Shu Yue chuckled, "Okay, Ama."
Leite raised an eyebrow, "Ama, you're overthinking it. I won't bully Xin'er."
Hu Sha glanced at her, "That's not certain!"
"..." Leite thought to himself, he doted on her, how could he possibly bully her? Of course, that didn't count in bed.
Hu Sha stayed and chatted for a while until Balen came to pick them up.
As soon as Balen saw Shu Xin, he was reminded of the scowling witch doctor, and his head began to ache. "Xin'er, that needle..."
Shu Xin said, "Clan Chief, silver needles are very delicate and easily damaged. I'm very sorry, but I cannot lend them out. Please tell the witch doctor that I mean no disrespect."
Balen paused at the change in address, and Leite's stiff body tensed.
Balen asked curiously, "Xin'er, why are you calling me Clan Chief and not Father anymore?"
Shu Xin explained, "Leite and I are not yet mates, so calling you Father is not in accordance with our customs. Once we become mates, it will be time enough to formally change my address."
Balen: "..." She knew!
Leite's face turned somewhat unpleasant, but he knew he was in the wrong.
Wente cast a disdainful glance at Leite, his face clearly conveying 'Serves you right!'
Shu Yue had no particular thoughts on the matter; it was proper to act this way before they were officially married.
Hu Sha's smiling eyes swept over everyone, finding these young people quite amusing.
"Alright, Balen, this is Leite's fault. We've been here long enough, let's go back."
Balen: "..." I just got here!
"Fine, then we'll be going." He deferred to his mate.
Wente called out, "Uncle, wait! There's something I need to tell you."
He then explained the matter of fishing with nets.
It was exactly what he needed, Balen had been worrying about what the clan members would eat in the coming days, and now this problem was solved!
He made the decision, "Pack up, we're going out to fish with nets shortly!"
After settling the arrangements, Balen and Hu Sha left first.
The pregnant Yue yawned, planning to take a nap in the afternoon; her biological clock couldn't be messed with.
It was another bountiful day. Fish and shrimp were almost becoming a nuisance, and without much effort, the beastmen returned laden with their catch.
Balen and the females ate their fill and expected a good night's sleep, but they were awakened in the night by an anxious witch doctor.
Balen, seeing her for the second time that day, felt his temples throb. "Witch Doctor, what happened?"
The witch doctor said in a panic, "Clan Chief, Yi Yi has a high fever! Quickly find someone to pick Snow Crystal Fruit for Yi Yi!"
Balen's heart sank. "What happened? Why is Yi Yi sick?"
The witch doctor had no time for further explanations. Lying beside her daughter that night, her arm had brushed against her daughter's arm, which was abnormally hot. When she touched her forehead, she knew it was bad!
A high fever! She immediately panicked. Without Snow Crystal Fruit, nothing else could save her daughter's life!
"Clan Chief, stop asking so many questions. Yi Yi is in danger now. Quickly find someone to pick Snow Crystal Fruit. If it's too late, Yi Yi will be burned by the fever!"
Balen pinched his brow, looking troubled. "Witch Doctor, do you have no way to reduce the fever?"
The witch doctor blurted out, "No, what can I possibly do!"
It wasn't just her; she dared say that no witch doctor had a solution. If there were a way to reduce fevers, so many sick females and cubs wouldn't die each year.
Balen's brow furrowed deeply. "Witch Doctor, it's the rainy season now. There's no Snow Crystal Fruit at this time."
Even if there were, it would have been washed away by the rain. Moreover, sending beastmen out to search now would be too dangerous.
Hearing this, the witch doctor's expression turned cold. "Then what about my Yi Yi? No, we must go find it now!"
Balen, hearing the witch doctor's heartless words, felt a surge of anger. Suppressing it, he said, "Yi Yi's illness cannot be delayed. Why don't you let Xin'er take a look first?"
"Impossible! She knows nothing about medicine. My Yi Yi will not have her poked with needles!"
Balen thought to himself, you know a lot, yet you have no solution at this moment?
The witch doctor's loud voice had already woken the three females.
In the darkness, Hu Sha let out a disdainful cold laugh. This was the witch doctor!
She yawned and walked out. "Witch Doctor, Balen just said there's no Snow Crystal Fruit in the rainy season, and you know that. Even if we send people to look now, we won't find any, will we?"
Hearing her words, the witch doctor's face turned displeased and cold. "This has nothing to do with you. I am speaking with the Clan Chief!"
Hu Sha was not annoyed and ambled back to the cave.
Lan Hua and Xing exchanged glances and quietly comforted Hu Sha, "The witch doctor is anxious about Yi Yi's health, so her words were a bit sharp. Please don't take it to heart."
Hu Sha replied, "I know, it's fine." She was happy enough!
Balen paced back and forth, annoyed. "Witch Doctor, the beast tide is coming soon. It's not appropriate to send clan members out to find Snow Crystal Fruit now; the journey is perilous—"
"Send Leite. He's a Dragon Beast, stronger than other beastmen," the witch doctor had already chosen someone.
Balen was speechless. Did he not worry about his own child's safety?
Dragon Beasts were strong, but they weren't immortal.
Did the witch doctor's child count as precious, while the Clan Chief's child was just grass?
Seeing his prolonged silence, the witch doctor spoke again, displeased. "Clan Chief, are you unwilling to let Leite go?"
Balen thought to himself, isn't that obvious? If it were normal times, picking Snow Crystal Fruit wouldn't be difficult. But now it's the rainy season, and there's no Snow Crystal Fruit. Why should he risk his child's life to search for something that cannot be found?
He forced a smile, "Witch Doctor, you know there's no Snow Crystal Fruit right now. Everyone knows that. Your request is a bit excessive."
The witch doctor's eyes widened in shock. "My request is excessive? This time it's my Yi Yi who is sick. If Shu Xin were sick, would Leite refuse to go?"
Balen's eye twitched. "Witch Doctor, Leite and Shu Xin are mates."
He hadn't heard of any male risking themselves for an unrelated female.
The witch doctor shouldn't be unaware of this principle!
The witch doctor, enraged, pointed at him. "Balen, if you don't go find someone, and it's too late, my Yi Yi will be in trouble. How can you disregard Yi Yi's life and death!"
Balen rubbed his forehead, truly unable to understand why she couldn't just let Shu Xin take a look when...
"I'll go gather the clan members and ask them."
"No need. Just call Leite or Wente. They can go together too," the witch doctor didn't trust the efficiency of other beastmen.
Balen's face also darkened. He said coldly, "Wente will not go. His mate is pregnant. If something happens to him while he's out..." How would he explain it to Yue Yue!
"Then let Leite go. His mate is not pregnant." The witch doctor hadn't intended to send Wente anyway.
Balen took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. "We'll go find Leite together and ask if he agrees."
He wouldn't make decisions for his child. If it were a matter of great importance to the tribe, he could order the person.
Clearly, the current situation was not that.
Females were very important, and as Clan Chief, he naturally couldn't ignore a sick female. However, it also depended on the actual circumstances. It could only be said that Yi Yi's illness had come at the wrong time.