Qa{ base camp of the rootless and desperate males }

3rd person's POV

The camp site was relatively peaceful, well somewhat. There was the occasional weeping and sobbing of the captured females, the angry growls and roars coming from the captured males and the pitiful cries from the cubs.

That was until that peace was ruined by a loud and piercing shriek of a bird. Countless males looked up, only to see a strong looking phoenix flying towards them.

Without hesitation, the phoenix opened its mouth and blasted a small fire. Causing many of the beastmen to scatter.

The phoenix, who was Keith, made sure not to damage any of the cages that contained the females or the cubs.

Many of the beastmen, who were flying beastmen, shifted into their beast form to try and attack Keith but were intercepted by other flying beastmen from the city who were waiting for them.

And with that, many of the males from the city invaded the campsite, determined to bring back the females and cubs that were taken away.

Even though there was the help from Kenji and the other three kings, along with Keith who kept on spewing and blasting mini fireballs around, the fight was even and brutal.

But the males from the city were determined to bring back what was taken from them, especially the males whose females were taken away. They were the first to lunge and attack, trying to get to the cages to break them.

Marlo, Carlos and Roscoe didn't really have trouble sending the rootless and desperate males flying. Carlos moved swiftly in his full snake form, sending several males flying with just one swat of his tail and killing countless of them with his vemon.

Marlo did the same, crushing and breaking several bones with just a single pinch of his pincer. The hard shell of his beast form gave him the advantage to straight up lunge in battle, coupled with his strong pincer and deadly venom and paralysis.

Roscoe wasn't the one to be left behind either, his countless years of experience with dealing with males like them made it easy for him. Lunging and killing each male who tried to stop him from getting to the cages to free the cubs and females, along with the males for extra help.

Rio and Archie who saw them, along with the other males, immediately got ready to help once the cage was destroyed.

Several males, Including Florence and Calvin managed to break through and went to break the cages. Freeing the cubs, females and males who were held captive.

The moment they were free, the males immediately shifted and joined the battle while some stayed behind to help escort the females and cubs into safety and away from the brutal battle that going.

Archie immediately went to find his cubs, sighing as they came running to him without a scratch.

Nodding to his brother, he and Rio along with several males went to escort the females and other cubs into a much safer location.

Now with the females and cubs out of the way, the males from the city became more aggressive in their attacks. Wanting to drive the rootless and desperate males away and kill as much as they can to teach them a lesson not to mess with them.

The battle ranged in for about an hour or so before the rootless beast, followed by the desperate males began to retreat into the forest and out of the city's territory.

Seeing this, the males from the city didn't celebrate yet and waited before they too began to slowly retreat back to the city. Feeling wary, tired and injured but they also felt proud and happy that they managed to bring back the females safe and sound.

{ Sera's POV }

"Arichie! Rio! Cubs!" I yelled out as I tackled my mates before going to hugged my cubs. "Are you okay? Are you guys hungry? You must be right? Come on now I prepared you guys a meal and you all should rest" I said, referring to all my mates who went to the battle.

When they got back, Florence, Lucas and Carlos happily went to me, showing that they gained another star during the battle.

Florence became a six star, Lucas became a five star and lastly Carlos finally became a seven star beast.

"Thank you little mate" Kenji chuckle as he placed a soft kiss on my head. "Let's go eat now so that we can rest" He said as he gently ushered me to the kitchen, the other following behind him.

"None of you are too injured right? Do you need a healer? You what you guys should have a crystal each. No arguing" I said as we entered the kitchen.

"But..." Florence tried to say but just shut his mouth when I narrowed my eyes at him, daring him to continue. "Finee" he whined softly making me chuckle.

"No use in arguing, your eating a crystal to help you recover more faster" I said making my males sigh they stared at me with fond smiles.

"Of course, if that's what our little female wants" Roscoe chuckled softly as he ruffled my hair slightly. "We're really lucky to have you" Tora murmured from besides me as he kissed my cheeks.

"Now come on, let's eat and go to sleep. I'm sure your tired from the long journey from Autumn city back here and you didn't get much rest yesterday because of the news you heard" he said as he pulled me to sit besides him.

He sat in my left side while Kei sat on my right. Lucas, Rio, Calvin, Archie, Roscoe, Denver and Kali sat on the left side while Xavier, Ian, Keith, Roscoe, Marlo, Kenji and Florence sat on the right side. The cubs on the other hand, are already fast asleep in the room upstairs, too tired from the whole ordeal they just went through.

"Alright! Time to eat and have some rest!" I said and presented the food I cooked, with the help of Tora, Kei and Denver who were left behind to guard me and help me with the two chicks.

There were cut up fruits, mushroom stew, fried and grilled fish, roasted meat with honey, soup, bacon and a few more things we cooked.

I chuckled softly, seeing my mates gobble up the food I made for them. Feeling a sense of happiness on seeing that even in just a small way, I can make them happy after a tough and rough fight.

∘∘∘∘

Groaning slightly, I opened my eyes to see myself in a all too familiar place. "We meet again my dear, it's been a while" The goddess chuckled and smiled at me.

"Indeed, it's been a while since you showed yourself" I nodded to her, returning her smile.
"Let's to business shall we dear? I just came here to warn you. What happened today will repeat itself, just more worse so prepare yourselves.

It will happen at the middle of hot/dry season, where water is slightly harder to find since most rivers would dry up or wouldn't flow that much as they do now" she said gentle yet firm tone.

"Also look for Cassie, she might be gone from the city but she will come back for revenge one day. She's currently in a city about a month away from Blackwood city, and she has now 27 mates, her current strongest is a seven star beast. She might obtain more mates so be warned dear" She reminded me and I nodded.

"Your knowledge from the novel might still work, but there are countless things that altered ever since you came. I cannot personally interfere in this considering death and life is a cycle that must be maintained but I will just be here to warn you and prepare for the worst. But remember, even with careful planning and preparation. Death is something you cannot avoid" she said.

"I know, and thank you for warning me" I said with a nod, making her smile. "I might not be able to interfere but I still don't want you to die. You have help me restore a few things in my world, helping encourage some females to be kind to their males and slightly treat them more better, avoiding creating more rootless beast" she said with a small chuckle.

"I'm glad with that, I'll make sure to make more difference in the world. I might be able to change everyone but a single one changed is better than none" I said, making her smile and nod.

"Well, our time is almost up dear. Stay safe and until out next meeting" she said, and with that things began to slowly fade and blur.

But the last thing she said made me smile, knowing Erika will be happy.

"I made sure to answer your prayers and give your little friend what she had been longing for the longest time"

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