Beast Tamer's Rebirth National Treasure Edition novel Chapter 33

Chapter 33

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Chapter 33

Sierra had braced herself for bad news, but hearing that Angel’s mother and sister had been found in someone’s freezer in a nearby town still struck her like a blow. Her heart sank, and for a long moment, she just stood there, stunned.

Vivian, her face etched with concern, gave Sierra’s hand a gentle squeeze.

The touch brought Sierra back. “How many did you find?” she asked, her voice sharp with focus.

“Two,” the researcher replied, her tone grim. “A four-year-old and an infant. We were too late.”

Thomas was the only one who knew the two raccoons had died months ago.

Remembering Angel’s mention of its two sisters, Sierra drew a slow, steadying breath and told them, “I need to go to the police station.”

Since police stations didn’t allow livestreams, Sierra’s feed went dark without warning, leaving her viewers to wildly guess what was happening.

All at once, news broke that a local had accidentally killed two raccoons. The story exploded online, quickly reaching the top of every trending list.

Inside the interrogation room, Sierra sat across from a man who couldn’t stop crying and apologizing.

“I… I thought it was a wild animal coming for my sheep,” he stammered through his tears. “It was dark. I… I just fired.

“When I saw they were raccoons, I got scared. I thought I’d go to jail for killing them. So I… I skinned them and sold the meat off as something else. I didn’t mean to do it.”

The interrogation room was quiet.

From the moment he arrived, the man confessed to everything. He knew it was wrong and kept saying the police should lock him up to pay for what he did.

Sierra gave him a look of pure scorn. “You put on a good show,” she said calmly. “I might have actually believed you if you hadn’t gone after the other two raccoons that ran away.”

“What? What two raccoons?” A quick shot of panic crossed the man’s face.

The officer next to Sierra leaned forward, his expression serious. “Tell us the truth,” he said sharply.

The man shook his head. “I don’t know what she’s talking about.”

Then, as if suddenly remembering, he spoke up again. “Oh, wait. Now I recall. There were three cubs in total. After I accidentally shot two of them, the other two cubs were terrified, and they scattered and ran off.”

Staring at Sierra, he insisted, “I was scared too, so I just took the dead raccoons and went down the mountain. I didn’t kill those other ones.”

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Chapter 33

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The police, however, remained skeptical and immediately pressed him for a clearer account.

But the man’s story was perfectly polished, as if he had gone over every detail in his mind a hundred times.

Sierra watched, her brow tightening and her eyes growing cold.

She could tell he had known this moment would come and had prepared for it well.

A sense of urgency tightened in her chest. There was no more time to wait. She had to find Angel’s second sister, alive or not, before it was too late.

She stood up, her gaze icy as she stared the handcuffed man down. “Keep telling your lies,” she said, her voice low.

Ignoring the fear draining color from his face, she added flatly, “One lie always leads to another.”

Leaving the station, Sierra headed straight back to the town at the foot of the mountain. She was resolved to go up the mountain with the team again that night.

Andy and Vivian could see how much Sierra wanted to find the raccoon cubs. One of them offered, “The show’s ending soon anyway. We’ll come up the mountain with you. Maybe we can help.

“If we find them, it’ll be a great way to finish the show. And if we don’t… well, at least we won’t have any regrets later.”

Natalie and Shawn just looked at each other, saying nothing.

They were completely worn out. Lately, nothing they said seemed to go right, and all they wanted was to leave. But with the other established guests willing to go, they couldn’t exactly refuse.

Natalie quickly stepped forward from the side. “We’ll go too,” she said, meaning herself and Shawn.

Seeing their decision, Frank decided to go for it. He announced right then, “Alright. Here’s the crew’s final challenge for all five of you: find the missing raccoon before the night is over. We’re waiting for your good news.”

The group hurried to pack their gear. With their powerful flashlights lighting the way, they started back up the mountain.

By the time they reached the bamboo forest, it was fully dark.

Sierra took Vivian’s hand gently. “The trail gets steep here, and there’s a natural pool ahead,” she said. “Please watch your footing.”

Daylight had made the climb manageable, but now, even with their bright flashlights, the night swallowed most of the light. Sierra felt uneasy about the group’s safety.

Their progress was painstakingly slow as a result.

The dense forest was a maze for anyone who didn’t know it well. The research team kept the guests and crew protected in the middle of their formation, while Sierra and Thomas led from just ahead.

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Chapter 33

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The mountain wind in Yondeland was fierce, whipping through the trees until the leaves hissed and wailed like lost spirits.

Natalie looked terrified, on the brink of tears.

Her distress sent a wave of sympathy through her fans watching the live stream.

[Why would Sierra make them go at night? This is so dangerous. What if they run into a wild boar or something? Can she really handle that kind of responsibility?]

[Natalie looks like she’s going to cry.]

[I really feel for Natalie. She’s having a rough time on this show.]

In the middle of the chatter, a sudden scream cut through the live stream.

The camera swung over just in time to see a bright green snake drop from a stalk. It landed coiled on Natalie’s shoulder, its head raised as it flicked its tongue at her.

Natalie stood frozen, her flashlight shaking in her hand. Staring into its slitted green eyes, she screamed in pure panic, “Help. Snake!”

Hearing the commotion, Sierra turned around.

Then she heard the snake speak, its voice clear and oddly girlish.

“I’ve been watching you, you witch,” it said. “You keep giving that girl in front of you the nastiest looks. Thought I’d give you something real to worry about.”

Sierra could understand animals, but seeing a snake flick its red tongue while speaking in perfect local slang was just plain funny.

It was a highly venomous snake. The team had antivenom, but that was no reason to tempt fate.

Natalie finally broke, crying in raw fear. “Shawn, help me!” she begged, her voice trembling. “I don’t want to die.”

The sound grated on Sierra’s nerves. “Be quiet if you want to live,” she said sharply.

She moved forward and studied the snake where it rested on Natalie’s shoulder.

This one was larger than most, its scales catching the light with a smooth, crystal-like gleam.

It seemed to study Sierra in return, its pupils widening with what looked like interest. “Wow, gorgeous,” a voice, clear only to Sierra, murmured in her mind. “I like you.”

Sierra offered her hand. In an instant, the snake glided from Natalie to coil securely around Sierra’s own wrist.

She reached up and gave it a gentle stroke between the eyes.

The snake closed its eyes, the picture of serene contentment, as if it were a house cat being petted. The others

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Chapter 33

could only stare in stunned silence.

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Thomas was the only one who knew the truth. He stood back, wearing a quiet, knowing smile.

Sierra spoke softly, “You’re gorgeous yourself,” she said.

The snake’s eyes, usually just slits, flew wide open. “You… you can really hear me?”

With everyone watching, Sierra couldn’t answer aloud. She simply nodded.

The snake was shocked.

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Its expression shifted as it seemed to think. “So that’s why I’ve seen you talking to my snacks from up in the trees. It’s good you can understand me,” it said.

Then, its expression turned serious as it added, “Listen, watch out for that girl. She’s young, but she’s got a real mean side. I’ve noticed the way she’s been glaring at you. Honestly, I only scared her because it was getting on my nerves.”

It surprised Sierra that her ability to connect with animals even worked on snakes.

She kept the snake out of sight behind her back. “Snakes are defensive, not aggressive,” she reassured the others. “This one probably just slipped from a branch. It’s not a threat.”

She then nodded toward a nearby thicket. “I’ll let it go there.”

Sierra set the snake down gently in the grass at the thicket’s edge.

A thought struck her, and she turned her attention back to it. “Actually,” she said, keeping her voice low, “have you seen a raccoon in this area? One with grayish-brown fur, a striped tail, that eats berries and leaves?”

The snake looped itself around a nearby vine, its tongue testing the air. “A raccoon?” it repeated. “No. I don’t know that animal.

It was the reply Sierra had grown accustomed to hearing. After days of asking, no animal had given her a useful lead.

She began to stand, ready to move on, when the snake’s voice returned. “But there is a creature in the deep pool ahead. One with a gray coat and darker markings. It could be the one you seek.”

The snake then sighed. “It’s been lying in there for months. You humans have the means. Get the raccoon out, and I can finally enjoy a proper bath.”

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