Rakan looked at the at and then his mouth spread wider as he gave out a hearty laugh.
Um, doesn’t seem like he’s suspicious.
"Why not? It’s been a while since I shared at with my daughter." He said as he took it from . "Was it back when you were still a little cub? You wouldn’t leave my side at all."
Enough chitchat and eat the at already.
But his expression suddenly grew sullen. He looked lancholic as he said,
"Maybe that’s why you took on a lot from . You were so attached to that you began doing everything I did. And I guess, that’s how you turned out like this." He said and my eyebrows knitted together.
"How did I turn out?"
"Strong, independent," he ntioned, and then lowered his head. "Wild. Those were my strongest traits, and they have all been passed down to you. I’m sorry, my dear daughter. I’ve caused you to suffer, haven’t I?"
I went silent. He was suddenly making this a father-daughter mont.
"I didn’t want you to end up like that so I began forcing the female values on you, so you’d stop acting like a male. I was worried you would not find a spouse if you kept at it and my worries ca to reality."
Gosh, my eyes were suddenly feeling teary.
Was there sand in this cave?
"Let’s just forget about it," I said. "I don’t like anyone in the tribe anyway, so maybe I’ll find so other beast to take as a spouse."
"Ah, you’re right." He said and tore through the at with his teeth.
I watched him with my jaw dropped.
The way he ate the at... It was no different from an animal tearing through flesh.
Ugh, I think I’m going to be sick.
I did not even think about it and my body moved on its own before, but... Was that the sa way I used to eat at?
"Here you go, daughter. It’s delicious." He said, handing the rest to and I looked at the at that suddenly looked like a bloody ss.
Yeah, the outside was dry and slled like smoke, burnt at, but the insides weren’t cooked at all.
Who was the one who did such an ’amazing’ job?
I was sure I was suddenly going to lose my appetite, but for so reason, I looked at that soggy at and how the insides dropped like a stretched towel, the sll of dried blood hit my nose, and I... Gulped.
Was this my animal instinct kicking in?
For a minute there, I was sure this was disgusting but now... I want to dig my teeth into it and swallow it whole.
At tis like this, I realize I have indeed beco a beast.
I took the at and slowly, I pulled it to my mouth until I tasted it.
My face imdiately lost its color.
As desirable as it felt just now, after tackling the at itself, I ca back to my senses.
It was so raw with no flavor at all.
No matter how much my beast instinct takes control, I don’t think I can ever enjoy at with no taste after I’ve lived while eating all sorts of assorted delicacies.
"Yuck," I placed it down first and asked. "Don’t we have any salt?"
Rakan looked at like he had no idea what I was saying.
"What’s that?"
Damn the Stone Age.
They don’t even know what salt is. How do they live without taking in salt?
I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the tribes folk suffer from seizures and constant headaches. But maybe they don’t, since they’re beastn who’ve lived this way all their lives.
But I can’t.
At least, the at should be seasoned.
"Do you have so fruit, father?" I asked.
Until I find a way to get salt, I can’t eat another at, ever.
My father paused for a mont, looking at surprised.
"You don’t have any?" I asked, my voice soft and gentle like I was going to cry if he didn’t.
"No, I do, but...you hate fruits, Arinya." He suddenly said.
I blinked, "I do?"
"Yes, there are so wild fruits out in the wild. I pick them for your mother but you don’t seem to like them at all."
Maybe that’s why I’m ugly. Fruits are essential for the skin, you know.
"Don’t worry about it, Father. I’ll eat it. Just give ."
It was either that or nothing.
He walked deeper into his cave and then ca back with three round red fruits.
Are those... Pogranate?
No, they aren’t. But they definitely look like pogranates. If they have seeds inside, then I’ll conclude they’re another type of pogranate in this world.
"Thank you, Father," I said as I stretched my hand to accept it.
They were so big that both my hands couldn’t cover even one.
I should probably wash this but one look around and I can tell they don’t have a place they store water.
I’ll just eat it like that.
As I dug my teeth into the fruit, it was sweet and savory and yes, it tasted like pogranate but didn’t have seeds.
You don’t know what to expect in a world like this.
"How is it?" My father asked and I nodded.
"It takes sweet, Father," I said. "I like it."
This should fill my belly for now. Until I find so salt water, I’ll be living off these fruits.
I can even try to boil the at with the fruit water. I think that will do fine as seasoning if I don’t find salt water on ti.
I should ask my father first,
"Father, is there any place that has water that we can’t drink?"
Since he doesn’t know what salt is, he probably won’t understand if I say salty water.
"What do you an?"
"Like, you know. A water source that we can’t drink. We can’t drink it cause it tastes weird. Or maybe a place where water dried up, leaving nothing but rocks. It might’ve been a huge lake but then it dried up during winter or famine. Is there any place like that?"
If I can’t find an ocean, then I should at least find rock salt in places where they were dried up.
"Hm, I’m not sure." He said. "You go out more frequently than anyone else, to be honest, so if there was such a place, I’m sure you would’ve noticed it first." He said and I darted my eyes away.
Well, nothing cos up in my mories so...
"Why? Is it important?"
I hastily nodded.
"Then I will ask the elders. And if they don’t know, maybe our visitors will know sothing about it."
"Visitors?"
"Yes, you might’ve heard that the Crysthorn tribe will pay us a visit. They will be coming today."
Yeah, I heard. When I was eavesdropping on your conversation that excluded .
I nodded my head.
"Then, please ask them for . It’s very important, Father. And you’ll thank later if I do find what I’m looking for."
My father looked at , unable to understand what it was that I was looking for.
He’ll only know when he tastes it.
The thing that will change our lives completely.
It could save us completely from the coming winter.
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