Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off-Chapter 357: The Grief of Leaving Home Behind
The sun had already hidden behind clouds as the darkness slowly crawled at the forest, but the Fox Tribe was already a ghost of its former self.
No one had realized just how quickly twelve hours could vanish when your life depended on every second.
The forest, which was usually filled with the sounds of chirping insects, was now filled with the heavy, rhythmic thud of hundreds of paws and the quiet, muffled sobbing of females.
The evacuation happened without any delay; it was pure chaos. Following the absolute command of the Tribe Leader, Su Mingxuan, everyone had abandoned their homes.
They didn’t pack their beautiful stone bowls, their woven basket, or their carved wood items.
They only took what mattered: dried meat, hides to keep the children warm, and their lives.
Looking back at the mountain, the sight was heartbreaking.
The once-bustling tribe looked hollow. Doors were left hanging open, and fires were left to burn out into cold ash.
Some of the older beastmen had eyes that were bloodshot and red.
They had spent their whole lives on this mountain, defending it from predators and building a home for their children. Now, they were fleeing like prey.
"Is this really it?" a young fox beastman whispered, his voice cracking.
He stood at the edge of the descending path, his heavy pack pulling at his shoulders. He was barely an adult, and his eyes were overflowing with tears.
To him, the mountain wasn’t just dirt and trees. It was the place where his mother and father were buried.
Every cave and every stream held a memory of them.
He could still hear his father’s last words ringing in his ears...
"My child, live well. This is the blessing of our ancestors. Protect this tribe, for it is our lifeline. We live only so the Fox Tribe can survive."
The young man felt like he was failing his ancestors. By leaving, was he giving up their legacy?
He suddenly burst into tears, his chest heaving with the pain of a thousand "goodbyes." He felt like his heart was being torn out of his chest and left behind on the rocky cliffs.
Suddenly, a large, warm hand gripped his shoulder from behind. It was firm and steady, grounding him in the middle of his grief.
The young fox turned his head, his vision blurry with tears, to find a tall lion beastman standing there.
It was Shi Kuang, the younger brother of Shi Feng. The lion wasn’t looking at him with pity but with a deep, knowing sadness.
"It is hard to leave your home," Shi Kuang said, his voice low and rumbling like distant thunder.
"It feels like you are leaving your soul behind, doesn’t it?"
The young fox nodded weakly, unable to speak.
"But for survival, it is a must," Shi Kuang continued, giving the boy’s shoulder a supportive squeeze.
"If the people survive, the tribe survives. We can build another village. We can carve new bowls and find new streams. But if we die here, the memories of your father and mother die with you."
Shi Kuang gave a small, sad smile. He knew this pain better than anyone.
"I had to abandon my own tribal lands once. A massive flood swallowed everything I ever knew. I stood just like you, watching my home disappear under the water. I thought my life was over."
He paused, then flashed a big, bright smile that reached his golden eyes.
"But look at me now. I am still fine. I am living well. I even have a beautiful female now and an unborn cub waiting for me. We are not running away from our past, boy. We are running toward a future."
The young fox beastman felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him.
Here was a powerful lion warrior, someone who had lost everything, yet he was still standing tall and protecting others.
The boy wiped his eyes with his hand and took a deep breath.
"I... I understand," the fox whispered.
He didn’t want to be a burden anymore. With a flash of light, the young man transformed into his beast form...a sleek, red fox.
He lunged forward, grabbing some extra loads of hides from an elderly beastman who was struggling, and began to run faster down the mountain path.
He wasn’t running in fear anymore; he was running with the weight of his father’s blessing.
Shi Kuang watched him go and let out a long sigh. He looked back at the mountain one last time, his own heart aching for the peace they were leaving behind. But then he turned and started running too, his powerful legs eating up the ground.
Behind them, the wind began to change. The sweet smell of the forest was being replaced by a dark, foul odor...the scent of thousands of evil, ferocious beasts.
The 24-hour clock was ticking, and the Fox Tribe was a long line of shadows moving through the trees, desperate to reach the valley before the world turned into a bloodbath.
At the very front of the long line, Su Mingxuan was leading the way.
He had transformed into his beast form...a big, magnificent red fox with fur that glowed like embers in the dim light.
His ears were twitching constantly, and his sharp eyes scanned the horizon for any sign of trouble.
He was moving as fast as he could, his paws hitting the ground in a steady rhythm.
He felt a heavy weight in his chest.
Their biggest disadvantage was that the Fox Tribe didn’t have a single beastman who could fly.
They were grounded.
They couldn’t see over the trees or spot the beast tide from the sky. They were moving blindly through the thick forest, relying only on their noses and ears.
Su Mingxuan knew he had to lead them far away and fast. He couldn’t allow his tribe to be cornered.
They have little time, but he wants to make sure they at least reach a safe place so they can avoid the beast tide.
