Food Chain (3)
Every animal has a mating season, no exceptions—from squirrels to even humans. Animals struggle to suppress their instincts and let them run wild, but humans use their intellect to hold back. If humans couldn't control their urges, society would devolve into something far more depraved and horrifying than mere promiscuity.
In that sense, Ratatosk's mating season couldn't be brushed off lightly. For now, he was only targeting monsters and beasts, but who knew what might happen. He'd be spending more time around Ellie going forward, which meant he needed to get even more accustomed to civilized life. Sure, there was a forest right by the academy, but they might visit other countries too. Precautions were necessary.
"Ellie. Hold up."
"Huh? What's up?"
"Talk alone. Porori... no, Ratatosk."
I called aside Ellie, who was closest to his main personality. Her eyes went wide at my summons. Unlike me, who'd caught on quick, she and the others had no clue.
Grace and Yeonju didn't even know Ratatosk existed, so I couldn't just blurt it out.
"Ratatosk? What about him? He involved with these monsters or something?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm... Got it. Let's step over there."
Ellie said that and moved away from Grace and Yeonju for a bit. They were busy investigating the traces. Once we were a little distance off, I explained everything I knew, step by step.
"Ratatosk. Mating season."
"Yeah, right. He said it was his mating season, needed to relieve it."
"These. All his marks. Only hit the furry ones."
"Uh..."
Ellie's face turned uneasy as she grasped my explanation. She glanced at the gruesome scene. The hairless monsters were cleanly killed, while the furry ones all had their lower halves scorched by lightning. You'd need a closer look to realize they'd been violated first. Even most professors wouldn't notice until then.
"...Is that for real?"
"Just a guess. But likely."
"If that's the case, should we get him checked for STDs? Wait, no—do spirit beasts even get those?"
"..."
Classic Ellie. Normally, you'd think danger first, but she jumped straight to solutions from a whole other angle. Fair point, though. Animals have always passed diseases to humans. Even if Ratatosk was a spirit beast, some unknown bug could be trouble. Hell, I'd gotten a rabies shot myself.
"Find Ratatosk first. He said he won't hurt people, but better safe."
"Got it."
"Hey, missy. I ain't got no diseases."
A voice I hadn't heard in ages drilled into my ears. Ellie and I whipped our heads toward it in unison.
There stood Ratatosk, the dog-sized squirrel, arms crossed, looking all majestic. No changes from before.
"R-Ratatosk? When'd you get here?"
"Felt this guy's vibe, so I came to check."
"..."
I listened to Ratatosk, then turned my head away—toward Grace and Yeonju. Luckily, they were focused elsewhere and hadn't noticed yet. We'd found him way too soon. This could blow up any second.
"Who're those humans over there? Your friends, missy? Or your females?"
"...Friends."
Still got that wild streak. Made sense—he was born a beast. But asking point-blank if they were my females? Kinda weird. Ellie looked pretty flustered too.
"Oh yeah? Anyway, why were you looking for me? Worried? That's touching."
"Worried, yeah. You're dangerous."
"Dangerous?"
Ratatosk tilted his head, puzzled at "dangerous." Seemed he had no idea what he'd done. Instead of answering, I pointed at the gruesome scene.
He looked that way. Stared for a while, then it clicked—"Ah"—and he spoke.
"This 'cause of my mating season? Worried I'd jump you or other humans?"
"Spot on."
"Listen, buddy. Evolved or not, my tastes are set. Humans with no fur? Zero interest."
Ratatosk glanced at Ellie as he said it—specifically, her ample chest. He nodded, then dropped a half-admitting remark.
"Still, they do look comfy. You get to touch 'em whenever, right?"
"..."
"No? You haven't jumped her yet?"
Mating season making his mouth run wild, huh. Kept spouting nonsense. I glanced at Ellie; her face was reddening. Evolved spirit beast or not, getting civilized—he was still an animal at heart. Probably thought it was common sense. We didn't touch per se; he just got cuddly sometimes. Ellie was lenient about it.
Anyway, to break the awkwardness, time for a topic change. His mating season first.
"Why lightning?"
"Huh?"
"During sex. Zaps lower half. All of 'em."
"Oh, that?"
The corpses all had crispy lower halves from lightning. Obvious it was Ratatosk's doing. He made a sad face at my question and looked away—like gazing at distant mountains.
"There's a sad story behind that..."
"..."
More bullshit? But his wistful look said otherwise. Better move spots; this'd take time.
Ellie told Grace there were good herbs nearby, and they bought it. We relocated.
"Like you two know, I'm a squirrel. But that don't mean I gotta stick to other squirrels."
"Huh? Don't animals usually breed with their own species?"
Ellie voiced the obvious doubt. Animals generally stuck to their kind. Hybrids were rare; same species was the norm.
"That's true too. But that's just convenience. Humans do the same, right? Easier raising kids with similar lifestyles."
"...Is that how it works?"
Ellie tilted her head. Ratatosk had a point. People from the same culture felt less alien, even across races. Different cultures? Conflict was guaranteed, sometimes irreversible tragedy.
"But I'm different. Any same species works, tribe or not. I adapt to their lifestyle. That's why I went looking for a fitting female."
"Same species?"
"You humans are same species, different tribes. Pale skin, brown skin. Eyes, noses, mouths all different."
Made sense from his view. Humans divided into "ethnicities." Westerners, Easterners—Tatar like Middle Eastern. Even pale northerners. Super diverse.
"Find one?"
"Barely. But... haa..."
Ratatosk sighed deeply, lost in memory. Face like the world was ending. Rejected? His answer sobered us.
"Lightning blasts when I get excited... killed the female..."
"..."
"Finally found her... courted her hard... my fault she died..."
No laughing matter. He'd changed his whole lifestyle for a mate. Then this freak accident. Major trauma.
"So I practiced on these outcasts. They just mess up the outskirts anyway. Wasn't easy."
"Th-those... other animals aren't same species or tribe?"
"Practice dummies. Letting 'em live just harms my kind—my species."
Sweet yet macho squirrel right here. Fantasy as hell, or just chaotic. So the monsters pushed to the outskirts weren't from his mating season. Fierce inner competition, like we first thought.
"Dunno what's up in the forest, but it's noisy. Can't go in—once you're deep, no coming out."
"Bad?"
"Not dire. But stronger predators mean tougher outskirts. Weaklings now; next time? Who knows."
The more intense the competition, the stronger the losers. These outcasts were inner dwellers—not weak. Couldn't dive deep to kill predators; it'd wreck the chain again. Best bet: clear the outskirts till inside stabilizes.
"You know how all sorts approached when we were around. Imagine them pushed out. Most'd die before, but..."
"Handled?"
"Dunno that far. Might target elsewhere?"
"Gotta clear outcasts first, then. Solo herb gathering's risky now."
Stabilize inside to clean outside. But can't ignore; if they settle, headache.
"Missy. Need herbs? Tell me. I'll fetch."
"Nah, fine. Take Sivar weekends. Herbs vary each time."
"Yeah? Cool then. I'm out."
Ratatosk said his piece and scampered off. Upright on two legs before, now bounding on four. Vanished up a tree with his agile moves.
Mating season, yet seemed fine. Zaps every time he mates? Ridiculous.
Spirit beasts weren't like that, far as I knew. Newly evolved, probably couldn't control instincts yet. Tragic he killed his dream girl, though. No joke.
"...Sivar."
"?"
I was staring where he'd vanished when Ellie called softly from behind. I turned; she looked resolute, for some reason. Like she had something to say.
Our eyes met; she flinched, face flushing. Avoiding my gaze—something was up.
"Th-that thing Ratatosk said... zapping with lightning during... y'know..."
"Yeah. Heard."
"You don't... do that too, right?"
"...?"
I knew her otherworldly mindset. Always impressed me before. Now? Just confusion. Did she think I was like that rat bastard?
Reading my baffled look, she hurried to explain, voice panicky.
"J-just hypothetically! Dunno if you have mating seasons or whatever, but purely if!"
"..."
"Wh-what I'm saying is..."
She stammered, trailing off. Face full of embarrassment and shame. I was too stunned to speak. Logical in a way, but treating me like a beast?
Hard to argue, though. No malice—just pure worry.
"L-later, if you wanna... mate... tell me first."
"...Fuck. What?"
That I couldn't ignore. "Fuck" slipped out after ages. Good thing it wasn't this world's swear; she didn't get it. But the tone told her enough.
Her face burned redder, but she explained with determined resolve.
"H-hearing Ratatosk... can't laugh it off. What if it happens to you?"
"..."
Made sense from her side—more absurd. Couldn't really counter. No idea who I'd end up with, but no Ratatosk tragedy for me.
"Got it? Me first, before anyone else? J-just checking! Not embarrassing or anything!"
Her eyes spun wildly. Face like it might explode. She'd lost track of her own words.
Honestly... not bad. Ellie was objectively a beauty with killer curves. But my Confucian upbringing kicked in—felt off. Wanted mutual feelings first.
"Ugh... never gave you sex ed. What now? Maybe under 'education' pretext..."
"..."
Her head was pure chaos now. I quietly watched her panic solo.
Wondering if it was "responsibility," genuine like, or both. Calm her first.
I reached to put a hand on her shoulder—
-KROOOAAARRR!!!
A roar shook the whole forest, slamming into our ears. Ellie snapped out of her daze.
"Wh-what was that... S-Sivar! Where you going?!"
I bolted toward the sound. Roars like that meant monsters striking first—someone under attack.
Maybe guardians had it handled. But my instincts screamed: that was one hell of a powerful monster.
Forest's gone proper mad.
Time to head inside soon.