Jia Hao sighed even heavily. He thought hard about this but tried to hide his outward expression to it which he failed at.

At least, he did not rage and that was a good thing. "I will come with you."

"No. I have to go on my own."

"I will have my guards go with you. Anyone you wish."

"And have lions in cheetah territory? When my own husband is there? Also no."

"How about only during the journey, huh?" Jia Hao smiled, the roads were not safe for her. Especially when she was aggressively hated by almost every living being.

"Would they stop only as escorts or will there be hidden orders from you to follow me everywhere?"

Jia Hao shut his eyes. She caught him, now he had no choice but to succumb. "As escorts." He said. "The journey would be long and I do not want you alone, especially at night. I also do not want to have you carry all that supplies on your own."

Mira smiled. "Now, that is very thoughtful and kind, thank you, Jia Hao."

"Anything for you, love." Jia Hao uttered. "I cannot believe we only have today." He thought aloud. Mira reached her hand into his pants and gripped his girth. Jia Hao stirred in reaction to her unexpected touch.

Mira bit her her lower lip, a sly grin on her face. "That seems like a pretty long time if you ask me."

**

The journey to the cheetah clan was long at best. Tirelessly long and hectic. Hours felt like days and Mira nearly lost it and was grateful she did not travel alone but now, that journey had come to an end.

She stood in front of the massive gate that displayed this was the cheetah clan. It lined the entire habitat. Unlike the lion clan that was full of hard work and concrete, this place was populated with wood structure. From the buildings to the walls. Everything was mainly wood. Mira swallowed.

Fire would be a terrible thing to happen in this place so she would very much not want to bring her cooking skills here.

[ Cooking was your first means of capturing the lion king’s heart. If you don’t do that here, how do you hope to win The Mighty Cheetah, host?

With personality?]

That statement seemed more like a mock than a question. "I will find a way." Mira said.

"Yes, mother of the tribe?" One of the two lions Jia Hao had guide her asked. Oops, she forgot they could hear her outside her mind.

"Nothing at all, please, lead me to The Mighty Cheetah’s home and when we arrive, I will arrange for you to be taken care of till you are ready to journey back." Mira said. She had no clue if she had the power to do that but she had to find a way.

Like when she made her entrance into the lion clan, the cheetahs here passed her hateful glances. Unlike in the lion clan where she saw some females, most people she walked by were males. Slender framed yet not underfed males in either their animal form or human form. They hated her and watched her closely with every step. The shroud feeling of entering a new land immediately crept in. Mira had gotten so accustomed to the peace in the Lion clan that she forgot how badly the other beast people detested her guts.

When the beast men looked at her escorts, the friendly waves and gazes were evident but that changed into bitterness the moment their eyes met hers.

"Please wait here." One of the lions said. "I want to meet someone to inform the Mighty cheetah of your visitation." Mira nodded. The lion left her alone with his companion.

"Hey." Mira called. She did not know his name. She never even asked for it. "How well do you know the cheetahs?" She asked.

"Well enough since birth, mother." He responded.

Mira swallowed. "What kind of things do they like?" She asked.

"Hunting." He said. This made Mira’s body hair stand. She had this brief image in her head where she was the prey and the cheetahs were the hunters and it made her body crawl. "And sleeping." The lion added.

Aha! Sleeping. They liked sleeping. She could make some mix that aided with sleeping! That could give her a shot here.

[Failure!] system chimed. [You’re setting yourself up for emotional damage, host!]

Mira’s face flattened. It would be nice to use her meat making skills to use but something told her that if they got the spice she needed, they would hang her onto the anchor instead. These people looked like they wanted to eat her alive. It was then Mira realised that the cheer they did during the ceremony of her cubs was only done as tradition and celebration for birthing true borns, not because they cared about her in the slightest. That was unsettling.

The other lion came forward. "The Mighty cheetah will come to meet with you soon." He said.

"Okay, thank you." Mira said to him. "And you too." She added, directed at the other lion. Now all she had to do was wait. Mira sighed. Waiting seemed so hard to do with so many hateful glances.

"Where is my visitor?" Resounded in the environment. Mira’s eyes widened as Ming Tao made his presence known to her. She didn’t know if it was the dryness of the atmosphere but she had a sudden thirst.

Dressed fancily in an expensive leather robe which rested over his shoulders was Ming Tao. Thin leather ropes hung over his neck as necklaces, some holding carved wood hoops and a single canines at the bottom. He had similar woven leather bangles on his wrists and leather pants. His hair was brilliantly styled and he looked so scrumptious. Mira swallowed as her eyes lined up his body. Now her gaze landed on his lips. It made her bite hers. She remembered, like it was just yesterday, the night he pulled her to him roughly and shared a kiss.

It made the entire world stop and her heart hammered in her chest. Her breathing became dense and calculating. Mira swallowed. "It is nice to meet you, Ming Tao." She said, her tone low and lost.

Ming Tao had a half grin on his face, like he remembered too and there was a cocky look he bore as he studied her form. "Mira." He worded. "Please, the pleasure is mine."