The Ugly Duckling Of The Tiger Tribe

Chapter 347: Alright, cuties. Time for your milk

The tent felt like it was humming with the sheer intensity of the moment.

My heart was racing, hammering against my ribs so hard I could feel it in my throat. I was so overjoyed I almost forgot how to breathe. I’d been sensing the shift, but I never imagined I’d wake up to this—to them.

My babies were absolutely perfect. Every roll of baby fat, every twitch of a tiny tail, every blink of those wide, bright eyes felt like a miracle I’d designed with my own hands. But as I sat there, buried in their soft, warm weight, reality flickered in the back of my mind. This definitely put a halt to all our plans for the marking. The ruts, the pearls, the intense one-on-one time—it could all wait.

I wanted to spend every second of the next few days just learning the curve of their new little faces.

Ah, that means I’ll be taking more than one day’s break from the construction, right?

"Look at them," I whispered, my tears finally spilling over as I tucked Lyra’s head under my chin. Her silver hair felt like spun silk against my skin. "Look at their little hands."

I shifted them in my arms, showing the watching fathers, their soft skin pressed against my own. "Aren’t they the cutest? They’re the cutest, they certainly are."

I didn’t even know when the tears had begun to roll down my cheeks in earnest. I was just so touched, so happy. My chest felt like it was going to burst with a fierce, protective heat.

"I’m going to show the world my adorable babies. Mine."

Noah crawled closer on the furs, his usual swagger replaced by a hesitant, almost fragile awe. He reached out a single finger, and Phina—my little tanned powerhouse—immediately grabbed it with a surprisingly strong grip. Noah’s eyes widened, a rare, genuine look of wonder crossing his face as he felt that tiny strength.

"She’s... she’s got my grip," he breathed, his voice cracking. "Look at that. Little tiger, she’s so tiny but she has such a firm grip." His face exploded in joy.

Fenric, usually the first to move or act, was unusually still.

I turned to look at him and saw that his red eyes were glossier than mine, shimmering with a depth of emotion he usually kept locked behind his carefree spirit. He reached out, his large, calloused hand trembling visibly as he stroked the back of Raiden’s snowy-white head.

The beast warrior who could take down a boar without breaking a sweat looked like he was ready to collapse from the sheer weight of the moment.

"They are perfect, Arinya," Fenric rasped, his voice thick and broken. "Better than any dream I’ve ever had."

Thalor, who had been hovering at the edge, finally moved closer, his violet eyes dancing with fascination. He looked at the three of them—the mix of wolf, tiger, and serpent—and then at me.

"The land is truly full of wonders," he murmured, his fingers reaching out to tentatively touch the edge of the fur pile. "They are so... vibrant."

I snuggled them even tighter, laughing through my tears as Raiden let out a soft, huffy little breath that sounded exactly like Fenric when he was being stubborn.

The palace construction, the West Way, the political drama—it all felt small compared to the three tiny humans currently squirming in my lap.

"We need clothes," I realized suddenly, looking at their bare, chubby bodies rubbing together. Without their fur, they will definitely get cold so let’s wrap them up. "Noah, can you go to the sheep tribe for me?"

"The sheep tribe?" He looked at me, surprised.

"Yes, I need you to bring the chief. There’s a certain favor I asked of him before. Just tell him it’s for my cubs and he’ll understand."

I’m thankful I made that request to Robin back then when the war just ended. Now, I don’t have to worry about clothes for the babies cause they already have the most talented crafters knitting them their clothes.

"I’ll head out right away," Noah said and dashed out of there with no second to waste.

Then, I noticed the babies looking for milk. Ah, that’s right. Even if they shifted, they were still babies.

"Alright, cuties, time for your milk,"

I guided their small, fumbling mouths to my breasts, taking them out so they could suck and marveling at how different it felt now that they had soft, human lips and tiny fingers that kneaded against my skin.

The sharp, prickly sensation of their fur was gone, replaced by a warmth so tender it made my breath hitch.

I mean, it’s completely different from when they were cubs, and very very different from when Fenric did it before dawn.

"Go on, then," I whispered, the glossy tears in my eyes blurring the sight of them.

I blinked, making sure I got a good look at them.

They couldn’t all suck at the same time so Lyra, the boss, and Raiden took the first turn.

They were so much heavier now, and took a lot of space in my arms as they sucked.

So there wasn’t even room for the third to stick around while the other two sucked.

Fenric held Phina for me and didn’t move from his spot as he cradled her to make sure she didn’t cry while the other fed.

He remained on his knees, his large frame hunched over as if he were guarding a treasure trove.

Though he was cradling Phina, he watched Raiden—his miniature image—gulping down milk with a ferocity that brought a shaky, proud smile to the warrior’s face.

Fenric reached out, his thick finger tracing the tiny, twitching tail but Raiden got shy and hid his tail away, pouting at his father.

Fenric chuckled, the laugh bubbling in his chest.

"They have so much energy," Fenric murmured, his voice still thick with that raw emotion. "To shift so completely... It takes a strong spirit. They truly are your children, Arinya."

I chuckled.

"Don’t make it sound like it’s a big deal. I don’t even know how to shift." I said, my voice close to a whisper as if scared I would startle the children.

Females don’t shift back to their beast form once they’ve shifted.

Males, on the other hand, gain the ability to shift back or their beast form once they turn ten.

Thalor, seeing our intimate circle, looked like he wanted to offer something but didn’t want to intrude.

He eventually reached for the waterskin nearby, silently pouring a cup and holding it out for me.

"You must stay hydrated, Arinya," he said softly, his violet eyes wide with a newfound reverence. "The transition has clearly taken much from you as well."

I took a sip, nodding my thanks. "It’s okay, Thalor. I think I could run a marathon right now on pure adrenaline. Just look at Phina’s cheeks... they’re so round."

She was sucking on her thumb in Fenric’s arms, watching us with her curious big brown eyes. Her eyes weren’t as dark as her daddy’s but you could say she got a bit of both.

My gold brown eyes and her daddy’s dark eyes mixed gave her a dark shade of brown.

It was so pretty and was a great compliment to her skin and hair.

The tent soon grew quiet, filled only with the rhythmic sounds of the babies feeding and the heavy, satisfied breathing of the men.

Outside, the folks of the kingdom were starting to wake up—I could hear the distant clink of stone and the low chatter of the workers making their way to the construction site—but inside this small canvas world, time had stopped.

"The Sheep Tribe will be here soon," I said, more to myself than the others. "Robin promised me the finest wool. Soft enough for their delicate skin."

I looked down at Lyra, who had finished her turn and was now staring up at me with those emerald-flecked eyes, a single drop of milk on her chin.

She looked so much like Damar it was like a physical ache in my chest, but then she let out a tiny, bubbly burp and grabbed my thumb.

The ache turned into a soft, glowing heat.

"Yeah," I chuckled, kissing her forehead. "You’re definitely going to be the boss of this palace, aren’t you?"

Fenric let out a low, rumbling laugh, finally shifting his weight to sit more comfortably.

"She has the look of a leader. And Raiden... he already looks like he’s planning his first hunt."

"Let’s get them clothed before we start planning hunts. If not, the only thing they’ll be hunting is their tails." I teased and we all laughed.

The morning sun was beginning to heat the interior of the tent, and for the first time in a long time, the nearest future didn’t just look like a series of blueprints and political maneuvers.

It looked like soft skin, tiny hands, and the three men who were ready to move mountains just to see these babies smile.

I thought I would hurry myself in work just so I wouldn’t miss Damar but I thought wrong.

These cuties are going to take up my time for the next month.