Beast Tamer's Rebirth National Treasure Edition novel Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

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Everyone was awake before dawn for the early flight, and there wasn’t a moment to spare for anyone’s makeup.

It was obvious to anyone watching that when Sierra, Vivian, and Natalie stood together, Natalie looked entirely out of her league.

On screen, Sierra’s complexion was flawless. She had the kind of fine features and naturally soft lips that the camera loved.

Natalie was pretty enough for television, but beside a decorated actress and a current A-lister, she felt ordinary. The comparison put her in a foul mood from the moment her alarm went off.

The group gathered in the zoo’s central plaza in the blue-grey light just before sunrise, a thin mist clinging to the ground.

Shawn’s gaze instantly landed on Sierra in the crowd. Without makeup, the family resemblance was striking. It gave him a slight pause. “Morning, Sierra,” he said.

Sierra just gave him a passing glance and a small nod before walking over to stand beside Vivian.

[Shawn said morning, and she just blew him off. So rude.]

[Just shows she was never taught any manners.]

[You have to admit though, Shawn and Sierra look like they could be real siblings, both naturally good- looking. Seriously, their skin is flawless without makeup. You’d think they were actually related.]

[Nat is pretty too. And she’s Shawn’s real sister, remember?]

[Natalie just doesn’t stand out much. Andy’s a singer, so his talent matters more than his looks, but he’s handsome enough, and people have come to expect it. Natalie looks really different without makeup on…]

Natalie had no idea people were talking about her looks online. She would have been furious if she knew.

Actually, she was already upset, especially since Shawn had greeted Sierra first when he arrived.

Natalie was certain that Sierra’s face was the root of every problem, and she promised herself she’d ruin it someday.

She held onto that bitter thought as they all traveled to the airport, arriving in Yondeland right at eight

o’clock.

Thomas was accompanying them this time as the official trip leader.

Once they landed, the group drove toward the area Angel had described.

In the van, Thomas briefed them. “We’ve been looking into the reasons behind Angel’s depression and aggressive behavior for some time now.”

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Chapter 31

He paused, and his eyes found Natalie.

Natalie’s face tightened immediately.

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After the zoo had publicly called her out online, the scandal had faded, but the embarrassment lingered. She was still the target of ridicule online.

The entire incident was a constant, sharp shame she couldn’t escape.

But now, under Thomas’s gaze, Natalie knew better than to cause a scene. She kept her head down, her face tight with restrained anger.

A trace of scorn flickered in Thomas’s eyes before he turned to Sierra, his face softening into a gracious smile. “We should thank Sierra for bringing this to light.

“Before Angel was found, other raccoons had already made it into Yondeland. That’s why we’re here to track them down. Finding them would be a great discovery.”

Andy raised his hand from the back seat. “Why a great discovery?”

“Good question,” Thomas said with a small smile. “Because no raccoon has ever been recorded traveling this far into Yondeland before.”

The group and the viewers watching fell silent for a moment.

It was true. Raccoons usually lived in Sunsville and the Greenridge Mountains. Yondeland had never had any.

Sierra spoke up at that moment. “We’ve been working to protect raccoons since 1963. There’s been progress, but their natural habitats are still very much at risk.

“Studies show raccoons prefer forested areas near water, like riverbanks or wetlands. And all the data indicate Yondeland’s climate just isn’t suitable for wild raccoons to establish stable populations.

“The fact that they traveled all this way tells us their original habitats are shrinking, and they’re acting out of necessity.”

Sierra’s words left everyone in the van deep in thought.

Vivian glanced at Sierra, noticing the distinct chill in her tone.

Vivian then asked, “But if Yondeland is unsuitable, why is finding them here considered a great discovery?”

Thomas looked over at Sierra with a slight smile. “I believe Sierra can explain that,” he said.

Sierra nodded and continued smoothly, “Let me give you a parallel from history. Decades ago, a subspecies of tiger was officially declared extinct in our country.

“In 2010, a female tiger now called October came here from thousands of miles away.

“Its arrival drew more tigers into the country. Over the next decade, their numbers grew until they spread all the way to the Chabellin Mountains.

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Chapter 31

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October didn’t just reintroduce tigers to our country. It helped restore hundreds of square miles of forest Raccoons could do the same thing. These changes take time, but they happen.

“If raccoons settle here, they could change the forest for miles around over the next few decades”

As they drove deeper into Yondeland’s mountains, Sierra’s words seemed to hang in the air, quiet but clear.

[Who said Sierra didn’t know anything? Compared to her, I feel like I never went to school!

[The most important thing is that Sierra’s major is veterinary medicine. You can’t just read a book and know all this. It takes real understanding

[She’s just quoting a textbook. It’s nothing speciall

[Right, she’s just showing off with book knowledge. Let’s see how all that theory holds up in the actual forest.]

[I can’t believe people with no training are criticizing an expert.

[Don’t they see how Mr. Monroe is looking at her? He respects her

[He knows real skill when he sees it.]

No matter how much the online critics dismissed Sierra, everyone in the vehicle was quietly impressed.

The way

fame.

Thomas watched Sierra with such clear appreciation told them all she was here for more than just

Around ten in the morning, after a three-hour drive, they reached the foothills of a vast mountain covered in dense greenery.

Below them lay a rolling valley of fields, dotted with old farmhouses whose tin roofs glinted in the sun. The whole place felt untouched by time.

The crew had arranged places for everyone to stay. They’d be living with local families for the next few days.

The locals were excited to hear about the visiting researchers and film crew and greeted them with genuine

warmth.

While the others enjoyed a welcome meal with the hosts, Sierra went with the research team to look around

the area.

She went to several locals who knew the mountains well from gathering herbs and mushrooms, asking them about the land and if they’d ever seen raccoons.

“Raccoons? Those live in the next state? Why would they come all the way here?” one local asked in a thick

accent.

Sierra only half-understood the words, but the meaning was clear.

It was clear no one had seen one, so she just asked about the mountains instead.

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Chapter 31

Sierra returned when the others were finishing their meal.

Vivian stood up as soon as she spotted Sierra. “Sierra, where did you go?” she asked.

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Natalie stood up too. “We waited for you, but you were gone so long, so we started without you. You’re not upset with us, are you?” she said, her voice deceptively sweet.

Sierra watched the act quietly. She knew the routine. Natalie’s words were polite on the surface, but carried the same subtle sting she remembered.

In the past, Sierra would have let it go, telling herself Natalie was just sheltered and didn’t know any better. But she was no longer willing to play along.

“Mr. Monroe and I were checking the trail ahead,” Sierra replied evenly. “It’s my fault. I should have told you all I’d be late. How could I possibly be upset with you?”

She offered Natalie a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it, but you should be careful. On another show, that kind of comment could be cut to make me look difficult, and I’d be left to handle the bad press.”

The room went quiet for a few seconds.

Frank spoke up, his big frame leaning forward with comic urgency. “Sierra, please, we run a good show. No one is playing games here.”

His theatrical tone cut right through the tension in the room.

Andy grinned. “He’s right. Mr. Turner keeps it real.”

Vivian added, “Don’t worry, Sierra. If Mr. Turner edits this badly, I’ll post about it. People listen to me, and I’ll make sure they know the truth.”

Frank’s eyes went wide. “Are you two teaming up against me?”

Sierra and Vivian nodded together. “We are,” they said.

The playful back and forth between the director and the guests soon had everyone relaxed and laughing.

Only Natalie stayed quiet in the corner, her eyes red. “That wasn’t what I meant,” she said quietly. “Please don’t think of me that way.”

Seeing this, Shawn stepped protectively in front of Natalie. “Sierra, she really didn’t mean it. She wasn’t thinking. Could you just forgive her?”

The entire group fell silent, while viewers online agreed that his behavior was beyond shameless.

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