Chapter 65
Nina’s eyes lit up with joy.
One of her babies was about to hatch!
She quickly shoveled the last few bites of food into her mouth and hurried to the bedside, leaning over the edge of the bed to stare at the egg with the crack.
The fracture lay along the upper middle of the shell—a thin, delicate line. From inside came faint, rhythmic tapping sounds.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Nina guessed the little one was pecking at the shell.
The other eggs had gathered close around it, as if forming a protective circle.
Mino and the others hastily swallowed their food as well and rushed over to join her. All of them stood by the bed, eyes fixed unblinkingly on the egg that was about to open.
After a moment p>
Crack.
The fissure widened slightly.
Then everything went quiet. Even the tapping stopped.
Nina’s heart tightened. “Mino… do you think the shell is too hard? What if the baby can’t break through? Will he be okay p>
“It’s fine,” Mino reassured her gently. “Hatching takes time. He’s probably just tired and resting p>
Nina nodded, still watching closely.
Sal noticed she was half-crouched at the bedside and silently brought over a small stool for her. She sat down but didn’t take her eyes off the egg.
About ten minutes later, the tapping resumed.
Tap-tap-tap.
The crack grew wider again—then stopped.
This happened twice more. Each time, the shell split further, but the baby still hadn’t emerged.
Nina leaned forward, utterly focused, silently cheering him on in her heart.
The tapping grew faster now, more urgent.
The surrounding eggs began to wiggle energetically, as if encouraging their sibling.
Even Mino and Yanai found themselves holding their breath.
Finally—crack!
A tiny white paw broke through the opening.
Nina’s eyes shone. He was coming out!
Mino and Yanai looked just as expectant.
Sal, however, frowned slightly. White? Why was it white? Shouldn’t it be a little leopard?
Another small paw pushed out. Then, with a decisive split, the shell fell apart and revealed a fluffy little head.
Round and soft, covered in short white fur patterned with delicate black tiger stripes. His tiny ears were half-covered by fragments of shell still clinging to his head. Two ice-blue eyes—clear as polished sapphires—blinked with innocent curiosity. Beneath them was a pink little nose and a gently curved mouth.
Nina’s heart melted instantly.
A white tiger cub.
He was unbearably adorable.
The little tiger tumbled free of the shell, wobbling toward her on unsteady legs. After two shaky steps, he seemed to decide walking was too slow—and promptly flopped down and rolled instead.
Nina couldn’t help laughing.
Looks like he got used to rolling around inside the egg.
The cub rolled right up to her, lifted his small head, and gazed at her with soft, dependent eyes. Then he opened his mouth and let out a tiny, slightly hoarse cry.
“Wa-woo p>
It sounded suspiciously like he was calling: Mama.
Nina felt her heart completely melt. Though the sound had a faintly raspy tone—almost like a duckling’s—it only made him cuter.
So that’s what baby tigers sound like.
In the beast world, cubs needed time to grow before they could speak properly. The timing varied for each one.
Nina chuckled and gently stroked his little head. “Were you calling Mama p>
“Wa-woo,” he responded again.
She carefully checked his tiny mouth—no teeth yet.
Mino beamed. “Nina, he’s so cute p>
“Yes,” she agreed, radiant with joy.
The remaining eggs wobbled happily.
Brother has hatched!
Sal, meanwhile, stood frozen.
A white tiger? Where was his little leopard?
Could this be Kith’s cub?
Had that bastard taken advantage of the situation after driving him away?
Sal’s jaw tightened.
Kith, you damned—
If you hadn’t interfered that day, the one hatching now would’ve been my leopard cub.
He stared at the little white tiger, emotions tangled. Even if it wasn’t his… it was still Nina’s child.
After a moment, he exhaled slowly.
Fine. If it’s hers, then I’ll love him too.
He glanced at the remaining eggs and felt a faint bitterness.
Why are there so many tigers?
Yanai, noticing Sal’s darkened expression, burst into laughter. “Didn’t you say they were your cubs? So why is it a tiger p>
Sal shot him a lethal glare. Yanai struggled to suppress his laughter, shoulders shaking.
Nina pretended not to hear.
She stroked the cub’s soft fur. “Are you hungry? Mama will make you some milk p>
The little tiger nodded.
“Mino, could you bring me some warm water p>
She took out a bottle and powdered formula. Once Mino returned with warm water, she carefully mixed the milk and held the bottle to the cub’s mouth.
He latched onto the nipple eagerly, sucking with surprising vigor.
His eyes half-closed in bliss.
This tastes so good.
Soon the bottle was empty. He smacked his tiny mouth contentedly.
“Full?” Nina asked.
He nodded happily.
Nina smiled down at him. “Since you’ve hatched, Mama should give you a name p>
The cub’s blue eyes gleamed with anticipation.
She thought for a moment.
“Your formal name will be Yian Song. But your nickname… let’s just call you Yinny. Do you like it p>
The name was simple and easy to remember.
The little white tiger narrowed his eyes in delight and let out another “Wa-woo p>
He liked it very much.
Then Yinny burrowed into Nina’s arms, purring softly.
The room felt warm and tender.
But elsewhere, it was a different story.
Dora had been waiting eagerly for her own cub to hatch.
When it finally did, her heart plummeted.
An eagle chick emerged—but its flesh-toned skin was covered in disturbing purple-red blotches. One wing was only half-formed. Two toes were missing from one claw. It could barely stand.
Dora stared in disbelief.
“No… this isn’t my cub. It isn’t p>
She could not accept that such a malformed, incomplete chick was hers.
In a frenzy, she grabbed the fragile chick and tried to throw it to the ground.
Her mates lunged to stop her.
“Dora, what are you doing? That’s your child p>
“No! It’s not! It’s not p>
She struggled wildly and tried to crush the chick in her hand.
Her mates pried her fingers open just in time, rescuing the nearly suffocated baby.
“Have you gone mad?” one of them roared. “Even a tiger doesn’t eat its own cub! This is yours and Jao’s child! Jao has been punished daily beneath the divine statue because of you—and you want to kill the only cub he has ever hoped for p>
Dora wrenched herself free and began smashing everything in the room.
Soon, an unbearable itch spread across her face and body again.
She scratched desperately.
Then she looked down.
Something sticky clung to her fingers.