Beauty and the Beasts

“Just look at those tiger cubs if you don’t believe me.”

Molly spoke in a hushed tone as she secretly pointed out to Bai Qingqing.

Several little tigers were jumping merrily around the adults. Bai Qingqing remembered them as the tiger cubs who would play with her babies occasionally back then. At that time, they were more or less of the same size.

But after the cold season had passed, the tiger cubs didn’t seem much different. Upon careful observation, one could see that although their bone structures had increased in size, they had less flesh now; even through that layer of fur, the bones underneath could be seen.

“Why are they still so small?” Bai Qingqing, too, lowered her voice. She didn’t dare to talk about the petiteness of her own cubs now.

That was bound to incur others’ wrath.

Although her leopard cubs weren’t as meaty as when they were one month old, at least, they were still strong. They were also much taller, bulkier, and seemed a few months older than the tiger cubs.

Molly raised a brow and looked at the white tiger leading the streak, then to the stripeless Curtis, before glancing at the three-striped Parker.

“Your mates are all so strong, your cubs will definitely grow well.”

Bai Qingqing thought to herself, “Can I tell her that the food was mostly eaten by the adults?”

In order to ensure they were in a state to hunt, Winston and Parker ate more. But even then, these two adults were much thinner as compared to before.

Thankfully, she had an ample supply of milk.

“Bai Qingqing!”

Bluepool’s voice rang out from the waterhole. Bai Qingqing turned towards him, and her eyes instantly widened. She couldn’t bear the sight of it.

Bluepool had grown skinnier as well, much more so than Parker and Winston. He now looked like a slim and long fish, his flat body somewhat resembling loaches. Although his face didn’t appear bony, it felt elongated.

The bizarre thing, however, was that he remained gorgeous—there was a sickly beauty in his exquisite looks.

This was perhaps due to the soft bone structure of the fish species.

Bai Qingqing screamed inwardly: The cold season is so scary!

So this is what skinny merfolk looks like!

“Why do you… did you not have any food too?” Bai Qingqing’s face heated up as she recalled promising Bluepool she was going to be responsible for his food. Though, if he brought it up now, it was still within her limits to fulfill her promise, because they still had half of that meat they smoked.

Bluepool shook his stiff fishtail and explained, “The fishes were asleep, and I couldn’t be bothered to catch them in the river every day. Since you didn’t come to visit me, I simply dug a hole and went into hibernation. I’d been asleep till now.”

“Ah, I see.” Bai Qingqing exhaled, relieved to hear that he didn’t turn this skinny due to hunger.

“Am I very slim now?” Bluepool spun one round as he gazed at his own tail.

Bai Qingqing acutely sensed that he didn’t want others to call him “slim,” so she shook her head repeatedly. “No, you’re just fine.”

“Roar roar—”

Three leopards roared excitedly at the sight of Bluepool, instantly diverting his attention. “Are these your cubs? They’ve grown so much.”

After he spoke, he blew out three bubbles.

The leopard cubs retreated several steps. Bai Qingqing was wondering what they were going to do when, the next instant, they dashed uniformly towards the waterhole and ran into the bubble amidst their mother’s gasp.

Bai Qingqing patted her chest and glared at Bluepool. “You gave me a scare.”

Molly and the tiger beastmen widened their eyes in shock.

“Meow!” The leopard cubs purred in a wheedling manner, sounding a little muffled through the bubble layer.

They attempted to run towards Bai Qingqing in their bubble and ended up sinking with each step they took.

Bai Qingqing burst into gleeful laughter. “You deserve it for being disobedient. I’m abandoning you three, huh.”

“Howl!”

“Roar!”

“!”

The leopard cubs shouted at their mommy, their voices sounding increasingly muffled and weak until they became completely inaudible.

Bai Qingqing, who laughed so hard that her tummy ached, glanced at Bluepool and said, “Let them stay down there for a while before getting them back up. Let’s see what their reactions are.”

Bluepool said with a smile, “Up to you.”