Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off - Chapter 253

Chapter 253: Chapter 253: A Hundred Lions Seeking Shelter
Rong Ye did not stop to catch his breath. He ran as fast as his four paws could carry him, his heart thumping against his ribs like a drum.

He knew he had to reach the upper mountain immediately to warn the leaders. This was not just a small group of beastmen. This was an entire pride of lions, and they did not look like they were searching for a friendly chat.

In his hurry, he completely forgot that he was carrying two living spiritual plants. Stove was being jostled around so much that he felt like he was caught in a storm.

His leaves were flapping wildly in the wind, and he was clinging to his little flower wife for dear life.

If Stove could speak, he would have been screaming every insult he knew. This idiot fox, he thought angrily. He is ruining my cool image in front of my female. How can I look like a strong protector when I am being bounced around like a sack of potatoes?

But even Stove knew the urgency. He sensed the lions approaching the border. So, he gripped Rong Ye’s neck tightly and prayed he would not be dropped into a mud puddle.

Finally, they reached the cluster of houses at the top of the mountain. The moment Rong Ye slowed down near his treehouse, Stove did not wait. He jumped down from the fox’s back, landed with a soft thud, and immediately scurried toward the safety of his own home.

He did not even look back at Rong Ye. He just wanted to get his wife inside and fix his rumpled leaves before she realized her hero was actually a clumsy fox’s pet.

Rong Ye did not even notice they were gone. He was focused on the main house. He skidded to a stop, shifted back into his human form, and barged straight through the door without knocking.

“Brother. Listen. We have a…”

“SHHH.”

Rong Ye was instantly silenced. Both Hu Yan and Han Jue were standing there, looking at him with warning glares.

Rong Ye froze. His eyes traveled to the large bed in the center of the room. There lay Su Qinglan, looking peaceful and deeply asleep.

But what made Rong Ye’s eyes widen was the figure wrapped around her. Xuan Long had shifted back into his human beast hybrid form, his powerful arms holding her in a warm, protective embrace.

He woke up, Rong Ye thought, stunned. And he is already cuddling their female, such a beast.

Before he could say another word, Hu Yan and Han Jue each grabbed one of his arms and dragged him outside. They did not want him waking her up after the intense energy transfer she had just endured.

Once they were outside in the cool air, away from the sleeping Su Qinglan, Han Jue let go of his arm. He noticed how Rong Ye was huffing and puffing, his chest heaving and his face pale with exhaustion.

“What happened, Rong Ye?” Han Jue asked, his voice low but serious. “You look like you have been chased by a big tooth beast.”

Rong Ye gulped, trying to get enough air into his lungs to speak. “Not a big tooth beast,” he blurted out. “Lions. Our tribe is in danger. There is a whole tribe of lion beastmen at the base of the mountain. They are trying to enter the region right now.”

Hu Yan frowned. “Lions? Why would they come here? The terrain is too different from the plains they usually live in.”

“Because of the rain,” Rong Ye exclaimed.

“They are drowning out there, and they saw our barrier. They want in. And guys, they are not weak. I checked. Almost all of them are four or five strip beastmen.”

The air around the three husbands suddenly turned cold. Han Jue and Hu Yan’s eyes widened in shock.

In their current tribe, having a few five strip warriors was considered a massive strength. They only had about twenty four strip beastmen in the entire village, and their own tribe leader was only at the peak of six strips.

For an entire group of a hundred to be at that level was unheard of.

“Are you sure?” Han Jue asked, his expression darkening. “An entire tribe of high level warriors?”

“I am sure,” Rong Ye nodded frantically. “I felt their pressure. It was heavy. If they decide to force their way in, our guards will not be able to stop them for more than a minute.”

What Rong Ye did not even realize was that the situation was even worse than he described. He had sensed the strength of the tribesmen, but he had not felt the full power of the leader yet.

The Lion King, Shi Feng, was not just a strong warrior. He was a seven strip beastman, a rare powerhouse that could level a small village by himself.

His brother, Shi Kuang, was a six strip warrior, and every single member of their elite guard was at least five strips. To these lions, a normal fox or wolf was like an ant.

Hu Yan tightened his fist. “If they are that strong, we cannot just fight them head on. We need a plan. If they are desperate for shelter, they might be willing to negotiate, but if they follow that haughty one you mentioned, it will be a bloodbath.”

Han Jue looked back at the house where Su Qinglan was sleeping. His protective instincts were screaming. “We cannot let them anywhere near Lan Lan. If they find out about a female who can handle a red level crystal core and stay this healthy, they will never leave.”

“We need to wake the Tribe Leader,” Han Jue decided. “And we need to go to the border. Now.”

Rong Ye felt a shiver go down his spine. He had come back to surprise his wife with a new plant friend, but now he was looking at the possibility of a war.

“I will go to the Leader’s house,” Rong Ye said, finally finding his footing.

“If Xuan Long is awake, tell him to stay on high alert. If those lions smell a female, they will come running.”

Hu Yan nodded. “Go. Fast. Soon I will join you too.”

As Rong Ye and Han Jue ran toward the Tribe Leader’s home, Hu Yan stood guard on the shelter. The peaceful mountain night was gone, replaced by the silent tension of an approaching storm.

They looked out into the dark, rainy forest, knowing that somewhere down there, a hundred hungry, tired, and very powerful lions were looking for a new home, and they did not care who they had to push out to get it.