Chapter 19: Cold War

Mateo was both anxious and pained. He roared, rushing through the crowd and scooping up Clara, "Cla! I won't let them burn you." Clara was held tightly in Mateo's arms, a bit surprised and shocked. Wasn't she supposed to spend the night in the forest? "Mateo! They want to burn Thomas!" Clara said with a sense of injustice.

Thomas? Who is Thomas? Following Clara's gaze, Mateo noticed a male beast person tied to a wooden post. He didn't recognize this person. "Cla! Let's go home."

Clara broke free from Mateo's embrace and saw the female beast people preparing to light the fire. She rushed forward to intervene, but one of them pushed her aside. Mateo caught Clara, puzzled, "Cla, why did you save him?"

The captive was a young male fox, probably not yet an adult. Clara wondered when she had met this fox, and she was quite nervous about him.

Gloria arrived with the old chief. The old chief was slightly surprised when he saw Thomas. Wasn't this the grandson of the fox chief? How did he end up causing trouble in their tribe? Fortunately, he arrived in time; otherwise, they would have offended the fox tribe, and the number of bachelors in the tribe would increase.

The old chief scolded the female beast people for trying to start a fire and ordered Thomas to be released. This child came to the lion tribe's territory in the middle of the night and irritated the female beast people. There must be a reason for it. The old chief asked Thomas what happened.

Thomas recognized the old chief and played a little temper, saying, "I came to find Clara, but this stinky lion caught me. Humph! Old lion, don't think helping me will make me thank you."

The old chief chuckled, "So, what do you suggest?"

Thomas's eyes lit up, happily saying, "You let Clara and me go back to the fox den, and I won't bother with you anymore."

Mateo, hearing this, immediately got angry. This fox was too despicable, daring to snatch his Clara. He rushed forward and punched the fox. Thomas's eyes turned purple instantly.

"Mateo!" Clara hurriedly went forward to stop him, managing to hold onto Mateo. Thomas and Mateo both ended up with bruises. The other beast people were surprised; Mateo had always been relatively well-behaved in the tribe, and now he was fighting. Some females even looked at Mateo with admiration.

Thomas was quite seriously injured. In Clara's eyes, he was like an immature child, playful with words but with a kind heart. Clara checked on Thomas's injuries, and his face was swollen.

Mateo also got some injuries; the fox scratched his arm. Seeing Clara caring for the fox, Mateo felt a strange taste in his heart—sour and bitter. With a cold face, he shook off the female beast trying to approach him and angrily returned home.

After comforting Thomas, the old chief took him back home. Clara looked for Mateo but found he wasn't there. Gloria pointed towards her home and whispered, "Mateo is angry, Clara! Be careful! I'm going home."

What was he angry about? It should be her who was angry. He impulsively started a fight. If he encountered someone stronger in the future, wouldn't he suffer?

Upon returning home, Mateo wasn't inside the house but knocking stones under a tree nearby.

"Mateo! Are you injured?" Clara quietly touched Mateo's arm.

Mateo ignored her, engrossed in knocking stones. Clara stomped her foot and angrily said, "Mateo! Why are you ignoring me?"

If you don't care about me, why should I care about you? Mateo threw the stone chisel away and complained to Clara, "Go find that Thomas, don't bother me."

Was he jealous? Clara cried and laughed, trying to appease Mateo. However, he remained stubborn, not paying her any attention. Now, the two started a cold war. Clara shook her head, ignoring him. Would she have to coax him in the future? Thinking about it made her feel quite aggrieved. The stubborn lion, doesn't he know how to cherish his wife?

This time, Mateo brought back a good amount of prey. Clara carefully identified them – two wild chickens with beautiful multicolored feathers for decoration, two wild rabbits (though they were gray, she wished they were white for making gloves and a rabbit fur hat in winter), a wild deer, and a wild boar.

The next morning, it started raining, and Mateo didn't go out for hunting. Clara gave him a small knife and asked him to handle the prey while she went to gather bamboo to fence off the vegetable garden she prepared yesterday.

They didn't exchange more than three sentences that morning. Mateo took the knife, carried the prey, and left. Clara went to find bamboo. Fortunately, it was a drizzle in the spring. Clara took out an umbrella and went to the bamboo grove. Since discovering her ability, Clara had been experimenting with various plants. She found that bamboo became soft in her hands. She effortlessly broke several bamboo poles, and even a giant one, almost requiring two people to hug. Clara placed her palm on the bamboo pole, concentrated, and the hardened part around her hand softened. By cutting along that part, she easily cut it down.

This ability was indeed a bonus to her life skills! With it, she could make not only water basins but also water jars and bathing tubs. Back home, Clara treated the bamboo like popcorn sticks, folding them into segments. Then she started to enclose the vegetable garden, inserting and tying them securely with straw ropes. By noon, the garden was ready. Later, she would collect some seedlings when entering the forest again to expand the garden.

In the future, Clara planned to raise some poultry, so Mateo wouldn't have to go hunting frequently. Thinking of Mateo, Clara felt a bit sad but refrained from speaking to him.

Alright then! Let's see who can endure longer.

For lunch, Clara stewed wild boar meat with bamboo shoots, and she also roasted yams. She really wanted to eat white rice, white rice, and her favorite. Back home, a bottle of Laoganma chili sauce with white rice could last her a week.

Now that it was spring, with rain falling, Clara thought of searching in the forest when the weather cleared. She was sure to find grains, and come summer, she could plant rice and harvest in the fall. There would be wheat too, perfect for making noodles! The days ahead would surely get better!

Clara grew more confident. She was determined to change things here and ensure everyone led a good life.

Mateo also finished handling the prey and carried them back in a basket. At the creek, many beast people asked him where the basket came from. Mateo realized that only his home had such things. He also noticed significant changes in his home lately, many things he had never seen before. Especially a large board made of beast skin. He saw Clara behind it in the morning, doing something unknown!

Arriving at the doorstep, he saw a fenced-off area near the house that Clara had done in the morning. He felt annoyed again. Why didn't she stay inside? What if she got sick from standing in the rain?

Mateo was about to get angry again, but as soon as he entered the house, the aroma of meat made him forget everything. He sat on a wooden stool, eagerly waiting for Clara to serve the meal.

Clara handed him a bamboo bowl and two thin sticks. Huh? What were these for? Mateo realized they were for picking up meat. He hadn't seen them the past few days.

Clara had just made these today—bamboo chopsticks. If she had time, she planned to make a complete set—bamboo bowls, bamboo chopsticks, spoons, and forks—maybe three to five sets for future guests.