Who Is the Beast King?
Season 1 — The Dragoness of Nature
Chapter 2 — Eyes of the Panther
The sound of footsteps woke her. Heavy, deliberate, too steady to belong to any human she knew. Thud… thud… thud…
Areum stirred, the dried grass beneath her rustling, and blinked into the dim light of the cave. The storm outside still grumbled, though softer now, a dull Rrrmmm… rolling through the earth.
Her vision sharpened.
He was there again.
The man with the impossible eyes. He ducked through the cave mouth, dragging something heavy behind him. Her nose caught the faint iron tang before her eyes registered it: prey. A deer-like beast, limp and fresh, laid across his shoulder.
Her stomach turned at the sight—revulsion, then confusion, then hunger. She pressed a hand to her chest, whispering to herself. Where… where am I? Who is he? What is he?
He set the prey down with ease, his body fluid like a predator, his long hair sliding down his shoulders as he rose. His eyes found hers instantly, glowing green in the shadows.
"You're awake," he said simply, voice low, calm.
Areum flinched, backing into the wall. Rustle—! Her heart stuttered. Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump!
"Stay back!" The words left her before she could think. Her lips trembled, but her eyes didn't leave his.
He paused, tilting his head the way a cat might when studying a trembling bird. He didn't advance, only crouched slowly, resting his weight on one knee so his towering frame seemed less threatening. His hand brushed the tattoo across his chest, its red glow faint in the dimness.
"You're cold," he said after a moment. His eyes flickered, searching her pale skin, her trembling hands. "Your body won't last long in this state."
She hugged herself tighter. "Don't touch me…"
A breath escaped him, half sigh, half growl. "Then watch."
Before her eyes, his body blurred. The sound came first—crack… snap… like stone shifting against itself. His frame bent forward, his hands pressing into the ground, muscles rippling under skin that thickened, darkened.
Her breath caught. Haa—haa—!
In place of the man stood something massive, something beautiful and terrifying: a black panther, fur slick as night, eyes glowing green like twin lanterns in the dark. His body was enormous, larger than any animal she had seen, power coiled in every line of him.
She pressed against the wall, wide-eyed. Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump! Fear sharpened into awe.
"A… a panther," she whispered, voice shaking. "You're… a monster."
The beast padded forward, each step soundless but heavy with presence. His green eyes never left hers. His massive frame filled the cave, but instead of striking, he lowered his head, ears twitching, as if offering.
He's huge… too huge… but he's beautiful…
Her chest tightened. She wanted to shrink back, to vanish—but her eyes refused to look away.
Then, the impossible happened. She heard him. Not with her ears, but inside her mind.
Don't fear me. I won't hurt you.
Her lips parted, a shiver running through her. Am I imagining this? Am I losing my mind?
You're trembling, the voice continued, deeper, steadier. Let me warm you.
"No—!" she gasped, shaking her head, clutching her knees tighter. But her body betrayed her, teeth chattering, breath puffing white in the cool air.
He stepped closer. She felt the warmth radiating from him before his fur brushed her skin. She stiffened, but his presence wrapped around her like a living cloak.
Her heart thundered, loud, insistent. Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump!
He's too close… he's too much… but… it feels warm…
The beast lowered himself beside her, his massive frame curling so his body heat shielded her from the cave's chill. His green eyes glowed in the dim light, watching her every breath.
"I don't… understand," she whispered aloud, her voice trembling. "Why me?"
His thought echoed through her mind, heavy with something she didn't yet have the words for.
Because I heard you. And once I hear a heartbeat, I cannot ignore it.
Her eyes burned, a sting rising behind them, but she bit her lip and buried her face against her knees. Why me… why now? What is happening to me?
The beast's steady breathing rumbled like distant thunder, wrapping her in its rhythm. Haa… haa…
The storm outside cracked—BOOM!—but she barely flinched this time. Her fear melted slowly into something else: awe, confusion, and a fragile sense of safety she didn't want to admit.
As sleep threatened to take her again, she whispered his name in her head, testing the strange weight of it. Raion…
And from beside her, she felt the faintest vibration of his answer: Areum.