Ava sat quietly, her mind racing as she considered what lay ahead. She had been avoiding the conversation for a while now, but it was becoming clear that it might be time to reveal her past. Kale and George had become important to her, and if she was going to start a new life with them, she couldn't keep hiding the truth forever—well, at least not all of it.
She had already decided how much she would share. She would tell them about the real Ava, the one who had lived in this world before her. She would recount the story of the Gold Sun Tribe, her father the Lion Chief, and the betrayal that led to the real Ava's death. But she would leave out one crucial detail: that the real Ava was gone, and her soul had been replaced by someone from another world—*her.*
Ava's heart quickened at the thought. How would they react if they knew the truth? Would they see her as an imposter, or worse, a threat? The fear of being branded a witch or a cursed being was real. This world was full of superstition, and she had no idea how such a revelation would be received. If word got out that she wasn't the real Ava, it could spread like wildfire through the tribes, and she might be shunned—or worse, hunted.
No, it was too risky. She had to be smart about this. Sharing only parts of the story was the safest option, and she would omit anything about her true origin. She had become skilled at blending in, adapting to this world's customs and way of life, and no one suspected that her soul was not of this world. She needed to keep it that way.
But then there was another concern: her knowledge. The world she had come from was far more advanced than this one. She had already started using some of her modern knowledge—small innovations here and there—that had raised eyebrows. People had asked questions, and those questions would only grow more frequent as time went on.
She had thought about this too. The solution was simple: if anyone asked how she came up with her ideas or how she knew things, she would attribute it to divine revelation. In this world, the beast god was revered, and it wasn't uncommon for people to claim visions or inspiration from the gods. She could easily say that the beast god had spoken to her, giving her the ideas and insights that no one else had. It would explain her knowledge and even elevate her status, as someone chosen by the divine.
Ava sighed, realizing how carefully she had to tread. The story of her life here would be a mix of truth and fallacies, carefully woven to protect her identity. She wasn't the real Ava and if the beast god had to be her scapegoat for the knowledge she brought from her own world, then so be it.
As she prepared to share her story with Kale and George, she took a deep breath. She had to make sure that every word she spoke was convincing, every detail believable. They trusted her, and she couldn't afford to lose that trust.
But the nagging fear remained. What if they ever found out the full truth? Would they still accept her? Or would they turn on her like so many others had turned on the real Ava?
Pushing the fear aside, Ava steeled herself. She would cross that bridge if she ever came to it. For now, her focus was on building a life here—one where she could thrive without the shadow of her true origins looming over her.
From now on, any new ideas or inventions she introduced to this world would be attributed to the will of the beast god. It was a clever way to protect herself, and perhaps, in time, she might even believe it herself.
"Alright, I will tell you guys everything about myself", Ava took a deep breath wondering where to start.
"My name is Ava, as you already know, I come from the Gold Sun tribe, my father is the Lion chief Peter and the Tribe Leader."
Ava looked to see Kael and George listening attentively to her, she continued "I am first and oldest daughter born to the Lion Chief, Paul and his female mate, Melinda, who is my mother; I have a younger sister, Isabella, who is the daughter my mother had with her second mate, an antelope beastman. My mother doesn't usually pay much attention to us, she just stays indoors and doesn't come out much due to her weight, so I don't have much to say about her."
Ava's thoughts wandered back to her mother, Melinda, now just a distant memory. In her childhood, Ava remembered her mother as affectionate, playing and doting on her with warmth and love. Those early years had been filled with innocence, where Ava felt close to her mother.
But everything changed a few years after Isabella was born. Melinda, much larger than the other females in the tribe, became more reclusive as Ava and Isabella grew older. Her great size kept her indoors, away from the tribe's activities. Unlike the other agile women who foraged in the forests, Melinda's bulk limited her involvement, and Ava and Isabella rarely saw her outside their home.
As the sisters neared the age of mating, they spent more time with other cubs, playing, running through the woods, and learning about life. Their mother, however, became almost invisible in their lives, rarely engaging with them. The family dynamic was complicated. Their fathers, Peter and Isabella's antelope beastman father, took turns spending nights with Melinda, while the other stayed with the children in a separate room. This routine only widened the emotional gap between the sisters and their mother, as neither father brought them closer to her.
Ava's later memories of her mother were hazy. Melinda grew heavier over the years, spending her time in silence, her presence more distant. As the sisters neared adulthood, the absence of their mother became more pronounced. They prepared for their future roles, but Melinda remained a shadow in the background.
Looking back, Ava realized how little the real Ava had known about her mother's feelings or struggles. Once a loving figure, Melinda had faded into a quiet presence. Ava often wondered if things would have been different had her mother been more involved in her life and Isabella's. *Would Isabella have betrayed Ava if they had been closer?*
But Melinda had chosen her path, retreating into isolation. Ava couldn't help but wonder why the real Ava had never tried to reconnect with her mother, but in the end, it no longer mattered—it was too late.
"The Gold Sun tribe, I think I've passed by it before it's a really big tribe, they have a lot of females; do you want to return back to your tribe" Kael asked but deep down he hoped she would say No, .
Ava shook her head. "Not really, I can't go back and you will know why in the next part of the story" Ava replied. Looking at George she reminded him, "Remember the first time you saw me, I was passed out after crossing the river, when I woke up the only thing I could remember was that I was being chased by stray beast"
"Yes, I remember, when did you get your memories back, " George asked.
"It was a while back when Kael was just starting the building of the house" Ava replied back. "I didn't say anything about it because I needed time to sort through my memories"
"Anyways the reason why I can't go back has something to do with why I was being chased by straybeasts in the first place." Ava started to narrate her ordeal "it all started when my father made a deal with the Fox chief Charles, who is the Tribe Leader of the Red Fox tribe, the deal was that my father with make the Fox chief's Son the mate to his own daughter and the two tribe will merge as one with the Fox chief's Son Ethan being the the future leader of the two tribes. Their goal was to create something similar to a beast city"
Kael and George both furrowed their brows in displeasure as Ava explained how her father, Tribe Chief Peter, had promised her as a mate to Ethan, the Fox Chief's son, without her consent. The idea of being forced into such a decision clearly unsettled them, their expressions growing darker as she continued. Though they remained silent, the tension in their faces was unmistakable. Neither of them could understand or accept how a father could impose such a fate on his daughter, ignoring her autonomy. Their disapproval hung heavily in the air as they quietly listened to her story.
"The day came when the Red fox clan came to Join our tribe, since our Location was much better than theirs, that day was the day we were supposed to Celebrate and hold the mating Ceremony between me and Ethan...
But I was betrayed by her younger sister, Isabella. Isabella lured me out of the tribe and set me up to die." Ava's voice wavered as she spoke, still shocked by the betrayal, it must be the Real Ava's feelings she was feeling right now.
" It turns out that my sister was coveting my betrothed and the position of being mate to future Tribe Leader, who might be king one day and not only my sister but my betrothed, Ethan of the Red Fox tribe was also in on it." Ava pondered out loud.. "Till today am still shocked as to how they knew each other since that day of celebration was the day we all were supposed meet for the first time"