Panther Village

As we continued walking, Kujo's demeanor slowly returned to normal. Thank goodness, I don't think I could stand the stagnant air filled with awkward silence any longer.

"We will be entering an area of the forest being managed by a pack of panthers. They should be friendly considering your lineage, but still, be on guard. Who knows maybe you can scratch that itch with some of the male panthers."

"Kujo"

"yes"

"fuck...you!"

"I keep telling you I don't swing panther, yet you keep asking. This is borderline sexual harassment."

At least he's back; at least he's back. Did I really miss this ignorant fool's banter?

We entered a clearing and it was full of panthers, looking more like a village than a pack. Some were training youths in the art of the hunt, while others cared for the young. A few panthers patrolled the outer region, and there were even a few panthers who appeared to be settling disputes between other members of the pack. I never thought that panthers could be so organized.

My awestruck wonder quickly dissipated when one of the patrolling panthers approached me. "Hey beautiful, haven't seen you here before, do you want to join me for a feast and maybe some fun later" Oh shit, I panicked. I don't want anything hard, nothing hard, oh damn you Kujo and your romance novel retelling.

I started to run away "um…no…Hell no!" I said bolting further into the clearing. And I could have sworn I saw Kujo rolling on the floor with laughter.

As I ran deeper in thinking I found safety not only was that freak trailing right behind me but another one joined the fray.

"Forget that loser, hey buddy don't you see the lady isn't interested so back off!" The panther exclaimed while glaring daggers at the love-struck panther guard.

"Thank you, I thought he would never stop."

"Worry not I always protect my mating partners."

"Say what now!"

"Oh don't be like that I used my superior strength to protect my damsel in distress, and am deserving of some gratitude," he said as he approached my backside.

"Oh hell no!" I cast swift step and with blinding speed, I ended up behind him. Before even knew what hit him, I gracefully planted the back of my front paw right into his dangling jewelry. He howled in pain as he started dragging his hurt manhood and backside along the ground. "You ungrateful dragon lady she bitch! My balls! Oh, shit my balls!"

And right behind him yet again was Kujo! Historical with laughter once again, that ass hat.

Three more male panthers approached me and without hesitation, I utilized the same move on all unsuspected non-suiters. Roars of pain and anguish filled the clearing.

Then I saw Kujo looking as of he was typing something in the air, and then it hit me.

CONGRATULATIONS

You unlocked the title ball buster.

Ball Buster

You don't just cockblock you bust balls.

+50% intimidation to all-male panthers.

I looked at Kujo with a death stare; he paused and then started laughing hysterically as he walked over to me wiping nonexistent tears from his eyes.

"What the hell is going on! I know once being a guy myself that an attractive female can be alluring to the opposite sex, but this is ridiculous!"

"Ah hah…heh…he"

"Are you done yet!"

"No…not yet, hahahahahehehe. Now I'm done. So to answer your question you should take a look at your status effect screen."

"I opened my screen to see one-word 'heat'" what the hell is heat? Then the description populated"

Status

Heat

Congratulations on your first step into womanhood. You were once a little girl but you are now officially a woman. As human girls will have their first period to mark the beginning of their journey to womanhood you are in heat. Status Effect you are now releasing a scent telling all-male Panthers around you that your booty is ready for the picking. Charisma to male panthers of breeding age increases by 500%. Take care around male suitors as they will be drawn into intense desires. No still means no. Host receives a 200% boost to strength against suitors that can't take no for an answer.

"Kujo…"

"yyyeeesss"

"How long did you know about this status effect."

"From the moment you evolved."

"And why pretell, did you fail to inform me about this?"

"Well, you see, I just had to see that surprised look on your face as every male came running upon you at once. And let me tell you, you did not disappoint."

"Kujo," I said as I approached Kujo getting inches away from his face.

"Ye..." before he could even fully respond I slashed my claws straight across his face causing his head to dissipate into a shadowy mist.

"Now that's just rude!" he exclaimed as his head started to reshape to its original form. "You do realize I use your SP to heal right?"

"It was well worth every point"

As we were bickering one of the wounded panthers approached activating a strength-enhancing skill. His body was visibly swelling until he was three times his original size. "You bitch! I'm going to show you how a female panther is supposed to submit," he said while licking his lips.

Before he took another step, and before I had a chance to react, Kujo glowed a deep red and blurred out of existence reappearing in front of the panther holding it by its neck fully suspending it in the air. "Now I know you weren't thinking about doing what I thought you were about to do, now were you?" the panther couldn't respond with anything other than choking sounds escaping its lips.

"You threatened my lady's maidenhood and that alone grants you a long, slow, painful death!"

"Enough!" Shouted an elderly panther as he approached the three of us. "My dear wolfkin, you are right in your pursuit of retribution, and my friend Jing Li is fully deserving of whatever fate you have planned for him. But could you do this old panther the favor of granting him mercy on my behalf? I can assure you, your lady's safety and purity are protected while you are amongst us. Although I am quite sure that she would have been able to dispatch this fool," he said while glaring at Jing Li, and continued to say " without expending a single SP."

Kujo's color changed from deep red to dark red and back to black as he slowly lowered Jing Li back to the ground. Then threw him back just before his paws could touch the earth.

My mouth was agape in shock as this scene played out. Jing Li got back up hacking, coughing, and gasping for air. He walked over to the elder wheezing "t...t...hank..." with a single fluid motion the elder backhanded Jing Li with strength well beyond what this frail-looking panther with saggy skin could muster. Jing Li flew back with amazing force as he went crashing into a boulder a few meters away.

"You damn fool, do you know what you did? You tried to defile not just any Panther, but kin of the very guardian of this forest. If that wasn't enough she is also a champion of our goddess. If you were to have by some miracle dominated her, our whole pack would suffer the wrath of our goddess. Do you think she, being a woman herself, would take kindly to anyone who forces themselves upon another, let alone, one of her champions! Now go grab the three other idiots, who don't know how to control their more primitive instincts when coming in contact with pheromones."

"You four will each go into their own cultivating solitude for two weeks. You will not leave this solitude not even to eat, and hopefully, gain some self-control and sanity! Now get out of my sight before I kill you myself!"

Jing Li responded "But Ojis..." "do not think to claim the honor of being my grandson, after your actions here today. Now get out of here and try to become worthy of one with that title."

The three other vagrants walked with their heads held low in utter shame. Jing Li on the other hand looked back and sneered at both Kujo and me. While thinking 'You dare to touch me! Just wait I will have my way with you. You don't even know who my father is. You will soon find out Jing Li is not to be trifled with.'

The elder then approached us, while my mouth was still hanging open in shock.

"You know young lady, keeping your mouth open like that is an open invitation to flies seeking a new home." snapping out of it I finally closed my jaw while looking deadpanned at this kind-looking old panther.

"I am shamed by my people and especially my grandson's behavior. His father, and my son, is the current head of the pact. Jing Li's status as the pack leader's son has left him feeling entitled. I warned my son that spoiling that dumb fool would make him into an entitled brat."

I finally responded after a slight pause "i...it's ok elder."

"Please young one I'd be honored if you'd just call me Ojisan (this means grandfather)"

"Ok Ojisan, it really isn't your fault..."

"The hell it isn't." Kujo interrupted. "What kind of pack are you guys running when so many of your pack don't even know how to approach a lady"

Sigh "I am shamed in how my people behaved. It wasn't always like this. Character and strength were equally valued before. Now only strength and power are of the utmost importance. It doesn't matter how vile you may be. If you have the strength to back it up everyone turns a blind eye. Well enough about our politics what brings you to our humble pack."

So I went over everything that transpired, from my Kaasan's death to Raksha's conquest, and our own efforts to find safety. I ended by explaining how we were on a journey toward the temple.

"Ojisan, if you don't mind me asking how is it that you knew I was the goddess' champion."

"Well, by sensing it in your aura and through my own connection to the goddess as one of her priests."

"What goddess do we serve exactly?" I asked inquisitively.

"Oh...right, I'm sorry young one, I forgot you were born less than a week ago, and with none to teach you our ways. The name of the goddess we serve is Parvati. She is a motherly goddess with the power to fight evil while nourishing her servants and blessing their fertility. That is probably the reason why the intensity of your pheromones is so high."

"Wait, so that wasn't how they normally act when someone is in heat?"

"Haha, no child, normally the other ladies may get a few extra glances, or a whistle or two. I can assure you that your pheromones are quite potent, stronger than any I have ever seen."

I internally blushed and cursed myself for the current situation. Then it hit me if my pheromones are that strong why isn't he affected by them. I looked at Ojisan with a suspicious gaze. Or is he, what if he is one of those creepy grandfathers trying to lure unsuspecting youths to his bedsheets. Oh goddess, images I'm seeing images damn Kujo and that love novel he recited!"

"Haha, little one you have nothing to fear, this Ojisan has lived long past his prime, hitting a bottleneck in my own cultivation allowing these old bones to finally age. I couldn't even rise to the occasion if I tried"

"Ojisan! Not helping with the mental images, oh goddess I'm feeling sick!"

.

"So elder" Kujo interjected, "now that we know she's the champion of the goddess Parvati, do you know why she was chosen, and what the goddess wants from her. Being a fertility goddess..." he glanced over to me with general concern. "Could she want her to breed a new generation of panthers?"

At this point, I became internally beet red from both embarrassment and rage. "Kujo! You Jack Ass, you better not be insinuating that I am to be some type of champion escort specializing in the spreading of my legs, to give birth to some army of panthers! Oh goddess I'm going to get sick!" all I could picture was me in a hut and a line of Panthers stretching across the clearing to...hard...pressing...blargh! Damn you Kujo!

"Haha hehe, the younger generation is just full of such energy!"

"Ojisan I'm not laughing!"

"Please forgive this old one. But to answer your question, most likely not. Every champion that came our way in history was a key figure in balancing the powers that are between spirit beasts, and humans alike. Besides, her being a motherly goddess, I can't see her placing such a fate on one of her champions. The strengthened pheromones were most likely a side effect of being chosen, as opposed to a means that the goddess wishes to use you."

Surprisingly the relief was not just on my face but Kujo's as well. In fact, he looked like a heavy weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Wait a minute, he has been acting awfully weird since the cave, and then he called me...

"Kuuujjjooo, When you valiantly came to my aid didn't you just call me 'MY L A D Y'. Upon hearing my words he froze as a child who was caught red-handed trying to come up with some type of story.

"Kuujjjoo, maybe you might want to explain. What the hell is going on!"

After regaining his composer Kujo deflected., "so... Elder you said something about the goddess and her champions."

"KUJO!"

"Sigh Now is not the time. I promise after we find out what Parvati wants with you I'll come clean. Just please...wait until then."

Kujo no longer beaming with overconfident jackassery, actually seemed pleading in his response. As if my next words could mortally wound him. "Fine, I can wait, but after that, I want to know everything you've been holding back and no more of this bullshit!"

"Thank you my la..." clearing his throat "I mean Mishi."

Hiding a chuckle Ojisan continued "well, it's hard to say what Parvati exactly wants you to do. But if we were to go to the temple." he said while pointing with his snout behind him. "At that time Parvati should give you more understanding of the destiny she laid out for you. At least that is how the champions of the past understood their true purpose."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" I exclaimed.

"Patience my child, I must prepare my mind before coming in her presence. Rest for now and we will leave at sunset."