Chapter 339: A mountain of fluffy bodies
Didi nudged Yinny excitedly.
"Big Brother, let’s pick some fruit for Mother."
He recognized the fruit growing on the towering tree. Nina had always liked it.
Yinny nodded without hesitation.
"Alright."
Linny and Momo immediately flew over.
"We want to help too."
Soon, Shushu and Sunny came running over as well.
After thinking for a moment, Didi organized the group.
"Shushu, Sunny, you stay below and catch the fruit. The rest of us are better at climbing, so we’ll pick it."
The two younger boys glanced up at the enormous tree stretching high into the sky and obediently nodded.
"Okay."
They took their positions beneath the branches.
Didi and Yinny scrambled up the trunk with remarkable speed and agility. Linny and Momo simply spread their wings and flew directly into the canopy.
Once they reached the branches, the harvesting began immediately.
Every time one of the older children picked a fruit, they tossed it down to the ground.
Below, Shushu and Sunny bounced from place to place, catching the falling fruit with surprising accuracy.
Before long, cheerful laughter filled the area.
The children were having the time of their lives.
Nearby, Sal and Aviel leaned against a tree, casually keeping watch while allowing the youngsters to enjoy themselves.
After tossing down another piece of fruit, Didi spotted an especially large one hanging near the very tip of a branch.
Its skin glowed with a rich color, looking sweeter and juicier than all the others.
His eyes lit up instantly.
Carefully balancing himself, he began inching toward it.
The branch narrowed the farther he went.
Stretching out a paw, he tried to reach the fruit.
He missed, just barely.
Determined not to give up, he edged forward another small step.
This time his claws brushed against the fruit.
Success!
His face broke into a delighted grin as he plucked it free.
Then disaster struck. A sharp cracking sound echoed through the air. The branch beneath him snapped.
"Awoo!"
A startled cry escaped him as his body dropped suddenly from the towering tree.
The scream immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Nina’s heart nearly stopped.
Her eyes widened as she looked up and saw her eldest son plummeting from an alarming height.
"Didi!"
Panic flashed across her face. Without thinking, she instantly mobilized her ability.
At the same time, Sal and Aviel launched themselves forward.
Both men moved with explosive speed, racing to intercept the falling child.
Yet before either of them could reach him, a streak of white shot across the clearing.
The movement was so fast that it resembled a flash of light.
Phar arrived first.
His snow-white form blurred through the air.
In one smooth motion, he caught Didi before the child could hit the ground. The little boy landed safely in his embrace. Not even a scratch appeared on him.
Phar carefully lowered him onto the grass.
Only then did Sal and Aviel arrive.
The two males stared at the white beast in surprise. Neither had expected him to move so quickly. That speed was extraordinary. Even they had been a step too slow.
Meanwhile, Didi stood frozen in place, still clutching the large fruit he had risked everything to pick.
His little heart pounded wildly from the fright. Yet the fruit remained firmly in his paws.
The first thing he did after recovering was look toward Nina. His eyes immediately brightened.
"Mother!" He raised the fruit proudly. "I picked the biggest one for you."
Relief flooded Nina the moment she saw Didi safely in Phar’s grasp.
Rising from her chair, she hurried over and gathered the little boy into her arms.
"Didi, are you hurt anywhere?"
The child immediately shook his head.
"Don’t worry, Mother. I’m fine."
His face lit up as he proudly raised the fruit still clutched in his paw.
"Mother, I picked a big one for you."
Nina accepted the fruit and looked at it before turning back to the children.
"So you all climbed that enormous tree just to pick fruit for me?"
Didi nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes. We know you like these fruits."
The other children soon came running over as well.
Only then did Nina notice Shushu and Sunny dragging two large hide sacks stuffed full of freshly picked fruit.
A warm feeling spread through her chest.
She crouched down and gently stroked each child’s head.
"Thank you for the fruit, my little ones. But next time, try not to climb trees that are so tall. If you do climb, be very careful. What if you get hurt?"
The children obediently nodded.
"We understand."
The fathers, however, were far less concerned. In their opinion, Nina worried too much. A few bumps and scrapes were practically a rite of passage for young male cubs.
Kith walked over and smiled.
"Nina, Didi has abilities. He wouldn’t have been injured from a fall like that."
Didi immediately rubbed against her affectionately.
"That’s right, Mother. I wouldn’t have gotten hurt."
If nobody had caught him, he would have protected himself with his powers before reaching the ground.
The reason Sal and Aviel had rushed over was simply that he was still young. They worried he might panic and forget to react in time.
Kith, however, understood Didi’s temperament better than anyone.
Nina pinched his chubby cheek.
"I know. My babies are all very capable."
Then she turned toward Phar.
Stepping closer, she lifted him into her arms as well.
"Thank you, Snowflake."
Even though Didi possessed abilities, accidents could still happen. The tree had been incredibly tall.
Phar glanced at her before lowering his head slightly. The tips of his ears turned faintly pink.
The mates exchanged thoughtful looks.
Something about this Snowflake seemed increasingly unusual.
Nina returned to the reclining chair carrying both Didi and Phar.
As her fingers sank into the unbelievably soft white fur in her arms, an irresistible urge overtook her.
Without hesitation, she began stroking and petting him thoroughly.
Phar’s entire body trembled.
A strange tingling sensation spread through him like an electric current.
His limbs grew weak.
Strength seemed to drain from his body altogether.
He secretly peeked at Nina from beneath lowered lashes.
His heartbeat became increasingly erratic.
Did this little female possess some sort of mysterious ability?
Why did his body feel so strange whenever she touched him?
When her fingers brushed particularly sensitive spots, the sensation intensified dramatically.
The tingling became almost overwhelming.
Soon he was sprawled limply across her lap, breathing slightly unevenly.
Meanwhile, Didi sat nearby waiting expectantly.
Surely Mother would massage him next.
The other children quickly rushed over and crowded around her.
"Mother, we want massages too."
They absolutely loved it whenever Nina petted them.
Nina laughed.
"Alright. Everyone will get a turn."
Meanwhile, Shushu and Sunny dragged the fruit sacks over to Mino.
"Father Mino, please wash the fruit for Mother."
Before he could respond, the two little troublemakers dashed back to claim places in line.
Mino looked down at the sacks before immediately handing them to Lex.
"You wash them."
Then, with absolutely no shame, he transformed into a fluffy white kitten and trotted off to join the queue himself.
Soon more furry creatures appeared.
Little leopards. Tiny white tigers. Small foxes. Snow wolf cubs.
Before long, Nina was surrounded by a mountain of fluffy bodies.
Lex stared at the fruit in his hands and sighed helplessly.
Obediently, he carried the sacks away to wash them.
What else could he do?
Unlike everyone else, he had no fur to take advantage of.
Nearby, Aviel and the others watched with undisguised envy.
At times like this, having fur really did seem like a tremendous advantage.
Nina’s smile never faded.
Looking around at the sea of fluffy companions surrounding her, she felt immensely satisfied.
Today she intended to pet every single one of them.
Hours passed.
By the time she finished giving attention to all the children and mates, her hands were actually sore.
Even then, nobody wanted to leave.
The children remained piled on top of her. The mates shamelessly occupied every available space.
Even Phar stayed exactly where he was.
He bit his lip slightly. Truthfully, he did not want to leave either.
Thus Nina ended up buried beneath an enormous pile of fluffy bodies, basking peacefully in the warm sunlight with her eyes closed.
It was bliss.
As evening approached, Idir emerged from the cooking area carrying several plates of freshly made desserts.
He fed Nina a few bites himself before producing a small pudding.
Attracted by the delicious aroma, Momo immediately flew over.
Idir held out the dessert.
"Momo, would you like to try the pudding Father made?"
The little boy hesitated.
Today’s dessert had been made by the Big Bad Snake.
Should he eat it or not?
The rich fragrance drifted into his nose. His mouth watered instantly.
Nina chuckled.
"Your father makes very good pudding. Why don’t you give it a try?"
Idir moved the dessert closer.
"It’s your favorite flavor. Durian."
Momo’s resolve immediately wavered.
After a brief internal struggle, temptation won.
He took a cautious bite. The moment the pudding touched his tongue, his eyes widened.
Without another word, he wrapped his tail around the entire dessert and whisked it away.
Then he flew off to enjoy it alone.
Hmph.
Eating the pudding did not mean he had forgiven the Big Bad Snake.
Not at all.
Curled up in a corner, he devoured the dessert with great enthusiasm.
The Big Bad Snake might be annoying, but his cooking was undeniably excellent.
Nina and Idir exchanged amused glances.
Time slipped by quickly.
Soon, Odian completed the teleportation array.
The group traveled once more through the portal.
After another two days on the road, they finally arrived at Blaze City.
