The Ugly Duckling Of The Tiger Tribe Chapter 7: I just taught our father some common sense

I looked back, my eyes scanning and looking for soone who would stand for . Please, anyone. There has to be soone who saw when I was leaving.

This was my only chance to prove my innocence.

And then, soone, shyly raised his hand. He was that ugly, big-nosed, and uneven-eyed male who rejected . The fifth male that rejected .

"I... I saw Arinya." He said.

Oh, thank God.

"She usually leaves at the ti every day, and I tie up firewood at that ti too, so I... I saw her again today."

Thank you, big-nosed male, I won’t forget your kindness.

And with this, more murmuring rose.

One person saw leave at the crack of dawn and no one saw in the tribe at the ti Veyra was poisoned.

And because my cave was a bit far from where Veyra and her spouses lived, it was hard for anyone not to have seen .

So, the situation was clear.

I was innocent.

But just as they were about to call the verdict, a weak faint voice spoke,

"W-wait,"

It was Veyra.

That bitch... Why did she co out now?

She looked pale with her eyelids dark and her lips cracked. That sight was enough to get the village to sympathize with her and forget the common sense I had just fed them.

My father rushed to Veyra, throwing away his composed self and showing quite clearly that Veyra was his adored child.

"Are you alright? Why did you co out?"

Supporting Veyra were two of my brothers. Ashren and Zevak. Kaelor was currently not in the tribe.

"Zevak, Ashren, why isn’t your sister resting right now?" My father asked.

"It’s because Veyra wanted to co," Zevak said and his eyes darted towards , sneering and glaring with hate.

Ah, why did this suddenly seem like those shorts you’d watch about the bullying siblings?

Hm, how do I handle this bunch?

"Father," Veyra called, breathing heavily, and then looked towards . "You shouldn’t bla Arinya. I’m sure she ant no harm." She coughed.

Yup. Just like the shorts.

She lives up to the cunning bitch in Arinya’s mory.

Acting all soft and considerate now to make others think she’s an angel, while I, Arinya, am a devil incarnate who wanted to stain her white.

But she’s quite terrible at it. Is it just , or does this seem more inauthentic than those shorts?

Whatever. She’s probably been acting like this all along, so she sees no need to improve.

It’s the fools who fall for her act that I bla.

Tch, amateurs.

"Veyra, we have already looked into this matter." My father said. It looked like he wasn’t going to let down, after all. The power of tears can’t be underestimated, huhu. "Arinya was not in the tribe when you were poisoned so she’s not the criminal."

I saw Veyra flinch and look at her father in disbelief.

"W-what?"

That’s right, you bitch. I just taught our father so common sense.

"Yes. Since she was not in the tribe, that ans she wasn’t the one who poisoned you. We’ll have to be cautious because it seems there is soone who is trying to harm you."

The words must feel like bullets shot right past Veyra’s ear. As long as I, Stephanie, am here, her plan won’t work the way she wants.

"But that... That..." Her hands trembled and her lips quivered. "If not her, t-then who else would want to harm ?"

She was insinuating that I was the only one in this entire tribe who would try to harm her. She was crazy.

And the ones who would believe her were even crazier.

"That’s right, father," Zevak said, glaring at . "I can’t think of anyone else who would try to harm dear Veyra besides Arinya who’s always jealous of her."

Wait, ? Jealous?

Excuse but I’d rather drown than be jealous of— I paused. Sothing unsettling suddenly rattled .

Ah, Arinya was jealous indeed. She was jealous that Veyra had so many mates and more who wanted to line up and wait for her, while she was left with none.

It rattled a bit and I bowed my head.

This sucks.

What do I do with this feeling?

My father was silent. He couldn’t deny that all the things that had been going on with Veyra were done by , but just like this day when they were about to accuse without discovering clearly if I was the one, what if I had been falsely accused those tis as well and that is why the attacks keep coming?

"Veyra, are you sure it’s Arinya who did it?" He suddenly asked which rattled Veyra. "Did you see her put the poison? Or did you see her co in contact with your at?"

"I... I didn’t but..."

"What? You didn’t?" Ashren asked, confused. "But didn’t you say you saw Arinya put sothing in your at?"

"Well, that’s... I was sure, I an, I don’t..." She had finally slipped up, trembling in disbelief.

Her words no longer matched her previous claims which puts her on the spot.

Did she try to make it up so Arinya could be blad when Arinya wasn’t even in the tribe?

Words like that were circulating among the beastn in the hall, and Veyra, who was backed to a corner, decided to use her secret weapon... Her tears.

She cried.

"I... I don’t know anymore. I can’t rember it clearly either, waa." She cried, rattling her father and her brother.

And they sympathized with her.

This was the point where they would hold her and tell her it was okay but... I sniffed, tears rolling down my cheeks as I began to cry.

She wasn’t the only one who could fake tears.

"All this ti," I cried, catching their attention. "I’ve always been falsely accused and no one would listen to . I suffered a lot, Father. I suffered because you wouldn’t listen to . It’s only about Veyra." I cried, falling to my knees. "It must be because I’m ugly and hunt like the males. That’s why you want to punish , isn’t it? That’s why you have no problem making a criminal. That’s why every beast hates ."

I cried. The weakness of the beastn appeared to be the tears of a female.

Co to think of it, females are ant to be treasured and treated well, but if word got out that one female was maltreated in another tribe by the entire tribe, others would want to co to claim that female.

It’s sothing about females being the national treasure.

Anyway, I kept crying.

My father and brothers were suddenly torn about what to do.

If to console , or continue consoling Veyra.

Since they were torn and still hesitant, I began to cry louder.

"Why was I even born? Every beast hates because I’m not as pretty and gentle as Veyra. Even my father hates ."

This forced my father to my side right away.

"Arinya," he held my hand and I looked up. "You shouldn’t bow down. No daughter of this chief should bow their head."

Oh, so now you know I’m your daughter.

What blinded you that you forgot that fact when you made Arinya suffer all this while?

This doesn’t an I’ll forgive you so easily. You’ve hurt Arinya far too much.

I’m no pushover when it cos to acting, so I will definitely—I glanced at Veyra, who looked in disbelief as Rakan helped up to my feet—Show you what it ans to be at the top of your class as an arts major.