[ CHAPTER 4: THE LEOPARD AND THE PANTHER ]
Gaharu had brought Bella to a large spacious room with a big stone table in the middle and wooden chairs around it. Gaharu sat at the largest wooden chair in the middle, looking like a big boss in a conference meeting, Bella thought to herself. Bella's eyes scanned the place. There were torches burning on the walls and also a small torch burning on the stone table. 
"Come, Bella. Sit beside me."
Bella covered her nose with her hand when her nostrils caught a strong smell of dried blood. A thought had somehow crossed her mind.
These so-called beastmen... probably don't eat cooked food like her. 
Bella obediently pulled the first wooden chair next to where Gaharu was sitting, slowly. She wanted to ask who else would be joining them for dinner, then decided not to.
"Gaharu..."
When Bella called out his name softly, he felt his heart unexpectedly beating faster. His lips curled a smile.
"Please tell me that you eat cooked food."
When the question was directed to him, Gaharu let out a humorous scoff,
"Why, do humans eat raw meat...?"
Hearing that, Bella let out a sigh of relief. Oh, they do eat cooked food.
"Beastmen can eat either raw or cooked, I usually prefer raw meat. But if you like cooked meat, then I shall eat cooked food together with you."
Soon after, there were a few skinny beastmen wearing long dresses walked into the dining hall, bringing huge wooden plates of roasted meat.
"I thought that you might eat cooked food, so I told them to serve cooked meat."
The loaves of meat were huge. Probably deer thighs, Bella thought, although she'd never seen how deer thighs look like.
"Um... Thank you."
Bella said politely when one of the skinny beastmen in skirts placed a big goblet in front of her and poured in a beverage. Bella took the goblet and smelled the dark red beverage. Hmm... It smells like banana and strawberries. I wonder what it is...?
The one Bella thanked for pouring the beverage for her bowed his head at Bella. When Bella raised her head to smile at him, she noticed the lumps on his chest. Although the servants that brought food in were all tall, they weren't as tall as Gaharu or the soldiers Bella had seen earlier. However, these servants were all skinny, the lumps on their chests were hardly noticeable. Although they appeared to look like a skinnier  version of the beastmen, their facial features were smaller. Bella wanted to ask whether the servants were males or females, but thought it was impolite to do so while they were still there. So she waited until they had done serving the food and left the hall, she then turned to Gaharu,
"Are they... male, or female?"
"The servants? They are females."
Bella was lost for words. Even the females in this world are all tall and bigger than her. Not to mention, manlier. 
"My Lord, General Sora has returned from the battlefield." 
Once again, the sudden appearance of the antelope-faced beastman almost caused Bella to shriek. The antelope-faced bowed his head as he stood there by the entrance of the dining hall, announcing the return of the Ra general.
"Tell Sora to join me for mealtime, immediately. I have something to tell him."
"Yes, my Lord."
"And... Sepatu."
"Yes, my Lord?"
"Summon Abnaki for me."
"Yes, Lord Gaharu."
The antelope-faced named Sepatu bowed his head again before taking his leave. Bella noticed Sepatu shot her a strange glance before walking away from the dining hall. After the antelope-faced left, Gaharu turned to Bella,
"Sora is like a brother to me, so I must share with him this delightful news."
"What news?"
"That I have finally found the female I want. You will be the chieftess of the Ra tribe."
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat??!!
**********
"Lord Raneki!"
The bear, chief of the Ang tribe turned around when his subordinate barged into the tent made off animal skin, with a concerned look on his face.
"An eagle has trespassed our border."
"Eagle...? Could it be the wolf's general, Garuda?"
Raneki gave his subordinate a questioning gaze. His general, Sutakin, kept his head down while talking,
"We are not sure, my Lord. He is now under treatment. Our troop found him unconscious nearby the archer tower, badly wounded."
Lord Raneki, a beastman with a bulky figure and hairy chest, nodded slightly. There was a meaningful frown on his charming-looking face. Garuda is the last of his kind... There isn't any other eagle left. It must be Garuda. Raneki then gave out an order,
"Very well. Send someone to go to the Zov and inform the wolf that we had saved his general. This might be a chance for Zov and Ang to become allies."
**********
"Wha... what the fuck do you mean, chieftess??"
Bella stood up from her seat and slammed the stone table with her palms but immediately regretted it when her palms hurt,
"I don't want to marry you!"
"... Mary? Who is that?"
"Urghhh..."
Bella was inches away from strangling the tiger in front of her when another beastman arrived by the entrance of the dining hall. He was dressed in armor made of leopard skin with metal plates on his chest, shoulders, and forearms. His middle-length hair was wavy like Gaharu's hair but had a lighter color than Gaharu's. Maybe light blonde...? Or light orange? Bella couldn't tell with only the light from the torches. He lowered his head when Gaharu turned to look at him,
"My lord,"
His voice sounded a lot softer than Gaharu's too, Bella thought, Gaharu sounded like the thunder when he raised his voice, she thought again.
"I have brought another victory for you, my lord. The fox mountain has been conquered."
"Sora! Come join us, brother."
The gorgeous beastman named Sora raised his head and paced into the dining hall. His eyes widened when his gaze met with Bella's, he froze in his steps for a moment.
"My lord, this is..."
"Sora, this is Bella, my female. Bella, this is General Sora, the strongest of the leopard clan."
Nonchalant Gaharu arrogantly introduced Bella to the leopard as his female.
"When the fuck did I become your female, Gaharu?!"
When Bella snapped, both Gaharu and Sora turned to look at her. But they then threw their attention from her and began to talk only to themselves,
"Where is she from, my lord? She does not look like a mature female."
"Oh, but she is."
"But, my lord... She smelled very different. Don't you think we should at least be assured of who she really is..."
Bella's jaw clenched in anger, her chest heaving, she wanted to yell at them when another beastman appeared by the entrance of the dining hall,
"You summoned me, my lord?"
A tall and very dark-skinned man bowed his head. He was short-haired, with a strong chiseled jawline and his ears were pointy. He was handsome, like an African version of an elf, except with very short black hair. He was dressed in a long white robe. He stood by the entrance as if waiting for the permission to enter. Even with only the light provided from the torches, Bella could see his striking emerald green eyes as though glowing. Probably because of his dark skin, his eyes looked unusually gleaming with mystery. I could easily guess what beast this one is... He must be a panther.
"Ah, Abnaki, my High Priest. Come, join us."
Abnaki lifted his face and walked into the hall. As soon as his gleaming green orbs met Bella, he gasped, 
"My lord, why is this creature here with you? She... She will bring the fall of all beasts!"
*****