Chapter 2
Muir glided high above the forest, his sharp eyes scanning the ground for any potential prey for dinner. The wind ruffled his feathers as he adjusted his right wing to change direction. Spotting a blood trail near the riverbank, Muir descended to land nearby, his focus on the hunt unwavering. He suspected it might lead to injured prey—a simple meal.
Despite his limited sense of smell as an eagle beastman, Muir's curiosity was stirred. He bent down to sniff the blood, intrigued by the strange scent that carried an unusual floral undertone. Following the trail, which vanished into the woods, he took to the sky again, his eyes diligently searching the forest for more clues. The mystery of the blood trail, with its odd scent and its path along the river under the shelter of the trees, only deepened his curiosity, leaving him with more questions than answers.
The eagle didn't have to travel far along the river to find the source of the trail—a small figure leaning against a tree. As Muir flew overhead, he focused intently on the scene below. Alarm swept over him when he saw that the figure was a young female with long, dark brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, her bangs framing her pale face. She wore an unusual headband with something shiny wrapped around her forehead. What concerned him even more, was the sight of blood on her and her torn, peculiar clothing. Muir landed close by and approached her on his talons, positioning himself over the female. He observed that her green eyes struggled to stay open, and it seemed she had lost her battle with consciousness, unaware of his presence.
A shiver coursed through Muir as he leaned closer to the wounded female in front of him. She was alive but marked by numerous injuries. What had happened to her, and why was she here? Typically, females were always under the watchful eyes of males, whether sire or mates, as females were more fragile than males.
Muir scrutinised her. Her eyes gradually fluttered open, seemingly sensing his presence. Initially, they seemed vacant, like two lost spheres. However, as they settled on Muir standing above her, her expression swiftly shifted—confusion emerged, quickly giving way to fear. In an attempt to shield her vulnerability, she tried to harden her gaze, but the cracks in her composure were evident.
"A summoning jutsu? An eagle? Leaf Village? No," the female murmured, her voice tinged with confusion as she spoke to herself, though Muir overheard her. Her words intrigued Muir, sparking curiosity, yet he was puzzled. Although he was indeed an eagle, the concept of summoning was unfamiliar to him, and he had never heard of the Leaf Village nor had any connection to it.
"If anyone had that contract, Izumo-san or Kotetsu-san would have mentioned it. Those two are like gossiping merchant wives with too much time on their hands," she whispered while leaning against the tree, her puzzled gaze fixed on Muir and her finger thoughtfully on her chin. Feeling even more bewildered, Muir sensed a blush spreading across his feathered cheeks as she scrutinised him. He only caught the word "contract" as her intense gaze seemed to hold him captive.
"An enemy, then?" her voice shifted from confusion to fear. Muir snapped out of his daze when he saw her move. She reached behind her with one hand, prompting him to step back. The tension in the air was so thick it was almost suffocating. She quickly rose to her feet, gripping something sharp and shiny in each hand, and assumed a defensive stance directed towards him.
"You're with Mujina, aren't you? Here to make sure there are no survivors after the massacre? Bring it on! I'm not surrendering without a fight," the female shouted, her voice growing more intense. Her eyes were narrowed as she tried to hide her fear, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her brave front. She was panting heavily, clearly worn out from her injuries.
Muir was startled; he had no idea who or what Mujina was, and she assumed he was there to kill her. It wasn't customary for males to harm females - well, except for feral and roothless beasts, and Muir wasn't one of them. His confusion was apparent, his eyes wide with disbelief.
The female's gaze was locked on Muir, seemingly not noticing his disbelief as she braced for an attack he had no plans to initiate. Instead, Muir shook off his disbelief, softly cooed at her and stepped toward her, prompting her to blink and lower the sharp objects she held as her confusion broke through her tough exterior. Then, Muir shifted out of his beast form, leaving the female to utter a bewildered, "Huh?"
"Jutsu? No, I didn't sense any chakra. Your feathers vanished into your skin. What are you, exactly?" The female's voice was tinged with confusion, adding to Muir's bewilderment. Jutsu, chakra—what did those terms even mean? Why was she confused? Surely, she should know this. Like other males, Muir could shift into his best form, unlike females who couldn't. He understood that some clans kept their females hidden and sheltered due to their rarity, but her clan surely would have taught her the basics.
Muir was about to say something when the female suddenly gasped, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson. She averted her flustered gaze and blurted, "Why aren't you wearing clothes? Please put some on!"
Muir was surprised by her sudden outburst but ignored it, directing his attention to the forest. The distant howling indicated wolves were quickly closing in, likely drawn by the scent of the female's blood, considering her easy prey, just as he had once believed.
Muir moved closer to her, his calm demeanour contrasting her apparent fear, which she struggled to conceal. She gripped her sharp objects tighter as he drew near, probably fearing an attack. But Muir had no intention of doing so. He was grateful she observed him rather than launching an attack to protect herself. Her eyes followed his every movement until she heard the howls, shifting her focus to the forest.
The female's attention wavered from Muir for a split second as her eyes locked onto the encroaching wolves. She gasped in shock when Muir, driven by concern for her safety, scooped her into his arms. The unexpected motion caused her to lose her grip on the sharp objects she was clutching, sending them clattering to the forest floor. With a powerful leap, Muir bounded up the tree she had been leaning against, swiftly placing her in one of its sturdy branches. Muir shifted into his eagle form without hesitation, ready to confront the looming threat.
The wolves burst from the forest, their ferocious snarls forming a symphony of growls reverberating through the trees. Muir let out a piercing screech, causing a few wolves to pause mid-attack. With precision, he drove one of his talons into a wolf's side, the impact resonating with a mighty thud before he effortlessly took out three more wolves clustered together.
Muir caught sight of a shadow moving stealthily beside him—a wolf poised to pounce while he was distracted by the others surrounding him. The female he had concealed in the tree acted before Muir could lash out with his beak in a split second. With a precise throw, she launched a sharp object that cut through the air and struck the lunging wolf, piercing its skull with deadly accuracy.
The eagle paused, dazed, before unleashing a piercing screech of protest at the female. In a blur of motion, she sprang from the tree despite her injuries, just in time to thwart another wolf poised to strike Muir, who stood frozen in disbelief. She sent the wolf crashing into a tree with a powerful kick, ending it instantly.
The female lunged for the sharp object she had dropped when Muir had picked her up earlier. Despite his surprise, Muir realised she had decided he wasn't a threat. She quickly moved to stand back-to-back with him, gripping the object tightly in her hands and adopting a defensive stance. Her eyes were filled with determination as she nodded confidently and said, "Eagle-san, I've got your back!"
The mysterious female standing behind him had once again left Muir stunned. He had never encountered or even heard of a female fighting, especially to protect a man or anyone else. Not that he needed protection; being a triple-striped beast, he could deal with these wolves on his own. However, something within him shifted. This female was unlike any other he had known. His thoughts were interrupted when her voice sliced through the chaos, as sharp and precise as the objects she used to fend off a wolf that lunged at them. "Eagle-san, now's not the time to be frozen!" she called out, urgency saturating her words.
Muir instantly snapped out of his daze, his senses sharpening as he swiftly took down a wolf that lunged at the female. His talons sliced through the air as she dodged, hurling her sharp object at another wolf. With a flurry of movement, Muir quickly dispatched the remaining wolves with little effort.
The strange female gasped for breath, her hand clutching her side with a desperation that spoke of her limits being pushed too far. Muir turned sharply, his eyes wide with alarm as he took in her condition. The fiery red creeping across her face was alarming—she was on the brink of collapsing.
Muir shifted from his beast form, his heart racing as he reached out to her. "female," he urged, his voice filled with urgency. But she seemed lost in her struggle, her gaze distant and unfocused.
Before he could begin with his plea, she crumbled to the ground; Muir lunged forward, arms wrapping around the female, preventing her from falling. He held her tiny form tightly, feeling the light weight of her battered body against his before he lifted her body into his arms. Muir studied the female form and was relieved that her chest was still moving, indicating that she was still alive.
He held her tightly in his arms, racing through the dense forest toward the leopard village he knew was nearby. Muir's heart pounded, and he couldn't shake the frustration that he couldn't shift into his beast form. It would have been quicker, but he hesitated. What if she couldn’t handle the flight? The thought of his talons inadvertently grazing her skin sent a shiver down his spine. As he sprinted, he hoped—no, he needed—her to survive.