Villainess is being pampered by her beast husbands

Chapter 498: Chapter-498

On the first day, Kaya woke with her entire body stiff and aching from sleeping on stone covered only by a thin layer of dried grass. Her breath misted in the cold air, and her fingers were numb when she tried to flex them.

"We need better insulation," she said, her teeth chattering slightly. "Blankets, furs, something. Or we’re going to freeze to death before winter even properly arrives."

Veer, who seemed less affected by the cold thanks to his feathered beast form, nodded. "There are animals in these mountains. Deer-like creatures with thick fur. If we can bring down one or two, we could use the pelts."

"Then that’s today’s priority," Kaya decided. "Food and warmth. Everything else can wait."

The hunt took most of the day. The deer creatures Veer had mentioned were incredibly skittish, bolting at the slightest sound. Kaya’s attempts to stalk them were frustrated repeatedly by loose rocks that shifted under her feet, by her own labored breathing in the thin air, by her unfamiliarity with the terrain.

Finally, as the sun was beginning to set, they managed to corner one of the creatures in a narrow ravine. Veer dove from above, his talons extended, while Kaya rushed from the side with her knife.

The creature fought. It was stronger than it looked, with sharp hooves that nearly caught Kaya in the ribs. But between Veer’s aerial attacks and Kaya’s ground assault, they brought it down.

The butchering was messy. Kaya had field-dressed kills before, but this creature’s anatomy was slightly different from Earth animals, and she had to work by trial and error. She ruined some of the meat in the process, cutting wrong and contaminating it with digestive fluids.

But she salvaged enough for several meals, and the pelt was intact—thick, warm fur that would make a significant difference in their comfort.

They hauled the meat and pelt back to the cave as darkness fell, both exhausted but feeling a sense of accomplishment.

That night, they ate well for the first time since arriving in the mountains. Roasted meat, tough and gamey but plentiful. And afterward, Kaya worked on the pelt by firelight, scraping away fat and tissue, beginning the process of curing it properly.

"You know how to do that?" Cutie asked, watching her work.

"Basic field survival," Kaya said, not looking up from her task. "Every soldier learns how to process game in case they’re cut off from supply lines." She paused, examining the pelt. "Though I’ll admit, I’m working mostly from memory. It’s been a while."

"It’s better than anything I could do," Cutie said quietly.

Over the next few days, they fell into a routine.

Mornings were for hunting or gathering—searching for food, collecting firewood, finding materials they could use to improve their shelter.

Afternoons were for maintenance work—processing whatever they’d caught, repairing tools and clothing, fortifying the cave entrance.

Evenings were for planning and discussion—going over what they knew, what they needed to learn, what their next steps should be.

It was exhausting. Every day brought new challenges, new obstacles to overcome. But slowly, incrementally, their situation improved.

Kaya finished curing the first pelt and started on a second after they brought down another deer creature. She fashioned crude but functional blankets, significantly improving their sleeping situation.

Veer built a better smoke vent system using rocks and mud, allowing them to maintain the fire more consistently without worrying about giving away their position.

Cutie discovered several patches of edible tubers growing in sheltered spots in the valley, providing a reliable source of plant-based food to supplement the meat.

By the end of the week, they had something that could almost be called comfortable.

Not by civilized standards. But by survival standards, they were doing remarkably well.

On the eighth day, everything changed.

Kaya was alone in the cave—Veer had gone to scout the surrounding area from the air, and Cutie was down in the valley gathering water—when she heard a sound from the cave entrance.

Not an animal sound. Not wind.

Footsteps. Deliberate. Approaching.

Kaya’s hand immediately went to her knife. She positioned herself behind a rock formation near the entrance, ready to ambush whoever was approaching.

The footsteps grew closer. Then stopped just outside the cave.

"I know you’re in there," a female voice called out. "And I know you’re armed. But I’m not here to fight."

Kaya didn’t respond, waiting.

"My name is Serra," the voice continued. "I’m a wolf. Lone, no pack. I’ve been watching you for the past three days."

That made Kaya’s blood run cold. Three days. Someone had been observing them for three days without them noticing.

"I’m coming in now," Serra said. "Slowly. No weapons drawn. Please don’t stab me—I really am just here to talk."

A figure appeared in the cave entrance. Female, as she’d said. Tall and lean, with the characteristic build of a wolf beastman. She wore practical traveling clothes, worn but well-maintained, and carried a pack on her back. Her hands were visible and empty.

She was beautiful in the way most beastmen were—sharp features, amber eyes, an air of natural grace and power. Her hair was dark brown with hints of gray, suggesting she was older than she looked.

Kaya stayed hidden behind her rock, knife ready. "How did you find us?"

"I didn’t," Serra said calmly, not moving from the entrance. "I’ve been living in these mountains for two years. I know every valley, every cave, every water source. When you arrived, you disturbed patterns I’ve been observing for months." She paused. "You’re not exactly subtle. The smoke, the hunting, the noise. Anyone who knows these mountains would spot the signs."

"And what do you want?"

"To talk. To understand who you are and why you’re here." Serra took a careful step forward. "And to warn you—you’re not as hidden as you think you are."

That got Kaya’s attention. "What do you mean?"

"The eagles are still searching, but they’re expanding their search pattern. In another week, maybe two, they’ll reach this valley. And when they do—" Serra gestured around the cave. "—this place won’t protect you. They’ll find you, and you’ll have nowhere to run."

Kaya processed this information, trying to determine if it was a lie, a trick. But something in Serra’s tone, her posture, suggested sincerity.

She stepped out from behind her rock, keeping the knife visible but not actively threatening.

Serra’s eyes widened slightly when she saw Kaya. "You’re human."

"You didn’t know?"

"I knew someone was here. I could smell three different scents—bird, rabbit, and something I couldn’t identify. Now I know." Serra studied Kaya with open curiosity. "You’re the one everyone’s hunting. The human woman who appeared from nowhere, who knocked an eagle lord unconscious."

"News travels fast," Kaya said dryly.

"When you do something that dramatic, yes." Serra’s expression became more serious. "You’ve made some very powerful enemies. The eagle clan won’t forgive what you did to their leader. And the Snake Lord—" She shook her head. "He’s been searching for you even longer than the eagles have. He wants you badly."

"So I’ve heard." Kaya studied the wolf woman, trying to read her intentions. "You still haven’t said what you want. You came here to warn me about the eagles, fine. Thank you. But there’s more, isn’t there?"