Beastmen: She Tames the Land-Chapter 114: Willing to help

The return of the delegation was a source of triumph for the Warm Pack.

Uri led the way with Cato in the rear and Kaelen in the air. They were happy to see the rest of the pack members waiting for them. As soon as they came through the gate, they were surrounded. Everyone wanted to see what they brought back from the people who did metal work.

All eyes went to the cart that carried the items. As they arrived at the square, they unloaded their burden. The contents were laid out one by one. There were knives with polished bone handles. Chisels with sharp and angled edges. The axe heads were heavy. The spearheads were long and sharp.

The pack gathered around, a collective gasp of awe rippling through them. Fil picked up a knife. A butcher knife. His rough hands handling the smooth metal. He swung the knife, trying to get a feel for it.

"These are amazing," Fil exclaimed.

"They are," Uri replied. "But more than anything, they are a symbol of the beginning of our cooperation with the Stone-horn people."

"There is something I think I should say," Uri stated. "Aside from the weapons they possess, I have noticed they have a peculiarity. The females there all have horns. And all of them, whether male or female, have these horns on their head at all times. It is not like us, who can completely change from one to the other. When they shift, the horns are still visible."

"The leader is right," chimed Cato. "When I saw it, I was trying hard not to look. I had to pretend like it was something I saw every day."

Kaelen nodded in agreement. "They work together with the males to make the tools. They seem to be extremely strong."

A murmur of astonishment went through the pack. Females having beast traits is not something they ever thought they would hear in this lifetime. Heta and Willa held each other, trying to process what they had just heard.

Chi was nodding as if this were a regular morning. Krag’s eyes swept over the pack, a small smile playing on his lips. What he was thinking, no one was sure.

"Are they all half shifters like I was?" came a small milky voice.

The murmuring stopped for a moment. Xeno picked up Kit, who was listening to the conversation.

"They might be little, Kit. Why? Do you think it’s a bad thing?" Xeno asked.

Kit shook his head. "Priestess Visha," he said, turning to face Visha from Xeno’s arms, "can you give them the same thing you gave me?"

Visha studied Kit. She had forgotten that when she met him first, he was a shy little guy who wouldn’t even get close to people. Now, he was running around, helping the pack, and was happy and free.

"I can’t do that," Visha replied. "What I gave you was special. I don’t have anymore to give. Plus, I’m sure they wouldn’t take it even if I gave it. Remember what I told you. Being a half-shifter isn’t a curse."

"I know," Kit said while nodding. "I just wanted to help."

"They are very happy," Uri said softly to Kit. "But they do need our help."

He faced Visha when he said this. "They have an illness in their camp, and they are hoping for your assistance. According to the Stone-horn leader, Gorn, this is an affliction that has been with them for generations. If we can help, they will give us some of their more advanced creations."

"I have told Gorn that it is up to you whether you are willing to help." Uri’s voice dropped as he spoke.

"A generational sickness? Do they know what’s causing it?" Visha asked.

She didn’t want to be a saviour. She needed to know the cause and effect before she even thought about trying to help them.

"They do. It is their forge. It doesn’t affect everyone. The ones who are affected are mostly the male beastmen, the weaker ones. There are also females who are ill, but to a lesser extent."

The pack stood listening to their conversation. They knew Visha had helped the River Clan. Would she decide to help the Stone-horns, too?

"If the forge is the problem, why not move it or stop making metal works?"

"It is what their people have always done. If they stop, they do not know what to do next. It would ruin their livelihood." Uri’s tone was even. He didn’t try to persuade her. She needed to make the decision on her own.

"What will they give if I help them?"

"Armour and pots, pans, and other kinds of cookware. For a set of people who do not cook well, they have a comprehensive list of things." Uri couldn’t help shaking his head.

"We don’t need armour. At least not now," Xeno interjected. "If we help them, I want them to make a hinge. The boar tusk is fine, but seeing their metal, I think it would work better than the tusk."

The pack looked at the metal still on the cart. They also wondered if it would be good to use metal. If they hadn’t used the boar tusk as a solution, they didn’t know when they would be able to have a working gate. However, there was a grinding sound when they opened it using the tusk. If metal could make the difference, they would be willing to try.

Visha thought about Xeno’s statement. He was right. The Stone-horns might be able to make something that works better than the tusks. But she also wondered if she could truly help. She thought of what they were offering. It was a benefit for her because using the clay pots or the claymoss pots would not be as effective as the metal pots. However, there was the risk of losing the partnership that had just started.

That’s when she heard it. The system notification.

[Task: The Smith’s Bane]

[Objective: Cure the ’Forge Sickness’ (Metal poisoning) using your accumulated knowledge. You must make an antidote based on the unique properties of the materials available.]

[Reward: 300 EXP, 150 CP, Alliance with Stone-Horn tribe.]

Visha couldn’t help rolling her eyes mentally. She had already gotten to level 2 and hadn’t seen any changes. She didn’t see the point of getting EXP. But she needed CP. The bonus of having the Stone-horns as allies was also a good thing.

"I’ll go," she said, her voice clear and decisive. "When do we leave next?"

Hearing her affirmation, the pack members smiled. They knew that making alliances meant that the pack was getting stronger. If they can build a better bond with the Stone-horns, it is to their benefit.