I knew that night that mama would lecture me again so I ended up singing her praises throughout the ride back home. That didn't help. Though if there was one thing that I've learned from her lecture is that if I'm to go against a female, that's not from this tribe, it better be done around other females of our tribe. "Remember Suki, for us weaker beasts there is power in numbers" was what mama emphasized many times last night.

This morning Papa Dash left earlier than usual with most of the males of our family, including Radu and my brothers. As for mama, she decided to leave with papa Jack to bathe in the females river area. More than likely mama went to gossip about yesterday's event. Not wanting to be the center of attention I opted to head toward the village to see if one of the females cubs were available to play. Of course I couldn't go alone, so tadaaaa I'm riding a huge golden tiger beast. Buahahaha... okay, okay, so mama sent him with me to see if we can deepen our cub-father relationship.

"Hey papa Juan, do you think mama looks prettier in a white cloth or a black cloth?" ...he's not for a chat, huh. "Personally, I think mama looks sexier in black" ... Nothing. I grin and let out a forced laugh, "I mean, didn't you see those other males last night when mama showed that female up?" Papa Juan's ears twitch. Yes, I've got a movement! "Yeah, they were practically drooling when they saw her bearing her teeth..." A long snort comes from him. Grinning evily I innocently add in a thoughtful tone, "mmmm, if I were male, I definitely would try to talk to her when she's alone... kinda like she'll be now." A low growl is heard and he starts to move faster in frustration. Buahaha success. Weeeee we're now running faster toward the village. Awesome!! I'm practically on a Chevrolet Silverado!

Very soon we arrive at the village with a flutter of sand behind us. "Wow, you did good papa Juan. That was a very fun ride," I praise as I geedily pat his back and slide down. A short snort is heard from him. When my feet land on the ground, he immediately morphs back into his other form and walks pensively behind me. Yeah, you know I got ya weakness. Though, I gotta remember not to go overboard. Mama's lecture last night was comparable to papa bear's lecture...loooonnng.

Glancing around, new vendors have arrived. Some single males from our tribe are keeping their eyes on them. And every now and then few females are seen walking around with their own male. Where are they? Zooming in at the open grassy space near the village, I finally spot a batch of red hair standing close to a batch of black curly hair.

"Elena!" I shout gleefully.

Elena who appears to have an exasperated expression smiles happily at hearing my voice. "Suki, I haven't seen you in forever" she hollers back as we trot toward each other.

After greetings, we decide to walk over to one of the travelors. There we each order a delicious piece of meat while papa Juan and Bronco did their exchange with the vendor. Finding a comfortable place to sit, we shared what we've been up.

"Suki, you're aware that Vick's not an easy male."

I nod my head and laugh merrily, "that makes it more fun!"

Elena lifts her lips into a smile and rub my head, "yeah, it can, though I heard that.." She stops and looks around us. She then leans back to look into the village and sniffs the air. Glancing back at me, she lowers her face to my ear and whispers, "I heard that since he hadn't shown interest in any female, that he might be... you know."

Trying not to grin, I attempt to solemnly ask, "know what?"

Slightly blushing, Elena lowers her ears and plays with her fingers, "you know, um, hump, no, I mean, um, claim? Ahh, uh desire what we females don't have."

I couldn't help but snort. Elena looks up bewildered at me. "Suki!" "You did this on purpose!"

With this I gave a full blown laugh, "yesshhhhh, I'm sorry but you just looked so adorable!"

Elena huffs, crosses her arm, and looks elsewhere. Ooops, I blame papa crow's bad habit of guffawing at other's misery... and placing jokes on them.

Seeing that she was serious, I immediately stop and reach for her arm. Cuddling my head closer to her I whisper back, "I'm sorry for laughing."

Sighing, I add, "if I thought Vick was attracted to males, I would've stop long time ago, but my instinct says he's into females." Looking seriously into Elena's smiling golden eyes, I add with a toothy smile, "I'm not giving up."

Elena nods her head and changes the topic by brushing my hair with her claws. "You don't have as many knots as you used to."

I happily wanted to nod my hair, but knowing that her claws could tug my hair painfully, I instead decide to exclaim proudly, "Yes, I brush it every morning and Radu helps me at night."

"Good."

After a while of brushing I started to ponder over Elena previous expression,"hey Elena."

Hmmm she asks.

"What's going with you and Bronco? He's abnormally quiet." He really is behaving odd. If I were to have heard his boisterous voice, then searching for Elena would've been quicker. Hearing a tired sigh behind me, I turn around and see her pouting lips.

With a wrinkle nose, Elena tells me that Bronco has been excessively territorial over her ever since the new males had arrived.

Seeing my tilted head and curious eyes, she further adds, "the other day a male slightly brushed shoulders with me and he went ballistic."

Humming I ponder outloud, "maybe it was an accident?"

Slightly biting her lips, she mutters, "I thought so too but he was adamant that it wasn't."

"That's odd" I mutter then add, "does he not want you to have other males?"

Elena quickly blinks her eyes and shakes her head hurridly in no. "He's aware that I would need more males in our" cough "my family."

Scratching my chin I go into my thinking pose, "then what about this other male?"

"What about him?" asks Elena

Scratching my nose I ask again, "his scent, was he from our tribe?"

Elena widens her eyes as if she had an aha moment, "ohhhhhhhh..."

Nodding our heads solemnly we then concluded that his odd behaviour could've been because the other and others are outsiders.

"Wait, but my brothers appear to tolerate okay with Natasha's new admirer."

With this the almond color skin female cub let's out a giggle, "it's because she contacted him first little Suki."

Scratching the back of my head I smile wryly at my forgetfulness.

Not too far away from these female cubs is Bronco standing straight beside an alert Juan. Each are keeping an eye on these cubs while also glancing menancingly at some of the other new beastmens.