"I swear to god, Rony, if this is your grand plan to one-up Luke, you can count me out! Just because I'm your sister doesn't mean I'm going to help you cheat!"
Ronali's voice had the sharpness of a cat ready to pounce, her finger stabbing the air in accusation.
The young woman, with her black hair and piercing green eyes, had the look of someone who didn't take any nonsense, especially from her little brother. Both of them, sporting the telltale cat ears and long tails of their tribe, were a sight to behold.
Ronali's figure was the kind you'd describe as "medium is premium"—her tunic either hiding her assets or suggesting she had a more modest setup in the boob and ass department. Either way, her fiery spirit more than made up for anything else, and she wasn't about to let her brother forget it.
Rony, on the other hand, was just a kid—an eager beaver who had clearly dragged his sister into this mess. He looked like a smaller, more innocent version of Ronali, with the same black hair and green eyes, but without any of the intimidating aura.
"Oneechan, I swear I can still smell a human from here!"
Rony's voice was high-pitched with desperation, like a kid who'd just been denied dessert.
Ronali rolled her eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn't pop out of her head.
"Oh, come on, Rony! Just admit it—you're jealous because Luke managed to catch another human, aren't you?"
"Oneechan... I..."
Rony's voice trailed off like a weak signal on a bad radio, his eyes glued to the ground, avoiding his sister's gaze like it was the plague.
"Rony..."
Ronali sighed, crouching down beside him. She put a hand on his shoulder, the kind of touch that was supposed to be comforting but felt more like a reality check.
"Who cares about all this? It's just a bunch of old fools seeking entertainment, ordering young people around! Who says we have to follow their orders? Even if it's against humans, we shouldn't be killing them indiscriminately. You get me?"
"My little fool," Ronali said with a smirk, ruffling Rony's hair like he was still a kitten.
"Even if Luke slaughters a thousand humans, I will *never* marry that meathead. No, no, no. I'm going to explore the world! I'll make my own adventure! Have you heard of the adventurer who defeated the mighty Vhalla and saved millions? I'm going to be like him someday!"
She struck a pose, chest puffed out like she was already standing on top of the world.
Rony just shook his head, trying to make sense of the madness spewing from his sister's mouth. Adventurers? Exploring? What kind of fairy tale nonsense was she talking about?
They were from the cat tribe, beastmen with a simple life: hunt, eat, sleep, and celebrate. Valor? Honor? Those were just fancy words for people who didn't know how to party.
But Ronali was different. She had stars in her eyes and ambition burning in her heart. She didn't want to just follow the tribe's ways—she wanted to blaze her own trail, even if it meant leaving everything behind.
To her, the world was a giant ball of yarn just waiting for her to unravel it.
'Hmph, she doesn't know.'
Rony thought, clenching his tiny fists with newfound determination.
'Luke is strong, and Dad's an idiot. If I don't get stronger, he'll take my sister away. I can't let that happen.'
Suddenly, a clattering sound echoed from behind them, snapping Rony out of his thoughts. His eyes widened with excitement.
"See, I told you, Oneechan! There's someone here!"
Before Ronali could even respond, Rony dashed off, leaping from rock to rock like a crazed kitten chasing a laser pointer.
"Oh, this stupid kid!" Ronali cursed under her breath, sprinting after her brother. "If he doesn't get himself killed, I just might do it myself!"