Chapter 129: I think the giant likes the cubs
"I think the giant likes the cubs."
Swanly had barely finished speaking when half the tribe turned toward her.
Raku frowned.
"The what?"
"The giant."
Another silence.
Arion looked from Swanly to the creature towering above the trees.
"What is a giant?"
Swanly blinked.
Right.
Wrong world.
She pointed upward.
"That."
"That explains nothing," Raku said.
"Something ridiculously huge. Bigger than it has any right to be. Giant."
Raku looked up again.
The creature was currently watching Miko attempt to drag an enormous fruit across the mud while Kairo argued that it belonged to everyone.
Raku nodded.
"Giant."
"Exactly."
Miko slapped the fruit.
"Big Foot giant!"
The creature’s head turned.
Its expression changed.
Swanly stared.
"Wait."
Miko pointed proudly.
"Big Foot!"
The giant frowned.
Kairo immediately joined in.
"Big Foot."
Nilo considered the enormous tracks near the spring.
"Very big foot."
The giant made a deep sound in its throat.
Not angry.
Offended.
Swanly covered her mouth.
"It hates that."
Miko gasped.
"Big Foot understand!"
The giant frowned harder.
That was when everyone stopped laughing.
Swanly’s eyes narrowed.
"You understand us?"
The creature looked at her.
Then nodded.
Weapons immediately rose again.
Mora stepped in front of the cubs.
Arion reached for his spear.
Raku’s claws extended.
Even Nerin, pale and still recovering, moved closer despite the slight shake in his legs.
The giant noticed.
Its shoulders lowered.
It slowly placed both huge hands on the ground.
No attack.
No threat.
Swanly studied it.
"Can you speak?"
The creature’s mouth opened.
A rough sound came out.
"Dru..."
Everyone froze.
It touched its chest.
"Druun."
Swanly’s ears lifted.
"Your name is Druun?"
A slow nod.
Miko pointed.
"Big Foot Druun."
Druun’s face fell.
Swanly nearly laughed.
"Just Druun."
"No. Big Foot."
"Miko."
"Big."
"Yes, I can see that."
"Foot."
Kael picked Miko up before the discussion became permanent tribal law.
Druun watched him with suspicious disappointment.
Then he pointed toward the basin.
"Home."
Swanly followed his claw.
"The basin?"
"Home."
He pointed toward the massive footprint beside the spring.
Then toward the enormous crater Swanly had found several days earlier.
Druun pointed at himself.
"Sleep."
Nobody moved.
Raku’s mouth slowly opened.
He looked around at the shelters.
The cooking pits.
The storage caves.
The planted rows.
The dozens of beastpeople who had spent nearly a week confidently constructing a settlement.
Then he looked back at Druun.
"We invaded him?"
Swanly rubbed her forehead.
"Apparently."
Tovan looked personally betrayed by Ironwood Basin.
"I reinforced his bedroom."
Druun stared at him.
Tovan immediately pointed toward Swanly.
"She chose the place."
"Excuse me?"
"I am a builder. I build where leadership tells me."
"You coward!"
Several people started talking at once.
"We cannot stay!"
"Where would we go?"
"What if there are more?"
"It could crush the settlement!"
"We already planted!"
One of Selka’s newer mates pulled her farther behind the guards.
Since Nahla confirmed her pregnancy, several desperate males had still chosen to mate with her, apparently believing gaining a pregnant female was better than having no female at all.
Swanly did not understand them.
Selka certainly enjoyed the attention.
Even restrained, she managed to look smug.
"Perhaps the fox should explain why she led everyone into another creature’s territory."
Kael’s eyes turned toward her.
Selka immediately stopped smiling.
Soren moved forward.
The camp quieted.
He had not completely forgiven anyone for speaking over him before Riverbone fell, and everyone knew it.
One former elder bowed his head.
"Leader, should we leave?"
Soren looked at Druun.
Then Swanly.
"Ask her."
Swanly’s head snapped around.
"What?"
Several survivors stared.
Soren spoke as though it were obvious.
"She is my female."
Kael’s jaw tightened.
Soren noticed.
Naturally, he continued.
"She has the right to decide matters concerning the place where she and her cubs live."
The elder hesitated.
"Even over you?"
"Yes."
Swanly’s face heated.
"Soren."
His silver eyes moved toward her.
"What?"
"You cannot casually announce things like that."
"I just did."
Kael’s tail lashed.
Arion looked away, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
Nerin lowered his gaze.
Something small and sad crossed his face before he hid it.
Swanly noticed.
Kael noticed Swanly noticing.
His expression immediately worsened.
Wonderful.
One giant had appeared and somehow the mating situation was already deteriorating.
Druun suddenly leaned closer.
Everyone tensed.
His massive face lowered toward Swanly.
Kael moved first.
Soren moved at exactly the same time.
One black panther blocked her left side.
One enormous white snake rose on her right.
Arion’s hand went to his weapon.
Nerin actually stepped forward despite being the weakest male present.
Swanly stared at all four.
"You have got to be kidding me."
Druun ignored them.
One enormous finger extended toward Swanly’s face.
Kael growled.
Soren hissed.
Druun stopped.
His eyes moved between them.
Then back to Swanly.
Curious.
Very carefully, he tapped one finger against her cheek.
Barely touched her.
Swanly’s head moved less than an inch.
Druun’s eyes brightened.
Soft.
Small.
Interesting.
Kael looked murderous.
Soren’s scales lifted.
Raku muttered, "Why does this keep happening?"
Another guard whispered, "I was wondering the same thing."
Swanly pointed at both of them.
"Do not start."
Behind them, Thalara had not moved.
Her forehead eye remained fixed on Druun.
Druun finally noticed her.
His entire body stiffened.
The playful curiosity disappeared.
Thalara’s roots shifted beneath the ground.
Swanly caught it.
"You know him."
Thalara was silent.
"Thalara."
"He is old."
"How old?"
"Older than the tribes living here."
Druun made a low sound.
Thalara continued watching him.
"Creatures like him slept beneath the old world long before the rot spread."
Raku frowned.
"Then why is he awake?"
Thalara’s central eye narrowed.
"Because many things that should still be sleeping are waking."
The settlement went silent.
Swanly’s stomach sank.
"Because of the apocalypse?"
Thalara looked toward the distant forest.
"Partly."
"Partly?"
No answer.
Of course.
Swanly sighed.
"You know more."
"Yes."
"And you are not telling me."
"Not yet."
Swanly stared at her.
"I hate when you do that."
"I know."
Miko wriggled free from Kael.
He ran straight toward Druun.
Kael nearly had a heart attack.
"Miko!"
The cub hugged Druun’s enormous finger.
"Big Foot friend."
Druun looked down.
Then sighed.
Even giants, apparently, could recognize when they had lost an argument.
Nilo hugged another finger.
Kairo hesitated, then joined them because somebody had to supervise.
Druun carefully lifted his hand.
Three tiny panther cubs rose several feet into the air.
Miko screamed happily.
"AGAIN!"
Swanly covered her face.
Kael looked ready to faint.
And Druun smiled.
...
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