Chapter 217: Hop in the Bird’s Nest

Altair didn’t question it. He turned around obediently.

Ren was immediately presented with a sprawling canvas of smooth, golden-tan skin stretched over wide, incredibly muscular shoulders, a broad back, and a very firm, perfectly sculpted ass.

Ren’s gaze dropped. She stared at his ass for just a moment. Or maybe two moments. It was the kind of rear end that marble statues aspired to have—tight, lifted, and utterly flawless.

’I am looking respectfully,’ Ren lied to herself.

She stepped forward, the thick leather cord of the loincloth gripped in her trembling hands. She reached around his waist, her arms circling his hard torso.

She held her breath. She had to be precise. She had to pull the front flap of the leather up and secure the cords without actually touching the massive, straining erection that was currently pointing directly northward from the other side. It was like playing a high-stakes game of Operation, but instead of a buzzer, the penalty was dying of embarrassment.

With surgical care, she avoided his manhood, pulling the leather taut over his hips and tying a sturdy knot at the small of his back.

To ensure it was secure, Ren flattened her palms and gave the back of the loincloth a few firm “smooths” right over his firm cheeks. Just to check the fit, of course.

Ren quickly cleared her throat and took a large step back.

“All done,” she announced, her face flushed.

Altair looked down at his midsection. He had always seen beastmen in loincloths, but this was his first time actually wearing one.

He hated it.

It felt strange. It felt restricting. The leather was heavy, and it offered zero aerodynamic value. Worse, his erection—which had not subsided in the slightest—was straining uncomfortably against the thick, unforgiving material. It was a fabric prison.

With a deep, stoic frown, Altair reached down, his fingers gripping the knot Ren had just tied, fully intending to rip the offending garment off.

“Ah! Stop!” Ren lunged forward, slapping his hands away. “Leave it on! It’s called decency!”

Altair looked at her, then back at the loincloth. He was quietly frustrated. Why did he have to wear it? But because Ren had asked, he let his hands fall to his sides, suffering the discomfort in silence.

Ren exhaled a breath of relief.

She looked around. The Fox’s den was actually almost decently organized. Ren realized that Altair wasn’t just moving things randomly; he was methodically stacking similar things in neat piles against the walls.

Ren quickly did the same, picking up the remaining clutter.

They continued together in a comfortable silence. As she worked, Ren’s mind began to wander.

’How long has it been since Kael left?’ she wondered, glancing toward the entryway. Dumping the elk’s excess shouldn’t take too long, right?

She looked at Altair, who was quietly folding the large pile of pelts and furs.

’It would be a good idea to introduce Altair to Kael,’ Ren thought. ’If I introduce them properly, there won’t be any misunderstandings later. Kael won’t just immediately try to kill him, right? If they could become friends, that would be even better.’

Ren chewed her bottom lip. The White Tiger Clan absolutely hated Kael right now. She truly didn’t want to leave him by himself to deal with a hostile clan while she spent three days in the swamp with Syris. She’d feel so much more comfortable if Altair was by Kael’s side while she was away.

A bodyguard for her bodyguard.

But then, reality dumped a bucket of cold water on her plans.

Ren acknowledged that Altair had his own demons. Namely, an army of however much ruthless bounty hunters.

’Kael’s life will be in constant danger if he affiliates with Altair,’ Ren realized with a sinking feeling.

Based on Ren’s understanding of this world’s hierarchy, Beast Kings were infinitely stronger and faster than normal beastmen. Kael had revoked the Rite. He was no longer a Beast King. What if the next bounty hunter that came after Altair was a Beast King?

If a fight broke out, Altair could just sprout his wings, fly away, and heal himself completely if he was badly hurt. But Kael? He couldn’t super-heal anymore. He would be slaughtered.

’Never mind,’ Ren sighed internally. ’Bad idea. Very bad idea.’

Ren’s dark thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a flurry of movement.

Altair, who had just spent the last twenty minutes meticulously folding the softest pelts and furs, suddenly grabbed the entire pile.

He walked to the middle of the now-cleared square floor, and began sprawling the pelts out. He threw them down haphazardly, kicking them into place, but there was a look of intense, single-minded focus on his flawless face. He shifted the furs, building up the edges, patting down the center.

Ren blinked. ’He’s… he’s building a nest?’

Ding!

A dual chime rang out in Ren’s head, sounding like a jackpot at a casino.

[System: Quest Complete: ’Maid of the Manor’. Reward: 5 Liters of Premium Cooking Oil, 1kg Sea Salt, cleaning supplies added to Inventory.][System: Quest Complete: ’Birdcatcher’. Reward: Scent Masking Spray added to Inventory.]

Ren paused, a smile breaking across her face.

She didn’t even have to convince Altair to stay. He had just decided, completely on his own, that he was going to stay here. And honestly, it made perfect sense. Vex’s tree hut truly was built more for a bird anyway. A fox had no business living hundreds of feet up a sheer wooden trunk.

Ren leaned against the wall, crossing her arms as she watched him work. He was incredibly graceful, even when arranging a giant, fluffy donut of pelts. The circular nest he built out of the furs he had just spent time folding looked ridiculously soft and inviting.

[System: Well, well, well…]

The System’s voice slithered into her mind.

[System: You now possess the Scent Masking Spray. And look! The Golden Eagle Prince has built a very nice, very soft nest. Coincidence? I think not. The universe is speaking to you, Host. You should hop in there and get busy.]

Ren’s face flushed a deep crimson. She glared at the empty air.

’Can you not?!’ Ren mentally hissed. ’Can you tell me something useful for once instead of acting like my inner demon?!’

[System: Kael is currently on his way up the tree.]

Ren froze.

Her heart stopped dead in her chest. The blood drained from her face, leaving her pale as a ghost.

She looked at the entryway. She looked at the giant, half-naked, nested eagle.

Ren’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she whisper-yelled into the empty room, “What?!”

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