The crane elder appeared with a bundle of rare medicinal herbs and a lengthy lecture on postpartum care that had everyone's eyes glazing over within minutes.
The wolf elder sent a message (via very exhausted messenger) that he was "too overwhelmed" to visit but sent his blessings and "please tell the cursed female—I mean, Bai Yue—that we're very happy for her."
The boar elder sent an entire haunch of roasted meat and a note that read: "Eat. Get strong. The baby needs milk. The tribe needs you not to die. Congratulations."
Even the bear king sent something.
A single, perfect, glowing moonstone, delivered by a very nervous-looking messenger who fled before anyone could interrogate him.
"What do we do with it?" Bai Yue asked, holding the stone.
"Throw it away," Han Shān said immediately.
"Return it," Zhāo Yàn suggested.
"Keep it," Yàn Shū offered. "Rejecting gifts from potential enemies can escalate conflict. Accepting them—"
