Seeing that it was still early, Eric said to Leo with a smile, "Leo, let's go out and pick some green vegetables to eat!"
Children especially need a balanced diet. He was determined to raise Leo to be strong and healthy!
Leo nodded. Usually, he was the only one playing by himself. There weren't many cubs in the tribe, and they didn't particularly like him, as they were usually out with the gathering team looking for food. His older brother had never paid him any mind. Today, his brother wanted to take him along, and he couldn't be happier.
The hunting party had returned early today, so most of the tribe members, after an early meal, had transformed into their beast forms to rest lazily.
It had rained today, and creatures with fur disliked the damp feeling. Many had already returned to their tents or small wooden houses to rest.
On a sunny day, these snow wolves would basically be outdoors. The nature of beastmen was to dislike being indoors, finding it stuffy and uncomfortable.
He didn't plan to go far today, just taking Leo for a stroll around the tribe's perimeter, which still yielded quite a few unexpected delights.
He pulled up some dandelions and wild mustard greens and even discovered alfalfa. This was good stuff; it could be eaten and also used to feed livestock. Livestock loved to eat it, and it was highly nutritious. He happily picked a full armful.
Leo had never seen any beastman eat these things, but he trusted his brother unconditionally. His brother even said that not only were these vegetables edible, but they could also clear heat and detoxify the body. Although he didn't understand what that meant, it was surely beneficial!
His brother also said that when the seeds ripened, they would have to gather many more. Next year, they could plant them, both for themselves to eat and to raise livestock. He didn't quite understand, but among the beastmen, only the Ox-Head Tribe knew how to farm. He never expected his brother to know as well. He was so amazing!
Eric looked at Leo, who was nodding vigorously, and couldn't help but laugh. The young boy's face was smeared with mud without him even realizing it, lost in his adoration for his brother.
After going to the riverbank to wash these wild vegetables, Eric told Leo to go home first and bring the still-unbutchered pheasant out to be washed as well.
Only then did he remember that the only ceramic jar in the house had been occupied by him. So, he extended his claws and found a large stone to carve into a stone basin.
The claws of the Snow Wolf Tribe were truly useful. They could even pierce the impenetrable hides of magical beasts, so what was the difficulty in carving an ordinary rock?
At this moment, he no longer resented having transmigrated into a beastman. Having both strength and sharp claws, how great was that? It was just that he never expected to return to the Stone Age after coming here. Oh well, at least he didn't turn into an ape-man.
"Roar!" The cry of a small beast came from the distance. He stood up and looked over.
It turned out to be Leo, who had transformed into his beast form, dragging the pheasant over. His small, golden body wasn't even a third the size of the pheasant, which made Eric laugh endlessly.
He hurried over to take the pheasant and then used water to clean Leo's mouth.
Revealing the tips of his claws, he slit open the pheasant's belly, cleaned the entrails with the flowing water, threw away the head and tail, and plucked all the feathers.
While washing by the river, he even discovered Vietnamese coriander. This type of grass really did like to grow by the river. This was great; he hadn't expected it to be so convenient. All he needed now was to be thick-skinned enough to ask the chieftain for some grain, and he could make yeast, and then brew wine and vinegar.
Eric carried the stone basin and water in one hand and the chicken in the other. Leo, in his human form, hugged the washed wild vegetables, and the two set off for home.
The distance from the Snow Wolf Tribe's settlement to the riverbank was not far. After all, being near a water source was necessary to meet daily needs.
On the way back, the tribespeople they encountered all whispered to each other in a voice they thought was very quiet:
"Didn't the hunting party already come back? Could it be that Eric didn't go get meat again? How can he keep feeding the cub grass like this?"
The corner of Eric's mouth twitched. He felt truly helpless. This wasn't grass, dear sirs. These were wild vegetables. If this were the modern era, these wild vegetables would be much more expensive than cultivated ones.
The Snow Wolf Tribe indeed rarely ate these things. Apart from those with special preferences, most tribe members ate their prey directly. They would pick some green vegetables and dry them for the winter. To them, these were all for staving off hunger, things they would only eat out of necessity.
It was a good thing the beastmen had strong bodies. If humans ate like that, they would have been constipated long ago, and might have even needed hemorrhoid surgery several times.
Eric transferred the soaking beans into the stone basin, emptying the ceramic jar.
He then chopped off the chicken wings and thighs, cutting them into small pieces and putting them in the ceramic jar to stew, also adding a few thin slices of Thunderfire Beast meat.
The pheasant and the meat were very fresh. Even without scallions or ginger, after stewing for a while, the aroma gradually spread.
He found a tree branch and cut the rest of the pheasant into larger pieces, skewering them alternately with slices of Thunderfire Beast meat, then started another fire to grill the chicken.
The pheasant was very fatty, and the Thunderfire Beast meat was also very fresh and tender. After grilling over the fire for a short while, fat began to drip down.
There were still a few wild fruits in the house. He found one, squeezed out some of its juice, and brushed it evenly over the meat skewers. With a sizzle, a rich aroma filled the room. Just then, Leo came back, hugging the large leaves he had been told to find, licking his lips like a gluttonous cat.
Eric looked at him with amusement and gestured for him to place the leaves beside him.
If only he had a basting brush. When he had the chance, he would definitely make a good bristle brush for grilling meat.
He took the coarse salt and sprinkled a thin layer over the meat skewers.
After grilling over the fire for a while, the surface of the meat skewers turned a mouth-watering, charred-golden color.