Chapter 11. Adjustment (2)
Would you look at that, the beast's been running around like the world's gonna fall apart tomorrow.
He could tell I was bleeding, and I just realized last night my stomach's been acting up nonstop lately.
Guess after spending a few days stuck here, my period started.
Both my smartwatch and phone died, so I totally lost track of the date.
I took the morning after pill right away, but we aren't on Earth, not my Earth, anyway.
I can tell from how different the bright moon looks, and all the constellations are nothing like what I'm used to too.
I mean, the creatures here run on a whole different biological system, but I'm sure the pill still works fine on my body.
I've never taken one before, so that's probably why my cramps are way worse than normal.
Earlier he was trying to flirt, rubbing his hands all over me.
But I was doubled over in pain, so he thought he'd been way too rough our first time. He started beating himself up over it and ran all around the village in a panic.
The fox beast wanted to come check on me, but I turned him away.
I didn't wanna see anyone.
Right now all I wish for is a warm blanket, air conditioning and chocolate milk. That'd be perfect.
I miss my world so bad.
This rocky bed covered in dry straw and animal hides is so uncomfortable.
"Tigris, can you quit pacing around?" I called out to this idiot darting in and out like a stressed out dog.
"Can I get you anything, Lily? Are you hurting? I'll go get a healer right now…"
"No! That's not what I need. Shift into your beast form. This bed's way too hard, just let me get comfortable against you." The silly thought popped into my head out of nowhere.
From what I've picked up about how things work here, women run the households and can have multiple partners.
It's not like I want that for myself, but the thought calmed my nerves a little.
Might as well use what I've got.
I never thought I'd end up curled up with a tiger that's easily six or seven meters long from nose to tail, acting like a giant stuffed plush.
Last time I tried to treat him like a regular cute cat and mess with his paws, they weren't anything like I pictured.
Rough, tough and totally dangerous, tougher than an athlete's calloused hands.
I'd hoped they'd feel soft and squishy, but they're more like gritty sandpaper instead.
Still, his fur is amazing.
Super thick, warm and so soft to the touch.
In this world, there are far more males than females, so the competition is brutal.
Both genders evolved traits to help them survive.
Males grow striking features to draw females in, while females have great fertility so they can carry and birth litters year after year.
Male cubs only take three to four months to develop, same as most regular beasts.
But female cubs take nine to ten months, just like human babies.
It's terrible how many females die in childbirth here.
This ancient world is full of odd, backwards rules.
I bet my friends would find it fascinating though.
My mind wandered all over the place while I idly toyed with the tiger's huge ears.
They'd flick fast every time I teased them.
Every now and then his whole furry body would shake like an earthquake, and I just pretended I was lying on a vibrating massage bed.
Of course he lets me do whatever I want.
I heard the other female talking by the river once, males here fight fiercely to let their mates touch their ears and tails.
The more a female touches those spots, the more secure his place in the household becomes.
It's the least this silly pervert can do for me.
Ugh, my stomach hurts so bad. I really want some ice cream.
Thinking about it, I do not have many sanitary napkins left. I need to find sustainable ways to get through this excruciating pain while living in this ancient world.
After rolling around on this makeshift vibrating massage bed for days, I realized I have stayed in this realm for almost two whole weeks.
"Lily, come out, let's play." A familiar voice rang out from outside our cave. The fox beast with perked ears was calling me over to have some fun.
"Coming." I answered.
In this world, males handle nearly all the work.
Females only need to give orders to their partners. They go out to hunt, build shelters, finish daily chores and even raise the young.
A female just has to speak up, and everything gets done. Most of our time is spent enjoying ourselves.
Sometimes they hang out with other females, or spend quiet days playing with our cubs.
"What do you want to play?" I stepped outside wearing a white crop top and long training trousers.
I tied my hair back into a ponytail and looked at the fox beast with tired eyes.
Her two beast husbands stood watching from a distance like loyal bodyguards protecting a beloved idol.
They kept other potential rivals far away, yet they would rush over in an instant the second their mate needed anything.
"My husbands crafted this new flute out of beast tusks for me. Look, is it not pretty?"
"A flute? Can you play it?" I asked in surprise.
I did not expect them to have musical instruments here.
"I cannot play it at all. That is why I came to find you. My husbands do not know how to use it either. Let us go look for an elder to teach us." I pressed a hand to my forehead.
I guess even though such items exist, not everyone knows how to use them.
I am not exactly skilled at playing instruments, but I still remembered how to handle a flute from a school assignment back in primary school.
"Tigris, I am going out with Mara to play." I called toward the inside of the cave where Tigris had been sleeping.
Right away, I heard a rustling commotion coming from within.
"Wait for me. I am coming Lily. I brought you some food and snacks too. Look what I got for you." Tigris ran out wearing simple animal hides and carrying a bag made from the same material.
His eyes shone with bright youthful joy. Mara and her husbands froze for a moment, clearly caught off guard by his eager demeanor.
We settled down on a large rock beneath towering trees. Mara brought the flute to her lips and blew.
The sound that came out was shrill and harsh, just like a terrified chicken being chased down. Everyone nearby struggled hard not to cover their ears.
"This thing is completely useless. If only the elder was home, we could ask them to teach us."
"Can I borrow it for a moment?" I asked.
I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped down the surface of the flute. Its shape was quite different from the ones I knew, but the basic principles stayed the same.
It could not be too hard to figure out.
"Lily, you know how to play the flute?" Mara stared at me with clear admiration.
Her husbands stood behind her looking helpless. I could almost tell they were thinking rude thoughts about my ability.
"Of course my Lily can. She is not only the most beautiful female around, she is also the smartest beast person I have ever seen." That noisy tiger was boasting proudly over something he had no right to praise.
Stop it. I grew nervous. I might mess this up. It has been years since I last played.
"Do not get your hopes up too high. It has been a very long time." I warned them.
I tried playing a simple tune I performed for my primary school graduation ceremony. The first few notes came out rough and squeaky.
After a couple more tries, I slowly got the hang of it.
"The holes are too big. I think it would sound much better if the holes were smaller and the body was straighter." I mumbled to myself.
"Wow! That is amazing. Lily you are incredible. How did you do that? I have never heard music like this before. Can you play it again?" Mara's eyes lit up like stars, filled with pure shock and delight.
"Uh."
"My Lily is the best there is. I feel so lucky to be your only husband. Do not worry Lily. I can make you a flute too. I will hunt down the largest beast I can find and craft the finest flute just for you." The tiger beast spoke with boundless energy, promising me something I did not even need.
"Can you play another song?" Mara urged me.
I decided to play a few simple children's songs since they were easy to follow.
I picked Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Rainbow Colors.
Before I noticed what was happening, groups of cubs gathered in front of us jumping and dancing around.
Their parents stood nearby watching with soft smiles.
What started out as a casual hangout with a friend had suddenly turned into a small outdoor concert with little ones filling the front row.
I let out an awkward sweat drop as the soft wind brushed across my skin.
"Huh. Since when did all of you start listening? Why are there so many people here?"
"Lily your music sounds wonderful. You are so talented. How can you play so many different melodies? I have never heard any of these songs at our tribe gatherings." Donna walked over with her own cubs bouncing around her feet.
They howled playfully one after another, begging for an encore.
"Donna, when did you arrive?" I handed the flute back to Mara and greeted her warmly.
"My cubs suddenly ran over here all at once, so I followed them. I had no idea you were playing the flute. You were absolutely wonderful. Can you teach me how to play too?"
I nodded gently. "I can teach all of you, but it will take some time to learn. We will also need more flutes for everyone to practice with."
Donna turned toward her husbands and waved them over. "Can you make a few more flutes for us? We want to learn to play alongside Lily."
Tigris jumped into the conversation right away, his tail swishing excitedly behind him.
"I will make the best flute of all for Lily. No other flute in the whole tribe will compare to mine. I will gather the sturdiest materials and carve every detail carefully."
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ROAR