The Promise

"If there aren't anymore surprises, I've got other matters to attend to. Harvey, I trust you'll keep attending to this issue until it's settled?"

"I'll watch them." All heads turned, because it wasn't Harvey who offered, but rather Anna, who was standing steadfast. "Harvey is our best, practically our only, doctor, if the issue does not have to do with Shuule's wounds, he should be freed from other tasks."

Harvey wrung his hands; she was correct, and he wanted all these males out of his house - but that would also mean he was alone again. Having the company of others was a fleeting adventure, though perhaps he would have a mother or two needing birthing help this winter.

Iro frowned, knowing that Anna offering was more that her spouses' would be watching - it wasn't as though a female would be able to handle Set if something were to go awry. But it was not his place to protest, and the King nodded to his daughter, before opening the door and leaving, alone. The crowd moved out of the Tiger King's footsteps quickly, but when he turned the corner of the street, a gathering twice as large surrounded the doctor's house.

[THAT BEAST CAN'T REALLY BE A FEMALE] a roar let out.

"Let's see her shift!" called a woman's voice.

"Abomination!" howled a male wolf's voice.

The hair on the back of Harvey's neck stood up, looking over at Shuule in apology. "I promise, they won't all think this way," he explained. "Change can be difficult - we will remind them of the Ape King, and how turning away a woman has never helped our people -"

"I can leave," Shuule offered for what felt like the hundredth time. "Listen, you've all been amazing, but I had a peacock male pick me up and try to drown me in the river once when I was thirteen. People who think I'm a bad omen can't be swayed."

Anna put her hands up to her mouth while Ukko leapt up. "I would never do that! I promise!"

But it was, surprisingly, Iro who's demeanor snapped. Ears pinned, he snarled, wanting to transform and attack the mob of onlookers outside and remind them why he was a Commander even at his age and stripe count. The only reason he didn't was because then only the big cats would understand his snarls. Turning on his heel, he threw open the heavy wooden door and roared.

"Anyone who has an issue with the girl has to go through me! To harm her is to defy the King's orders."

A short silence fell over the crowd, before a bear male called out. "Surely she's a mistake!"

Iro crossed his arms in defiance, tail lashing while looking down his nose.

"No, in fact I've come across a few female beasts that were able to transform! It's your fault if you were too scared and weak to go off and train in the wild as an adolescent. If that's what you're saying, then fine."

Inside, now with a hand on Shuule's shoulder, Anna scrunched up her nose and looked at Ukko and Harvey in question. "What on earth is he talking about?" she mouthed.

The eagle shrugged. With thousands upon thousands of beastmen in the city, him and Iro were not particularly close. If it wasn't for the fact that Iro was in the position to give the Eagle Guard orders, and that Ukko was being closely watched for promising trainability, Iro wouldn't have known him at all; Ukko would have of course, known who the leopard was as the descendants of Bai QingQing all lived in the second castle with Anna, save for two of them. But their familiarity was nowhere near the level of secret keeping or even small talk.

Harvey listened to the murmurs outside with interest, as Iro elaborated.

"Yes, I've seen an owl female, and a deer female who were able to shift," he said plainly, unwavering. "In fact, maybe there are several bird women who can transform - you wouldn't know because they don't have ears. Open your eyes! All is well, don't show everyone how stupid you are. How embarrassing for you."

Harvey's eyes lit up, figuring out the puzzle. "He's lying," he mouthed. Between the door, and everyone listening intently to Iro's yelling, it would be unlikely anyone would pick up their hushed voices, but not impossible.

Hearts were similarly lit up outside, with agitated growls, rumbles, and ruffled feathers, but nobody else said anything against the girl again.

"Well, can we see her?" an older woman all but demanded.

Iro, not one to give up the opportunity to put on a show, bared his fangs and threw his hands up dramatically. "No!" he yelled. "Her NAME is Shuule, and she is RESTING. She's been through TRAUMA. She is not going to be put on DISPLAY."

Without another word, he turned with the same arrogance he bolted out with, slamming the door back behind him again. Everyone but the stone faced Set had smiles dancing on their faces, but Iro made sure to remind them not to speak of the tall tale he had just woven, putting a finger to his mouth.

Ukko shook his shoulders, as if to ruffle feathers that did not currently exist. "We need to get Shuule's belongings and the sna-Set can't go."

Anna had clearly already been devising a plan. "Ryan will scent the path out for you, Ukko. The two of you go, how far will it be?" she asked, turning to Set.

"Mm. Two days, perhaps a little less. It didn't take me that long to get here, but there were...circumstances. We didn't have much, but..." His continence changed, stiffening. It was against every fiber in his nature to ask another male for help, let alone tell him how to navigate the cave he had called home for so long, and where he hid his treasures.

It was Shuule's turn to finish her mate's thoughts. "We were readying for winter, and there is a lot of dried smoked meats that you are welcome to bring back, but if you don't, I trust we have time to restock in the city. But the most important items are the snakeskins. There's one set of clothes, and," she eyed Set, who was staring off in silent resolve,

"you'll need to look through the nooks in the wall, but there is a large pile of snakeskin fabric. This is the most important. Please, Ukko, bring it back. If you do, I promise you will be my spouse."

The young male leaped into the air, fist pumping like a fool while Set let out a heavy sigh as if all the air had just deflated from his large body. Shuule and Anna both laughed. It wasn't that Set hadn't even been hounding her to find another spouse, he just didn't expect her to take on someone with the enthusiasm of a puppy.

"I'll go find Ryan!" he exclaimed, bolting out the door and leaping into his eagle form, flying off.

"Oh, and we have plenty of rooms, Shuule. The two of you come take the bedroom on the top floor until they get back and we settle which empty home you'll be living in."

Iro let out a howl.