I'm practicing in making spring flower wreaths, Elena is playing with my wet hair, and Natasha is lazily lying on a bed of flowers. Our mothers on the other hand, are on the other side of the river softly chatting with the rest of the tribe females.

"I wonder what they're talking about" I purr happily as Elena delicately brushes my hair. The female cub behind me slightly tilts her ears to them, "not sure, but they keep repeating the most beautiful female." I glance at mama and start comparing her to the other females, "but they're all beautiful no?". Natasha let's out a giggle, "yes, but there's a difference because it's that time again."

Both Elena and I give her a questioning look. The wolf half-female cub sits up and starts pruning her tail while explaining, "I was ten years old the last time they had what is called The Most Beautiful Contest." Placing a hand on her chin, "that time Elena wasn't born yet and some time has passed since I was born, so the title of the Most Beautiful Female went to the female that had the most cubs." "Umm, I think it was her" Elena points with a chin nod to one of the females in that group.

"Uh, Natasha, you do know they're all sitting together" sarcastically says Elena. Natasha tilts her head, "oh that's right, sorry, she's the one with the thick wavy dark brown hair and dark blue eyes, umm sitting next to Elena's mom." Looking over, I see that this female is indeed sitting next to Lori, yet she seems to be barely holding onto her smile.

"She doesn't look happy to me" I say outloud. Natasha shushes me, she leans over to whisper to us, "she and Lucy has had a kind of rivalry with each other... I think it's because both of them are fox beasts." We think about it for a while till Elena straightens up and adds as if she discovered some juicy gossip, "ohhh, so five winters ago she probably gloated her title and now it's most likely Lucy who'll wear it." Ahhhh I see. We all nod our heads solemnly. Well this is going to be entertaining, I smugly smile.

My thoughts are interrupted by a grizzly roar. We all look toward where the noise came from, it's the village. While we cubs hurridly stand up, the females have quickly swam across the river. Some of these females have already worn their cloths and are now trotting toward the village. Soon, a few eerie howls are heard. As for our mothers, they literally picked us up first (with the exception of Natasha) and do the same. "What's going on mama" I worridly ask. Mama gives me a soothing smile and gently pats my head, "it's nothing to worry about. Leader Axel is calling all females."

After our mothers and Natasha have ran a certain distance from the river, three beasts are seen waiting for us. The first I immediately recognize as papa Dash, the others must be Elena and Natasha's father for they are a large black panther beast and a equally large reddish brown wolf beast. Along with a chorus of howls and roars from the papas, it only took a few seconds for all of us to get up and head on over to the village. Overhead I think I also heard a loud caw.

When we finally arrived, the females from the river are seen comfortably chatting with their males. All are looking expectantly at the huge muscular bear beastmen. Mother and the two adult females who came with us separate into wider areas, soon each female is surrounded with their own males. A soft wind ruffles my hair when papa Jack gently glides down to papa Dash's beast side. While he lands, papa Chris is helping mother and I to get down from papa Dash's back. And papa Brent and papa Zeik are giving us some juicy grapes to snack on. The diablitos, on the other hand, are excitingly looking toward the center, while Radu sneekily grabs onto my hand. Leader Axel lets out a final grizzly roar which makes everyone present quiet.

"It has been five winters since the last competition. As we all know, each tribe would choose their most beautiful female to represent them. Last time it was Jules (the wavy hair female from before elegantly bows to her leader) who gave birth to four male cubs. This time, our most beautiful female is Lucy (mama bows deeply to Axel) who gave birth to a female cub this past winter." My papas cheerfully roar and the other males follow in celebration.

After a few minutes, Axel lifts his hand palm open for silence. "This time my cub, Lucas" he nods at the young black hair male beast standing beside him, "will be helping with keeping Lucy safe." With a wide smile, he yells "I urge that our young males and available males to head out to the Most Beautiful Competition!" The listening males roar. I notice that my brothers were also happily roaring with the others.

Glancing with myrth at the male cubs, the Bear Clan Leader continues "for the young, I wish for you to gain experience." But then his expression changes to a deep scowl when looking at the single males, "for the other males, I command you to protect our most beautiful female and once there" he pauses, "some of you may end up finding your own females." He then said in a more gruffier voice, "if you find your own female, you may invite her to live at our tribe." Yet with a much deeper growl he adds, "but remember, she will be here for a trial period, as appointed by The Unique One. If she fails, you and your chosen female are to leave the Clear Lake Tribe."