The six Beastfolk girls, still shaken, nestled tightly in the arms of their relatives and fellow clansmen.
The snow-white Forest Sacred Beast-a large white dog-also lay quietly nearby, rolling over with a contented rumble.
Cui Ciyou stood quietly to one side, watching the scene before him and thinking:
That saves us the trouble of taking them back to the Great Forest. Time for us to leave.
Seeing that everything had been settled and the children were safe and reunited with their families, Cui Ciyou prepared to bid the Beastfolk farewell.
"Everyone,"
He stepped forward and spoke in fluent Beast God Language.
"The children are safe now. We still have urgent matters to attend to, so we won't impose on you any longer."
He waved a hand, signaling Alice, Sylphy, and Rujierd to get ready to leave.
"Please wait, benefactor!"
Just then, the two elderly Beastfolk leaders with cat ears and dog ears, whose presence was the most composed-the two chiefs whom the little cat-eared and dog-eared girls had called "Grandpa"-hurried forward and blocked Cui Ciyou's path.
With a solemn expression, the elderly cat-eared Beastfolk man placed a hand over his chest in a formal Beastfolk salute, then spoke in the Human Common Tongue:
"I am Gustav Dedoldia, chief of the Dedoldia Clan of the Delu!" (Catfolk)
"You have done our clan an immeasurable kindness. Not only did you save our children, you also helped us recover our missing Sacred Beast."
"If we cannot offer even a small token of thanks for such a great kindness, we Doldia would be ashamed before the Beast God!"
The elderly dog-eared Beastfolk man, chief of the Adoldia, also chimed in using the Human Common Tongue:
"Exactly! The Great Forest is our home!"
"We humbly ask that you accompany us to our settlement in the