Chapter 29

It was hard to say when exactly it started, but at some point, A-Yin began sleeping outside the stone bed. When Zhuo Yan had first found A-Yin, the little one had been frail and weak, needing constant care throughout the night. Zhuo Yan would often wake up to boil water and give A-Yin a drink, sometimes even cleaning up when A-Yin would throw up.

But as winter passed, it wasn’t long before A-Yin began sleeping outside.

If there was ever a sound in the night, it was A-Yin who would perk up first, ears alert. Sometimes, in that drowsy space between sleep and wakefulness, Zhuo Yan would hear something and groggily ask, “A-Yin, did you hear that?” A-Yin’s furry head would nuzzle over, giving him a quick lick. That was enough to tell Zhuo Yan everything was fine—probably just the wind. With that, he’d roll over and fall back asleep.

This routine had gone on for a while now.

Tonight, Zhuo Yan was, as usual, lying on the stone bed. He reminded A-Yin, “If the chickens act up and try to escape, keep an eye on them, okay? But don’t kill any.”

“Arwoo, arwoo~” A-Yin softly howled, sticking out his tongue to give Zhuo Yan a lick. “Go ahead and sleep, big brother. I’ve got this.”

Alright. Zhuo Yan, worn out from a day of climbing up and down, was too tired to even open his mouth. He thought to himself how affectionate A-Yin was—always licking his face before bed every night. Not fur exactly, but close enough.

Sleep.

That night, Zhuo Yan slept soundly. But just as he had predicted, that rooster was no pushover! Deep into the night, when the cave was quiet, the rooster decided to make its move. It spread its wings, ready for takeoff—only to flop awkwardly to the ground because, of course, its wings had been clipped.

A-Yin, who had been peacefully sleeping on the stone bed, opened his eyes, clearly not pleased. For such a large leopard, he moved with incredible stealth, leaping gracefully from the bed and swiftly approaching the troublesome rooster.

The rooster had barely let out a squawk when the hens stirred, but all of them froze, terrified as a massive black shadow loomed over them. One of the hens, mid-step, slowly retracted her claw in fear, as if trying to make herself invisible.

A-Yin’s dark form pressed a paw gently down on the rooster.

Big brother said to keep you alive. He wants to raise you both. A-Yin didn’t apply much pressure, but it was enough to make the rooster tremble uncontrollably. He withdrew his paw but didn’t return to the bed. Instead, he sat there, staring down at the two chickens with an intense gaze.

Big brother might be raising you, but let’s be clear, I’m still his favorite.

Besides, when he said he’d raise you, he meant fatten you up so he can eat you later.

He’ll never eat me.

You better behave and stop disturbing his sleep.

A-Yin glared at the rooster. Ugh, so ugly, not even a little bit cute.

Meanwhile, Zhuo Yan slept deeply, completely unaware that A-Yin hadn’t returned to bed. As dawn approached, A-Yin finally leaped back onto the bed and curled up next to his brother, closing his eyes.

The previous day had been exhausting, so Zhuo Yan lingered in bed even after the first rays of sunlight entered the cave. He sleepily pulled a fur blanket over A-Yin. “Why don’t you ever stay fully covered? It’s not cold, but you should still cover your belly.”

They were down to two small fur blankets since the larger ones had been washed and put away. Somehow, A-Yin’s blanket always ended up on Zhuo Yan during the night.

Stretching his legs under the blanket, Zhuo Yan noticed A-Yin stirring as well. “Stay a bit longer,” he said, pulling A-Yin into a hug.

A-Yin stretched out his body and snuggled into his brother’s arms. Zhuo Yan, still half-asleep, stroked A-Yin’s soft fur, thinking about yesterday’s achievements. He’d finished making Qiao Jie’s door, so there was no need to rush this morning. Content, he stayed in bed, playing with A-Yin, who loved being petted. He tilted his ears for Zhuo Yan to scratch and even rolled over to expose his belly.

It wasn’t until the cave was bathed in bright light that Zhuo Yan finally got up. He wore his small leather skirt and vest, opened the cave door for better airflow and light, and noticed the two chickens huddled in a corner behind the low wooden fence.

The fence barely reached his knees, so how had the chickens not escaped?

Zhuo Yan glanced at A-Yin. “Were they really so well-behaved last night?”

He didn’t quite believe it.

“Arwoo, arwoo!” A-Yin trotted over, rubbing his head against Zhuo Yan’s leg as if to complain. Those two chickens were a mess last night. He was the one who calmed them down.

Zhuo Yan smiled. “I knew it. A-Yin, you’re the best!”

A-Yin proudly raised his head, letting out another series of happy growls.

The two chickens, on the other hand, looked utterly defeated, heads drooping. Zhuo Yan decided to be kind to them today. “Let’s have breakfast first. A-Yin, if you find anything while patrolling, feel free to eat it. Your brother’s got plenty to eat here.”

“Arwoo~” A-Yin understood.

After freshening up, Zhuo Yan made pancakes and scrambled eggs with some fragrant Chinese toon, using lard to fry them. He fed A-Yin three portions, but A-Yin nudged Zhuo Yan’s hand, sharing the last pancake between the two of them.

After their brunch, A-Yin set off on his patrol just as Xiao Xian and a few others arrived.

“Zhuo Yan-ge, my second brother joined the patrol today. I told you, didn’t I?” Xiao Xian chirped the moment he entered.

“Thanks, Xiao Xian.” Zhuo Yan ruffled A-Yin’s ears. “Go on, learn some hunting skills from Xiao Xian’s second brother.”

Once A-Yin was off to patrol, Zhuo Yan turned his attention to the day’s task—building a chicken coop outside the cave. A Man, Shi Tou, and Xiao Xian gathered around, eyeing the two chickens.

“Looks like Zhuo Yan didn’t kill them for food after all,” A Man remarked.

Xiao Xian added, “These chickens are really plump, especially this one. Yesterday, I roasted a chicken using the same method Zhuo Yan-ge uses for fish. It was delicious, though flipping it with a stick was a bit tiring.”

Shi Tou nodded in agreement. His little sister had developed quite an appetite lately as she neared her transformation into human form. When he brought a chicken home, she begged for it, so he ended up giving her most of it, leaving only a small portion for the family.

The group gathered to help Zhuo Yan with the chicken coop. None of them had ever raised chickens before, so they were curious about what a proper coop should look like. With everyone present, Zhuo Yan decided to also build a stove.

“We’ll need yellow clay, stone slabs, and wood,” Zhuo Yan listed the materials. His family had plenty of wood from the door project for Qiao Jie. “Where’s Qiao Jie today?”

Xiao Xian replied, “She’s drying out her cave.”

In the leopard tribe, homes were often caves. A good cave needed to be spacious and tall, and after carving it out, the walls had to be compacted to prevent dust from falling. Then, fires were lit to dry it out, making it sturdier and more comfortable to live in. Though caves weren’t ideal for natural light, most of the tribe spent their days outside, and the small courtyards outside each cave helped with this. At night, the caves stayed warm in winter and cool in summer, with solid defensive capabilities—especially after adding doors.

“What’s this stove you keep talking about?” A Man asked, curious.

“It’s hard to explain. You’ll see once it’s built,” Zhuo Yan said with a teasing grin.

“Zhuo Yan-ge always talks about strange things. This stove must be amazing,” Xiao Xian chimed in.

Shi Tou nodded in agreement.

The group split up to start their tasks. Zhuo Yan went down to collect yellow clay, A Man and Shi Tou fetched water, and Xiao Xian stayed behind to keep an eye on the two chickens.

Zhuo Yan knew where to find the clay. Upstream by the river, there was a spot where the water had eroded the land over time, leaving behind a rich, sandy-free clay with excellent stickiness. He filled his basket to the brim and, on the way back, picked up some dried grass stalks from the ground.

These would help increase the clay’s stickiness.

When Shi Tou saw the heavy load Zhuo Yan was carrying, he handed his water bucket to A Man and rushed over to help.

“Let me carry it.”

“No need, it’s really heavy,” Zhuo Yan replied.

Shi Tou glanced at him and said, “That’s why I should carry it. You’re not exactly built for this.”

“I know you mean well, but that look in your eyes says you’re calling me a weak chicken,” Zhuo Yan teased as he set the basket down. It was indeed heavy—he’d packed it full to avoid making another trip. “Let’s just carry it together.”

“No need,” Stone said, easily hoisting the heavy load onto his back without breaking a sweat. He glanced at Zhuo Yan and added, “That fat chicken of yours looks pretty plump.”

Zhuo Yan blinked, confused for a second, before he got it—Stone was suggesting he was weaker than his own chicken.

Really?!

“I’ll grow up stronger soon,” Zhuo Yan grumbled as he quickly jogged forward, giving Stone a hand with the basket. Stone didn’t refuse the help, but he couldn’t resist adding, “You’d bulk up faster if you ate that chicken.”

“That’s not happening. I want to raise them.”

Aman, who was carrying two buckets of water effortlessly, chimed in, “I don’t get why you’d want to raise a chicken. It’d be much better to eat it.”

“This is mine and A’Yin’s investment for the future,” Zhuo Yan explained, seeing the blank looks on their faces. He simplified, “Right now, hunting is easy, and the tribe gives out meat regularly. I’m raising them to lay eggs and hatch chicks. Soon enough, two will turn into seven or eight, then into seventeen or eighteen, and we can feast on chickens every day!”

Aman’s face twisted in clear disgust. “Every day? That sounds like a nightmare.”

Stone, equally appalled, shook his head as he walked. “Zhuo Yan, you’d have it rough. Can’t you get something better to eat?”

Zhuo Yan was speechless for a moment. Was chicken really that low on the food chain around here?

Apparently, it was. In this tribe, chickens were seen as inferior. Too many feathers, not enough meat, and nobody liked dealing with the organs. Any beastman capable of hunting wouldn’t waste time on a chicken. Even the young ones, fresh from their beast forms, didn’t want to bother catching them. Chickens were for kids to catch, and they’d be laughed at for it.

Real hunters went for the tusked boars.

“Well, what if I raised tusked boars instead?” Zhuo Yan asked, still helping steady the basket.

Stone immediately shot down the idea. Aman explained, “You saw how wild they can get, especially the mothers with their young. They’d tear apart anything you built to hold them.”

“But what if we… castrated them? We could catch the piglets young and—”

Aman’s expression turned horrified, even spilling some water from his bucket. His voice was shaky as he asked, “You mean… their, uh, their mating parts?”

“Exactly,” Zhuo Yan nodded matter-of-factly.

Stone stopped in his tracks, turning to look at him with wide eyes.

Zhuo Yan blinked innocently. “What?”

“I feel sorry for those piglets. If you’re going to eat them, just do it. Don’t raise them,” Stone said, a little taken aback.

“Yeah, just eat them,” Aman added, mimicking one of Xiao Xian’s catchphrases.

Zhuo Yan shrugged. “It was just an idea. You’re probably right. Raising them would be too much work anyway. Better to let them live free and happy until they’re big enough for us to hunt.”

Aman nodded furiously in agreement. “Exactly! Don’t bother with the pigs.”

“Maybe I’ll raise something gentler then,” Zhuo Yan mused. “Are there any calm, grass-eating animals around here?”

“Alpacas, antelopes, unicorn deer, small bears, rabbits, and long-legged hares,” Aman listed off.

“Yeah, the long-legged ones are better. They’re bigger than regular rabbits,” he added, clearly thinking about it for a moment before shaking his head. “Wait, I don’t want to raise anything.”

Zhuo Yan’s eyes lit up. Long-legged rabbits? Perfect! They ate grass and bred quickly. Though, he’d have to take care with their burrowing habits.

Lost in thoughts of future livestock, they finally arrived at his home, where Xiao Xian rushed out to greet them. “Zhuo Yan! Come quick! The hen looks like it’s about to die!”

“What?!” Zhuo Yan’s heart skipped a beat. Was his grand plan already over before it even began? He hurried inside, where Xiao Xian pointed at the rooster. “After you left, it’s been attacking the hen—flapping its wings, squawking, and even pecking at me!”

Zhuo Yan checked Xiao Xian’s hands. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I hit it on the head.”

Zhuo Yan sighed in relief but frowned at the sorry-looking hen. “We’ll separate them for now. I’ll let her outside to calm down.”

The rooster, still pacing angrily, was left to stew in its corner while Zhuo Yan carried the injured hen outside, setting her gently on the ground.

“Are you sure she won’t run away?” Aman asked, concerned.

“Her wing’s hurt. She won’t fly off,” Zhuo Yan reassured him. “Besides, she’s a bit timid.”

With the hen out of the way, they started working on the chicken coop. Zhuo Yan pointed out a spot down the slope from the cave entrance, about ten meters away. “Not too close, or it’ll start to smell. I’ll dig a shallow cave here for shelter when it rains.”

He gestured to his waist. “It doesn’t need to be too high, just wide enough. I’ll build a fence outside to let them roam during the day.”

He also explained his plans for an outdoor stove, which would be built a few meters above the coop, using mud and stones to create a simple hearth.

“Now, what exactly is this stove thing?” Xiao Xian asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

“We can start with the stove,” Zhuo Yan replied. “I need to gather some stone slabs.”

“I’ll help!” Stone volunteered. Aman nodded in agreement.

Zhuo Yan described the size of the stones he needed—large ones for the stove base.

Aman looked confused. “That big?” he asked, surprised at what Zhuo Yan called “small stones.”

Zhuo Yan sighed inwardly. He had forgotten how differently they understood size in this era.

While Aman and Stone went to gather rocks, Zhuo Yan picked up a stick and began marking out the spot for the stove. He planned to build a two-chamber stove: one side larger for the stone pot, and the other smaller for grilling. He’d add a stone slab for roasting and leave a spot for the chimney. When they built it, they’d insert a wooden stick where the chimney would go and cover it with clay, pulling the stick out once the clay dried.

For now, the stove wouldn’t need a shelter, but he sketched out a rectangular outline in the dirt. The stove would sit against the mountainside, and later he could build a simple roof over it to protect it from rain.

By the time Aman and Stone returned with two baskets of rocks, they were ready to start. Zhuo Yan mixed clay with dry grass stalks and showed them how to stack the rocks and smear the clay to hold everything in place. One layer of clay, one layer of stones—the whole structure began to take shape.

He made sure the opening for the pot was a bit smaller than the pot itself. If it was too big, the heavy stone pot would eventually make the hole expand, and that would be a disaster.

“If only we had clay pots,” Zhuo Yan muttered to himself, then suddenly lit up. “How could I forget that!”

“Why are you hitting yourself, Zhuo Yan? Even if Aman messed up a bit, don’t blame yourself!” Xiao Xian teased.

Aman shot back, “I didn’t mess up! I did exactly what Zhuo Yan told me. It’s supposed to be small.”

Zhuo Yan waved them off. “No, it’s perfect. I just realized we might not need stone pots in the future.”

“What would we use instead?” Aman asked, curious.

“We could make clay pots! If we can fire them properly, they’d be great for cooking and boiling water. Even if they crack eventually, we’ve got plenty of clay. We could always make more,” Zhuo Yan explained.

Xiao Xian scratched his head. “Zhuo Yan, I’m not following any of this.”

“Why do we need to fire clay again?” Aman asked, equally puzzled.

“Let’s just finish the stove first,” Zhuo Yan chuckled. “I’m starting to realize I’ve got way too many projects in my head—building this stove, making a shelter for it, raising chickens, and now making clay pots. There’s so much to do.”

“Don’t worry, Zhuo Yan!” Xiao Xian puffed out his chest confidently. “We’ll help you with anything you need!”

Aman gave Xiao Xian’s chest a playful slap. “Me too!” he grinned, before getting a glare from Xiao Xian. “Don’t be stingy,” Aman laughed. “Just pat your own chest!”

Zhuo Yan shook his head, watching them bicker, while Stone quietly focused on spreading the clay. Soon enough, the two jokesters joined in, and they finished the stove. When it came time to pull out the stick from the chimney hole, Xiao Xian was extra careful, worried it might break something. Zhuo Yan reassured him, “It’s fine, don’t worry.” Xiao Xian pulled the stick free, exclaiming, “Ah, Zhuo Yan, the hole’s too big!”

“It’s alright,” Zhuo Yan said calmly, putting him at ease.

Zhuo Yan grabbed some firewood and prepared to test the new stove. Inside the cave, he gathered a bundle of kindling, striking a spark into the dried grass. The flame caught quickly, and they all huddled around the freshly built stove.

“Zhuo Yan, the fire’s coming out of this hole!” Xiao Xian exclaimed in surprise.

“That’s the stove opening,” Zhuo Yan explained. “We’ll put a stone pot or food over it when we cook. Right now, we’re just using the fire to harden the clay.”

Aman’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “With two chambers, cooking is going to be so much easier, Zhuo Yan!”

“Exactly,” Zhuo Yan nodded.

Aman shot him an admiring look. “You’re getting smarter by the day! How do you come up with these things?”

Zhuo Yan shrugged modestly. “Just messing around, I guess.”

Aman wasn’t really asking for an explanation—he was just impressed. Stone pointed to the back of the stove. “Smoke’s coming out through the chimney. This’ll keep the cave from filling up with smoke when we cook.”

“Yeah, it’ll keep things cleaner, but I’ll still need to build a roof over it so the rain doesn’t put out the fire,” Zhuo Yan added.

Aman eagerly volunteered, thumping his chest again. “Need help chopping wood? We’re all in! Oh, and Zhuo Yan, could you help me build one of these at my place? I was watching you, but I don’t think I quite got it.”

“Sure, but only if your parents are okay with it,” Zhuo Yan replied.

Aman hesitated, realizing he’d need to get permission first. Xiao Xian, who had been about to ask for a stove too, quickly swallowed his excitement, remembering that he’d need to check with his father as well.

“I suddenly want to find a mate,” Stone said out of nowhere.

Zhuo Yan froze. Wait, what? Was Stone seriously thinking about getting married because of a stove?

“Qiao and Ada got together, and Qiao got to decide how their cave was set up. I feel like I’m getting older, and sometimes at night, when my parents are mating…” Stone trailed off.

Zhuo Yan’s eyes widened in shock. “Stone, maybe you could leave your parents out of this conversation?”

“I mean, I do feel kind of embarrassed about it,” Stone admitted.

Zhuo Yan raised an eyebrow. You don’t look embarrassed at all.

Hearing Stone, Aman perked up. “You know, the whole mate thing actually sounds pretty nice.”

Xiao Xian nodded in agreement. “Yeah, totally.”

“You’re not even an adult yet! Don’t start thinking about that stuff,” Aman said, swatting Xiao Xian on the head.

Xiao Xian pouted. “I’m taller than Zhuo Yan!”

“Still not an adult.”

Stone chimed in, “You haven’t hit maturity yet. Zhuo Yan has.”

Zhuo Yan, standing off to the side, was almost in tears. How did they go from building a stove to talking about this? Where was the respect? And why did it turn into a discussion about my height and maturity?

Zhuo Yan had finally figured them out: Aman always had a playful mouth, Stone was more quietly mischievous, and Xiao Xian? He just liked joining in on whatever conversation was happening, even if he had no clue what was going on.

Thankfully, the awkward conversation finally died down, and Zhuo Yan, feeling a bit stiff, said, “Let’s start digging the chicken coop.”

“Zhuo Yan, are you embarrassed?” Aman teased, clearly still stuck on the previous topic.

“…”

Stone glanced at Zhuo Yan, who was trying his best to ignore them. “Your A-Yin is still young, not even in heat yet. You’ll just have to wait a bit.”

“!!!” Wait—what? What does he mean, ‘wait’? Do I look desperate?

“Stone, I’m going to fight you!” Zhuo Yan shouted, finally losing his patience.

Aman and Xiao Xian watched as Stone easily held Zhuo Yan back with one arm, locking him in place. Am I really the weakest one here? Zhuo Yan thought miserably.

But it was all in good fun. Stone was grinning the whole time, thinking that he and Zhuo Yan were getting closer as friends. In the past, Zhuo Yan would never have playfully fought him like this. Eventually, Stone let go, and Zhuo Yan gave him a light slap on the shoulder, though Stone barely felt it.

Did this guy grow up eating rocks? Zhuo Yan wondered, feeling how solid Stone’s muscles were.

As they started digging the coop, Zhuo Yan asked, genuinely curious, “Stone, if you’re thinking about finding a mate, do you already have someone in mind?”

“…I forgot I actually need to find someone.” Stone looked truly dumbfounded. He had been so focused on the idea of pairing up and moving out that he hadn’t even thought about who he wanted to pair with. After mentally running through all the orcs in the tribe’s hunting and patrol teams, he finally said, “Eh, I think I’ll stay at home a bit longer.”

“If my parents are mating, I’ll just pretend I can’t hear them,” he added casually.

Zhuo Yan was speechless. Are you and your sister expecting a new little sibling soon or what?

The group dug the chicken coop with surprising speed, fueled by Stone’s blunt gossip and everyone’s good mood. Before long, it was finished. Zhuo Yan and Xiao Xian collected a bunch of dried grass to line the inside. Xiao Xian remarked, “Zhuo Yan, you’re so good to the chickens.”

“Of course,” Zhuo Yan said, “This will be food for me and A-Yin in the future.”

But as he said that, Zhuo Yan realized it was already late in the day. Normally, A-Yin would come back from patrolling around two or three in the afternoon. Why hadn’t he returned yet?

Meanwhile, earlier that morning, A-Yin had found the patrol team. Xiao Xian’s second brother, a spotted leopard, had spotted him first, and the two had walked side by side. Xiao Xian’s brother had been talking nonstop, with A-Yin just quietly listening.

As they moved deeper into the mountains, Xiao Xian’s brother stopped and said, “Hey, want to go hunting? There are only rabbits and chickens around here—boring stuff. Let’s go find something else.”

A-Yin hesitated. His brother had told him to focus on patrolling.

“The others know you only patrol for half a day. We’re already done,” Xiao Xian’s brother shrugged. The patrol team wasn’t strict about moving together—they split up to cover different areas. Today, they’d all finished their rounds and were free to leave.

Xiao Xian’s brother, more of a free spirit, pushed again. “Come on, there’s a spot not too far from the tribe. I went there with my older brother before, and there are antelopes.”

Antelopes? A-Yin’s ears perked up. His brother had mentioned wanting to raise antelopes.

With an excited growl, A-Yin agreed, and the two leopards leapt over the mountains, venturing beyond the tribe’s borders.

Back at the cave, Zhuo Yan had finished cooking lunch, which had turned into dinner around three or four in the afternoon. He had scrambled a couple of large eggs from the local chickens, made pancakes, and cooked a pot of wild vegetable soup with eggs, using the new stove for the first time. The stone slab was perfect for frying the eggs and vegetables, while the stone pot simmered the soup. The two-chambered stove worked like a charm, making cooking a breeze.

“Wow, Zhuo Yan, this stove is amazing!” Xiao Xian exclaimed, marveling at how convenient it was.

Zhuo Yan nodded in satisfaction. They stood around the stove, enjoying the food, which was hot and freshly made.

“Is this that stinky wild vegetable from yesterday?” Aman asked after taking a bite. He didn’t hate it, but he wasn’t going for seconds. “The eggs are great, though.”

Stone agreed with a nod.

Xiao Xian took a bite, wrinkling his nose at first. But after a while, he went back for more. “It’s kind of good, actually.”

“Right? Although A-Yin doesn’t like these vegetables either. I ended up eating most of it this morning while A-Yin just had some pancakes,” Zhuo Yan said, then paused, glancing at the entrance of the cave again.

Where is A-Yin?

At that moment, a silver leopard and a spotted one had followed the scent of antelopes, finally finding a small herd grazing in the distance. A hunt was about to begin.