Ping was snoring loudly, blissfully lost in slumber, completely unaware of anything happening in the world of elemental beasts. "Fang, itch!" he groaned as he twisted and turned, his plump figure shifting to lie flat on his stomach. Fang, who had been reading How to Train Your Dragon, dropped the book on the floor as she moved closer to her husband. With a playful slap on his furry bum, she scratched his back. "Here?" she asked.
"A little u-"
There was a loud thud followed by whimpering and hissing. The door to their room swung open, revealing a slender, rugged-looking tiger. "The dragons with the bird," he rambled.
Fang lifted an eyebrow, and Ping, still deep in slumber, jerked awake. "Don't tell me that old menace has come here," he muttered groggily.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Yui entered, exuding the same nonchalant aura, followed closely by Kai and Shiro. "Hello, old pals," Yui retorted, flashing a sassy smile at the couple.
Ping lowkey snarled, but Fang remained calm. "Well, well, the time has come for the dragons and birds to visit the tiger's territory with such 'bravery, huh?'" she mocked, her claws unsheathing in readiness.
Without hesitation, Ping pounced on Shiro, attempting to tear off his face with his enormous canines, while Fang, still in her human form, stepped forward and pinned Yui down, her claws raised, nearly landing on her face. Yui quickly shifted and wriggled out of Fang's iron-like grip.
But Fang was not so easily overpowered or escaped, just like the rest of the white tiger beasts. She yanked Yui's hair, causing her perfectly styled bun to collapse. Blood instincts kicking in, Kai lunged forward to pull Fang off his mother, but Fang easily shoved him aside, sending him crashing into the corner of the room.
Ping had managed to bite Shiro's hand, prompting the latter to transform into his beast form. His limb deformed into one of the majestic wings of fire, his eyes literally burning as he batted his wings, lifting above Ping. With a swift motion, he lunged at Ping, leaving a scar across his face.
"The tortoises are looking for the tamer, goddammit!" Yui shouted, struggling to hold Fang away. She was holding her breath, finding it extremely difficult to keep this tiger in human form from tearing her face off.
Silence engulfed the room as the tigers processed the information. They wouldn't question it, since the dragons were known for being well-informed about the beasts' terrain.
"They what?" Ping grumbled as Fang released her grip on Yui, silently watching the exchange between the visitors and the couple.
Meanwhile, Kai noticed the book Fang had been reading before they arrived lying on the floor. He glanced at Fang, who caught his eyes and gave him a knowing smirk that said, 'Yeah, I will enslave you, your mother, and your brothers.' Gulping hard, he stepped in behind his mother, who appeared disheveled from the combat with the tiger earlier.
The white tiger beasts, being the strongest clan among the four, had their own interests. The dragons, despite not matching their strength—being twice their size—had always intrigued the tigers, and for a long time, the tigers had wanted them as pets. Of course, the dragons were no mere dogs with claws and flames; they were air benders, yet this was something the tiger clan had always fantasized about.
"Their youngest female is dead, and if you didn't know, their clan is growing old and weak without new offspring," Yui continued.
"And they're looking for the Elemental Beast Tamer, so they can evolve and become more powerful," Shiro finished on her behalf.
Ping was lost in thought, still wondering how that was relevant to them, but the mention of the Tamer made him uneasy. "Oh, they want to keep ruling by breaking our pact?" Fang questioned, appearing to grasp the essence of the situation better than her husband.
"Yes, they were boasting about being able to control the land, and that having the heavens' wisdom meant they were entitled to rule. Back then, they were powerful, so we agreed, but now things can't be the same," Yui retorted, her gaze unwavering.
"We must find the Tamer before they do—and kill him," she added, her voice hardening. "War will follow, but it won't last as long as the one we had before. They're at their weakest now, and they'll surrender."
"Is it us three versus them?" Ping asked.
"Yes."
"Then will the dragons take over next?" Fang added with a hint of a smirk. Shiro hid his own smirk, knowing full well that this question would come up sooner or later.
Yui glanced into Fang's amber eyes, her piercing blue ones almost threatening. "In my view, yes, but I'm sure you'll all have your own opinions."
Shiro chimed in, "It's better that we focus on the more pressing matter now. Whatever happens later can be dealt with later."
"And this isn't the only reason we came here—to look for the tamer. We know you're the only ones who possess the ancient scroll of Elemental Beasts, which the tortoises may seek soon. It's better if you keep it safe while we look for the tamer," Yui stated, her voice softening slightly.
"That's for us to decide," Ping interrupted. "You can't just barge in and tell me what to do with the scroll, nor accept the bullshit you've stated."
Yui nodded simply, fully aware that they wouldn't comply easily, given their abrupt arrival. She made a mental note to get her hands on the scroll before the tigers did something foolish, like giving it to the tortoises for a bunch of territories and servants.
Shiro smirked before walking away nonchalantly, as if he had anticipated this outcome. He glanced back at Yui, nodding for her to follow him.
After a brief glance at the Tiger clan heads, she walked out, dragging Kai behind her.
"We have to make them agree to our terms or get the scroll," Yui murmured aloud, leaning against the tomb at the Four Divisions. "I prefer the latter, to be honest."
Shiro shook his head. "Are you forgetting their strength—and their elemental powers? We can't just steal from the Tigers."
What the bird had said was absolutely right, but it stung Yui regardless. "There must be some weakness."
"Now, now, save that for the next war. For now, we should focus on getting the scroll peacefully," Shiro retorted. Yui suddenly had an intuition to ditch Shiro and carry out her plan on her own, but she convinced herself otherwise, remembering that she'd be at an advantage if she didn't act without his help.
The dragon and the phoenix were lost in thought as the tigers got drunk and the tortoises schemed their next move.