Beauties and Beasts

Chapter 108: brought to you by NCMO

The well is a success, to the chagrin of the Ape King. Things get hot in the kitchen when Tony offers to taste test. 100 points if you know what a NCMO is. Ugh, be gone bad memories. No wonder he dumped me...

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The City of Beasts fell over itself thanking Winston, who, although initially uncomfortable with the attention, publicly thanked Ethel and Benedict for their help. Ape King seemed furious, although he also publicly thanked the duo and Winston for their work. Neara stayed out of sight, and the gossip, by loudly proclaiming her part in it, and trying to urge others to talk about her as well. The Tiger King, anxious to preserve the well, posted several guards around it and, at Neara's suggestion, braced the walls with thick stones, carefully carved to fit neatly against each other. The City of Beasts enjoyed an increased supply of water, although Ape King insisted each female keep her Ape guard in case the well ran out.

Neara enjoyed watching Winston order beastmen around in the throne room; he commanded the attention, and respect, of every beastman who came to him with a problem, ranging from lack of adequate prey, which he personally took care of, to a female struggling between two suitors (he advised she mate them both). While she no longer attracted the same looks she used to, she still got her share as an 'ugly' female mated to an 'ugly' beastman.

Ethel, on the other hand, seemed to command more than enough admirers to continually fill the halls of Tiger Castle, not the least of which were several Wolves who made sure to stay away from Winston.

"I need to check on the well." Winston said one morning, his voice slightly deeper than normal. He looked worried, a small wrinkle appearing between his eyebrows as he watched Tony grind wheat. Even with the well, using enough water to cook rice was out of the question, so Neara used it to make some bread instead. Until her starter fully matured, she knew she couldn't do much besides feed it and hope the intense heat wouldn't kill it. She longed for the coolness of the mountains, but she couldn't leave the City without someone getting suspicious; not to mention the beastmen she'd have to drag with her. Speaking of which...

"Why aren't you gone yet?"

Benedict fluffed his beard and smirked. "Getting sick of me already?"

"As if that wasn't possible the minute I met you. Shouldn't you have gotten your salt already and gone?"

"Winston said he can't just let me leave with such a large quantity of salt or they'll ask questions about why he gave away all of his personal stash. He promised once this was all over, I could take it and go. Besides, I like annoying you."

"I'm glad you're proud of your talents." Neara carefully patted on the powder again. "Or maybe it's because you like Winston."

"Oh yeah, definitely. All those muscles and long hair? Very nice. He doesn't seem to be too interested in anyone at the moment, so I might take a shot."

A blush threatened to close her throat. "No! He's... well, he liked me once."

"And yet you have a fake mark. Couldn't convince him to give you the real thing?"

Neara wiped her hands on her cloak. "Shut up!"

"Gods, you guys fight like you're mated." Orson lounged in a corner, thumbing through a handful of dry grass. Occasionally, he'd pick one out and chew on it distastefully. "I thought antagonizing her was my thing."

"When did it..." she started.

"Maybe you're not good enough anymore." Benedict leaned against the stone wall, then winced and jerked away.

Orson stared at him for a few seconds, completely motionless, then shrugged. "I'm too hot right now. How about you take the summer shift and I'll switch for winter?"