Pretending to Be a Little One

The Yunmeng people have an old song:

“Yunmeng little ones, with wings so light, fly up high and see far. When adulthood comes, their wings fall away, and they walk on solid ground.”

Every cub’s wings are fully grown by age seven. At fifteen, when they reach adulthood, they lose the ability to fly. Only high-ranking females are the exception.

A bloodline mutation, unheard of in a century, means their wings never fall off. On the day they come of age, they also awaken a gentle yet powerful ability: marking.

Beastfolk marked by a high-ranking female receive a blessing of strength. And she can give more than one mark. Once a year, she can mark different people or the same person, entirely as she pleases.

Yun Jiaojiao is that high-ranking female.

Her parents died protecting her. As her seven-year-old body took its last breath, the soul of a modern food blogger arrived within her.

With eight years to go before adulthood, she disguises herself as a male cub, hoping only to live a quiet, peaceful life.

She rescues an injured Water Qilin. He sees through her disguise but says nothing.

She sleeps for a night with a Frostwing Eagle’s wing wrapped around her. Only later does she learn that this is the oldest pact of protection in the beast world.

A batch of improved baked flatbreads makes the Blazing Golden Qilin tear up as he eats, and from then on, he visits her cave every day.

They protect her as she grows, waiting for her to come of age.

Not to compete for that one precious mark, but because life shines brighter when they’re by her side.

And she is waiting, too. Waiting for the day her wings no longer hurt, waiting until she has the strength to stand on this land and personally give her blessing to those who deserve it.

[One female, multiple male partners + sweet beast-world romance + growing-up story + romantic rivalry + a smart heroine]