Murmurs filled with skepticism toward the kneeling male were sounded throughout the viewers. Though the female did say that the male never drew blood from her, it did not sound well to them that the male went against their tribe's foremost rule of not harming a female. On the other hand, the female also committed a wrong...

The Wolf Clan Leader raised his hand once more. Following his movement, the villagers quiet down.

"Adan and Neal, step into the circle and tell us what you saw," commands Leader James.

Close to the female's left, a two mark male with straight light dark toffee blonde hair walks slowly into the circle. Apart from the noticeable barely healing left hand and shoulder, this male holds a defined mole placed under his now left peculiar cloudy steel blue eyes that appears to have been clawed by a huge beast. Standing on her right side, Adan attempts to block the kneeling male's sight from his female.

On the back of a circle a tan younger looking male walks in and decides to stand respectfully behind the kneeling figures. With nervous dark brown eyes he deeply nods his head at the two Clan Leaders.

Axel stares into both males beasts eyes while silently lamenting at the wolf beast's lost of sight. "First Adan, last Neal, you may begin to tell us from the beginning what you saw and heard."

As they retold their story, Suki began to have flashbacks to the day after the male leopard tried to hurt her so many winters ago.

It was a fresh spring morning, she was but a cub back then and was sulking to why papa bear was no longer carrying her on his back. Painfully smiling at the memory, Suki recalled his lecture well.

"As a female, and a cub at that, you were no match for an adult male, much less a two mark male..." Sigh, her papa had warned her and showed her a glimpse of a males power. Listening and seeing, he showed me how a male could easily hurt a female. If only I stuck to his lecture, then I wouldn't have ever tried to place my claws on him, an alpha male.

As the two males spoke, my eyes slowly look over Adan. Even now, though he's hurt, injured, and considered disabled to this world, he still places his body between me and Vick. Another memory of that spring morning pop's into my head. "Females are everything to us males. We would sacrifice ourselves to keep you and your mama safe" said Papa Bear when he explained to me how my mother would've tried to attack the leopard male if he had tried to hurt me further.

I don't deserve Adan's love, his sacrifice,... but I can't nor will I let him go.

Letting my eyes go back to my clenched hands, my thoughts wander to Vick. The day the leopard male grabbed onto my wrist, the first to attack that male was Radu but the one to make that beastmen fall was Vick. Vick took his position of defending and protecting our tribe and us females very serious. Yet, I've always felt or hoped that I had made a special place in his hard heart. For example, in that campfire night of when my family came back, the day at the river where Vick slaughtered that fish, and all the other times that I've been able to spend time with him, I thought I was close to having him feel attraction towards me. But now... I'm afraid.

My lips begin to quiver. Noticing the warning in my head, I firmly locked my jaws. I will not cry here! I will not show my tribe my weakness! Much less to him...

He doesn't deserve to be scorned. And I know I shouldn't be afraid of him...yet, sigh, now.. I no longer plan to chase him. Blinking my eyes, I realized, I don't want to have him. After so many winters, I finally realized that I don't want him in my family.

He ended up hurting my males and may end up continue to hurt them. But it's my fault. He has scared and hurt me... yet it started with my claw. Am I the victim? Because heck, I'm so confused right now.

"Suki..."

Or is he the victim?

"...Suki"

Are we both victims? Is that possible? Or am I the one in the wrong?

My thoughts soon snapped off, when I felt a familiar warmth to my cheek.

"Suki" says Adan as he worridly looks at me. "Our Clan Leaders are speaking to you" he whispers as he stands closer to me.

Feeling the warmth of his body, my eyes rapidly blink and my sight moves toward the two strong standing males.

Leader Axel starts first, "we have decided that when you chose to use your claw and draw blood from Vick's neck, it is considered to be your first mark. Remember Suki, daughter of Lucy, that each of our tribe females will be given a maximum of three marks or as some say, mercy. When all marks have been placed, and you commit another then the female will be banished from the tribe. Depending on the reasons, the punishment can vary on how a female will be banished."

Pausing, he coldly and steadily lays his beastly glowing eyes on me, growling he adds, "may you become aware of and follow the Clear Lake Tribe's mercy given to you."

Closing my eyes I lay my head close to the ground, "I will remember."

Another memory floats in. Papa bear is cleaning my tears, and begins another lecture, "...Our Clear Lake Tribe females do not hit males unless if it's absolutely necessary for self defense."

Back to the present, I repeat outloud what I've learned that day, "I will faithfully follow the Unique One's rules set to our tribe."

The two Clan Leaders nod their heads at me.

Leader James adds, "Your punishment is to begin at the incoming full moon and ends at the next full moon. As for your punishment, you will follow and help our oldest tribe female Nancy, for she will show you of our ways. You will also help out with Healder Liam's class toward our young."

"I will."

"Good, now get up."

Getting back to my knees, I begin to realize how stiff my legs have gotten. Adan, taking his cue, uses his right arm to help me up.

Giving my male my thanks, we stand still and wait to hear our Clan Leaders judgement and punishment for Vick.

Leader Axel begins with glowing eyes and clenched fists, "you have used your aura to pressure a female to your wants. You have intentionally scared with the aim to physically and mentally punish a female. You will receive one mark for your actions. Remember that if you receive another, you will banished from this tribe. As for your punishment, it will start tomorrow and lasts the same as the female."

Leader James then adds, "the first half of your punishment is to head out by yourself and kill the nearby colossal's."

Shocks of murmurs and low growls could be heard, while my ears ring... he'll be heading out there?? Alone?!?!

Leader James continues, "the other half is to follow the needs of every one of our tribe female's till your punishment is over."

To his last statement, many females nod with approval at their leaders choice while a few nervously look over at the defeated yet powerful male.

Facing the kneeling Vick who was about to lay his head at the floor, I quickly land back to my knees.

"I beg for mercy Clan Leaders!!"

A few feminine gasps can be heard while some males mumur in surprise.

"Speak," commands Leader Axel.

Bowing my head, I clear my throat and say outloud, "your punishments are just but my mercy is for Vick. He is injured and not fit to handle the colossal's alone."

Leader James then asks, "female, did he not run after you as if he was hunting prey... an enemy?"

I nodded my head in shame.

"Then why not let him feel the same when followed by colossals?"

But though I fear him, I won't let Vick die because of my actions. "Leader James, Leader Axel, Vick has been injured and I ask for him to be accompanied to make sure of his survival...." Clenching my fist in disgust, I had to add my next words to make my claim credible, "for he is due for the other half of the punishment."

Before Leader James could reply, Leader Axel growls outloud, "who of this tribe volunteers to protect Vick while he is punished to hunt?"

All is quiet, my ear twitches to someone softly saying no. Listening to a soft purr, my ears then pick up on the sound of two pairs of feet heard walking nearer to the circle, but they then pause when they are close to each other. Since I'm still looking down I can't tell who or what they're communicating, all I can sense now is that there is only one pair of feet heading to our front. As the figure walks by, my nose is hit with a very familiar scent. Papa?

My head immediately lifts up to see the back of a tall broad shoulder dirty blond hair male. He then nods his head lowly in front of the two Clan Leaders, "I volunteer to protect Vick for the time he is sent to hunt the colossals."

Leader Axel and Leader James nod their head in agreement.

"Dash, you are to set to leave with him tomorrow. May both come back safe."