Chapter 140: Swanly’s cubs are loved. Perhaps too loved.
Lumi’s rabbit ears shot upright.
"To stop stupid!"
"You follow!"
"Because you need help!"
"I protect you!"
"I protect you!"
Ena grabbed Lumi before she could launch herself at Kairo.
Tavi started crying again.
"I wanted go home!"
Tilla scooped him up.
"At least one of you had sense!"
Tavi sobbed against her shoulder.
"But I still go."
Tilla’s face went blank.
"Yes. Unfortunately."
Raku burst out laughing.
Even Swanly cracked.
The terror finally loosened enough for exhausted laughter to move through the group.
Kael did not laugh.
He had Kairo in one arm and Nilo trapped against his side.
His other hand remained on Miko’s back.
He had barely released them since they returned.
Miko eventually squirmed.
"Papa."
Kael’s grip tightened.
"Papa."
"What?"
"Need breathe."
"No."
Miko blinked.
"Papa need breathe."
Kael looked down at all three sons.
His golden eyes were still red around the edges.
"You three nearly stopped mine."
The cubs went quiet.
Even Miko.
Kairo slowly wrapped both little arms around Kael’s neck.
Nilo leaned against his chest.
Miko stared at his father for a moment.
Then kissed his jaw.
"Sorry, Papa."
Kael closed his eyes.
His arms tightened around them.
Across from them, Druun still held the remaining herbs.
Swanly noticed.
He had kept them safe through everything.
She walked toward him.
Druun looked wary now.
That hurt.
Swanly stopped beside his enormous hand.
"Those are for me?"
Druun nodded.
"Mama happy."
Miko shouted from Kael’s arms.
"Yes!"
Swanly looked up at Druun.
"Thank you."
His huge eyes softened.
"And I am sorry."
Another slow nod.
He accepted it.
That somehow made Swanly feel worse.
Then someone laughed.
Soft.
Deliberate.
Selka.
The sound sliced straight through the warmth.
Everyone turned.
Selka stood beneath guard near the edge of the gathering.
One hand rested over her pregnant stomach.
Her lips curved.
"What?"
Swanly’s expression immediately hardened.
Selka widened her eyes innocently.
"I only find all of this interesting."
"Then find it interesting silently."
Selka ignored her.
Her gaze moved deliberately over the crowd.
Tilla hugging Tavi.
Ena holding Lumi.
Kael clutching all three sons.
Frightened parents.
Exactly what she needed.
"Five cubs disappeared today."
Silence.
Selka waited.
Then repeated softly:
"Five."
Tilla’s arms tightened.
Ena looked toward the forbidden forest.
Selka saw both reactions.
Her smile became gentler.
More sympathetic.
More dangerous.
"I am not trying to cause trouble."
Raku groaned.
"That usually means trouble is already halfway here."
A few people laughed.
Selka did not.
"I am thinking as a future mother."
Her palm moved over her stomach.
"Perhaps that makes me notice things differently now."
Swanly crossed her arms.
"Say whatever poison is sitting on your tongue."
Selka looked wounded.
"Poison?"
Then she turned back toward the parents instead of Swanly.
Smart.
"This is not about Swanly."
Swanly almost laughed.
Of course it was.
Selka continued.
"Today, five cubs followed each other into forbidden land."
A female near the back murmured:
"That is true."
Selka heard her.
"Children copy each other."
Her eyes found Miko.
"One bold cub runs somewhere dangerous."
Then Kairo.
"His brother follows."
Then Lumi and Tavi.
"Friends follow them."
She sighed.
"That is how five becomes ten."
Nobody spoke.
"Ten becomes twenty."
A father holding a young cub frowned.
Selka lowered her voice.
"And one day, perhaps thirty cubs disappear before anyone notices."
A murmur moved through the survivors.
Small.
But real.
Swanly’s jaw tightened.
There.
Selka felt it.
She had found the crack.
So she pushed.
"I am not blaming Swanly."
"You have not stopped blaming me since you opened your mouth."
Selka ignored her.
"Raising three male cubs must be exhausting."
Her voice became almost pitying.
"Especially now."
Her eyes flicked meaningfully toward Swanly’s stomach.
"With more coming."
Kael’s entire body went rigid.
Soren’s silver eyes narrowed.
Selka continued before either male interrupted.
"Perhaps she simply cannot watch them closely enough anymore."
A few people shifted.
One nervous mother spoke.
"I do think the cubs need more watching."
Another male nodded reluctantly.
"They reached the forbidden territory."
Selka immediately turned toward them.
"Exactly."
Swanly saw what she was doing.
Not attacking directly.
Inviting everyone else to finish the accusation for her.
Selka’s shoulders relaxed.
Her voice became gentle.
"We should not wait until someone loses a cub before admitting there is a problem."
Tilla looked down at Tavi.
Fear returned to her face.
That bitch.
Selka saw it.
Pressed harder.
"Swanly’s cubs are loved."
Her smile returned.
"Perhaps too loved."
Kael growled.
Selka immediately raised both hands.
"I mean indulged."
Miko frowned.
"What indulge?"
Nilo whispered:
"She say spoiled."
Miko gasped.
"Not spoil. Miko fresh."
Raku made a choking sound.
Swanly almost smiled.
Almost.
Selka continued.
"They climb Druun whenever they wish."
"They do not," Swanly said.
"They wander."
"They are punished when they break rules."
"Are they?"
Selka tilted her head.
"Your youngest just admitted he planned this entire thing, and everyone laughed."
The laughter vanished.
Her eyes gleamed.
There.
Another small wound opened.
Kairo looked worried now.
Miko’s ears lowered.
Selka gestured toward them.
"They are adorable. Everyone thinks so."
Her smile sharpened.
"But adorable cubs still die when they disobey."
The sentence hit hard.
Swanly’s face changed.
Kael took one step forward.
Selka flinched.
Soren’s tail struck the ground once.
But Swanly raised her hand.
"No."
Kael looked at her.
She stepped toward Selka.
"I have this."
Selka’s confidence returned.
"A mother should control her cubs."
Swanly stopped directly in front of her.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then:
"You are right."
Selka’s eyes widened.
The crowd went silent.
Her lips slowly curved.
Swanly continued.
"Five cubs broke the boundary rule."
Selka smiled wider.
"That means our child-watch system failed."
The smile faltered.
Swanly turned toward the parents.
"We have more cubs in one place now than Riverbone had sleeping together before."
Several people listened.
"We are building. Hunting. Planting. Guarding walls. Adults become distracted."
She pointed toward the forest.
"Today, five babies slipped out because everyone thought someone else was watching."
Tilla looked down.
Ena swallowed.
Swanly’s voice remained firm.
"That is not acceptable."