Ari

Chapter 47: Drunken Beastmen

The wine I made was sweet. It tasted like cocktails, but I could clearly taste the alcohol in there. Probably because it wasn't aged yet, since the higher the glucose content of the grapes, the higher alcohol will be produced. Even so, I was still satisfied with the output.

My brother and Dillon were both getting tipsy after just drinking three cups of wine while Blake started to doze off due to drunkenness. It was funny seeing how they all look-like when they got drunk.

Lowell seemed to be enjoying the drink quietly on his own trying to figure something out. He was probably figuring out how it was made since he has an in-depth knowledge in herbs and medicine just like me.

"I was sure this was made of grapes, but why is there a strong scent and taste? It definitely doesn't taste rotten... Despite being placed inside the jar for a long time." He mumbled while seriously observing the wine.

"In my previous life, the strong scent and taste you are referring to was called alcohol. It's good for blood circulation if consumed in moderation. But it can also get you intoxicated for a while if consumed in the amount passes your alcohol tolerance such as Blake for example. His body's alcohol tolerance is low, making him doze off." I explained briefly.

"Hmm... Interesting... How did it last without rotting or without going bad?" He asked curiously.

"Oh... Because wine doesn't go bad unless it's contaminated with unnecessary ingredients that can interfere with the fermentation process." I answered.

"Fermentation? What's that?" He asked.

"It's a little complicated to explain, but it is the process of making wine and other fermented products, wherein the properties of the ingredients change due to the reaction of microorganisms such as yeast and bacteria... Erm... Let's just say it's like when you place all the ingredients and leave it in a tight, closed jar for some time it will turn into a different product." I answered while struggling for the right words to use.

"Hmm... It's still confusing... But it's interesting." He mumbled while nodding off.

"Little sis... Time to go to bed... How can you grow if you don't sleep on time...? Here sleep beside your brother... You'll sleep faster on my soft and fluffy fur..." My brother mumbled as he transformed into his beast form.

"Are you drunk already brother?" I asked while laughing at his odd way of speaking.

"Nyo!!! I wan chu sweep with A-ri..." Dillon babbled while struggling to pronounce his words.

It looks so funny how he sounded like a bigger version of Gurion. I was silently laughing while enjoying the last cup of wine I have when I felt something cold and long that suddenly gripped my foot.

I flinched and suddenly looked sharply at Blake. He was clearly half asleep already so I tried to shake off his tail.

Lowell, Dillon and my brother realized what Blake did so they kicked him outside the cave and threw a thick blanket for him. I was getting sleepy too, so I decided to sleep beside Gurion and left the three while they were still arguing about who shall sleep beside me.

I fell asleep right away but I woke up in the middle of the night. My brother slept on the floor while Dillon was on top of him. They were both in their beast forms. Blake was at the opening of the cave, sleeping soundly in an awkward position while the blanket covers only half of his body.

I stood up and tried to pull Blake inside the cave near my brother and Dillon so he won't get cold when he wakes up the next morning. Gurion was still sleeping soundly, but Lowell was nowhere to be found.

I tried to go to the place where his scent came from and found him on top of a boulder in his beast form while looking at the bright moonlight.

I felt nervous seeing a big wolf under the moonlight standing on a higher ground. I tried to calm myself up, reminding myself that it is Lowell and not the dog I used to fear.

Lowell realized I was looking towards him and tried to go down from the boulder without changing back to his passive form. I felt terrified while looking at him.

He suddenly realized the frightened look on my face and transformed to his passive form.

"Ari... It's me... Lowell... Did I scare you? Sorry..." He mumbled as he tried to reach my trembling hand.

"N-no... It's not your fault... Let me just calm down for a little bit." I answered in a low voice.

"You had a similar reaction when you were younger. Are you perhaps afraid of wolves?" He asked curiously.

"Yes, in my previous life.... A huge dog.... Similar to a wolf, attacked me when I was younger... Luckily, the owner managed to calm down the dog before it could injure me terribly." I answered in a low and trembling voice.

"Sorry... I will be careful from now onwards." He said apologetically.

"It's not your fault. Sorry for not informing you in advance. But... what are you doing here?" I asked curiously.

"I was just looking at the moon. It feels odd for some reason, since the night the goddess Ayla possessed you and it felt terrifying." He answered honestly.

I looked at the moon and also felt something strange that made me feel sleepier as if I was being sucked away back to the abyss.

The surroundings suddenly darkened as if I lost my sight. I couldn't even sense Lowell's presence.

"I'll be waking up soon sister... Are you excited to become one with me? I miss you so much..." A woman's voice uttered in a menacing tone.

Her voice sent shivers down my spine, but I couldn't see where she was. She suddenly started laughing hysterically.

"Ari! Wake up!" The voice called up to me in a frightened tone.

The darkness suddenly shattered before my eyes as I suddenly woke up in Lowell's arms.

"What happened?" I whispered in confusion.

"You suddenly fainted. Let's go back now. You need some more rest. You looked exhausted." He answered.

I nodded as he carried me in his arms worryingly. We went back inside the cave and went to sleep.