Three weeks have passed since I started training Goldie's endurance. Though I wonder if Papa bear ever got irritated with my progress. Because I am. Her personality and looks may be similar to a golden retriever but she's definitely not fit for exercise. How will she fare with an attack?!?

Glancing down at her sleeping form I humm. Maybe she lacks a certain vitamin? I mean, by now she's gotten an okay tan and I made sure that our runs were mostly in the early mornings so that she won't get sunburn. Uhhh, I'm treating her as if she was a cub.

"Suki, they're getting close to arriving," reports Radu behind me.

I nod, "okay, let's wake her up."

Before I could take a further step toward her, Radu stops me with his furry long tail curled around my waist and begs, "can I wake her up?"

Noticing a certain glint in his eyes, I softly smile, "sure, but don't take it too far."

Beaming angelically, Radu rubs his cheek against mine, kisses me, and runs happily out of our den. I wonder what he'll choose this time.

Turning around I leave the sleeping Sheila and walk toward the outside of my den. Sniffing my nose I come across the smell of cooked meat in this glorious fresh morning, but this time the meat has a hint of rosemary and another herb. As my mouth salivates at the divine aroma, my mind wanders toward the time I warned Sheila about our winter. Ever since, she has dutifully been searching ways for our den to have preserved meat and plants. My favorite, so far, are the various herbs she's found to complement our food. Though, of course, her findings were immediately known to our Clan Leaders and secondly the rest of our tribe.

On another hand, her experiment to see if a certain herb or plant was good or not was mostly made on my males. Unfortunately, Radu and Leo became the common two who ended up either vomiting or having watery excremente for a large part of the day. To which the reason why my proud Radu has set his eyes on any opportunity of getting Goldie back. Leo, on the other hand, prefers to use his energy to disappear whenever he hears that she's found something new to try. Thankfully her experiments have decreased since she hasn't found any newer food sources around this area. And thankfully males heal fast.

Taking my place between Adan and Wyatt, I wait as Leo and Vick finish cooking our preys. Wyatt laughs as he watches me salivate at the fatty grease running down the pieces of meat. Besides me Adan happily smiles as he also awaits our food. While we wait, Radu trots back to our den, nods at us, and then swiftly enters with a mischievous smile.

Not too long after he comes back and helps Adan and Leo with placing the finishing touches to the meat. Smelling the added cilantro, I give him a warm smile as he endearingly passes me the meat. About to open my mouth to take a bite of the hot steamy meat a horrific scream rings out of my den. On cue, Radu swiftly places his hands over my ears as he smiles angelically at me to keep eating.

Lifting an eyebrow, I take a bite and wonder what prank he did now. Shortly after her scream, Sheila is running out of my den with wide angry eyes.

Looking around, she finally spots a certain smiling skunk beastmen. "Youuuuuu" she shakily points her finger at him.

The young male looks around him in astonishment and looks quizzically back at her. "Me?" he asks.

To this she does a humanly growl, "yes you!! I know you placed that, THAT tarantula on me!"

Radu innocently blinks his eyes and pouts, "ouch, that hurts Pug." Shrugging his shoulder he then adds, "I was here helping with cooking our meal, unlike you who spent her mornings doing nothing."

About to retort, Vick stops them. "Enough, eat."

He walks and hands her a piece of meat and signals with his eyes for her to sit.

Sucking on her lips, Sheila stomps over to what she calls a chair. There she brutally eats as she icidly glares at the happy Radu. Underneath her breath she evily mutters, "wait till I try those mushrooms on you."

Radu and Leo's ears twitch. While Leo looks at me pleadingly, Radu decides to ignore her threat and happily brings me another piece of meat.

After we've all ate, I stand up and announce to my males, Sheila, and finally Vick. "We're going to watch the traveling males and their wares today." Glancing at my males I add, "I won't be taking a male from them, but it'll be a good lesson for Sheila to see beastmens besides ours."

Sheila, who was now trying to control her bed hair, looked up in excitement. "What type of beastmen will be here?"

Placing a hand under my chin, I say out loud, "not entirely sure, but it'll be a mix of many." Noticing her expectant eyes, I continue, "could be mer, bird, horse, peacock, tiger, or cheetah beastmen." Her eyes widen excitedly, but before she could express her joy, Vick stops us with his comment, "We'll have to do something to her face."

Not getting it, we both look at him perplexed. Vick places his hand underneath the still warm wood used for our campfire. Taking his dirty hand he steadily walks to a frozen Goldie, lowers himself, and begins to smear his hand over both of her cheeks. Tilting his head, he then decides to do the same to her hair.

Standing back up he nods in approval at his idea. "Good, now we're ready to go."

Before me, my males are staring at them with their mouths wide open while I intently watch to see how she'll react. No female, here or in my past world, would purposely endure being placed dirt on their body. Especially if said female plans on heading out to a public place.

Speaking timidly, she complains, "I look nasty..." Seeing his bored stare, she bravely asks "why?"

Vick walks back to his side of the fireplace and responds from there, "your appearance is.. uncommon. And the many visiting males who will be arriving do not have to strictly follow our tribe rules."

Looking at her lack of understandment, he growls in annoyance, "female, they will openly court you and will continue to do so despite having me around." Smirking at her bewildered expression, he adds in a smirk, "unless, if you do want to add males, then go ahead and clean the dirt off..." However, before she could respond, he growls out a warning, "but do know that there might be males who will tell their tribe about you, decide to want you, and bring war to our tribe just to take you."

To his final statement, Sheila walks to the campfire, bends down and searches for the warm dirt. Finding it, she slowly places a hand in and brings it back to spread it on her arms. As her dirty blond hair hides her face, she mutters under her breath, "I choose what I want."