Chapter 221: Little Tiger’s Roar in the Beast World – 10

Several cubs of similar size charged toward the same spot with Sheng leading the way. Sheng was the first to catch a wild chicken by the neck, then leisurely trotted back to his father on all fours.

He placed the wild chicken beside his father’s leg and rubbed his head against Xie Hui’s leg, then looked up at him expectantly.

Xie Hui could tell that Sheng wanted praise. Remembering his earlier moment of worry and fear, he felt like giving this troublesome Little Tiger a smack.

“There are many dangers in the forest. You’re not allowed to act on your own. If you don’t listen, you’ll have to wait until you’re older before I take you out again.”

Hearing this, Sheng, who had been scratching the ground in defiance, wilted and nodded with his head hanging low.

“Aw~”

The other two cubs, who hadn’t caught any chickens, lined up with Sheng. The three of them listened to the scolding, lowering their heads in unison and letting out two pitiful whines in defense.

After Xie Hui explained what they must not touch, and after each of them agreed, he led them deeper into the forest.

When it came to hunting larger prey, he didn’t let them participate. Every cub was an invaluable gift to their tribe. After capturing a few deer, Xie Hui spotted a small wild boar and nudged Sheng’s back with his paw.

Instinctively, Sheng turned to look at his father, understanding his father’s intentions. With a call, he charged forward with swift and fierce movements.

The other cubs, unwilling to be outdone, ran over, each trying to bite the wild boar.

With Xie Hui’s guidance and previous experience in the cave biting many strong rabbits, Sheng always aimed for the wild boar’s neck during attacks.

The other two beastmen relied on brute force, using all four paws to tackle the wild boar with a proud stance.

When the wild boar was exhausted and could only lie there panting, Sheng placed his paw on its head and let out a roar to the sky.

The young tiger’s roar startled the birds perched in the trees. Xie Hui walked over and patted Sheng’s head.

Hunting wild boars carries certain risks, but it’s much safer than the wild oxen they had previously attempted. Besides, there were many beastmen watching over them.

The tribe cherished the cubs dearly, but they weren’t afraid to let them train. A moderate amount of danger could unleash their greater potential.

On the way back, Sheng, who had been full of energy earlier, lay down at Xie Hui’s feet halfway through, exposing his soft belly.

Xie Hui knew he was tired from dealing with the wild boar, so he lay down in front of him, letting him climb onto his back.

Understanding his father’s gesture, Sheng quickly climbed onto his father’s broad back, hugging his tail and instinctively pawing at the tuft of fur at the end.

When they were hunting the wild boar, Xie Hui had transformed into his human form, but when returning to the tribe, he reverted to his tiger form, which made it easier to carry the prey.

Mindful of the cub on his back, Xie Hui slowed his pace on the way back.

When bored, Sheng would play with his father’s fur or, when his father wasn’t paying attention, sneak a bite of the prey his father carried. Seeing the obvious small tooth mark on the prey, he guiltily buried his head in his father’s fur.

The other two cubs were also quite exhausted. Although their fathers weren’t present, there were beastmen who loved cubs willing to help out.

Xie Hui usually gave Sheng the best food, which had made this Little Tiger somewhat picky.

But today, with the wild boar he personally hunted, Sheng eagerly took a piece.

Though Xie Hui could tell from his expression that he was somewhat disdainful, in the end, he didn’t waste a single bit.

After successfully collaborating with his companions to hunt a wild boar for the first time, Sheng was still excited when he returned to the cave that night, pouncing around and recalling his moves.

He had pounced like this, then bit like that, and finally used his paws to kick the wild boar forcefully.

Xie Hui lay resting on the side, not paying attention to Sheng.

That evening, when dividing the meat, the Priest came to find him, saying the tribe’s supplies were running low. The animal hides were ready, and in a couple of days, they needed him to lead the beastmen to trade for more.

Xie Hui always thought the path was straightforward and easy to find, but even after leading the beastmen many times, they nearly got lost the last time he let them lead the way.

Helpless, he could only take them to familiarize themselves with the route a few more times.

As beastmen age, their physical condition deteriorates significantly. By then, even if he wanted to lead them, he might not be able to.

This time, when preparing to trade, Sheng threw a tantrum, and Xie Hui decided to take him along.

On the first day of the journey, Little Tiger was extremely excited. At night, when they found a flat place to rest, he was still bouncing around. Xie Hui had to press his head down with his paw and pull him into his embrace to finally calm him down.

Sheng wasn’t actually tired or sleepy; he just instinctively didn’t want to disturb his father. Bored, he gently pawed at the small patch of land in front of him.

On the second day, Little Tiger was still doing alright. Though not as lively as before, he managed to walk on his own.

By the third day, Little Tiger was completely sprawled out. No matter how Xie Hui tried to get him to move, Sheng lay there with his limbs spread out, looking like a tiger pancake.

“Come on, I’ll carry you.”

These words made Sheng spring to his feet, happily climbing onto his father’s back.

On the way back, Sheng didn’t want to walk a single step. Fortunately, Xie Hui, who had to lead the way, wasn’t carrying much, so carrying this little Little Tiger wasn’t tiring.

In the evening, as they rested, Xie Hui noticed that Sheng’s paws were somewhat swollen. After all, he was just a young cub who had never ventured far from home.

Based on his own assumptions, Xie Hui had thought Sheng wouldn’t last long before giving up. To his surprise, Sheng managed to keep going for two consecutive days.

As they neared the tribe, Sheng felt it would be embarrassing for such a large tiger to be carried back by his father. So, he climbed down on his own and strutted into the tribe with his head held high.

When he heard others praising him for his excellence, his chin was practically parallel with the sky.

Xie Hui placed the items they had traded for in the storage cave. Having traveled such a long distance, even an adult tiger would be exhausted. That night, Xie Hui handed over the task of distributing meat to another beastman and rested in the cave, not even bothering to eat.

Sheng, on the other hand, was different. Though equally tired, his eyes were half-closed, and he staggered as if drunk. Yet he persistently carried a piece of meat in his mouth, relying on his instincts to find his way back to the cave.

Once inside, he lay down in his usual sleeping spot and fell asleep immediately. Even in his sleep, he didn’t forget to eat, finishing the meat completely before resting his head in a comfortable position.

The day after returning to the tribe, Xie Hui woke up and went to inspect the tribe’s defenses.

The Priest had set aside the food meant for the Tribe Leader from the previous day. When she saw Xie Hui, she called him over to take it back.

With a clear goal and much left to accomplish, the Priest seemed increasingly youthful, her eyes sparkling with vitality.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Tribe Leader. You’ve worked hard.”

After a brief chat with the Priest, Xie Hui took the meat back to the cave. He expected Sheng to be up and mischievous again, but to his surprise, Sheng lay obediently on the animal skin.

At first glance, he even looked a bit gentle and well-behaved.

Xie Hui approached and cut off the best part of the meat, offering it to Sheng. The little tiger eagerly pushed his head toward Xie Hui, refusing to stand up or move even a step.

Placing the meat by his mouth, Xie Hui shifted to human form, squatted down, and held Sheng’s chubby little paw.

Having raised him himself, Xie Hui could easily tell that Sheng’s paws were swollen, likely from accompanying him on such a long journey.

The swelling was significant. Even a light touch from Xie Hui would make the little tiger irritable.

When Sheng got angry, he instinctively tried to swat his father’s hand with his other paw, forgetting that it too was sore. The moment he did, he yelped in pain, nearly in tears.

Xie Hui cradled him in his arms, soothing him, and took him to see the Priest.

Previously, Xie Hui had thought the Priest might be making things up, but reality proved that many of the herbs the Priest prepared were genuinely effective.

The Priest had encountered similar situations before, so she found a specific fresh herb among those she was cultivating, crushed it, and handed it to Xie Hui.

“Tribe Leader, just apply this to Sheng’s swollen paws.”

The Priest dared not apply it herself, as Sheng was notoriously temperamental in the tribe.

“Alright.”

Xie Hui applied the crushed herbs to all four of Sheng’s paws. Remembering the pain from swatting his father’s hand earlier, Sheng didn’t resist and let Xie Hui apply the ointment quietly.

“Thank you, Priest.”

After thanking the Priest, Xie Hui carried Sheng back. After walking a bit, he leaned down to sniff, and under Sheng’s puzzled gaze, he chuckled and explained:

“Ah, Sheng’s paws smell quite nice now.”

The little tiger, who loved compliments, nodded earnestly, as if agreeing with Xie Hui’s statement.

But then, Xie Hui added:

“I feel like taking a bite to see how it tastes.”

The herb’s aroma was indeed enticing, reminding Xie Hui of a certain dish he particularly enjoyed. Unable to resist, he leaned in for another sniff.

The little tiger put on a dignified and aloof expression, pulling his paw back forcefully and turning his head away.

Xie Hui could tell that Sheng was now exhaling through his nose, letting out a not-so-perfect:

“Hmph~”