CHAPTER 245: CHAPTER 245 - BIRTH OF BEASTS, DAWN OF DIGGING FOR GOLD

It was only when I hear a disgusted tone out of Ms. Whitecrest that I realized just how... out of sorts those tangential thoughts had made me. What was I thinking about in the middle of a battle of wits?

"Such a messy affair. I still don’t understand why your mother insisted on having it at her house instead of taking her to a proper vet."

Victoria wrinkled her nose delicately, in the way that noblewomen often had when actually displeased about a topic. Minimized... but reactive instead of falsified.

"Mom said it was more natural. For them to be born at home. Uh, and the vet said it was fine as long as there weren’t... ’complications’."

As Paul defended the choice, the woman reached over and grabbed what was left of his drink. Sipping from it without a care, despite my raised eyebrow - or the even tighter shoulders of the young boy’s girlfriend.

Now, was that anger at them being close, jealousy that she has not done such a intimate thing, or perhaps is it the way she took as if it was a matter of course and the way that belittles the one she likes?

"Natural doesn’t mean pleasant. We would *all* be living in the forest without houses or clothes, if that was the case! Sadly, I happened to be visiting when it started. Absolutely revolting..."

I found myself oddly interested in what she had to say, despite my dislike of the woman. Her opinion may not be the majority, for all I know... but it did let me know the outlook of a very, *very* vocal minority.

"What was so bad about it?"

Victoria seemed surprised by my direct question, probably assuming we were ignoring each other mutually. But apparently the opening to express her disgust could not be resisted, and she shuddered so very dramatically.

"Everything. The noises she made and of course the filthy mess. Then the puppies themselves... wet, squirming things in those disgusting sacs that she had to bite open."

"Shh, we’re in a place where people are eating..."

The boy protested weakly, before glancing around to see if her description had soured anyone’s meal. Of course, this woman ignored his concern. The type to do what she wants, when she wants.

"And then she licked and ate the afterbirth. Right there on your mother’s... formerly expensive rug."

Concerned with money again. Or perhaps just ’nice’ things, though that usually means lots of money for most people like her. Zoé grimaced, the poor girl who wasn’t looking so good since I sat down whispered out a very teenage opinion.

"...Gross."

But compared to them? I felt calm as I absorbed what she was saying. It wasn’t so different from what I knew to be the natural process of birth among ’mammalian’ beasts from my world. If anything, it sort of reassured me.

Though I don’t really know what to expect with this... mutated birth. But whether it is like a human, like a canid, or somewhere in between? It does not seem something worth being so squeamish about.

"Most people find that story distasteful."

Victoria’s eyes narrowed and flickered orange as she studied my still unperturbed expression. I shrugged while taking a drink from the cranberry juice I had yet to finish. It’s bittersweet tartness made me lick my lips and work my jaw.

"It’s just how nature works. Even according to science, live birth for carnivores has been that way for far more years than human society has been attempting to gentrify the reality of their own pregnancies."

"Exactly! That’s what mom told me too. Well, not exactly those words - but it’s just what dogs do."

"Wolves too. And foxes. Bears. Hooved animals are more like humans, with their single births - and that their water bag ruptures during the process."

"You seem very knowledgeable about such things. Been studying what to expect from a pregnancy, have we?"

I met her eyes steadily, knowing that her Alpha lied to everyone. Knowing it was my choice to reinforce that or not. But if I didn’t tell Kyrie the truth, why would I tell someone who would go straight to her with it?

"Growing up in a place with lots of nature means I witnessed things that would not bother me. Not humans, and not animals. Most of them."

"Well, somehow I wouldn’t have pictured the Duskpaw territory as a place for scientific nature studies. Even if it sure to be a dismal place with nothing else to do but watch animals... procreate."

The dismissive reference to Helene’s origin from the auburn haired woman was what I was leading her toward, so I untensed slightly when she bit into it. But I had to keep my expression neutral and not make fun of her for being *so* careful with her phrasing around the teens.

She clearly wanted to imply I was watching the start of the process and not the end of it.

Prudish culture here as it is, and so hypocritical... I can’t exactly make fun of her for using a technical term instead of phrases they would find more common but more filthy! I would just look like the deviant instead.

Ah, maybe that is her goal?

"Yes, not much to do unlike here in the city. Where there are lots of people to bother at their mealtimes."

"If making a little conversation is enough to set your fangs on edge, perhaps you don’t belong in civilized society at all, hm?"

"You know, there’s a lot we don’t know about each other, Victoria. I’m more than happy to keep it that way."

A smile that was all teeth, all threat, and no happiness meets my little ultimatum.

"Clearly. But you and your rogue stench keeps showing up in my vicinity anyway. Well, I should get back to my clients. Paul, I’m your mother expects you home for Grandfather’s dinner tonight. Don’t forget."

"Sorry about her. She’s always like that..."

Her cousin apologized the moment she was far enough away, in his mind, for a mortified whisper. Part of my smile was reassurance, while the other was watching her step hitch out of the corner of my eye.

"It’s fine. As you might have noticed, I’ve met her before. And I’ve dealt with worse."

I assured him, though Vrika was still bristling in her direction within my mindscape. Interestingly, while it had always been a bit hesitant when I was planning to try and have us fight the rogues chasing us down... it seems to not care as much about using a first strike on her this time?

Do you just dislike her that much along with me, or is this more of your out of character aggression spilling away from me and toward her?

The black furred spirit, tilted it’s head while making a strange sound. I’m not sure, but I think it just called me stupid. With all my will, I resisted.

I resisted slamming down a running river filled with salmon through my mindscape with delicious, fatty fish it could never catch. So we could see how long it tried and just who was stupid!

Despite what I told the boy, he must have saw me frowning and angry because of my talk with that idiot inside me. Because he shrunk down again. I really wish he would stop doing that, he is cuter when he is more confident.

"Uh... okay. Still, thanks again for the food and drinks. I’m sorry if this ruined your afternoon or anything."

"Talking with the two of you had me in a very positive one, do not fret. I’m going to head to the counter and pay for everything. Keep an eye on my things, hm?"

"We’ll come with. We can just hold it."

The three of us approached the cashier’s counter together, where thankfully only a few were in line ahead of us. Reaching inside for my phone so that I’ll be able to pay from my account, I start to pull it out and... so happens to roughly coincide with a notification coming in.

A voice recording, tapping on the panel shows. Tempted, but feeling like this was not the place to interact with Kyrie’s voice in my ear, I stuff the device back inside and pull out the white card instead.

So what if I’m not paying with my own money this time? I can just add it to the amount I need to pay her back from funds I have.

Held between two fingers, the sleek, plain surface - unmarked except for the magnetic strip and chip - starts to tap impatiently against side of my crossed arms. It was only when I heard a sharp intake of breath that I realized my mistake.

Turning to see Victoria approaching directly for the line, her eyes were locked onto the card in my hand with unmistakable recognition of what I take as a quite distinctive style. She sneers wildly at me before opening her mouth.

"I knew you were trouble. One has to wonder what sort of... arrangement led to such generosity out of... well, you know who *quite* well, don’t you?"