I woke up early in the morning and returned to my human form. The rabbit was still sleeping soundly next to me.
Madam and her males all seemed to be meat lovers, so it would be a good idea to get them something to eat, I thought.
I picked a rock from the ground, raising it above my head and aiming for its small body, "..." before putting it aside.
I had never killed before, so I lifted the snoring rabbit and carried it over to the males' campsite instead.
Baron had just woken up and was getting ready to cook breakfast.
I offered the little creature to the wolf beastman, who blinked in confusion at me.
"For you," I said, "For all of you." I corrected. They were family, and family shared. "To eat."
Madam said I could do whatever I wanted, and she only ordered Romeo to keep his distance from me. That meant I had permission to stay.
I thought about it all night, and no matter what angle I looked at it from, nobody had ordered me to leave. Madam was resting inside the tent, as long as I was out of her sight, then it shouldn't be a problem.
Baron looked at me in surprise, "You want us to eat a rabbit?"
I nodded, not understanding his confusion. It was a healthy and well-grown rabbit. It had to be tasty.
"Okay," he said, taking the rabbit from my arms, holding it by the ears, "Thank you, Little Miss."
I nodded and ran back to my bush.
I watched them silently, waiting for them to finish their meal and set out on the road again.
When they did, I followed after them, keeping a safe distance between us.
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A few days later...
I used the thin stems of the bush for a basket and plucked a few edible berries I could find to put inside. I decorated them with colorful wildflowers, matching their colors to their hair and eyes.
When I finished, I laid the basket in the usual spot and found a basket that had been placed there for me in return.
There was a leather flask of water, a wooden comb, a bar of soap, and a few other items neatly wrapped in a piece of black cloth. I looked up at their backs and found Baron glancing over his shoulder at me.
"Take it," he mouthed, and I did as he asked, retreating back into the bushes.
I checked the items over and smelled the bar. Milk and honey. I smiled at the familiar scent, thanking Baron in silence. The bushes of my choices had become closer and closer, making it almost seem like I was part of the group.
"Since when do our diets include rabbits, squirrels, and mice?" I heard Madam's voice as she hugged Baron from behind, her chin on his shoulder as she watched him cook, "Did bears go extinct when I was asleep?"
"If you didn't spend all of our energy last night, we would have woken up earlier and gone on a hunt." Baron teased her and received a smack on his bottom for it. He hissed and squirmed under her playful hands, "I'm cooking, I'm cooking."
"I'll get us some meat," she offered and kissed his cheek, letting him go.
"No, that's our job," Baron blocked her way, "Sit down and let us do our work. I've got this covered." He kissed her lips in return and continued to cook.
Madam chuckled, "Let's make it your job tonight to keep me warm again, how about that?"
His cheeks redden, and he quickly agreed, "Don't take too long or I will get in trouble."
She stroked his wolf ear one more time before walking in my direction.
Madam was a bad taker, but a very good giver. She would rather clean them than let them clean her, would rather have them rest while she hunted. The fights for dominance in the house were constant, and I had my fair share of watching her wrestle them down and make them submit.
Sometimes she would give in and play along, letting them feed her and dress her in local outfits. Other times, she would make them dress for her, and it was the most hilarious thing to see the males pose funnily for her and hear them complain about it.
She didn't talk to me, and never mentioned my name. She would pass by me as if I weren't there, and the few times I caught her glance my way, she was quick to look away.
"Painting me as a bad person won't make them like you," she whispered to me as she walked past my sitting figure on the grass.
I was on my knees, sorting a bag of nuts and mushrooms silently, keeping my eyes on the task. Even when she walked past, I didn't look up. My stomach would flutter like an anxious butterfly each time our paths crossed, and my ears would start to heat up from thoughts of what she might do.
"Acting all innocent won't make them trust you," she continued, her footsteps not slowing down. Her tone was light, provoking, "Keep playing the part of the victim, and see how fast you get hurt."
I bit my bottom lip. I didn't want to pick a fight with her. Not when she was already upset with me, so I kept my mouth shut.
She came to a stop, her figure casting a shadow over me. "You are like a dog in heat, desperate for affection from anyone willing to give it. Begging for a bone and thanking them for the scraps," she mocked, "Are you really that thirsty?"
I fell back, and she loomed over me, "Do you crave a male's attention that much? That any nice male will do? Even one who is committed to someone else?"
I shook my head quickly.
"Then what are you doing, seeking their attention, their approval, their care and comfort? Going as far as flirting with them?"
I scrambled to my feet and ran away, her words repeating themselves in my mind, making my skin crawl.