Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off-Chapter 372: The Curious Mermaid Tribe

Still, the scar chested warrior frowned. "The Silver Wave Sea is very far from here. Even with strong currents, it would be difficult to drift this far."

He looked at them carefully. "Why did you not swim toward the nearest mermaid tribe? Our territory is not far away from here."

Lan Yue lowered her head, looking even more pitiful. "We did not know where we were. The water was full of blood and beasts. We were only trying to protect the cubs and stay alive."

At the mention of the cubs, several of the young men softened immediately. They looked at the small, trembling bundles clinging to Su Qinglan.

"So small..."

"They must be exhausted."

"They look hungry."

One of them scratched his cheek shyly. "Females... would you like to come to our tribe? It is safer there. We have warm caves, and plenty of fish."

Another added quickly, "Yes, yes! You cannot stay out here. The open sea is dangerous."

The bold one who had been slapped earlier nodded eagerly. "We will protect you. No beast will dare come near our tribe."

Lan Yue glanced at Su Qinglan, her eyes asking silently.

Around them, the sea shimmered, and the group of mermaid men floated expectantly, looking at them like a school of hopeful puppies waiting for an answer.

One of the younger mermaid men slowly drifted closer, his eyes fixed on the small bundle in Su Qinglan’s arms.

"Female... can I touch the cub?" he asked carefully. "It is so small."

Su Qinglan blinked, slightly stunned by the request. Instinctively, she looked at Lan Yue. She was new to the sea and knew nothing about the character of these Sea Tribe men. If they meant harm, she would not even know how to escape in this endless water.

Lan Yue studied the young man for a moment. His eyes were bright and curious, not cruel. There was no killing intent, only pure fascination.

Before she could speak, the young man hurriedly added, "I have never seen a land cub before. They are so small... I just want to see it closer."

Su Qinglan hesitated, but she did not feel any danger from him. The cubs were already tired, and these men seemed more like excited children than warriors.

After a moment, she carefully lifted Xiao Yi and held him out. "Be gentle."

The young man’s face lit up. He carefully took Xiao Yi in both hands, as if holding something extremely precious.

Xiao Yi was never shy around strangers. He stared at the man with clear, curious eyes.

But suddenly, his nose twitched.

His round eyes became even rounder.

Why did this man smell like a very tasty fish?

Xiao Yi leaned forward slightly, sniffing again. His tiny mouth opened wide.

"Awoo!"

Two tiny white teeth peeked out as he tried to take a bite.

The young man froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Hahaha! It seems the cub is hungry!"

The others also laughed, their earlier tension completely gone.

"Look at his teeth!"

"He is trying to eat you!"

"What a fierce little cub!"

The scar chested warrior shook his head, but even he had a faint smile. "Enough playing. We should return to the tribe. The cubs look exhausted."

The mermaid men nodded.

Without warning, their bodies began to shift. Their legs fused together, and large, powerful tails formed in their place. Some grew sleek dolphin like forms, while others developed long, streamlined bodies.

One of the biggest among them transformed into a massive shark like form, his back fin cutting through the surface like a blade.

He swam closer and lowered his back. "You can hop on me. We will move much faster this way. It is not suitable for you to swim such a long distance."

The others also positioned themselves nearby, ready to carry the females and cubs safely.

The vast sea around them no longer felt so empty or frightening. Now, it felt like they were being escorted by a group of cheerful guardians back to a new and unknown home.

The sea stretched endlessly around them as the patrol group swam forward at great speed.

The giant shark form warrior carried Su Qinglan and the cubs carefully on his broad back, making sure not to jolt them too much.

Lan Yue beside them was riding on another marine beast.

The speed was astonishing.

Cold sea wind brushed against Su Qinglan’s face, and waves parted on both sides as the group moved forward like a sharp arrow. The cubs, exhausted from earlier, slowly began to doze off, their tiny bodies pressed against her chest.

After a long time, a dark shape finally appeared on the horizon.

At first, it looked like a shadow in the mist. But as they drew closer, it slowly took form, a large island rising from the middle of the sea. Tall stone cliffs surrounded its edges, and clear blue water lapped gently against the rocky shore.

Su Qinglan’s eyes widened.

Around the island, dozens of mermaid figures floated in the water. Some were patrolling, some were resting on the surface, and others were diving in and out of the waves like playful fish.

The moment they noticed the returning patrol team, several heads turned.

Then someone gasped.

"Females...!"

"Look! There are females on the patrol team!"

"And small land beasts too!"

The calm sea around the island suddenly became lively. Mermaid men began swimming closer, their eyes wide with shock and curiosity.

"Where did they come from?"

"I have never seen those females before!"

"They are so beautiful..."

More and more mermaids joined in, forming a loose trail behind the patrol group. Some kept a respectful distance, while others circled around them in excitement, whispering and pointing.

The number of followers kept growing.

By the time the patrol reached the outer edge of the island, it felt as though half the tribe was trailing behind them, all trying to catch a glimpse of the mysterious females and the three tiny cubs.

Lan Yue glanced around at the growing crowd, her cheeks turning slightly pink under all the attention.

Su Qinglan, on the other hand, felt like she had suddenly become the center of a festival she never meant to attend. Everywhere she looked, curious faces were staring at them, whispering among themselves.

"Where did they come from?"

"Are they really land dwellers?"

"Look at the cubs! They are so cute and furry!"

The mermaid tribe was very curious about the furry cubs. Most of them had rarely seen land cubs before, and compared to their own tiny fish like babies, these tiger cubs looked soft, cute, and easy to cuddle.