This morning with the green herb like slime on my wrist that was given to me last night by grandpa Liam, I had a rather long conversation with mama. The dull topic was about being cautious with unknown males. Of course she mentioned that she was proud that I stood up for my family, but she went on again about being aware of my own safety. The whole time I quietly nodded whenever I thought mama wanted a response, but I didn't get it. I'm fine, Radu's fine, everyone's fine. At the end mama sigh and signaled to papa Dash to take me out for a walk.

That's where we are now. Walking this fresh spring morning in silence toward the river filled with bear beasts, but this time I'm not being carried on papa Dash's back. We're literally walking. Haven't I mention before that That river is a tad bit far. Well, it is...

After a while and feeling the beginning of sweat running down my back, I finally tap papa bears leg. Stopping, papa looks at me with a raise eyebrow. "Why are we walking?" 'I thought females were carried everywhere' is what I really wanted to ask but I didn't want to sound conceited. "Because from now on you'll be training your body" answers papa in an unusual serious tone.

With my ears falling flat I timidly ask, "am I trouble for last night?"

Papa Dash sigh, and roughly pets my head. "Suki" he says as he bends down and further bends his head to try to be eye level with me. "Physically, female's are weaker than males. This is something you should have learned from Elder Liam's class right?"

I shamefully nod my head.

"As a female, and a cub at that, you were no match for an adult male, much less a two mark male" he voices gruffly. Before I could respond, papa continues, "yes, he insulted Radu, but that is a fight between males."

Pouting, I wanted to talk back by mentioning that females have more power over males but when I look back at his grave stare, I cowardly kept my mouth shut.

Touching my nose with his huge finger, he sighs again. "Suki, did you know that last night your papas couldn't help you?"

With this my eyes bug out, "but you were all close and much stronger than him."

He nods, "yes, we were physically close but he was closer and he had already grabbed you."

With the finger that was still touching my nose, papa bear suddenly morph it into a huge claw and swiped near my feet. That action only took less than a second, and looking down where he swipped I saw a deep linear indent. "Like I said, males are much stronger than females."

"He could've seriously hurt you before we had the chance to do anything," Dash softly growls as he replays his cub's pained expression. "If he had hurt you, your mother would've attacked him directly without fearing for her own safety."

Despite my tears falling down my cheeks, papa continues, "of course we would've stopped your mama from getting hurt, but what if he wasn't a lone tribesmen? What would've happen if he was in a group of similar beastmen, or worst, what would've happened if you were to instead insult a feral?"

To make me look back at his eyes, papa softly grabs my chin while with his long finger and thumb he tries to clean my tears, "females are everything to us males. We would sacrifice ourselves to keep you and your mama safe."

Thinking back on papa Zeik, I was now bawling and kept my head hidden safely in papa Dash's chest. While I cry, papa Dash lovingly patted my head.

Feeling that my cries were decreasing, papa Dash softly pushes me back and stands up. "What happened yesterday, don't ever repeat it again. Our Clear Lake Tribe females do not hit males unless if it's absolutely necessary for self defense."

Looking at papa's serious gaze, I slightly frown, "why didn't Leader Axel punish me too?"

With a small tilt in his lip, papa responded, "because you are still a cub, meaning that you, my little cub, is still learning."

"It's up to us, your family, to teach you the rules so that when you're grown you'll be allowed to keep living here."

I tilt my head confusingly at this.

Scratching the front of his neck, papa bear voices outloud, "the Unique One made it a rule in our tribe that the females are not to create too much drama in the tribe nor cause pain in her own males or other males unless for protection." He then mutters, "you might end up seeing some drama in one of the females that arrived with us."

Huh? "But if a female is like that and came here, why did we accept her?"

Papa Dash grins, "she's not accepted as of yet, she was invited by one of our tribesmen." He then adds, "I just hope the rest of our tribe males aren't idiots."

"Idiots?"

Papa Dash quickly blinks his eyes and coughs, "forget I said that word okay?"

I nod happily. Buahahaha, I know what the word means, and now I know that you think I don't, and that you really don't want mama to hear me repeat it. Hooo hooo hooo. Internally I try to keep my thoughts inside while giving papa an angelic smile. However, papa Dash smiles crookedly at me.

Clearing his throat, "let's keep on walking".

I nod my head and continue after him.

"Since you are still so young, this will be the first step of your training."

Keeping quiet, I look at papa Dash in doubt.

A boisterous laughter is suddenly heard from him. "As bear beasts you've seen how bulky we are right?" I nod my head. "Since we're huge in muscle, we can't run as fast as other beasts, but what we have is tremendous power behind our attacks."

Oooh so we're like tanks. I just hope that I won't turn out to be too muscular. Though, this might help attract stronger males.. but then again... would I constantly feel muscle cramps. Yikes.

Not knowing his cub's line of thought, Dash excitedly continues, "so, in order to get you fit, we'll start with your stamina by walking back and forth to the river that we bear beasts love. Hopefully there you'll be able to see a practice fight. As for your age, you can't morph yet, so the training to fight will start when you're able to. Which would be after your tens."

Wao, so I can completely morph like my papas, I can't wait! Yet, I can't help but think "I thought females are weaker than males?"

Papa bear nods gravely, "yes, but in case of a sudden attack, it's always best to train our females in self-defense." Scratching his head in wonder he thinks of an example but then remembering his cubs attempt to take the meat he adds, "the female teen from last night was able to easily take a swipe of the three offered meats because she was trained for combat".

No wonder my claw was stupidly stuck...