Chapter 3524: Elyon’s Turn For Trouble

"You smell strong," one of the wolfkin women said to Elyon, leaning in very close.

"And dangerous," another added.

"That darkness around you," a third purred, "very attractive."

Elyon smiled stiffly. "You flatter me."

"You would make a perfect husband," one declared confidently.

Elyon nearly choked on his drink. "Ah... I appreciate the compliment, but—"

"Strong males should not be wasted," another interrupted.

The wolfkin elder chuckled. "Careful, boy. In our tribe, compliments are serious."

Elyon glanced helplessly toward Lin Mu.

Lin Mu took a sip of mead and looked away.

Cattaleya, watching from nearby, burst out laughing. "You’re on your own."

The feast continued long into the night, filled with laughter, shared drinks, cultural misunderstandings, and more than a few jokes at Elyon’s expense.

For the first time since entering the rainforest, Lin Mu felt no tension at all.

Only warmth.

And the quiet realization that sometimes, fists and liquor really were the best introduction.

The feast continued, and if there was one person in the hall who looked like he was quietly regretting every life choice that led him here, it was Elyon.

The wolfkin women showed no signs of retreating.

In fact, emboldened by drink, laughter, and the general warmth of the gathering, they leaned in even closer. One rested her chin in her palm, amber eyes fixed on him with unblinking focus, while another traced idle circles on the stone floor with her clawed fingertip, tail swaying rhythmically behind her.

"You really won’t consider it?" one of them asked, ears twitching forward. "Not even one?"

Elyon forced a polite smile. "I truly cannot take on... relationships right now."

Cattaleya, who had been watching this unfold with increasing difficulty keeping a straight face, finally leaned over from the side. Her massive arm propped her chin up as she grinned wickedly.

"Oh?" she said loudly. "Didn’t you say before that your wolfkin tribe needs rebuilding?"

Elyon stiffened.

She continued, enjoying herself far too much. "Wouldn’t marrying a few wolfkin help with that? Increase the numbers, strengthen alliances, all that?"

Several wolfkin women perked up instantly.

"Yes," one said eagerly. "That makes sense."

"Very practical," another agreed.

Elyon’s face flushed faintly, a rare sight. "That’s not what I meant," he said quickly. "I said I would only marry Dark Wolf Kin."

There was a pause.

The wolfkin elder, who had been quietly observing the exchange with amusement, tilted his head slightly. "Dark Wolf Kin?"

Elyon nodded, his expression sobering. "Yes. My tribe."

The elder’s playful demeanor faded, replaced with something more thoughtful. "Are they... in decline?"

Elyon hesitated, then nodded. "Destroyed, long ago. I am still searching for traces of survivors. Or branches that may have split away."

The hall seemed to quiet just a bit around them, the laughter lowering into background noise.

The wolfkin elder stroked his beard slowly. "We did see some, once."

Elyon’s head snapped up. "You did?"

"A small group," the elder continued. "A few thousand years ago. They passed through this world briefly. Stayed no more than a couple of days."

Elyon leaned forward unconsciously. "Do you remember their leader’s name?"

The elder nodded. "A woman. Called Nia."

Elyon’s breath caught.

"Nia..." he repeated softly.

The name resonated in his mind, unfamiliar yet impossibly important.

"I do not know where they came from," the elder said. "Nor where they went. They were... guarded. Kept mostly to themselves. But they were unmistakably Dark Wolf Kin."

Elyon exhaled slowly, fingers tightening around his cup. Even that fragment of information was enough to send ripples through his heart. They were not all gone. Somewhere, somehow, his kin had endured.

"That is more than I have had in a long time," he said quietly. "Thank you."

The elder nodded once. "Our kind remembers those who walk alone."

Unfortunately for Elyon, the solemn moment did not last.

One of the wolfkin women leaned closer again, eyes bright. "You don’t need to stay," she said cheerfully. "Just leave your seed behind."

Elyon choked.

Cattaleya burst out laughing, nearly slapping the stone table with her palm. "Straight to the point! I like her."

Elyon looked desperately toward Lin Mu.

Lin Mu took a long sip of mead and looked away.

Meng Bai, seated nearby, snorted into his drink. "Usually it’s my master who suffers from this," he muttered. "Guess it’s your turn now."

Elyon closed his eyes for a brief second, silently cursing fate.

The banquet continued for hours after that, the hall filled with noise, warmth, and the unmistakable satisfaction of well fed warriors. By the end of it, even the most robust beastkin elders were leaning back with contented groans.

And yet, Lin Mu and Cattaleya still seemed perfectly fine.

In fact, they were still eating.

The boarkin elder stared openly as Lin Mu calmly stripped meat from a bone nearly as long as his arm. Nearby, Cattaleya bit into a massive roasted leg, chewing with visible enjoyment.

The rhino kin elder shook his head slowly. "Humans... shouldn’t be able to eat like that."

The bear king laughed thunderously. "Kin eats well!"

When the last of the food was finally cleared and the cups were set aside, the bear king rose to his full height. The motion alone caused several elders to glance over instinctively, though his expression was relaxed and satisfied.

He looked at Lin Mu, then at Little Shrubby, then back again.

"You are kin," he declared proudly. "A cousin from a distant line, but kin all the same."

Lin Mu inclined his head respectfully. "I am honored."

"And you may pass through our land freely," the bear king continued. "None will hinder you."

Relief passed through Lin Mu’s companions.

"But," the bear king added, his tone shifting slightly, "I will give you a warning."

Lin Mu’s attention sharpened. "About what?"

"Humans," the bear king said bluntly.

Lin Mu waited.

"There has been strange movement," the bear king went on. "Sects. Kingdoms. Too many. Too coordinated. Our scouts have seen them traveling, gathering, meeting."

"Do you know why?" Lin Mu asked in confusion.

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