A New Life In The Beast World-Chapter 58: Dumb Choices

"South Cliffs Tribe?!" Davis suddenly exclaimed, his voice breaking the tense silence like a knife through butter. "But that’s at least a week’s journey from here. How did you land up chasing monsters all the way up north?"

"Well, we headed about three days north to find the monster horde." Jason explained dryly. "It then split into two groups and I chased after the one leading us further north until I landed up here. It was your usual hunt."

"And your companions?" Theo asked with narrowed eyes.

"Probably heading back home if they weren’t killed." Jason shrugged. "I already told them not to come looking for me when I went after the stragglers."

"And why would you do that?" Theo questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Wouldn’t you want to return to your tribe, even if you died. Perhaps give some closure to any family."

"What’s the point? I have no one back home. Besides, I was hoping the monsters would have crystals. If I let those beastmen follow after me, they would have wanted me to split the reward with them." Jason replied. "Which reminds me... Did the monsters have any crystals?"

"There was nothing. I checked." Theo answered.

"Damn." Jason cursed. He then eyed Theo for a second and muttered, "You’re not lying to me, are you?"

"I have enough of my own crystals. I don’t need to steal when I could easily hunt stronger monsters myself." Theo growled out. "The ones you hunted down were too young to have formed any crystals. You can go check the corpses yourself if you don’t believe me."

Jason sharpened his gaze at Theo, trying to detect any lies from the tiger beastman. However, Theo only stared back at him even more intensely, making the air around them heavier.

Finally, Healer Kai got sick of them and muttered, "If you’re going to fight, take it outside. And don’t bother coming back to get treated... Bunch of reckless cubs!"

He muttered the last part under his breath as he returned to his table of herbs, however, everyone clearly heard his words. Probably even said them on purpose.

"Perhaps you can continue this some other time." Davis offered, wanting to keep the peace. "Jason is still recovering and questioning him so much wouldn’t be a good idea. He should be resting..."

"What the rabbit said. I don’t think I could take any more questioning..." Jason’s eyes then shifted over to Serena and he added, "Unless you were the one questioning me."

He gave her a smirk at those words and Serena cringed, her skin crawling in disgust. Did he really have to say that to her? Perhaps he injured his brain during that fight.

Serena turned to Davis and murmured softly, "You should check his mind. I think something’s wrong with him."

Theo choked back a laugh at her words while Davis gave her a weak smile, shaking his head. The smirk on Jason’s face fell, clearly able to hear her words.

"Nothing is wrong with my head." Jason finally muttered out. "How could you say such a cruel thing?"

"Don’t say stupid things then." Serena narrowed her eyes at him, annoyance creeping up on her. She turned away and said, "Anyway, I think it’s best we get going if there’s nothing else to do here. Someone needs his rest."

"Alright." Davis murmured. "I’ll let you know if anything changes."

Serena thanked him and dragged Theo out of the hut before he could start another fight. She knew the tiger beastman sensed something, but the healer’s hut was not the place to question the bird beastman.

It was only going to get Healer Kai annoyed with them and they didn’t need that.

***

Some time after Serena and Theo headed out, Healer Kai left to give some herbs to someone, leaving Davis to watch over Jason. The rabbit beastman gazed at the bird beastman laying back down on the straw bed.

Finally Davis murmured, "I thought you wanted to meet your saviors to repay them... Why did you cause trouble?"

"Hmph! I wasn’t the only one causing trouble." Jason muttered, turning to face Davis who was stringing up some fresh herbs to dry out. "That tiger beastman just had to keep questioning my motives. Can’t a beastman hunt monsters without it seeming strange?!"

"Well, it is strange..." Davis replied dryly. "You should be preparing for the cold season, not hunting down monsters so far from home."

There were only two blue moons left until the cold season started and food became scarce. Everyone was busy stockpiling and here this beastman was joining a hunting party.

What was he going to do now that he was injured? Davis doubted he could stockpile enough food before the cold season came in. His broken bones would at least take a week to heal up and there was the journey back home too.

Davis shook his head at the thought. There was a reason almost everyone went hunting during the dry season. Clearly this beastman and his companions didn’t understand that.

Well, it wasn’t his problem. He just had to make sure this guy healed up.

"Do you even know anything about hunting monster hordes?" Jason asked, looking over Davis’ body. "You don’t seem like the type to hunt any."

"I may not hunt them myselves, but I have treated beastmen who have hunted them." Davis retorted. "Beastmen like you."

Jason gave him a warily smile before he sighed, "Look I don’t want to fight okay... You think I don’t know how stupid this all is."

"..." Davis decided to keep his mouth shut, not sure what to say.

"I know it is which is probably why everyone’s questioning my sanity right now." Jason continued, turning back to face the hut wall. "It probably would’ve been better to die than land up in this situation..."

Davis felt a vein in his forehead twitch at those words. His uncle and him had spent countless hours trying to stabilize this beastman so he wouldn’t die and he said that?! It annoyed him to no end.

"Your situation sucks, but deal with it like a grown beastman." Davis muttered, grabbing a few more herbs to string up to the ceiling. "You have debts to repay. Deal with those first before you try anything... Energy crystals aren’t easy to come by."

"I know that..." Jason retorted.

The room fell silent with those words, awkwardness filling the air. Eventually, Davis grew tired of the tension and decided to bite the bullet.

"Why did you go on that hunt if you knew it was stupid?" Davis asked.

"Because I was trying to prove a point." Jason sighed, shifting his body to gaze up at the ceiling. "I wanted to prove I could get to five stripes before the cold season."

"Well, that’s dumb." Davis muttered with no sympathy.

He could never understand predator type beastmen’s need to always prove their physical strength. Sure it was useful in many situations in this world, but did they not realize that wasn’t the only thing they needed?

"I know..." Jason sighed. "This pain is making me regret joining this stupid hunt. Especially when I got nothing out of it."

"Well, serves you right." Davis said, moving over to where Jason was laying down.

He looked over the bird beastman’s body, checking if any of the wounds had opened up. None of the bandages had blood seeping from them nor could he smell any blood. Just the strong scent of herbs.

"Where does it hurt?" Davis finally asked, glancing over at Jason’s face.

He may think that this beastman was an idiot for what he did, but he was still a patient at the end of the day. Davis would treat him as best as he could.

"Just my chest feeling a bit sore." Jason huffed out.

Davis gazed back down at the bird beastman’s bare chest, probing at the injuries. When he touched Jason’s ribs, the bird beastman winced a little.

"It’s probably your ribs. They’re likely bruised and all this talking and moving about is hurting them." Davis concluded. "I’ll give you something for the pain."

"Thanks." Jason replied.

Davis said nothing and moved to grab some herbs to make some pain relief medicine for the bird beastmen. As he worked, boiling the herbs to make it into a tea, Jason suddenly spoke again.

"Hey Davis...." Jason called out, making the rabbit beastman turn to him. "How do you think I should repay my debt?"

"Why are you asking me that? You should’ve asked Theo when he was here." Davis stated.

Jason rolled his eyes. "I would’ve if that tiger hadn’t been so busy asking so many questions... Besides, you look like you know them well."

"Just get them an energy crystal to replace the one you used." Davis sighed, ignoring the bird beastman’s comment.

"You make it sound like that’s an easy thing to do."

"Well, aren’t you a big, strong beastman? Surely, you can deal with monsters."

"Very funny." Jason muttered. He then sighed, "Whatever, I’m too tired to think about this. I’m going to nap."

Davis glanced over at him and said, "Drink the medicine first before you do that."