My Wild Beast
Chapter 55: Big Girl (2)

Chapter 55: Big Girl (2)

A true king...

Nova’s thoughts returned to Yoa, gnawing at her bottom lip as she wondered if he was okay. It had already been a few hours since he left, and the jungle was slowly getting darker with the moving sun. She’d tried to push off this hunt for a little while longer while waiting for Yoa, having a bath and putting on these makeshift clothes—a halterneck wrap that needed no bra! And a skirt that showed a little too much of her thighs.

She might look the part with the blade strapped to her thigh, the blade she now knew as Firstmark, but she clearly wasn’t going to be some amazing huntress. She paled at the idea of slaughtering an animal every time she thought about it on this arduous walk.

The trees slowly parted, giving way to an enormous sprawl of marshland, damp and humming with life. The still waters had patched of dense, tangled growth. Gnarled roots jutted up from the ground like grasping fingers, and every step began to squelch underfoot. Nova had to stop gagging at the idea of the mud beneath her toes. It was better to be barefoot, though, than to lose a makeshift shoe though.

Dragonflies hovered low over the murky water’s surface, and tall reeds swayed in the breeze like silent watchers. The air was thick with the scent of wet earth and something faintly sweet—decay or bloom, it was hard to tell. One thing was certain, though, they were being watched.

Nova was the only one making splashing noises, and it roused those sleeping in the waters at the far end. A few eyes surfaced in the water, their long snouts appearing briefly before going underwater again. Her heart skyrocketed at the idea that those crocs could come this way and-

"You’re safe with us," Atia patted Nova’s head, trying to calm her down. He obviously could hear her heart.

Nova nodded, then looked away from only one lot of eyes she’d noticed and ignored whatever else roamed nearby. She began mirroring Aiyana’s movements, her own a little awkward at first, but slowly, she was almost as graceful as her, barely causing a ripple in the water. There was no sound, though.

"What about the ich... the itchytaca?" Nova murmured quietly, looking up and behind her to catch Atia’s twinkling eyes.

"Ichtaca," he corrected her gently. "We only need to worry about it when darkness falls. But it might not even make an appearance as Yoa has seen to it recently."

Dread pooled in her stomach as she glanced at the sky that had turned pink, golden and purple from the sunset. "We don’t need to worry?" She asked, trying to keep herself distracted by the idea of the threat and not by some of the deer that were grazing nearby.

How could she kill such a cute animal?!

"You know... I don’t think I need to do this... rite of passage or anything. I’ve been a grown woman for a while now..." She began to backpedal. "I need to know how to defend myself, not get dinner."

Aiyana looked over her shoulder at Nova, looking bored.

"You owe me that foot massage," Atia winked at her. Did they bet on this?! Nova gaped at them. Atia shrugged, and Aiyana smirked before flicking her hair behind her, her sharp gaze now roaming over the deer hungrily. "Another way to stay alive is by hunting for your meal. Fruits will only get you so far." Aiyana eyed Nova again. "And you need to put on some weight."

"What?!" Nova squeaked. She never thought she’d ever hear that from anyone. When work didn’t take all of her attention, Nova did eat well, all healthy, but she’d buried herself into work even more after the first year she and Chad were together, and missing meals became a normal occurrence. She wasn’t tiny in a too-bony kind of way, but the way Yana and Aiyana had commented about her made her a little self-conscious.

Maybe it had something to do with the size difference as well? Aiyana was tall with legs that went on for days, wide hips and a full bust like someone carved her out of a statue of a jungle goddess.

Nova released a long sigh, following Aiyana’s gaze, her fingers brushing on Firstmark. "How do you expect me to kill it with a dagger? I can’t... I can’t get close, keep up with them or anything..."

Atia grinned and tapped the bow he’d been carrying on Nova’s head. "That’s what this is for."

"She’s too weak to use one yet," Aiyana added irritably. "First of all... We need you to get over this fear of blood or killing an animal. You’re no use to Yoa dead. Suck it up and stick the pointy end of that blade into a deer... Once I catch it, that is."

"That’s it?" Nova said, paling more.

"That’s it, little snack. Don’t worry, it will get easier after this," Atia patted her again, his gaze softening.

"Alright..." Nova took a few deep breaths, trying to brace herself for what would come next. It was so savage, but this was survival. What if she accidentally split up with Yoa and these guys? She needed to know the basics. Although even now, the hunting was at such a ’noobie’ level. She couldn’t even use that huge bow that was crafted and patterned so beautifully with swirls etched into it.

"If I am going to survive here... To live here..." Nova murmured, watching Aiyana prowl forward, her body graceful, crouching into the tall reeds and watching the nearby deer more closely.

Nova released a long breath. "I need to be a big girl and get used to it."

Aiyana looked back at Nova, looking impressed, then caught herself and clicked her tongue, looking straight ahead at the deer again, spear slowly aiming.

"But you’re not a big girl. You’re so tiny I just want to snack off you— ah!" Atia’s cheeky comment was interrupted by Aiyana’s speed as she hopped up and grabbed his earlobe between her thumb and forefinger, pulling hard.

"Aiyanaaa, no fair!"

Honestly, Nova swears the guy could probably swat Aiyana off him. She didn’t comment on it though as he made a fuss and the deer that had been unaware to their presence were alerted to them and sprinted off.