him.

The friction stirred Shang Ke as well, leaving his body increasingly sensitive.

Just as Shang Ke was considering whether to give in and have sex with him right there in the wild, a white shadow flashed through the flowers nearby.

Shang Ke’s ears twitched. He focused on the movement and saw the white xiao they had been waiting for.

Shang Ke jabbed the man behind him with an elbow, signaling him to get ready for the hunt.

Instead of moving away, Mutu lifted Shang Ke’s tail and deliberately ground his hips against his ass several times.

Their movements made the surrounding flowers rustle and drew the white xiao’s attention.

Still pressed over Shang Ke, Mutu fixed his bright eyes on the white xiao through a gap in the flowers—without loosening his hold on the other “prey” already trapped beneath him.

Shang Ke could feel that Mutu had entered full hunting mode. Unfortunately, the huge erection pressed against his ass seemed equally ready for action.

Certain that the fox would not fight him at a moment like this, Mutu boldly pushed aside Shang Ke’s leather skirt and began touching him more intimately.

As expected, the fox did not resist, though his body went taut. Mutu lowered his head and licked his neck as if soothing him.

They were both male and not even the same species, so Mutu knew it would be difficult for the fox to accept him immediately. Still, in Mutu’s view, physical compatibility was the foundation of intimacy. Beastfolk were straightforward creatures; naturally, courtship should be equally direct.

Time crept by in restless silence. Mutu’s touch moved from teasing the outside to probing more intimately within, while both of them kept their breathing suppressed so they would not frighten away the white xiao.

Suppressed panting disappeared into the flowers. Their heated bodies pressed tightly together, and the intimate scent of sweat and arousal drifted away on the night breeze.

The white xiao twitched its nose and glanced around warily. A moment later it bolted, disappearing into the darkness.

Shang Ke’s tail shot upright and began smacking Mutu across the face without mercy.

The weight vanished from Shang Ke’s back as Mutu launched himself after the white xiao like an arrow loosed from a bow.

Shang Ke sprang lightly to his feet and followed.

By the time Shang Ke caught up, Mutu and the white xiao were already locked in combat. Their figures flashed and crossed in the darkness, the force of their movements sending leaves rattling violently around them.

The instant Mutu noticed Shang Ke watching, his muscles seemed to swell with fresh power. He drove one brutal fist into the white xiao’s skull and knocked it unconscious, then threw back his head and roared. Golden hair bristled around him as birds and beasts scattered, leaving him radiating raw, overwhelming dominance.

Shang Ke: Supposedly, males in the animal kingdom showed off their most impressive side when courting females… So was he actually…?

Mutu hauled Shang Ke into his arms and planted a hard kiss on his mouth. Then, with the unconscious white xiao slung over one shoulder and his fox tucked against his other side, he strode back toward the tribe in high spirits.

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