flstandardbreds Chapter 269: What Is a Sense of Belonging?
Chapter 269: What Is a Sense of Belonging?
"I am."
The cubs were astonished when they saw Qiao Xixi nod.
"Th-then, you... you don’t want the Black Panther Tribe anymore either?"
"Of course not. I just had some things to take care of, so I was away for a while. But now I’m back, and I’m going to work to make the tribe better and better."
Hearing Qiao Xixi’s words, the fear vanished from the cubs’ faces, and they all looked at her with delight.
"Do you still have family in the tribe?"
The cubs shook their heads, their gaunt little faces filled with dejection.
"Our mother and father don’t want us anymore, because we aren’t strong enough..."
"We were left here to die. But, Clan Leader, we don’t want to die."
Qiao Xixi patted one of the cubs on the head, her heart growing heavy. Due to the food shortage, some beastmen would abandon their weakest cubs.
Qiao Xixi had the cubs lead them to the place where they were now living.
The stone houses in a more remote part of the tribe had managed to escape the damage from the great battle, and they remained relatively intact.
These orphaned cubs all lived here.
Qiao Xixi had Feiyan take out half the meat they’d brought, cut it into small pieces, and distribute it among the cubs.
After they had eaten their fill, Qiao Qiao took the initiative to check on them, treating any who were sick or injured.
"Are you all full?"
The cubs nodded. Even the sick ones had regained their energy after Qiao Qiao’s treatment.
"From now on, your Clan Leader will work hard to provide you with food. But you have to help your Clan Leader in return, okay?"
"Yes, yes! I’ll help the Clan Leader."
"Me too! Me too!"
Qiao Xixi arranged to meet them outside the inner city at the same time tomorrow. She asked them to tell any cubs who weren’t here today to join them. After giving these instructions, Qiao Xixi and the others took their leave.
"Mother, what do you need them to do?"
Qiao Xixi held Qiao Qiao’s hand. "There’s a lot they can do. We’ll all be living in the same tribe from now on. Letting them take part in rebuilding it will give them a sense of belonging."
"Mother, what’s a sense of belonging?"
Qiao Xixi picked her up, kissed her little cheek, and said with a smile, "It’s the feeling of home. Only when you truly see the tribe as your home will you work to make it better and hope it thrives."
Qiao Qiao nodded, seeming to half-understand. "I get it, Mother. From now on, the Black Panther Tribe is our home. We have to make it a better place."
"Exactly."
As they continued on, they encountered some of the older beastmen. There were even more of them than there were cubs. Though aged, many weren’t immobile, just slower than the young, able-bodied beastmen.
"Clan Leader! It’s really the Clan Leader!"
"The Clan Leader has returned! She’s really returned!"
Two male Deer Beastmen recognized Qiao Xixi, and their once-cloudy, dim eyes lit up.
Soon, the other beastmen who heard the commotion gathered around.
"Clan Leader, you’re finally back! The tribe is in ruins."
"Yes, our numbers are small right now, but it’s all right. Things will slowly get better."
Qiao Xixi had Feiyan divide the rest of the meat among them and told them to gather outside the inner city tomorrow as well.
Everyone was overjoyed to receive the food; it was as if they had been given a new reason to hope.
Although she had already heard about the tribe’s situation from Sangze, seeing it with her own eyes still made her heart sink. The most urgent task was figuring out how to feed so many mouths.
Qiao Xixi was lost in thought when someone suddenly charged at her from the side of the road.
Qiao Xixi immediately grabbed Qiao Qiao and leaped back. Feiyan had already shifted into his beast form, stepping forward and swatting the assailant to the ground with a single swipe of his paw.
The attacker also shifted into his beast form and began to fight Feiyan.
But Feiyan possessed a high-tier beast soul. The male Gray Wolf Beast was no match for him and was quickly pinned to the ground.
"Run! Quick, take the cubs and go!"
At the male Gray Wolf Beast’s shout, Qiao Xixi finally noticed a female Long-eared Rabbit beast cowering behind a dilapidated stone wall, trembling as she clutched two cubs.
Hearing the male Gray Wolf Beast’s cry, she was so frightened she turned to run, but she couldn’t bring herself to abandon him. She froze, not knowing what to do.
Qiao Xixi caught the scent of Exile Flower. ’They’re Wandering Beasts,’ she realized.
"Wait, are you Wandering Beasts from outside the tribe?"
"So what if we are? This tribe has plenty of empty places. Do you have to steal our stone house?"
Hearing this, Qiao Xixi signaled for Feiyan to release the male Gray Wolf Beast.
"I’m the Clan Leader of this tribe. I’m not here to take your home."
The male Gray Wolf Beast looked at Qiao Xixi in astonishment. "Everyone said the Black Panther Tribe was abandoned. How could you, the Clan Leader, not have left with your people?"
Qiao Xixi shook her head. "Some things happened in the tribe, but I’m not leaving. When did you get here?"
The male Gray Wolf Beast explained that they had arrived around the time most of the tribe’s beastmen had left. They had been living in this stone house at the back ever since.
"Then why did you attack me just now without provocation?"
The male Gray Wolf Beast looked embarrassed. "For the past few days, other Wandering Beasts have been trying to take our stone house. I thought you were with them. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you."
"Bring your mate over. She looks terrified."
The male Gray Wolf Beast walked nervously over to the female Long-eared Rabbit. He said something to her and then led her to Qiao Xixi.
"Clan Leader, please allow us to settle in your tribe. Our cubs are still small, and it’s too dangerous outside. W-we may be Wandering Beasts, but we will never harm another beastman."
"Do you know how many other Wandering Beasts like you have come to the tribe?"
The male Gray Wolf Beast nodded. "A few. Maybe a hundred or so in total. Most of us just want a safe place to live... except for those Black Bear Beasts."
"Black Bear Beasts?"
"That’s right."
"Hey! Why are you still here? I told you yesterday I had my eye on this house. Scram!"
The male Gray Wolf Beast had barely finished speaking when a brutish roar echoed from behind them.
Qiao Xixi turned to see several burly, male Black Bear Beasts swaggering toward them.
The moment the female Long-eared Rabbit saw the male Black Bear Beasts, all the color drained from her face.
Feiyan had already moved to stand protectively in front of Qiao Xixi.
The male Black Bear Beasts also noticed Qiao Xixi and her companions. Their beady black eyes narrowed warily when they landed on Feiyan.
"The two females stay. The rest of you can scram, unless you want to die."
Feiyan scoffed, amused by their audacity. ’There are actually males with a death wish trying to make a move on Xixi right in front of me. If I don’t deal with them, that leopard and the others will laugh me to death when I get back.’