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Chapter 271: Chapter 271 Silverpeak moutain (3)
Everyone moved cautiously, their senses heightened. Each step was deliberate, with eyes scanning the surroundings and ears tuned to even the slightest sound.
Lucas, in particular, felt something strange in the air—an unpleasant scent, like the smell of rotten meat lingering faintly around them. He paused for a moment, sniffing the air more intently. Something wasn’t right, but when he looked in the direction of the odor, there was nothing there. No signs of danger, no carcass—just the dense forest and rocky terrain.
Shaking off the eerie feeling, Lucas continued on and found something more useful: cycanes
The broad, stiff leaves of the cycads were used by early creatures and even besstmen as a source of nourishment. Recognizing their thick, fibrous stems, Lucas knelt down, plucking a few of the plant’s cone-like structures that could be cooked and eaten.
"Hey, I found something we can eat," Lucas called out as he shifted back into his human form, holding up the cycads with a grin. "We can cook these tonight."
A warrior named Ash approached, curious. He shifted into his human form as well, eyeing the plants Lucas held. "Is that really safe? I’ve never seen anyone eating this before," Ash asked, frowning slightly.
Lucas nodded confidently. "Yeah, it’s fine. These grow all over the forests back home. A lot of people in my tribe eat them, especially during the rainy season. They’re edible, and even the leaves can be used in curry. They’ve got some medicinal properties too," Lucas explained, inspecting the cycads. He was skilled at identifying plants and species, and once he saw something, he never forgot it. His tribe’s leader often took him along on food-hunting trips for this very reason.
Ash looked more convinced now, though still a bit hesitant. "Well, if you’re sure about it, I guess it’s worth a shot. We could use something different."
Lucas chuckled. "Don’t worry, you won’t regret it. It’s not gourmet, but it’ll keep us going."
Even Leader Marc looked at Lucas with a glint of appreciation in his eyes, nodding approvingly. Lucas grinned, feeling a sense of pride at being recognized. Meanwhile, Kyra felt shifting into a beast was such a hassle, especially because if she shifted back into human form, she’d appear completely naked.
’It would be nice if I had some kind of original fur,’ she mused, feeling a bit annoyed by her limitations.
’You do,’ Kaia’s voice chimed in her mind, breaking the silence.
Kyra’s eyes widened in shock. ’What do you mean? How? And why didn’t I have it when I tried before?’
’Because you’re not like them,’ Kaia explained calmly. ’You have the blood of an ancient Frostlyn mixed with super-powered human blood. So, your shifting might be different. Instead of just shifting like the others, when you transform, you could imagine the kind of clothes you’d want to have on your body. Focus on that, and it should work.’
Kyra was excited by the possibility. She glanced around and saw everyone was busy talking, so she thought it would be a perfect time to try. She quickly imagined herself shifting into her human form but with her clothes intact. Confidence surged through her as she focused intensely.
But just as she was about to shift, the atmosphere changed.
"Growl..."
"Growl..."
The low, dangerous sound echoed through the area, breaking through the conversation. Suddenly, from the shadows, a pack of wolf-like creatures emerged. Their eyes were glowing a terrifying shade of red, and their fur was dark gray. Their legs were long and muscular, giving them a lean yet powerful appearance. They looked both fit and utterly scary, their gaze locked on the group.
The growls intensified as the creatures advanced, their dangerous red eyes glowing in the rain. Leader Marc let out a deep growl of his own, challenging them. He glanced at the warriors who were already on high alert, ready for the fight ahead.
"Ky-ky, stay back and keep safe," Lucas urged, positioning himself in front of her protectively.
Before anyone could react, one of the creatures lunged forward, aiming straight for them. But Damon was faster. In one swift motion, his sharp teeth clamped down on the creature’s neck, snapping it with a gruesome crunch. The creature let out a scream before dropping lifelessly to the ground.
Another creature wasted no time and lunged at Damon, but he met it head-on. With a swift thrust of his powerful horns, Damon pierced through its stomach, sending the beast howling in pain before it collapsed.
Meanwhile, Lucas was wrestling with a muscular creature that seemed more determined than the others. It kept rubbing its body against Lucas’s thick fur, pushing him back with its sheer strength.
"What the—?!" Lucas shouted in confusion, growling as the creature kept trying to rub against him. Annoyed, Lucas bit down hard on its skin, tearing off a chunk with a snarl. "Damn it! Are you trying to transfer your itch lice onto me?" he growled angrily, shaking his fur in disgust.
As the creature whimpered, it continued pressing its body against Lucas, refusing to give up. Lucas, frustrated and bewildered by this strange behavior, tried shaking it off. "Get off me!" he shouted, dodging another one of the beasts that seemed just as eager to rub against him.
Meanwhile, Kyra had her own share of beasts surrounding her. Unlike Lucas, she wasn’t confused—she was thrilled. Her deep blue eyes flashed with excitement as she swiftly bit down on the neck of a smaller beast. The creature collapsed, lifeless, but the rush of adrenaline had her smiling.
Damon growled deeply and coldly sank his teeth into the beast that was persistently trying to rub against Lucas. He lifted the creature effortlessly, tossing it away with such force that it tumbled across the snowy ground, finally defeated.
Leader Marc shifted in human and surveyed the scene and nodded approvingly at the group. "Good job, everyone," he said, his tone firm but proud. "We handled them well."
After the fight, they gathered around the fallen beasts, selecting some of the ones with better meat to bring along. However, as they inspected the carcasses, they noticed strange gray and blue discolorations around certain wounds. Their skin seemed to have unnatural markings, almost as if something was wrong with the flesh.
