(Moyu’s POV)
The Raccoon village was quiet as I circled overhead, my wings beating against the wind. Too quiet. I scanned the ground, searching for any kind of movement, from the trembling of a single leaf to the glint of moonlight on spider silk in the highest bushes.
Raccoon beastmen’s bodies littered the dirt paths. Even for one as composed as I, the sight of so many lifeless forms was enough to stir a response. But it wasn’t the carnage that made my feathers stand on end. It was the scorpions.
Dozens of them, their armored shells broken and their bodies twisted at unnatural angles. They were savaged, as if something had torn through them with claws so sharp they split in half in a clean cut.
My brow furrowed. Had another team gotten here first? No. I was the closest responder. Maybe the villagers fought back? But their claws wouldn’t be enough against this many.
Cold-blooded. My mind supplied the answer. They were fighting among themselves.
I was certain the culprits remained nearby and continued tracking them. Screams of male villagers pleading for help filled the air at the sight of me, but I forced my attention back to the traces.
As an eagle beastman, I’ve learned to focus on what mattered, to filter out cries that would otherwise tear at my composure.
Our clan had no females in it. Our affection ran as deep as winter streams; that was our reputation among the females, as we demanded mutual respect and wouldn’t tolerate anything less, not even from females who might bear our young.
From the day we hatched, we were taught that too much emotion clouded judgment. Our partnerships with the Beast Kingdom and surrounding villages were strategically formed to strengthen our ranks and secure our future.
As one of the most respected species among the beastmen, we got privileges others could only dream of. When we rescue females from peril, they often choose to bear our eaglets in gratitude. There was no need to battle their males or woo them with false promises. Our standing alone was sufficient. This approach ensured our kin continued.
My initial task was to assess the entire situation from above and eliminate the threat.
Something stirred beneath the ground, a subtle ripple visible only through my eagle sight. I folded my wings and dropped, striking the ground to reveal the scorpion’s armored back. My grip tightened, his shell cracking beneath the pressure. Once he went still, I lifted off, my gaze already searching for the next one.
As I scanned the area, my sharp eyes caught movement beneath a fallen log. Three raccoon females, cowering in fear.
Without hesitation, I swooped next to them, extending my wing to guide them out. They trembled as they climbed atop my back, their small claws gripping my feathers.
Mission accomplished, I flew up to leave. But something held my gaze. A flicker in the shadows. Her scent was barely a whisper on the wind.
She was busy treating two raccoon beastmen, muttering assuring words while doing so, "It will be alright. There is no need to fear. Your females are all safe now."
From my angle, her face remained hidden, yet her distinctly feminine stature and the tone of her voice left no doubt of her being a female.
Without waiting for a response, she quickly covered the fallen bodies of the raccoon beastmen with anything she could find nearby, like furs.
I watched, transfixed. Never in my life had I witnessed such respect for the dead, let alone for beastmen deemed powerless.
The way her hands lingered over their still forms with care that many didn’t even show toward the living. It caused something foreign to stir in my chest, an unfamiliar warmth that defied the cold discipline my clan had instilled in me. For the first time, I wondered if anyone would care for my body when I died, or, if I’d be left to rot, as most would.
Then she darted off in a different direction while shouting in the air. "The rescue team is already here! Our females are safe inside the nearby lake. The cold-blooded snake who had kidnapped them has been dealt with! Pass on the message!"
She didn’t seem affected by the death or gore around her, yet her voice carried fear and desperation, almost as if she was trying to lure the scorpions and rootless in her direction.
She did all that while luring the raccoon beastmen in the lake’s direction, which was known to be infested with dangerous swamp lizards and coldblooded. The racoon beastmen continued to pass on her message even as they fell victim to the scorpions’ venomous attacks.
Her efficiency was brisk, almost cold, mirroring my own.
"Scorpions! More of them!" The females’ claws tore at my feathers, their panicked bodies trembling against my back. "Fly! Fly now! They’re everywhere!"
My talons dug into the earth as I struggled to maintain balance. The females’ frenzied movements shifted my center of gravity, making flight difficult. I could feel their panic, but I forced myself to remain calm, to assess the situation with clarity.
My mind calculated the odds. With a powerful downstroke of my wings, I launched into the air.
Don’t be stupid, Moyu.’
Saving the three meant guaranteed safety, but it meant abandoning the lone female. Attempting to rescue her too would risk all four of us.
As we gained altitude, I cast one last look behind. Below, the lone female fleeing from a scorpion struck a chord in my conscience.
The reality of─what I had to leave behind─to save what I could—settled heavily in my chest.
It was a burden I would carry with every beat of my wings.