Sydney was in high spirits as she surveyed this plot of land. She usually wasn't one to express herself and let her emotions show but since she came to this world, it was like she had become a different person. These people that had now become her family gave her every reason to bask in her femininity freely. She was protected, cared for, loved and without a doubt, within her she knew that this wasn't something made up. Her intuition told her so.
As a fully fledged construction engineer graduate, this was going to be her own project and she planned all the best for it. Her concern however was on man power. She turned back and looked at Caden and the Eagle king who were watching her. She possibly couldn't dare ask her father do manual labor... it'd be embarrassing! But as the eagle king, he had some males who would he willing to help.
With that in mind, she walked over. "Do you need something Sydney?" Caden asked as his huge palms held her upper arms and inspected her. She was being funny with all her facial expressions.
"Caden.." she called his name and he lowered his eyes to be at her level. "I...we will need help to build our home like I had told you initially but...I don't want the helpers to work for free. We need some sort of payment for them." Sydney explained.
Listening to her reasoning, Caden nodded in understanding. Sydney had told him about it during her quarantine and her reasons for needing to make payments to those that helped but he knew these beastmen better than her. They'd be just fine working their backs off if it meant being close to the new female.
Carlos who was close overheard the duo's conversation and he couldn't help joining. "Some of the eagle beastmen would surely love to help. They can carry stone walls over from the stone mountain." he said.
"Then let's get as much help was we can!" Caden said and looked up to the sky. He walked behind her and covered her ears with his hands to protect her from the irritation the screech brought to the ears. Confused, Sydney tilted her head over that she could see Caden's face from an upside down view. Caden let out a loud screech which was answered but hundreds of others.
Seeing this, Shawn too howled out and passed on the message. His clans beastmen would be able to let other tribes know about this. Sydney who had seemingly forgotten that these men were animals too stood in a daze her eyes darting between Shawn and Caden. Her skin had lined with goosebumps from hearing the sounds they made but soon a silly grin was replaced. "Caden ..if I screech...can you tell me what it means?" she asked with anticipation.
Back when she was serving as a wildlife guard, she had learnt how to make some of the animal sounds and the birds were the easiest for her to mimick.
Caden looked at her and nodded helplessly. His female was really different! Sydney cleared her throat and looked at Caden with a big smile. She made a distinctive screech sound which froze even the approaching eagle beastmen in the sky!
A tent grew in Caden's skirt while the eagle king turned his back on them. Did she just ask for males to come mate with her?!!!! This female!!!
"How was it?" Sydney asked boastfuly. Before Caden could reply, around ten Eagle beastmen landed with a thud in their beast forms and puffed their chests. They could see their king and prince were there but the female had called for them...it wasn't their fault! As males, it was their duties to please a female.
Caden hurried and lifted Sydney in his arms. He hated being hostile to his clansmen but not when it came to Sydney. "MY female is only learning the ways of our tribe..don't take this call to heart." he said to the males while Sydney who had been anticipating to be praised was confused. "How did I do?" she still wanted to know. Even if the praise came a little late!
"Great!" Caden tousled her red locks helplessly. "What did it mean?" she asked. Caden was tempted to lie but if he did, she'd make that sound and get herself in trouble. Looking into her green eyes, he smiled. "You are asking for males to mate with you. It's a mating signal." he explained and watched her face turn to different shades
Her face turned from sweet white to pale pink then bright red when the message settled in her mind. She had noticed the landing beastmen but it was only now that she understood their enthusiasm. "I ..I didn't mean it that way....." she stammered but helplessly hid her face in his neck as her arms went around his body. Her leg was plastered onto 'something' on Caden's body making Sydney more sensitive and aware of her reckless act.
Seeing that the number of beastmen had increased, Caden tightened his hold around Sydney and looked over, there were first and second rank beastmen mostly who had come. " We need beastmen who would like to work and there's going to be a payment of blue crystals from me. If you are interested, please stay behind and wait for instructions."
Blue crystals were a rare typ of crystals. They could be traded for salt or used to please females. Blue crystals were found outside the walls of the beast city andbso, not many brave males dared to venture out there as it was deadly and one out of ten who went there returned alive, if not barely! Hearing that the eagle prince was offering blue crystals, many of the males who had come with the intention of pleasing the female were left with mouths left hang open but a few volunteered to stay.
Caden handed Sydney to Shawn who held her like a princess and walked over to a tree shed and sat with her. In Sydney's mind, she felt like she was going to need alot of materials to get this project done. She had already explained them to Caden and Shawn but they had a better plan for their female.
"Shawn, stay and protect Sydney well. If you feel like something is a miss, I've left some eagle beastmen who'll be on the look. They transfer you to the eagle castle immediately." he said. Since he was going to be away, he wanted Sydney to be in a safe place but she had insisted on wanting to see how it was done. He reluctantly gave in after getting assurance from his father who promised to be in the outlook as well. Carlos couldn't bare to see his hatchling loose his female and so he intended to do his best to protect her. Transforming into a gigantic black eagle, he flew off to the sky and scouted the area.
Sydney linked her hand to Shawn's upon hearing that. She needed to stay close to Caden and Shawn to avoid unwanted attention or being kidnapped. She knew she could fight her way out but considering that these men were beasts, she didn't wish to try her luck with them. Despite this being the city, some females who were not yet mates were usually snatched away by other beastmen who had little to no patience. They'd mate with the female forcefully or keep her hidden till she gave into his advances and only when the beastman's position was secured would he come out with the female. Though the act was highly condemned, many males thought it was the easiest way of finally getting a female.
Caden looked at Sydney who was obediently sitting close to Shawn. He knelt on his knees and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. He hated being away from her but he had a duty to fulfill. They were in the last days of the sunny season so preparations needed to be made on time. The kiss was so sudden that Sydney was stunned that she touched her forehead. "Be good." Caden said and she nodded her head. The whole of her body had been electrified by the kiss.
Transforming, Caden took flight along with five eagle and Hawk beastmen to head over to the stone mountain.