brain beamed with a warning. Tiny people headed her way, each holding some sort of sling shot or stone, all yelling with seriousness written all over their faces.
Mira gulped. Children. She finally had children coming to her and they did not look happy. In fact, they wanted to get her out faster than the adults did.
"Don’t get too close. She eats cheetah cubs!" One yelled. The cubs kept their distance, hiding behind the wooden houses and wooden fences. They still threw rocks at her. Some missed but some landed straight onto her skin and it stung.
"No, I do not! This is all just a misunderstanding." Mira said.
"That’s not true. She said she doesn’t like cheetah meat. She has come here to taste us." Rose amidst the chaos. Mira recognised the voice. It was the cub who came to meet her in Ming Tao’s room.
. . .
Was this seriously happening? Was this a joke all along?
[He did grant you your wish. You have cheetah cubs close by.]
System sounded snarky and Mira snarled. "Not funny." She breath. Mira crouched lower and made her way forward to look for a shield, be it one of the houses or a fence. These children are crazy. Catching one of these naughty ones would teach them a lesson, she just needed to find one.
"The demon lady has hidden. Quick, everyone gather and form a wall. She cannot take us out at once!" Someone yelled.
These kids were smart and Mira hated it. "It is all a big misunderstanding. I come in peace." She said, loud enough for them to hear her despite their rumbling.
"My name means peace. She came for me!" A child screamed. This one sounded like a little girl who was losing it. Mira heard a mixed battle chant of immature voices blaring in the environment. The floor began to rumble. It seemed like they knew where she was and were heading straight towards her.
"Go away from us!"
"Leave us alone, demon!!"
"Yeah. My flesh is not your food!"
Crashed in the air. Mira peaked her head out of her hiding place. The children were a small group yet looked like a barricade and they headed towards her. It was then Mira realised that talk no jutsu would not save her in this moment so she did what she knew how to do best since she entered into the beast world. Run.
She picked her heels and ran through the houses. She knew no where in this territory but she ran anyway, passing houses that looked exactly the same. Worse of all, the children followed too and were throwing rocks at her. "Systemmm!!!" Mira yelled. "Helpppp!"
There was no answer. It was almost as if system wanted her to do this on her own. "Kids, we can come to an understanding, you know that right? A negotiation." Mira said. Her words clearly flew right out their heads, they did not answer and kept pursuing while throwing stones. If they had no stones, Mira would have stood her ground but those stones did not seem like it was running out. Mira swayed her head back to look at the angry mob consisting of tiny people.
She finally noticed why they did not run out. The more some of the threw, others picked them up a few held sack cloths to store as many stones then ran ahead to meet the rest of their little army. For children, they surely were not stupid.
Mira’s body stumbled into something. She fell butt to the floor at that and looked up. It was Ming Tao. He looked dumbfounded. Mira’s face lit up and she crawled behind him then wrapped her hands around his legs.
The throwing of stones halted. The children put on fake smiles and hid the sack clothes behind them like their small bodies could conceal it completely. Ming Tao’s eyes wandered across the litter.
"Explain, now." He said.
Yes, husband! Make them pay! Mira chanted in her head. She was out of breath and still hiding.
"We threw her a welcome party." One of the cubs stated. Mira’s brows furrowed. Who taught these kids to lie?
"With rocks?" Ming Tao questioned with a raised brow. He saw right through them. The children chuckled nervously till silence was the only thing between them.
It was then one walked out and said, "She wanted to eat me." It was the cub who invited her into this mess in the first place. Mira marked his face, he was in for something when she cleared her name in this clan.
"And she said she came for me too. Peace." Another one said. It was a little girl and her eyes watered.
"I said I came in Peace. In. Not for." Mira shot. She was still curled up behind his legs. Ming Tao let out a sigh. At least these ones were better than the ones who stole his coat over fruit
"This is my wife, little ones. Be nice to her." Ming Tao said warmly. He crouched so his head was levelled with theirs, his hand rested on his knees and he flashed them a smile. "Now do away with all those rocks and apologise to my wife."
The kids looked guilty. "She won’t eat us?" One of them asked.
"I would eat her before she does." Ming Tao assured playfully then clapped his teeth together twice.
The little ones all bowed. "We are sorry wife of the Mighty Cheetah." They chorused. Mira wanted to tell them to buzz off but she decided to be mature. She may need them.
"It’s no biggie." She said.
"There. Now go." Ming Tao stated. The children dispersed, picking up the left over stones. This was when Mira stood.
"My knight in shiny armour. I could kiss you right now." She said and stretched her hands out wide to hug him. Ming Tao shifted backwards.
"Keep your hands off me." He worded, looking anywhere but at her. "It makes me lose myself and make not so clear judgements." He added. He could feel Mira’s gaze burn into him but pretended not to. He was honest though, those hands seemed to have some kind of enchantment that made him feel so good he wanted to do things to her.
"Right." Mira said. She accepted the defeat because he helped her. "So," she started, unsure of what to do now.
"I need you to come with me." Ming Tao said. "All the adults are waiting for your arrival."