Chapter 485: Why Is My Cub in the Sky?
"Qiao Ang, look out!"
Ma Qing turned and saw a Hunting Eagle Beast descending from the sky. He lunged forward, grabbing Qiao Ang and rolling with him across the ground several times to dodge the beast’s attack.
Qiao Ang steadied himself and looked up at the Hunting Eagle Beast.
Hunting Eagle Beasts were smaller than Golden Eagle Beasts, which made them much more agile. They often fed on beastman cubs, especially fond of snatching ones that had been left alone in the mountain forests.
The males of the Hunting Team heard the commotion and quickly gathered. But just as they were about to go after the Hunting Eagle Beast, a Long-toothed Tiger Beast burst out from its hiding place in the forest, pouncing on the beastmen.
"Be careful!"
Ma Qing got up, still holding Qiao Ang. He was just about to move the cub to safety when he saw the Hunting Eagle Beast flapping its wings and diving at them again.
"Uncle Ma Qing, put me down! I can fight it!" Qiao Ang squirmed, trying to get out of Ma Qing’s arms.
’I’m a cub with a 3-star beast soul! I’m going to defeat it!’
Ma Qing saw Qiao Ang’s serious expression and realized he wasn’t joking. To beastmen, male cubs were meant to improve themselves through constant battle. So, without much hesitation, he placed Qiao Ang on the ground.
"Okay. I’ll protect you from nearby, but you have to be careful."
"Mhm!"
Seeing Qiao Ang alone again, the Hunting Eagle Beast let out a long cry and dove at him once more.
As the Hunting Eagle Beast approached, Qiao Ang, unafraid, agilely leaped up into a large, leafy tree.
The Hunting Eagle Beast could fly, but its wings couldn’t fully extend amidst the dense branches.
Seeing his chance, Qiao Ang gathered a small ball of fire in his snow-white paws and flung it at the Hunting Eagle Beast.
The fireball seared the Hunting Eagle Beast’s wing. Enraged, it beat its wings even more furiously, trying to blast Qiao Ang out of the tree.
Qiao Ang snorted, "Catch me? In your dreams."
Qiao Ang turned to leap down from the tree, but as he did, his foot suddenly slipped. He lost his balance and tumbled down.
The Hunting Eagle Beast saw its chance and dove, its sharp talons seizing Qiao Ang.
Waiting below, Ma Qing’s expression changed drastically. He quickly leaped up the tree, but by the time he tried to grab Qiao Ang, the cunning Hunting Eagle Beast was already flapping its wings and soaring into the sky!
"Damn it! You lot, keep an eye on Qiao Lie. The rest of you, with me! We’re going after it!"
’If anything happens to Qiao Ang, Feiyan will wring my neck when he gets back!’
After the initial panic of being caught, Qiao Ang forced himself not to struggle.
His maternal grandfather had told him that Land Beasts sometimes encountered predators from the sky. These predators couldn’t easily kill their prey mid-air, so they would carry it back to their nests first.
When caught by one of these flying beasts, you shouldn’t struggle frantically. You risk falling, and a fall from that height would be truly perilous.
So Qiao Ang didn’t struggle. Instead, he obediently let the Hunting Eagle Beast carry him.
Sure enough, after grabbing him, the Hunting Eagle Beast soared high into the sky, heading back to its nest.
Qiao Ang was so afraid the Hunting Eagle Beast might not have a firm grip that he even grabbed onto its talons, terrified it might drop him.
’Wow, this is so high! I wish I could fly... I wonder where this dumb Hunting Eagle Beast’s nest is. We’ve been flying for ages and we’re still not there. It’s going to get dark soon. If it flies this far, how am I supposed to get back to the tribe? And Grandfather said he was making me grilled meat tonight...’
Qiao Ang muttered to himself, his little mouth running a mile a minute. In truth, he was a little scared. After all, he was flying so high with no idea where he was going.
But the Hunting Eagle Beast showed no signs of stopping.
As the sky began to darken, Qiao Ang squirmed. His hands were aching from holding on so tightly.
"You stupid Hunting Eagle Beast! Where are you even going, you idiot!"
The Hunting Eagle Beast rolled its eyes and glanced at Qiao Ang, as if it had never seen such a docile yet chatty piece of prey.
’Huh? The people sitting on that big bird... they look a lot like my mother and father, don’t they?’
Carrying Qiao Ang, the Hunting Eagle Beast zipped right past the Phoenix Wing Clan beastman who was carrying Qiao Xixi and the others.
In that instant, Qiao Xixi happened to look up, and her eyes met Qiao Ang’s puzzled gaze.
They flew past each other so quickly that neither side had time to process what they had just seen.
"Feiyan, did you see that?"
Feiyan was dumbfounded too. ’Why is my cub in the sky?!’
"I saw it!"
"Quick, turn back! I think that Hunting Eagle Beast had my cub!"
At that moment, Feiyan wished he could sprout wings and fly back himself.
Hearing this, the Phoenix Wing Clan male immediately turned and flew after the Hunting Eagle Beast.
The Phoenix Wing Clan exerted a natural bloodline suppression over Hunting Eagle Beasts. As the phoenix approached, the eagle beast felt an instinctual panic and couldn’t help but speed up, trying to escape.
But in the sky, few members of the Wing Clan could match the speed of the Phoenix Wing Clan.
Soon, the Phoenix Wing Clan beastman was flying alongside the Hunting Eagle Beast.
"Qiao Ang!" Feiyan cried out anxiously.
Qiao Ang’s little face was dazed. As if in a dream, he turned to look at his father.
"Father?"
Seeing his cub’s dazed and silly expression, a vein throbbed on Feiyan’s forehead.
"Fly underneath the Hunting Eagle Beast."
"Right."
"Qiao Ang, don’t struggle! Your father is here to save you!"
Qiao Xixi nervously clenched her fists. They were high up in the sky. If Qiao Ang accidentally fell, it would be a disaster.
"Qiao Ang, don’t be afraid. We’ll save you right away."
Sunxiao arrived with other members of the Phoenix Wing Clan, surrounding the Hunting Eagle Beast and cutting off any chance of escape.
The Hunting Eagle Beast was now utterly panicked.
It kept trying to accelerate, causing Qiao Ang to be tossed about violently in its talons.
"Ow, that hurts!"
When Qiao Xixi saw bloodstains on Qiao Ang’s leather clothes, her face went white with fear. She didn’t dare use her wind power, afraid she might interfere with the Phoenix Wing Clan’s flight.
As they drew near, Feiyan tried to grab Qiao Ang’s leg. But the moment he moved, the Hunting Eagle Beast sensed his intent and rapidly gained altitude.
Just then, Sunxiao suddenly leaped from his mount onto the back of the Hunting Eagle Beast.
The Hunting Eagle Beast was terrified and instinctively released its talons.
"Aah!"
Qiao Ang suddenly had nothing to hold onto and plummeted downwards. But Feiyan was already waiting below. As the boy fell, his father caught him securely in his arms!
"Oof!"
Held securely in Feiyan’s embrace, Qiao Ang could finally feel his father’s presence. The fear and panic he had been suppressing all this time burst out in an instant.
"WAAAAH! That scared me to death!"