I felt my brows knit together as I processed Noah’s words. He was talking about ’soft-coated beasts’ and ’fishtails’... It’s unlikely he was calling tribal nas and his uncertainty makes it even more confusing.
If we have a place we can get salt, it’s fine, but the location was the real kicker. If the salt was near the first tribe, and we couldn’t reach that tribe before the snow, we were in for a very bland, and very difficult winter.
"So the salt is at our destination," I muttered, more to myself than to them. I looked at the small pouch of white crystals, feeling the weight of our situation. "That’s not ideal, but we’ll have to make do. We can smoke the at to preserve it without salt if we have to, though it won’t taste nearly as good."
Back to eating bland at, huh? I suddenly feel bad since I might not be able to swallow or eat to my full if it’s bland.
As if they could see through my worries, they ca to a decision while I was stuck in my thoughts.
"Ari, you don’t need to use the rest of the salt to cook all the als," Damar spoke up. "We can do fine without it, but you... You’re pregnant so you should eat whatever you feel like."
"Ah," a soft exclamation left my lips as I looked up at them, wondering how they could be so considerate.
"Yeah, the snake’s right," Noah said, hooking his hands behind his head. "Though the al tasted unlike anything I’ve ever tasted, it’s not sothing I can’t do without. Just have the rest of it, and don’t worry about us. We can eat the at however we like."
I heard him out, and then my eyes trailed towards Fenric, who had his arms folded quietly on the side, standing next to Damar.
"Fenric are you..." I gulped. "Are you okay with this?"
I don’t want to be greedy, and I don’t want to be selfish, especially when it cos to sharing things with my n, but when there is such scarcity, it can’t be helped that they would leave the good stuff for the female.
"Why wouldn’t I be?" He asked, cocking his head to the side as a smile lit on his face. "Of course I’d only want the best for you, but..." He shook his head. "It’s such a pity you won’t be able to eat to your full because you’ll be managing the resources we have left."
My eyes grew teary, not from pain but from how touched I was.
Yes, this was the norm in the beastworld, but I couldn’t help but feel incredibly touched by their sacrifice.
It’s not easy to give up on sothing you’ve grown to like so much, just for the sake of another.
If I were in their shoes, would I be able to do the sa? No—I wiped the tears before they could even fall—I have to be able to do the sa. That’s what it ans to love.
"Alright," I said, clapping my hands together to break the heavy atmosphere. "Strategy first, worries second. Fenric, get that fire going. I want that deer cooked and that rice finished."
"But..." He wanted to protest since I had just given instructions that would require the rest of the grain and salt.
"No buts. If you can sacrifice, then I can too. Let’s enjoy the last delicious al together, as one big happy family. We can worry about the rest afterwards."
Though I said that, I did worry that I was being reckless. For soone pregnant, it’s not strange if I suddenly start craving what we don’t have in the middle of the night, so I want to start by disciplining myself.
If we have no more rice, we have no more rice. I’ll make do with the at, roasted into jerky with the last bit of salt if I’m craving a snack.
And we have a ton of fruit trees growing around, so I’ll make do with that.
"Damar," I turned to him. "...after you’ve tended to my knee, I need you to show the other herbs you found. If we’re going into the cold, I need to know what can fight a fever or a cough."
Damar bowed his head slightly, his fingers already crushing the minty leaves on his palm.
Then, he applied it to the scratch on my knee and my body tingled. The cooling sensation was an instant relief, dulling the sharp sting.
"Does it hurt?" He asked, moving his face closer to my knee and I shook my head.
"No, it’s cool." I said, "But it’s fine."
He kissed just beneath my knee and said,
"I’m glad."
I turned my gaze to Noah, who was still lounging back, looking like he didn’t have a care in the world despite being ’the guard.’
"And Noah," I said, catching his eye. "Since you’re the one who knows the path, while the others are hunting today, you’re going to help map out a route."
Yes, we need a map. No matter how crude it may be, it might help us in a ti when an unforeseen situation arises.
"If we can’t get to the tribe in two weeks, I want to find the best place to set up a winter camp—sowhere with a windbreak and hopefully a water source that won’t freeze solid in the first few days of the snow..
"Hm, sounds like a chore, but alright." He said, his smirk widening. "Mapping, huh? Most females just follow the tracks their males lead them on. You really are sothing else."
"Well, you said it yourself. I’m not a regular female."
"Keke, right."
He stood up, stretching his arms over his head, his muscles pulling taut in a way that made my breath hitch again.
"Fine. I’ll show you the lay of the land. But don’t bla if I get distracted by the ’view’."
I tilted my head. What was he talking about? Why view?
The look in his eyes told it was sothing perverted so I rolled my eyes.
"Just focus on the task, you wolf."
"Sure, sure. I can focus on the task ’and’ enjoy the view." He said. "And trust , you will too."
I narrowed my eyes. What exactly was this view?
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