Because they couldn't run at full speed, the two of them didn't arrive back at the tribe until noon.
From a distance, Eric saw a small, yellow figure squatting at the edge of the camp, waiting patiently. As soon as it saw him, Leo's tail started wagging furiously like a pinwheel.
Eric jumped off Max's back, happily dashed over, scooped Leo up, planted a loud kiss on the little one's head, and hugged him tightly. Leo shyly nuzzled his head against his chest.
Max dragged the pile of coal to the front of Eric's house and stacked it under the animal hide awning. Eric said sincerely, "Max, thank you!"
But the next second, he couldn't help but burst into hysterical laughter. Max frowned, not understanding what had gotten into the kid.
Eric pointed at his face while laughing. Puzzled, Max swiped at his face with his hand, which only resulted in smearing the black coal streak even longer. Looking at his own blackened hand, he finally laughed helplessly along with him.
Eric scooped up some water for him to wash his face. Noticing there was still a smudge on Max's forehead, he naturally reached out his hand to wipe it for him.
"Ahem, you're back." Luban's voice sounded from behind them.
He chuckled, pointing at the earth kiln. "I've been watching the fire for you; it's still going. Do you want to put the black stone in?"
He had been sitting on the other side of the kiln, so discreetly that neither of them had noticed.
"Yes, yes, switching to black stone will raise the temperature." Eric nodded. He noticed Luban's expression was a bit odd and asked, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, it's nothing." Luban quickly shook his head, but not without sneaking an accusatory glance at Max before helping Eric move the black stone.
Max truly couldn't understand why this Dwarf was looking at him like that. He stood up and left.
Eric fed the coal into the kiln's opening, and the flames immediately caught, roaring to life. He placed a plank full of coal nearby; this amount would burn for a long time, and he had other things to do.
He lifted the straw mat off a stone basin, where soybeans covered in white, fluffy mold indicated their successful fermentation. He carefully separated them and put them out to dry in the sun.
Looking at the beans, he thought of the Dwarf children again. Seeing the children cowering, not even daring to smile, made his heart ache.
How pitiful. Since he had made a lot of sugar, he decided to make some candy for the children. At least it might cheer them up a little.
He ran to the food storage shelter; there were even more wild fruits from Luci than he had imagined. He got to work. The fruit juice was squeezed out, and white sugar was melted in a pottery jar until it thickened, releasing a sweet aroma.
He poured the fruit juice in, stirred lightly, and continued to cook. When the sugar syrup boiled with tiny white bubbles and became very thick, he quickly removed it from the heat, poured it onto a clean wooden plank, and used a knife to cut it into small pieces while it was still hot.
"Ao!"
The cloyingly sweet aroma made it impossible for Leo to sit still; he kept rubbing against Eric's leg. Luban, standing nearby, tried to maintain an adult's composure, but his eyes were also filled with craving.
Eric laughed and gave each of them a piece. The candy was still a bit soft. Leo ate it with delight, scratching at it with his claws.
Luban was different. He perked up his large beard, looked reverently at the candy in his hand, only dared to stick out his tongue for a lick, and then carefully put it in his pocket like a treasure.
Seeing this, Eric felt both amused and heartbroken. He said, "Luban, go ahead and eat it. There's plenty more here. You can take all of it with you later."
Luban looked at the plank full of candy, too stunned to speak. "This... this is all for me?"
"Of course," Eric smiled.
He made several more batches of candy, covering several large wooden planks. After the candy cooled, he kept half and gathered the rest.
"Let's go, Luban. Let's go to your tribesmen."
Luban followed behind him in a daze.
The Dwarves' tents were set up on the outer circle of the tribe. The Snow Wolves' giant hide tents were too large and empty for them. Using them to get through the winter would be a real stretch.
Inside the tents, the adults were busy making bed mats and stoves. The children sat quietly in a corner, some helping, others just watching silently.
Having just been through a crisis and now in a strange environment, they were all listless, not daring to play loudly.
These children had helped their parents with forging year-round, their skin was tanned and dark. At an age when they should be lively and cheerful, their eyes held only fear and anxiety.
Eric's heart ached.
How lucky he was to be born in a peaceful country, and to have transmigrated into the powerful Snow Wolf tribe that loved its young.
Although the conditions were a bit harsh, everyone in the tribe treated him very well.