Rebirth: Beasts Bound

I could vividly hear the strange humming and whispering sounds, but when my eyes popped open, everything went quiet, and it was pitch black.

I was floating on the water. It was clearly a sinkhole. It was cold and deep. I rubbed my eyes and sighed heavily. How did I even end up here?

"Cat!" I called out loudly. My voice echoed around the walls. "Where am I? What is happening?"

Cat’s voice came into my head quickly. "You fell into a sinkhole, Raven. It’s about twelve meters deep. The water cushioned your fall, but you’re stuck."

Twelve meters? That was high. I sighed again and rubbed my face.

"How do I get out? Give me a way, Cat."

"Stay calm for a second. I need to check something," Cat said before disappearing from my mind.

I just floated there in the dark, trying to kill time.

My body felt sore, but a bit better. I thought about everything that had led me here. It was weird. I heard whispers and just followed them. This didn’t seem coincidental at all. I couldn’t pinpoint who wanted me dead... wait, I could. I laughed softly. A lot of people wanted me dead.

But enough with the boring thoughts. I started humming a small song to myself. Anything to keep myself from panicking in this black hole.

Then something swiped past my leg, slimy and fast. My eyes widened, and I swallowed hard.

"What was that?" I panicked and swam to the edge of the sinkhole. The wall was slippery, but I dared not move from the spot. I even screamed and tried to climb, but I kept sliding back.

I couldn’t stay here any longer, so I quickly used my Beast’s Bound mind link and left a message for Ryker.

"Ryker, it’s Raven. I fell into a sinkhole. It’s twelve meters deep. Come find me, please. Hurry."

I hoped he got it.

My heart beat faster. The water felt colder now, and gentle waves moved toward me. Something in the water was coming in my direction.

I swirled two fingers, and a beam of light shimmered into existence. I held it close to the water. I could see through the transparent water, but nothing...

Suddenly, a snake appeared right in front of me, long and thick. I didn’t think twice. I used my magic and struck it hard. The light scattered through the darkness as the attack landed. The snake twisted and changed. It turned into a beastman—a male.

I was shocked and startled. I quickly moved back. He looked weak. Even his power glands weren’t large at all. He must have been at his lowest point.

"How did you get here?" I asked. My voice was steady and cold. "Have you been here for long? Did you watch me fall, or did you lead those whispering voices to lure me in here?" I asked again.

He stared at me in confusion before coughing out water. He leaned against the wall.

"I fell three days ago. I couldn’t climb out. I had no strength left. I knew when you fell, and I know nothing about the whispering voices you mentioned," he answered, and my eyes narrowed in thought.

Three days?

I felt bad for him, shocked too. How did he end up in the sinkhole in the first place?

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Close your eyes," I said, and he did.

I quickly opened the system panel. I searched for food, something simple. Plain bread and fish appeared. That was the best choice for now. He wouldn’t suspect a thing.

"Here."

His eyes shimmered as he stared at them. He didn’t even ask where I got them from. He ate quickly and hungrily.

Poor guy.

I felt sympathy for him. He had been stuck here for three days. If I were the one, I would have gone crazy already.

Tsk.

I turned to the system panel while he wasn’t looking, and I saw something.

My teleportation reward was still intact.

Yes!

I could use it to leave.

I activated it immediately, and light wrapped around me. But before I could fully disappear, the beastman collapsed into the water. I quickly grabbed him, and we both vanished from the sinkhole.

Once we were on land, I checked his pulse. He was still breathing. I bent down and placed my hand on his chest. His heartbeat was there, but it was faint. I raised my head and stared at his face. My face was close to his as I examined him. He looked rough, but alive.

Just then, my beastmen arrived. They must have gotten the message. I heard their voices and footsteps.

I paused for a second as the movement stopped, staring at them. They looked shocked... and furious.

"Are you cheating on us with another beastman?" Ryker asked, his voice filled with anger and panic.

I stiffened at his words. Water kept dripping from my clothes, and I sighed.

"Are you seriously asking that? I just fucking survived a sinkhole, and you’re talking about cheating? Why would I?" I snapped, and Azrael cleared his throat.

"What are we supposed to think, Raven? Your face is inches away from his. What do you expect us to think?"

I sighed and looked at them.

"I called for help, and you came. Good. But don’t start with the cheating talk. He needed saving. Besides, I was just checking to see if he was still alive!"

Thyrian’s gaze softened. He stepped forward.

"I trust you. Let’s help him, guys," he said, exchanging glances with the others. They still seemed reluctant.

"You better not take him in," I heard Veyra grumble under his breath.

Ryker stepped forward and helped carry the beastman. We started moving away from the sinkhole.

Cat popped back into my head.

"Good job using the reward. You didn’t even need me. But your men look mad."

"Tell me about it," I replied in my mind and panted.

We walked through the forest, and Azrael turned to me.

"Did he touch you?"

"What?"

"Perhaps try to kiss you or cling to you? Uncontracted beastmen can be annoying and crave female attention," Ryker muttered, still dragging the snake beastman.

"Let’s check if he’s dangerous now. I have a bad feeling about this," Thyrian said, and everyone stopped.

I frowned.

"Whoa, wait. He’s weak. His power glands are small. He’s no threat. No need to check him!"

"You never know. He might be hiding who he is!" Azrael chimed in, and I rolled my eyes.

"Trust me. We don’t need to check him!"

They stared at me before looking away.

Did I just see jealousy?

I almost laughed, but I was too tired.

We reached the camp where we had left our things as the sun went down.

Ryker started the fire. It lit up and made the darkness a little more bearable. I sat near the fire to dry off, staring at the snake beastman lying on a mat.

His eyes suddenly opened and landed on mine.

"Thank you," he said weakly. "You saved me."

I felt my beastmen tense up and stand.

"See? Just thanks. No cheating and no attachment."

But Azrael suddenly held my wrist.

"You wouldn’t take in another beastman, right? We’ve all been through a lot together. You don’t want to add an outsider, right?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes.

"Definitely not," I replied.

Even though I knew what he actually meant. Azrael loved using emotional blackmail on me.

Tsk.

I moved to Thyrian, who was roasting a fish. He plated it for me on a leaf. I gently caressed his hair and started eating, while the snake beastman’s eyes remained fixed on me.

"Are you still hungry?" I asked the snake guy.

He shook his head. He looked away, but his cheeks suddenly turned red.

I stiffened.

I didn’t even do anything.

Or perhaps my charm was that good?

Why was he blushing?

"Don’t focus on him," I heard Thyrian whisper in my ear, and I turned to him.

"I wouldn’t."

I gently pinched his cheeks, and his hands moved to my waist, wrapping around it protectively.

My other beastmen just watched while munching on the delicious fish. Then I turned to the snake beastman.

"Your name?"

He stared at me before looking away.

"Kael."

The name came out softly.

That was weird. I expected a snake beastman to be fierce, not so cute and squishy. His cheeks looked soft.

"Nice to meet you, Kael," I said, dismissing the thought.

My beastmen’s faces were pale, though. They didn’t like how I smiled at him.

Then Azrael pulled me aside.

"Be careful. Strangers can be trouble. I don’t trust him."

"I know," I said, but that didn’t change the fact that I wanted to know about the snake beastman, how he got here, and especially about that sinkhole.

"Are you from the Frost Tribe?" I suddenly asked.

The five guys stared at me, startled, then sighed.

"I’m an orphan. I have no home, nor do I remember my beast parents. I fell here while I was travelling to a tribe, hoping to settle down. But after falling in, being a snake, I still couldn’t crawl out," he said, and my eyes softened.

"You have no home?" I mumbled.

He nodded.

My lips parted to say something else, but then he suddenly turned into a snake, crawled toward me, transformed back into his human form, and held my hands.

"Take me. I also want to be one of your beast consorts!"

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