The next morning, Xin Yi stood before them like a teacher addressing kindergarteners. Which, in terms of hygiene knowledge, they basically were.
"Okay! So! Soap is made from three main ingredients!" She held up her fingers. "Animal fat, ash, and water! When you mix them in the right way, they create something that cleans your skin and makes you smell nice!"
"But how does it work?" asked a young Panther male, raising his hand like an eager student.
"The soap molecules attach to dirt and oil on your skin, and when you rinse with water, it takes everything away!"
Blank stares.
"It's.….magic cleaning?" she tried again.
"OHHH!" everyone chorused, nodding like that made perfect sense.
[Close enough! (◕‿◕)]
"Now, we're going to make soap together! Everyone needs to gather materials!"
The beastmen sprang into action with the enthusiasm of children on a field trip. They returned with:
Way too much animal fat (some of it still.…..attached to things)
Enough ash to bury a small village
Several confused looks about the "water" part
"Okay, maybe I should have been more specific," Xin Yi muttered.
She divided them into groups and walked them through the process. Feng Huang's Tigers worked with surprising delicacy, measuring and mixing carefully. Hei Yan's Panthers approached it like a military operation, following her instructions with intense focus.
"No, no, not THAT much ash—"
"Wait, you have to heat it SLOWLY—"
"DON'T EAT IT!"
"But it smells good!" protested a Tiger male, soap foam dripping from his mouth.
[Told you! ☆]
Xin Yi pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's not food! It's for washing!"
By midday, they had produced several batches of soap. Some bars were better than others (one group had somehow made soap that smelled like feet), but most were acceptable.
"Now," Xin Yi announced, "we will need to test them! We will go to the river when everything is done!" While they waited for the soap to cure properly, Xin Yi decided to make lunch for everyone. After all, teaching soap-making was hungry work.
She gathered her ingredients and got to work. The beastmen watched in fascination as she seasoned meat with herbs, roasted vegetables on hot stones, and even made a simple flatbread using wild grain flour.
"The key is balance," she explained, sprinkling herbs. "Not too much, not too little. You want to enhance the flavor, not overwhelm it."
Feng Huang appeared at her elbow, leaning in close. Too close.
"Hmm, you're so knowledgeable, little female," he purred, his golden eyes gleaming. "What other skills do you have?"
Xin Yi's cheeks heated. "I—that's not—stop that!"
"Stop what?" He grinned. "I'm simply admiring your talents." He reached over her shoulder, supposedly to grab a plate, but his chest pressed against her back. "You know, in my tribe, we greatly value females who can teach new things."
"Feng Huang—"
"We would worship such a female," he continued, his voice dropping to a rumble. "Treasure her. Keep her very.….satisfied."
"OKAY, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Hei Yan's roared like the jealous kitty cat he was. He materialized on Xin Yi's other side, physically shoving Feng Huang back. "Stop harassing her while she's cooking, Feng Huang."
"I wasn't harassing." Feng Huang protested. "I was simply courting her."
"You were being inappropriate."
"You're just jealous that she likes my approach better."
"She does NOT—"
"That is enough!" Xin Yi brandished a wooden spoon like a weapon. "Both of you, SIT DOWN and let me WORK!" They immediately sat. But Hei Yan immediately started licking her arm, marking her with his scent, while Feng Huang watched with an amused smirk.
"Really?" Xin Yi sighed as Hei Yan's tongue dragged up to her elbow.
"He touched you," Hei Yan grumbled between licks. "I need to cover his scent."
"I didn't even touch her, you stupid panther." Feng Huang laughed.
Lick. Lick. Lick.
Xin Yi rolled her eyes and continued cooking. After a long time of cooking a meal enough to feed a small town, it was a massive success. Both clans devoured everything, praising her cooking skills with the kind of reverence usually reserved for religious experiences.
"This is amazing!"
"The Scent Goddess is also a Food Goddess!"
"Can she do anything?!"
Feng Huang caught her eye across the fire and winked. "Truly gifted in every way."
The suggestive tone made her face burn. Hei Yan noticed and immediately moved closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "My female is very talented," he said loudly, emphasizing the 'my.'
"OUR female," Feng Huang corrected with a sharp smile. "The courting period isn't over, remember?"
They locked eyes, tension crackling.
"Can we PLEASE just test the soap now?" Xin Yi interrupted before they started wrestling.
~
The entire group migrated to the river, bars of soap in hand. All for Hei Yan, who had mysteriously disappeared shortly after the meal.
Xin Yi had instructed everyone to bring the soap, and now they stood at the riverbank, excited and slightly confused.
"Okay!" she called out. "Everyone strips down and gets in the water!"
There was zero hesitation. Within seconds, the entire clearing was full of very naked beastmen jumping into the river. Xin Yi turned around quickly, her face burning. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that," she muttered.
[Host is so prudish! They're just bodies! ☆]
"I'm not prudish! I'm just—civilized!"