[CHAPTER 9.2: THE TIGER]
... Are those... Piranhas?!
She immediately tugged the vine, praying that Satria would drag her out of the water before the piranhas chews the flesh off her bones.
As they got closer, she could see their sharp teeth and spiky fins. Bella mentally screamed in terror, calling out Satria's name to quickly pull her out of the water.
Bella swam away as fast as she could, unwilling to die as fish food. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain around her waist. A strong force had pulled her out of the water in an instant.
"Lady Bella!!" Satria rushed to get Bella as soon as she was out of the water. "Are you alright?!"
Bella chuckled in between her ragged breathing. She actually survived from being eaten alive by a swarm of piranhas! Fuckin' piranhas. Bella spat.
"My lady..." Satria fell on his knees, exhaling a huge sigh of relief.
Bella told Satria to summon the hunters when they get back to the palace later. She wanted to discuss with them on how to capture the piranhas, or whatever they're called in this world-- karoks.
"We have a new dish on the menu now, Satria."
*****
With Bella's guidance, the hunters prepared nets using mesh strings with rocks tied at the bottom to give weight. She also told them to prepare small chunks of meat as baits to lure the karoks out from under the undercut bank.
The karoks might have survived by relying on carcasses of beastmen thrown from the palace dungeon and leftovers thrown by the palace servants. It was no wonder the river was still clean even though it should have been dirty with a lot of things being thrown in it.
The hunters had successfully caught countless karoks on their first try. Bella ordered to distribute their catch to the villages and bring some back to the palace. Bella also taught the servants to take out the insides of the karoks before grilling them. Karoks have thick skin, suitable for grilling.
"Hm, not bad." Bella burped in satisfaction, hand touching her full stomach. Who knew that a piranha fish would taste delicious? Or perhaps only in this world.
"My lady, please do not ever act like that, ever again. I will lose my head if anything happens to you." Satria who just walked into the dining hall stood by the table side and bowed his head. Behind him were several soldiers and guards.
"Sir Satria is only concerned for your safety, my lady. If you ever need to do anything in the future, just order us." Bane, an ox, one of the soldiers who used to be Satria's subordinates in the military division spoke.
"Please, my lady." Satria got down on one knee. The soldiers and guards behind him also did the same.
Bella understood that she had caused them to worry by doing something so reckless. She could have lost her life today and become fish food.
"I apologize for my reckless behavior. I promise I won't endanger myself like that again," she said, "so please get up."
Hearing that, Satria got up and the others followed as well.
"Go enjoy the new dish, all of you. Thanks for all your hard work." Bella flashed them her bright smile.
"Peace be with you, my lady." They said altogether before leaving the dining hall.
"I'm such a pain in the ass sometimes, aren't I?" Bella chuckled. Suria and Talia who have been standing beside Bella the whole time she was enjoying her meal, also giggled along.
*****
He strode past the guards that were bowing their heads at him, didn't even take a glance back at them. The anxious look on his face was hard to not notice. His subordinates behind him were having trouble keeping up with his fast pace.
"General Sora..." Satria gulped when he felt the murderous aura exuding from Sora who had just returned.
"Sora...?" Bella tilted her head with a questioning look on her freshly cleansed face. She had just finished her hot bath and was about to head back to her chamber when Sora showed up at her bathroom entrance.
Now that he saw her, he became speechless. He was so worried when he heard the news about her diving into the deep water and almost got attacked by karoks that he rushed back without thinking much. He had forgotten that he had told himself not to get attached to her.
"Sora? What is it?" Bella asked again.
Sora let out a sigh of relief. She was unharmed. Not even a scratch.
"I... I heard that you risked your life to look for a different food source." Sora averted his gaze when his golden orbs met with Bella's deep black eyes.
"Oh. I guess the whole story was exaggerated a bit. I didn't actually..."
"Please be more careful in the future, my lady. I shall take my leave now."
"But..."
Before Bella could finish her words, Sora turned around to leave. Staring at his cold back, Bella felt slightly hurt by his sudden change of attitude. They were considered as close friends before. What actually changed?
"Sora is acting weird, don't you think?" Bella turned to ask Satria, Suria, and Talia who were standing behind her quietly.
"It appears so, my lady." Suria answered, nodding slowly.
Satria pursed his lips as he watched until the general was out of sight. He then glanced over to Lady Bella who was sighing softly. Satria was young and inexperienced when it comes to relationship matters. But he was not an idiot. He was a male too. He understood immediately the reason behind the general's sudden change of attitude.
Perhaps, this was for the best, Satria thought. And general Sora only did what he was supposed to do from the very beginning. 
*****
Talia was helping Suria to fold the dresses that had been washed and dried into the clothes rack in Bella's chamber. Bella was sitting on the wooden stool in her room, combing her long black shiny hair, chatting with the two servants. The hair comb made of wood in her hand dropped to the floor and she bent over to pick it up.
A pair of big feet in leather high boots appeared before her and she looked up.
"I heard you tried to kill yourself." Gaharu's low and husky voice sounded. His long tail was hanging low, purposely touching her face with the tip of his tail. He had both his hands behind him. 
"I didn't, I was just..."
"Regardless the situation and your reason was, what you did was suicidal." Gaharu uttered again, there was a hint of ire in his tone.
"Welcome back, my lord." Both Suria and Talia lowered their heads at Gaharu. They immediately left when Gaharu gestured for them to leave.
"I was reckless, I know, I won't do it again."
"Even so," Gaharu's lips twisted in a smirk, "You did well. You deserved praise."
Gaharu bent down and placed a light kiss on Bella's lips. Blood immediately rushed up her cheeks and her face felt warm.
"You...!" She wanted to yell at him for being so shameless. How could he casually kissed her like that? This shameless cat! 
But when Gaharu presented a handful of sweet scented flowers to her angry face, she was stunned and speechless. This crazy cat... Why is he being cheekily romantic all of a sudden? And to think that I would like flowers? Hah!
Bella bit her lips as her hand hesitantly took the flowers from Gaharu's hand. Gaharu chuckled quietly, 
"I thought that you might like them."
Bella hummed softly in between agreeing and disagreeing. But her cheeks were flushing red. She didn't really like flowers. She liked the scented ones, though, to be put in her chamber as air freshener or to bathe with them. And the flowers from Gaharu had unexpectedly made her day.
"Would you like to join me for a meal? I have never tasted a karok before, I wonder what it tastes like." Gaharu gently held Bella's small hand to pull her up.
But I just ate a while ago...
Bella followed Gaharu to the dining hall without saying anything. He probably hadn't eaten yet and just wanted company.
"I am truly amazed, Bella. I have never tasted anything so delicious before." Gaharu said after munching one whole grilled karok in his mouth. Bella stared in disbelief. He actually ate the fish together with its bone! She watched as he took another grilled karok and munched it head first.
"Be careful not to choke on the fish bones." Bella mumbled silently as she waited for Gaharu to finish his meal.
I guess it's true, there's no cat that doesn't eat fish.  
*****
Bella was getting ready to go to bed. She had a bit too much wine just now and her head was starting to spin. She and Gaharu had quite a chat in the dining hall and they drank quite a lot. She didn't sober up even after a hot bath.
After that, Gaharu went straight to the meeting hall with Sora, god knows what they were discussing about.
She was getting cozy and had fallen asleep when she felt a large hand crawling around her waist, pulling her. She felt Gaharu's firm muscular body pressing against her from behind. Bella opened her eyes and turned her head around to find Gaharu's face only an inch away from hers.
"What are you doing?" She grunted.
"Trying to sleep. Now, shush."
His remark made her scoff loud. How can she possibly sleep when he was cuddling her this tight? His eyes were shut but she could feel his erection poking her butt.
"Could you not hug me? How can I sleep like this?"
Gaharu opened his eyes, he stared at her with half opened eyes.
"The bed is big enough for both of us, so move over there so I can sleep peacefully." Bella tried to pull his hand that was locking her waist but Gaharu remained stiff. He seemed half awake with his half opened eyes fixed on her face.
"Gaharu! Go sleep at your side of the b-"
Without warning, Gaharu leaned over to press his lips on hers to shut her annoying whine. His breath smelled of fruity wine, it was warm and intoxicating. It was probably the wine, Bella reacted to his kiss.
"Why are you always so loud?" Gaharu pulled away just to complain about her annoying mouth, before he leaned forward to cover her mouth with his again. He was trying to sleep peacefully, ignoring his sexual needs. But this female just couldn't shut her pretty little mouth. Gaharu moved and positioned himself above her, his lips never left hers. 
Bella accidentally let out a soft moan when Gaharu nibbled on her lips. Her hands were on his firm chest, effortlessly pushing him. Gaharu felt the push, so he pulled away from her and stared. He couldn't read her facial expression. She didn't seem angry, though. 
"There are steps, remember?" She said. Her face was blushing and she looked even alluring.
"Steps...?" Gaharu frowned. He then understood what she meant. Bella did mention about the steps to be followed before humans get into the sexual relationship. So, was she telling him to stop? Or... 
Seeing Gaharu didn't say anything or even move a muscle, Bella bit her lips. 
"Just so you know, a kiss is like this..." Her hands moved spontaneously, encircling around his neck. Gaharu's body tensed up immediately when Bella pulled him down for a kiss, sliding her tongue into his mouth.
His feline tongue was coarse and prickly, it was uncomfortable yet surprisingly arousing at the same time. Gaharu learned fast, he imitated her movements and in just a few seconds, he began to kiss her overbearingly, not giving her a chance to even catch her breath.
"Gaharu..." The way she moaned out his name while breathing hard made him even harder. Her voice sent thrills and ecstasy running through his veins. He pressed his hardness in between her legs, earning himself another soft moan from her. 
His lips left hers and moved to her ear, he licked the sweat on the side of her face before nibbling on her earlobe. Bella could feel her own temperature rising when Gaharu sucked the skin of her neck. His hand crawled to caress her breast while he nibbled on her neck, giving her shivers.
"Ah..." Bella bit her lips, her trembling hand clenched onto his shirt. His feline tongue was coarse and his incisors were sharp, everywhere his mouth latched on, it burned. Strangely, she didn't hate it even a bit. 
"Do you want me to stop now?" He whispered to her ear, "because I will not be able to stop myself if things escalate from here. And I do not want you to regret it after."
Bella opened her eyes and her swollen red lips formed a smile. She was slightly touched by his consideration for her feelings. She turned her face to gaze into his golden irises,
"I think... This is as far as I can go."
Gaharu leaned down to give her one last domineering kiss before he turned over to lie beside her.
"We should sleep." He said, pulling her into his arms. Having her in his arms and waking up to her scent was already a happiness to him. He had once felt such warmth from a female. But he thought he would never feel that wonderful feeling again.
Bella scoffed slightly. Her lips were swollen from his brutal kiss, but she didn't hate it. He was gentleman enough to stop halfway for her. Her ex certainly didn't. That's... sweet. Bella smiled again, feeling the blooming warmth in her heart. 
This tiger was more human than her stupid ex.
"Good night, crazy cat." She mumbled quietly. It wasn't intended for him to hear. Her face was still hot and her lips curved up a blushing smile as she closed her eyes, listening to his purring sound.
*****