Moonlit vow

3.Strange clothes

Just as Iris finished treating both her and Leiand's wounds, her stomach let out a loud growl. She was starving.

Feeling embarrassed, Iris thought, Why am I so hungry today? I’ve never gotten this hungry so easily before.

Leiand glanced back at her, curled up in the corner, and a faint smile appeared in his eyes. In a low voice, he said, "Wait here for a moment." Before Iris could respond, Leiand disappeared from the cave like a shadow, leaving her alone in the large, empty space.

The silence made Iris feel a pang of sadness, though she couldn’t pinpoint why. Everything that had happened recently made her realize that without Leiand, she would probably have died already. She should feel grateful to have met him after crossing into this world.

Lowering her head, Iris sniffed her clothes. A mix of sweat, dirt, and blood assaulted her nose, and even she couldn’t help but wrinkle her brow. “I smell like a walking garbage heap!”

She desperately wanted a bath. After looking around and confirming there was no one else nearby—and that Leiand wasn’t in the cave—she muttered, "If I can’t bathe, I can at least clean myself up a bit." She clapped her hands, determined.

Iris took off her clothes and placed them aside. Scooping up clean water from the stream, she began carefully washing the dirt and grime from her face and body.

Focused on cleaning herself, Iris didn’t notice what was happening behind her.

Leiand, carrying a freshly caught rabbit, nimbly jumped over several bushes on his way back to the cave. As he neared, his sharp ears picked up the faint sound of splashing water. The air carried the delicate scent of a girl mixed with the freshness of water.

Through the sparse foliage, Leiand caught a glimpse of Iris by the stream. Her wet hair clung to her back, and water droplets sparkled as they slid down her shoulders, catching the light with a crystalline shimmer.

Leiand's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, and the tips of his ears turned red. Quickly, he averted his gaze, gripping the rabbit tightly as his heart raced awkwardly. Finally, he turned abruptly and pretended he hadn’t seen anything, his footsteps slightly hurried.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Iris turned around and called out loudly, uncertain, "Is that you? Are you back, Leiand?"

Leiand touched his ear and acted as if he hadn’t seen anything. He glanced briefly at Iris before swallowing hard, finding the sight before him even more captivating.

“Turn around, you p*****t!” Iris shouted in panic. She quickly turned away and hastily put on her clothes, not caring about the bloodstains.

Leiand stood there awkwardly, shaking his head helplessly. He thought, I’m a white wolf, not a p*****t.

Oh well, if she wants to call me a p*****t, so be it—as long as she’s happy.

Carrying the fresh rabbit, Leiand walked over to the dry grass, casually picked up two stones, and started a fire. He propped the rabbit over the flames and began roasting it.

Before long, the rabbit turned golden brown, its juices dripping into the fire and releasing a tantalizing aroma that filled the air. Iris’s nose twitched like a curious kitten, and she couldn’t help swallowing as her eyes lit up, fixed on the roasting rabbit.

“It’s almost ready. Just a little longer,” Leiand said, sitting nearby and turning the rabbit over with a faint smile.

Iris pouted, her stomach growling loudly in protest. Embarrassed, she covered her stomach, but her gaze never left the delicious-smelling rabbit. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Leiand watched the adorable woman in front of him and thought she was much more endearing than any of the women in his tribe. This trip, which was originally meant as a test of survival, had turned out to be far more rewarding—finding such a delightful female was cause for celebration.

When the rabbit was finally cooked, Leiand handed it to Iris with a calm expression and said softly, "Be careful; it’s hot. Eat slowly."

Iris took the rabbit with both hands, but it was so hot that she almost dropped it. Letting out a small yelp, she switched hands several times before finally finding a way to hold it comfortably. She took a bite, and the crispy skin and tender meat, infused with a smoky flavor, made her eyes light up.

“Mmm! It’s delicious!” Iris exclaimed, her mouth full as she continued to eat with gusto. Each bite was a burst of flavor, and her satisfaction was evident.

Leiand watched her quietly, a small smile playing on his lips. Afraid she might notice, he quickly looked away and cleared his throat. “Eat slower. No one’s going to take it from you,” he said, his tone filled with indulgent helplessness.

Feeling touched, Iris glanced at Leiand. Maybe I’ve been too hard on him, she thought. He probably wasn’t even trying to peek at me bathing earlier.

Tearing off a leg of the rabbit, Iris handed it to Leiand and said, “Thank you for all your hard work, Leiand.”

Leiand raised an eyebrow and replied, “Catching a rabbit is nothing if you like it.” There was a faint hint of a smile on his face, but it quickly disappeared as he tried to maintain a stoic expression, as if afraid she might see through him.

“You’re so tsundere,” Iris teased, dragging out the word with a laugh. “Tsundere and adorable.”

Leiand touched his nose, trying to hide his embarrassment.

Iris laughed even more, waving the rabbit playfully. “Alright, alright, I won’t tease you anymore. Your personality is actually pretty interesting.”

After finishing half the rabbit, Iris felt completely full and waved her hand. “I can’t eat any more.”

Leiand frowned slightly. That’s it? She’s full after just half a rabbit?

Women in the tribe could easily eat two or three rabbits in one sitting. She must have been so deprived in her previous tribe, he thought, always hungry and barely surviving.

Thinking about how Iris might have suffered, Leiand sighed softly. Placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, he said gently, “Don’t worry. You’ll never be alone again.”

Hearing his words, warmth spread through Iris’s heart. No one had ever made such a promise to her before. She opened her mouth to respond but said nothing, lowering her head as her eyes grew misty.

Noticing her silence, Leiand pointed to the soft animal hide on the stone bed and said, “Get some rest.”

Looking around the cave, Iris realized the stone bed was Leiand’s only sleeping spot. If I sleep here, where will he rest? she wondered but didn’t voice her question. Too exhausted to protest, she lay down obediently.

Hearing her steady breathing a while later, Leiand gazed at her with a trace of tenderness in his eyes.

Late at Night

Iris was sound asleep. In the quiet of the night, Leiand walked softly to the stone bed and sat down, gazing at her slumbering figure in a daze.

His eyes landed on the strange, bloodstained beast hide that Iris wore. He reached out to touch it, feeling its rough texture, and fell into deep thought.

During his travels, Leiand had seen many materials that could be worn, not just beast hides. He had come across some hides that were soft and smooth, crafted from the silk spun by a special kind of insect. However, the garment Iris wore was different from anything he had encountered before.

As the only white wolf of his tribe, Leiand had the ability to run tirelessly for a thousand miles a day. This allowed him to visit many distant places, where he found beastmen who neither froze nor starved. The more he traveled, the less he understood the Wolf King’s decree: why must the Sirius Tribe remain confined to their forest? Why were they forbidden from mingling with other tribes? Life in the forest grew harsher with each passing year, and many companions succumbed to the cold every winter.

Leiand, a warrior of his tribe, had once been told by the Wolf King, "The Sirius Tribe will thrive under the protection of the white wolf. Protecting the tribe is the white wolf’s duty. Wherever the tribe is, so must you be."

Leiand felt powerless against this responsibility, but he shook off the thought.

He stood and rummaged through his collection of beast hides, selecting a pristine white one he thought was the most beautiful.

Leiand held the white hide in his hands, scrutinizing it while his eyes measured Iris’s form. The more he looked, the more his body seemed to heat up. His gaze grew intense, and his breathing quickened.

He quickly turned his head away, scolding himself silently to calm down. But the warmth spreading through him refused to fade, leaving him restless. Unable to bear the discomfort, he cursed under his breath, “Damn it!” and dove into the cold stream outside the cave to cool off.

Back inside the dimly lit cave, the flickering firelight danced on Leiand’s handsome face. He recalled the most beautiful dresses he had seen in his travels and, with focused determination, began sewing the thick hide using needle and thread.

As he worked, his mind wandered to a string of pearls he had once traded from the merfolk. The merfolk, living entirely in the water, were poor hunters. Upon seeing his hides and prey, they had begged him to trade for the pearls. At first, Leiand had been reluctant—such trinkets were of no use to a man. But the merfolk had pleaded, saying women loved such things and that they could be gifted to a future mate.

Relenting, Leiand had exchanged some hides for a string of pearls. He had seen mermaid women wear them on their hands, where they glistened beautifully under the sunlight. Yet now, Leiand imagined how much more suited these pearls would be for Iris.

Would Iris like them? he wondered, placing the pearls delicately on the beast-hide dress he had sewn.

He began to picture Iris wearing it, the image so vivid that his lips curved into a faint smile. Unknowingly, Leiand dozed off, dreams filled with Iris in the dress.