Chapter 146
“Not lively?” Bai Tu bent down, scooped up the two cubs, and shook the toy in his hand, teasing them as he asked, “Alright, which one?”
The feline beastman who had spoken earlier: “…”
The feline beastman who was holding onto a cub to prevent it from leaping away: “…”
The two of them fell silent in unison. Whether it was the two cubs in Bai Tu’s arms or the one that hadn’t run off, they were completely different from how they had been in the tribe. Fortunately, the cubs had remained within their sight the entire journey—otherwise, they might have suspected whether these were really the same cubs from their tribe.
Seeing no response, Bai Tu shifted his gaze from the cubs to the two beastmen. “Hm? Which one isn’t lively?” As he spoke, he glanced at the cub in the feline beastman’s arms and reached out, handing over the toy.
“Well…” The lead feline beastman hesitated as he watched the cubs in Bai Tu’s arms already playing around, struggling to find the right words.
Still not getting an answer, Bai Tu decided to check for himself. He carefully examined all three cubs and found it odd. “They all seem fine.” There were no visible issues—so which one was the “not lively” cub they had mentioned? Or was there another one they hadn’t brought out yet?
The feline beastmen exchanged glances, and finally, the one who had spoken to Tucai earlier stepped forward to explain, “Back in the tribe, they didn’t move at all.” He wasn’t sure what had changed, but in their tribe, the cubs had been completely different.
Another feline beastman added, “Even when we left, they didn’t like to move—except just now…”
One by one, they all began offering explanations. Feline cubs were usually extremely energetic at a young age, and these ones were currently at the peak of their playful years. Normally, they should have been running around the tribe every day, playing and causing mischief. However, ever since winter ended, these cubs had become unusually quiet, barely moving at all.
If it had been just for a day or two, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But they had remained inside the cave for so long that the adult beastmen in the tribe began to suspect they were sick.
The White Cat Tribe had only birthed about a dozen cubs in the past two years. After losing a few last year, the remaining ones were treated with extra care—everyone worked hard to provide them with as much food as possible. But despite their efforts, three of them still seemed to have fallen ill, throwing the entire tribe into a panic.
Desperate to save the wolf cubs, the beastmen—who hadn’t left their tribe since their failed search for the missing young ones—gathered and decided to venture out once again to find a healer for help.
However, when they finally set out, they discovered that the tribes that had once had healers no longer did. Whenever they asked about healers, people’s expressions turned grim, yet no one was willing to explain exactly what had happened.
The White Cat Tribe rarely traveled outside their territory, sometimes skipping even trade fairs. Learning that there were no more healers left only deepened their panic. Their young cubs couldn’t afford to wait, so they quickly began asking around for more information.
The group eventually learned about the Snow Rabbit Tribe and, following directions, made their way here. Along the way, they stopped to ask another tribe for directions and happened to hear that the Snow Rabbit Tribe had also rescued young cubs taken by the Red Eagle Tribe. Upon learning that many different species were among the rescued cubs, the feline beastmen became even more excited.
Originally, the entire group had planned to travel together, but since not all the beastmen moved at the same pace and their food supplies were running low, they decided to split into two teams. One team, carrying the cubs and the limited food they had, rushed ahead to reach the Snow Rabbit Tribe as quickly as possible, while the remaining beastmen followed at a slower pace, taking the opportunity to hunt along the way to replenish their supplies.
The entire tribe had been working tirelessly for the sake of the cubs—only to arrive here and find them acting completely normal.
“They stopped moving around after winter?” Bai Tu mulled over the feline beastman’s words. “Does your tribe have plenty of food?”
At the mention of this, the lead feline beastman looked uneasy but still answered seriously, “We don’t have much food, but we make sure the cubs always have enough to eat.”
Bai Tu nodded. The decrease in prey wasn’t something specific to their tribe—it was happening across the entire Beast God Continent. However, judging by the cubs’ appearance, they were being well-fed. They didn’t look sick at all. Could their lack of energy have simply been due to boredom from not having toys?
As Bai Tu rubbed one of the cubs, it suddenly latched onto his hand and gave him a playful bite. When he pulled his hand away, the cub eagerly pounced after it, trying to grab hold again. Its behavior was completely different from what the feline beastmen had just described.
Seeing the cubs energetically batting and pouncing, the feline beastmen no longer asked whether they were sick. Naturally, they wanted the cubs to be healthy, and since they were this lively now, there was nothing to worry about!
Bai Tu played with the cubs a bit more before asking, “What do you usually feed them?”
“Chicken, duck, pork, beef, venison, fish…” The feline beastman listed off several types of prey. Their territory was quite remote, so they didn’t have much choice—they ate whatever happened to pass through.
The diet sounded fine. Most tribes in the Eastern Continent ate the same way. Bai Tu had seen feline beastmen at the market before, and his own tribe had feline members as well. They weren’t particularly picky eaters and would consume a variety of meats.
Since their diet wasn’t the issue, why had they suddenly stopped being active? But now they seemed perfectly normal…
Bai Tu glanced at the toy in his hand and suddenly thought of something. Looking at the feline beastmen, he asked, “Do you still have a lot of chickens and ducks in your territory?”
“Not many left,” someone answered before the lead beastman could respond. It was a young feline beastman, no older than seventeen or eighteen. “Actually… we can’t find any at all.”
Adult beastmen preferred hunting large prey since a single catch could feed the tribe for a long time. But for young beastmen like him, who were just coming of age, they enjoyed hunting small, nimble creatures like chickens and ducks. They called it hunting, but in reality, most of the time, they were just playing around.
With fewer animals in their territory, the adult beastmen were worried about securing enough food for the future, while the younger ones had an even harder time—because now, they didn’t even have anything to play with.
The young beastman struggled to tear his gaze away from the toy in Bai Tu’s hand. His fingers twitched—stretching out, then curling into a fist—as he tried his best to suppress the urge to snatch it.
But then, Bai Tu casually waved the toy, making the colorful feathers sway in front of him. The young beastman clenched his fist even tighter, struggling to hold himself back.
What should he do? He really wanted to grab it.
Meanwhile, Bai Tu waved the toy in front of the cubs, watching as they quickly and nimbly pounced at it. That confirmed his suspicion.
“The cubs aren’t sick. They just have nothing fun to play with—not even a single chicken—so of course, they don’t feel like going outside.”
Most likely, they spent the entire day so bored they were on the verge of falling asleep. And since feline beastmen tended to be especially careful with their young, they probably didn’t even dare wake them up. Naturally, this left the cubs with no motivation to move around.
Simply put—they were just bored out of their minds.
“This kind of toy—make more of them when you get back,” Bai Tu said. “I’ll teach everyone how to make them later.” He had already planned to teach Mian Cai, and now he could take the opportunity to let the feline beastmen learn as well.
Hearing that the cubs were fine, the feline beastmen immediately brightened up. But then, their joy turned to concern about something else. One of them hesitated before asking, “On our way here, we heard that the Snow Rabbit Tribe rescued some cubs…”
To the feline beastmen, the wolf cubs they had lost were just as important as the ones currently in their tribe. When they heard that the missing cubs were at the Snow Rabbit Tribe, they had been overwhelmed with joy. Now that they knew these cubs were safe, they grew anxious about the others still unaccounted for.
Bai Tu didn’t beat around the bush and led them toward the area where the cubs lived.
With so many people, they couldn’t all go inside. Bai Tu turned to ask, “Who among you is a direct relative of the cubs?”
A cub’s relatives would be able to recognize their own by scent. As for the few white kittens clinging to him, Bai Tu simply continued playing with them a little longer—he hadn’t had time to play with the younger cubs outside in quite a while.
“I am.”
“So am I.”
Five feline beastmen stepped forward. After everyone finished speaking, one of them added, “I’m also the sister of another cub’s mother. She’s slower and won’t arrive until tomorrow.”
“Let’s have you try first,” Bai Tu said.
He wasn’t sure if such a blood relation would help in recognizing the cub, but considering that the two sisters had lost their cubs at the same time, there was a good chance they would at least be familiar with each other. It was worth a try.
To everyone’s surprise, all six of the feline cubs turned out to be from the White Cat Tribe—exactly matching the number of cubs they had lost.
“Little kittens are quite clever,” Bai Tu remarked as he gently rubbed the heads of the cubs, who were hesitantly approaching their relatives.
Feline cubs were known for their quick reflexes, and since they had been taken to the Red Eagle Tribe not long before being rescued, their injuries were relatively mild—the main issue had been the trauma. However, after living in the settlement for so long, they were no longer as timid as they had been at first. They climbed and jumped around fearlessly every day, making them the most active among all the cubs.
Even though the feline beastmen had found their cubs, Bai Tu didn’t let them take the cubs away immediately. Instead, he had them stay a while and get reacquainted.
This was also part of his way of confirming whether they were truly the cubs’ relatives. If they were, then even if the cubs were initially unfamiliar and a little wary, they would gradually warm up within half a day. In contrast, if the adults were complete strangers, the cubs would remain cautious even after two full days—unless, like the caretakers here, they had spent ten days or more building a bond.
After all, even the beastmen from Bai Tu’s tribe, who had accompanied the cubs throughout their journey back, had still needed the entire winter to fully gain their trust.
Seeing that the cubs were not only safe but also cared for even better than the cubs in their own tribe, the feline beastmen were too overjoyed to argue. They readily agreed to anything Bai Tu said. Meanwhile, the remaining feline beastmen outside the door simply watched quietly, afraid that speaking up might disrupt the process.
Among the six feline cubs, two were pure white, while the other four had markings—two were tabby-striped, and two were orange.
The cub whose mother hadn’t arrived yet was an orange-furred kitten. Its cousin, also an orange kitten, stood beside it. Compared to the others, these two were noticeably larger.
The little tabby cub was the boldest. It was the first to start playing with the nearby feline beastmen. It had been a long time since they had seen such a lively cub, and the feline beastmen couldn’t take their eyes off them.
Meanwhile, the two orange kittens showed little interest in the feline beastmen around them. Though the scent was somewhat familiar, so what? Their curious eyes scanned the surroundings, clearly thinking about where they could sneak off to find some tasty food.
That was, until one of the feline beastmen took out some food.
The moment the two orange kittens caught the scent, they perked up and darted over without hesitation.
The beastman who opened the food chuckled. “They’ve always loved to eat.”
These two cubs had the biggest appetites in the tribe—eating nearly twice as much as the others their age. Despite being so young, they already consumed as much food as cubs two or three years older.
Bai Tu fell silent for a moment. It was barely past breakfast, yet these two cubs were already devouring food like they hadn’t eaten in days. Truly, they lived up to their reputation as orange tabbies.
Despite the somewhat ordinary taste of the food, the cubs finished every bite without hesitation, fulfilling their mother’s expectations. Afterward, they even reached out with their paws, tugging at the beast hide on their relative, clearly wanting more.
Bai Tu sighed helplessly. They were acting as if they had been starving, yet they had just eaten. He wasn’t too worried about the feline beastmen misunderstanding, but he was concerned they might overfeed the cubs. So, he reminded them, “Don’t give them too much, or they’ll have indigestion.”
The cubs were always fed until they were about 80% full. The portion they had just eaten was fine, but any more would be excessive.
The feline beastman nodded. “We only brought this much. There’s no more.” Their tribe didn’t have any strict rules about how much cubs could eat, but typically, the cubs would stop eating on their own after a while. These two, however, had always been different. Back then, the tribe didn’t have much food, but now, after their long journey, even the little food she had left was barely enough—especially with two cubs sharing it, meaning each one only got a small portion.
Even though Bai Tu had always known orange tabbies had bigger appetites than the others, he still couldn’t resist rubbing their heads before checking on the rest of the cubs.
The small white kitten was the most timid. It took a while before it cautiously reached out a paw to test the presence of its relative. Seeing the cubs slowly warming up to the beastmen around them, Bai Tu finally felt reassured and left them in the room while he went outside to teach the others how to make toys.
The kittens loved toys with feathers. Bai Tu demonstrated the process twice in front of Mian Cai and the feline beastmen.
The feathers they were using were the ones Tu Mu had sent yesterday. Now, they had been brought over to this area. While Bai Tu had taken the feline beastmen to recognize the cubs, Tu Cai and the others had been outside washing the feathers. The weather today was about the same as yesterday, so the feathers dried quickly on the mats. Now, they were ready for use.
Making feather toys wasn’t particularly difficult—choosing the right colors and tying them together was enough to complete most of the process. Even the color coordination wasn’t strictly necessary; Bai Tu just thought it looked nicer that way.
Since Tu Cai had made many tools before, she quickly got the hang of it. The feline beastmen, on the other hand, were a bit slower—not because they didn’t understand, but because they couldn’t resist slapping or grabbing the feathers whenever they saw them. With all their little distractions, naturally, their progress was slower.
Once Bai Tu saw that everyone had learned, he focused on playing with the three feline cubs. It was their first time seeing so many feathers, and from the moment they touched the ground, they never stopped moving—pouncing here, leaping there. Before long, two of them got into a playful scuffle, and soon after, the third one joined in, turning it into a full-on wrestling match.
Bai Tu let them play until it was nearly lunchtime before checking on the other feline cubs. By then, they had already blended in well with the adult feline beastmen. The smallest white kitten, who had been the most timid, even curled up in the arms of a nearby feline beastman when it heard noises outside—an undeniable sign of trust.
Seeing this, Bai Tu finally felt completely at ease. Though he was reluctant to part with the cubs, having their loving relatives by their side was undoubtedly better than being alone. He wanted every cub to grow up carefree and happy.
“Alright, go eat,” Bai Tu said, motioning to the feline beastmen.
Now that they had confirmed the cubs were indeed their relatives, he no longer wanted to intrude on their time together. Handing over a few toys, he added, “The cubs all love playing with these.”
It wasn’t just the cubs—the feline beastmen were also quite taken with the toys. Seeing this, Bai Tu thought that next time, he could make more and bring them to the market for trade.
The kitchen collected a large number of feathers every day, and Tu Mu had been worried about how to deal with them. Turning them into toys would not only save time on cleanup but also generate some extra resources. Plus, it would give idle beastmen something to do. A win-win-win situation.
Bai Tu hadn’t given the feline beastmen the toys earlier because they were simply too enticing. The cubs were so easily distracted by them that it was impossible to tell whether they were truly comfortable with the beastmen around them or just reacting to the toys. Only by observing their natural interactions, without any external distractions, could he get an accurate read on their relationships.
Hearing Bai Tu mention mealtime, Mao Chuan, the leader of the White Cat Tribe, suddenly looked a little embarrassed. “Tu, about the food exchange for the cubs… Could we delay the delivery by two months?”
If he hadn’t brought it up, Bai Tu might have forgotten about it entirely. Most tribes that came to retrieve the cubs brought along a good amount of food or other supplies, which were later replenished with resources from the Snow Rabbit Tribe. As a result, many tribes had even taken the initiative to send back specialty goods afterward. Some of the new crops in the settlement had arrived this way.
In reality, bringing food when retrieving the cubs was never a strict requirement. Initially, Bai Tu had worried that some beastmen in the tribe might feel it was unfair to care for so many extra cubs without compensation, so he had used the idea of “bringing food when picking up cubs” as a way to convince them.
But things were different now. Even the beastmen who had originally opposed raising so many cubs had gradually changed their minds. After watching the cubs grow up and play around the settlement, they no longer saw it as a problem. The cubs’ presence hadn’t negatively impacted their quality of life—on the contrary, things had only gotten better.
Food was plentiful, housing was more comfortable, and even the availability of snacks had increased. At this point, no one cared whether raising cubs was a burden.
The cubs had lived in the settlement for over half a year, spending the entire winter in the caves. It wasn’t until after winter that Tu Cai began gradually bringing them outside, and by the time the rainy season arrived, they were frequently seen playing outdoors.
The more they were seen, the more the tribe’s beastmen subconsciously accepted them as part of the settlement. Some even felt reluctant when other tribes came to take them back. As for whether or not to accept food in exchange, they didn’t mind at all—if anything, they wished they could send extra food along to make sure the cubs wouldn’t suffer after returning to their tribes.
Bai Tu had witnessed this sentiment firsthand many times. When relatives came to pick up the cubs, the beastmen who had cared for them often looked heartbroken, as if they were the real parents reluctantly handing them over. If an outsider didn’t know better, they might actually mistake them for the cubs’ true family. But in reality, they had only taken care of the cubs for a short time after rescuing them.
Because of this, not only did Bai Tu not mind that the feline beastmen hadn’t brought any supplies, but neither did the rest of the tribe. What mattered most was whether they would take good care of the cubs.
“We can talk about supplies later,” Bai Tu said casually, once again using his usual delaying tactic whenever the issue of food shortages came up.
There was an advantage to this approach—if they encountered a tribe that treated the cubs poorly, they would have a valid reason to take them back. This effectively prevented irresponsible tribes from reclaiming the cubs only to neglect them afterward.
Seeing that Bai Tu agreed, Mao Chuan and the beastmen behind him all let out a collective sigh of relief.
They had been worried that Bai Tu might refuse. If they had to gather enough food before retrieving the cubs, it would take them several more months—but none of them wanted to wait that long.
This was especially true for the cubs’ immediate family members. The bond between a cub and its relatives was strongest before the age of three, and they had already missed out on a year. If they waited any longer, the cubs would be close to shifting into their humanoid forms.
From everything they had observed—especially the fact that entering the settlement had required Bai Tu’s permission—it was clear that he held significant authority here. On top of that, he was skilled in healing. Though they still didn’t understand why people looked uneasy whenever healers were mentioned, Bai Tu’s approval meant that the Snow Rabbit Tribe wouldn’t object.
The group had already started thinking about how they would hunt for food once they returned.
Meanwhile, Bai Tu was considering the food situation at home. Supplies were running low, so he planned to pick up some food from the communal kitchen to reduce the amount of cooking needed for lunch. There were also two types of snacks that neither Lang Qi nor the wolf cubs had tried yet—he might as well grab some to bring back for them.
With that in mind, Bai Tu simply led the feline beastmen straight to the kitchen. On the way, he continued talking to them.
“Now that you’ve reunited with the cubs, it’s best to stay in the settlement for a few days and let them adjust before taking them back,” he advised. “If you move them to a completely unfamiliar environment too suddenly, they’ll be scared.”
Even though the cubs were with their blood relatives, they hadn’t seen them in a long time. Right now, they only had a vague sense of familiarity, but it wasn’t enough for complete trust. If they were taken away immediately, the cubs would undoubtedly be frightened.
The best solution was for the cubs’ relatives to stay in the settlement for a while, allowing the cubs to become more familiar with them. That way, when they eventually moved to a new environment, they wouldn’t feel as scared because they’d have familiar beastmen by their side.
After Bai Tu finished speaking, most of the feline beastmen—whether they were the cubs’ relatives or not—nodded in agreement. Only Mao Chuan, walking at the front, looked deeply worried, his expression tense with anxiety.
Noticing this, Bai Tu asked, “Chuan, are you feeling unwell? Or is there something urgent in your tribe that needs attention?”
Whenever other tribes came to retrieve cubs, Bai Tu typically asked them to stay for a few days, except for those from nearby tribes, who didn’t linger as long.
There were two main reasons for this. First, back when the settlement was still weak, its housing conditions were far worse than they were now, and there weren’t enough spare rooms for visitors. Additionally, having beastmen from other tribes stay for long periods made the settlement’s residents uneasy.
Second, for tribes that were close by, the journey home only took a day or so, meaning the cubs wouldn’t be subjected to days of exhausting travel. As a result, there was no need for an extended stay to help them adjust.
That said, some tribes genuinely had pressing matters to attend to and couldn’t afford to stay long. In those cases, Bai Tu would decide on a solution based on the cubs’ condition.
If a cub was doing well, their relatives could take them home after resting for a night. However, if the cub still seemed uneasy around their relatives, one of the beastmen who had been caring for them in the settlement would escort them partway, typically to the border of the Leopard Tribe’s territory. This extra day or two gave the cubs time to gradually adjust.
If the feline beastmen had an urgent matter to handle, Bai Tu wouldn’t force them to stay. Once they had rested, Lang Ze and the caretakers could escort them for a portion of the journey.
Mao Chuan hesitated before finally speaking, his tone strained. “The food we brought with us is almost gone.”
The cubs’ condition had been so concerning that they hadn’t waited for the rainy season to fully end before setting out.
Prey was scarce during the rainy season, and even for feline beastmen, hunting had been difficult. As a result, they had been able to bring only a limited amount of food. While they had ensured the cubs were well-fed, the rest of them had been eating as little as possible just to make it this far.
They had no objections to staying longer for the cubs’ sake—after all, it was in the cubs’ best interest. But the simple fact was that their food supply wasn’t enough.
“You don’t need to worry about food,” Bai Tu said. He had thought Mao Chuan was concerned about something else, but it turned out to be this.
By now, they had arrived at the entrance of the communal kitchen. Bai Tu pushed the door open and gestured for them to enter.
“Tu, you’re here?” Tu Mu, who was inspecting the food for the day, looked up and greeted him. Noticing the unfamiliar beastmen accompanying Bai Tu, he lowered his voice and asked, “Are these the new feline beastmen?”
There were no real secrets in the settlement. Earlier that morning, Bai Qi and Lang Ze had led a group of beastmen to the cubs’ living area, and by noon, the entire settlement knew about it. Some had even asked Lang Ze about the newcomers’ species and numbers.
By lunchtime, the news had spread so widely that even Tu Mu, who had been busy cooking in the kitchen, had already heard all about it.
Bai Tu was already used to how quickly news spread within the settlement. After all, with little else to do, beastmen often chatted about the latest happenings while working.
There was nothing secretive about the feline beastmen’s arrival, so Bai Tu simply nodded. Remembering the feline tribe’s dietary preferences, he told Tu Mu, “Make sure to prepare some chicken and fish dishes tonight. And don’t forget food for the cubs—we have three new little ones.”
With about ten extra people, they could simply eat whatever was available in the communal kitchen for lunch. But for dinner, Bai Tu planned to set up a small special meal to help them replenish their strength.
Tu Mu agreed readily but was surprised at Bai Tu’s last remark. “New cubs?”
“Yeah, the feline tribe brought them over.” Bai Tu nodded, not bothering to mention yesterday’s misunderstanding. Instead, he gestured toward a beastman holding a few kittens. The small cats were playing together, while some of the feline beastmen also held cubs in their arms. The cubs, restrained by their affectionate relatives, couldn’t run freely and were now locked in little stare-downs, subtly challenging one another.
“Oh! They’re all white.” Tu Mu was intrigued.
Since he regularly prepared food for the cubs, he didn’t necessarily recognize every single one, but he had a good grasp of how many there were from each species and what colors they were.
Before today, the settlement had exactly six feline cubs—two white, two orange, and two tabby-striped. But now, the number of white cubs had jumped to five. That meant the three newcomers were definitely from the White Cat Tribe.
“Of course, they’re from the White Cat Tribe,” Bai Tu replied.
Judging by their fur color, about half of that tribe’s members were white cats, while those with black hair were likely tabbies or bicolor cats, and those with yellow fur were the orange tabbies. The latter two groups probably made up about a quarter each.
Suddenly, Tu Mu pulled Bai Tu aside and lowered his voice. “Tu, I heard that a lot of beastmen in the White Cat Tribe have illnesses.”
Bai Tu hadn’t heard anything like that before, but when he turned back to look at the feline beastmen, he noticed that two of them had striking blue eyes. That immediately reminded him of something.
White cats with blue eyes had a significantly higher chance of being born deaf.
Tu Mu whispered, “That’s why the White Cat Tribe avoids interacting with other tribes. They’ve always kept to themselves in a remote area, far from everyone else.”
Bai Tu nodded in understanding. It made sense to be cautious about discussing their condition—especially since it was a genetic issue that couldn’t be treated later in life.
Having given his warning, Tu Mu didn’t dwell on the subject. Instead, he changed the topic. “I didn’t expect you to use those feathers for making toys for the cubs. Do you still need more? There’s plenty left.”
Every day, a massive amount of feathers piled up in the kitchen, and Tu Mu often struggled with how to dispose of them. Burying them, as Bai Tu had once suggested, was slightly better than just dumping them, but it still took several beastmen to dig and refill the pits.
Although only the most attractive tail and wing feathers were used for toys, even that helped reduce waste.
“Cai is working on them now, but I’ll experiment with more later,” Bai Tu said.
He hadn’t made toys in a while, so he planned to put together a few more batches. The wolf cubs in the settlement could play with them, and they could also be used for trade with other tribes.
Beastmen didn’t coddle their young, but they still wanted them to live comfortably. Plus, these simple toys weren’t just for cubs—adult beastmen enjoyed them too. Just earlier, Bai Tu had noticed several feline beastmen getting so engrossed in playing with the feathers that they forgot about making the toys.
“Alright, alright! I’ll have everything ready for you,” Tu Mu said enthusiastically. He didn’t care who made them, as long as the feathers were being put to good use. Starting today, he could assign people to sort and store any usable feathers.
Bai Tu hummed in agreement. Even if they didn’t trade them for supplies, the tribe itself would go through a fair number. Feathers could be used to make a variety of toys—like shuttlecocks for kicking games or feathered darts. There were also practical uses, such as making feather dusters.
Thinking of this, Bai Tu decided on the spot. “Set aside the cleaner feathers—we can use them for other tools.”
“Got it! I’ll make sure to save them,” Tu Mu promised.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he smacked his forehead. “I should go tell the others right now! We’ll keep today’s feathers too.”
With that, he dashed off toward the back of the kitchen in a hurry.
Bai Tu: “……” Forget it. As long as Tu Mu was happy.
After watching Tu Mu leave, Bai Tu turned to remind the feline beastmen that they could go get some food.
Mao Chuan took a long moment before finally finding his voice. “We’re not cooking it ourselves?”
Before entering, he had assumed they would have to prepare their own meals. Even after speaking with Bai Tu, he had been mentally calculating how much food they would need for the day. But as soon as he stepped inside, the rich aroma of food filled the air.
Around him, beastmen were lining up to get their meals, eating directly after receiving their portions. Large bowls of food were being carried to the tables one after another.
This was Maochuan’s first time seeing such a scene. While curious, he was also utterly shocked by how the Snow Rabbit Tribe simply prepared food and let everyone eat freely.
Just how much food did they have to store to sustain this?
As it turned out, the Snow Rabbit Tribe had far more food reserves than he had imagined. In just the short time they had been inside, he had already seen one of the tables get refilled three times, each time piled high with fresh dishes.
Mao Chuan turned to look at Bai Tu. He remembered hearing from some beastmen outside that the Snow Rabbit Tribe had only become this prosperous because of Bai Tu. Before, they had struggled to get enough food for each meal. So…
As he pondered this, the other feline beastmen also looked toward Bai Tu. Only the cubs remained completely uninterested in anything except their feather toys, happily pouncing on the fluttering feathers and biting at them.
“We don’t cook our own meals here. If you were cooking for yourselves, it would be called a kitchen, wouldn’t it? A canteen is a place where the food is already prepared, and everyone just comes to eat,” Bai Tu explained.
He pointed toward a nearby table. “Over there are trays, bowls, and chopsticks. That side has dishes and staple foods. Take a look and grab whatever you like.”
Mao Chuan eyed the food, clearly tempted. However, after a brief hesitation, he ultimately declined. “If we eat, what will your tribe’s beastmen eat? We brought our own food, Tu. Where is the kitchen? We can cook for ourselves.”
Although their food supply was limited, they could last another day or two. They couldn’t just come here to take back their wolf cubs and then eat another tribe’s food. Thinking this way, Mao Chuan immediately shook his head.
The other feline beastmen quickly echoed his sentiments. While the Snow Rabbit Tribe clearly had plenty of food, that food belonged to them. The feline tribe was used to living independently, and the idea of taking someone else’s food while letting them go hungry was completely unacceptable to them.
Hearing their concerns, Bai Tu chuckled. “The tribe has plenty of food. Don’t worry about it—we can afford to feed you for a few days.”
The canteen prepared food in batches, rather than cooking everything at once. This ensured that the food was always fresh and flavorful. Moreover, not everyone ate the same amount every day, nor did they all dine in the same place.
Typically, Tu Mu would have his team cook a large portion first, while keeping an eye on how much was left. If the food was being consumed quickly, they would prepare more. If it was going slowly, they would adjust the portions accordingly. And if there was still food left by the end of the meal, it would simply be saved for the next one.
This way, all the beastmen in the tribe could eat their fill without unnecessary waste.
With only about ten feline beastmen, including the cubs, their presence hardly made a dent in the food supply. If their portions depleted the serving trays, Tu Mu would simply arrange for more food to be made. The beastmen lining up behind them would still get their meals, and anyone who wasn’t full could go back for seconds.
In short, the feline tribe’s concerns were completely unnecessary.
As for hunting? That was even less of an issue. The prey from the breeding area was barely being touched. Some animals, like certain types of birds, could be incubated in a heated chamber and would hatch in just over twenty days—within a few months, they would already be fully grown.
As they were talking, Tu Mu came out again, this time with two more beastmen, carrying two large trays of fresh food. Seeing that he had already gone in and out, yet Bai Tu still hadn’t started eating, Tu Mu walked over and asked, “Tu, why aren’t you eating? The food isn’t to your liking today?”
Bai Tu usually didn’t stay in the canteen for long since he had young cubs waiting for him at home. So, seeing him still lingering without having chosen his meal, Tu Mu found it odd.
“I had something to take care of,” Bai Tu explained briefly. “The feline tribe is worried that if they eat here, our tribe’s beastmen won’t have enough food.”
Bai Tu wasn’t insisting they eat their food for no reason—it was mainly for the sake of the cubs. Likely due to setting out before the rainy season had fully ended, the adult feline beastmen all looked somewhat frail.
While the rabbit beastmen weren’t as robust as the lion tribe, they were still within a healthy range. In contrast, these feline beastmen were too thin. Moreover, they had already mentioned that prey in their territory was scarcer than before.
Bai Tu wanted to help them replenish their strength over the next few days. Otherwise, he wouldn’t feel comfortable entrusting the cubs to them—after all, they didn’t currently seem capable of properly protecting them.
Previously, most of the rogue beastmen who had been attacking and stealing from others had either perished or been captured during the battle with the Black Forest Tribe. But that didn’t mean the outside world was completely safe.
Beastmen who had lost their homes to raids, those exiled from their tribes for wrongdoing—any of them could become new rogue beastmen. If the feline tribe remained weak, they would be at a serious disadvantage if they ever encountered such dangers.
Bai Tu had cared for these cubs for so long that, even though they weren’t from his own tribe, he still wanted to see them grow up safe and healthy. Since the feline beastmen were the ones who would be responsible for their protection, he had to ensure they were in good condition.
Hearing Bai Tu’s explanation, Tu Mu waved at the feline beastmen dismissively. “Don’t worry, there’s plenty of food. Eat as much as you want. If anyone isn’t full, I’ll personally make more for them.”
The feline beastmen exchanged glances, looking from Bai Tu to Tu Mu and then turning to Mao Chuan for his decision.
As their leader, Mao Chuan could clearly see that Bai Tu was looking out for their tribe. Overwhelmed with gratitude, he struggled to find the right words. “I…”
Bai Tu waved a hand. “Eat. Just eat first.”
Only then did the feline beastmen hesitantly approach the food. But their actions were almost identical to when the Flower Bear Tribe had first arrived—they were too cautious to take much.
Seeing their hesitation, Bai Tu called over a young wolf cub who had already finished eating and asked him to pass a message to Lang Qi, letting him know that he would be coming home later than usual.
If he left now, these feline beastmen would probably eat even less than they should. The adults might be able to endure it, but Bai Tu was more concerned that they wouldn’t properly care for the cubs. The young ones needed food that was both nutritious and tasty—he wouldn’t let these little kittens go hungry.
The young wolf glanced curiously at the feline beastmen before, after a small nudge from Bai Tu, running off to deliver the message.
Meanwhile, Bai Tu went to wash his hands before personally guiding the feline beastmen in selecting food. Knowing how difficult their journey had been, he made sure to take a little of everything so they could slowly try different dishes.
It had been a long time since the feline tribe had eaten so well. From the moment they started eating, the canteen had been bustling with noise. But by the time they finished, they were the only ones left at their table.
Bai Tu was glad he had sent the message earlier—otherwise, Lang Qi might have started worrying or even come looking for him.
The feline beastmen had been visibly emotional since the meal began. By the end, Mao Chuan actually started crying.
The more he ate, the more overwhelmed he felt. Seeing Bai Tu continuously bringing them more food, he finally set down his chopsticks and couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Our tribe… we have many white cats,” Maochuan began, his voice trembling. “The other feline tribes don’t like us. They say that being near us will result in more deaf cubs being born.”
“None of the tribes we interacted with before had any issues! Our beastmen aren’t contagious!” Mao Chuan’s voice was filled with frustration.
As a leader—especially one who had taken on the role at a young age—he had always bottled up his emotions, never letting his people see his grievances. But now, standing before Bai Tu, he suddenly wanted to vent.
“My father told me that in the past, those tribes even demanded that we abandon our deaf cubs! How could we do that? They’re still our tribe’s cubs, no matter what!”
“So we had no choice but to stay far away from them. But when our cubs were stolen and we set out to find them, they mocked us and said we deserved it.”
It had clearly been the rogue beastmen’s fault for stealing the cubs, yet the surrounding tribes claimed it was their punishment for refusing to abandon their deaf cubs. The caretaker watching the cubs that day had happened to be one of the tribe’s naturally deaf members—so, in their twisted logic, it was the tribe’s own fault.
“You’ve done nothing wrong. And neither have the deaf beastmen,” Bai Tu reassured him.
Hearing how much the feline tribe had suffered—ostracized, mistreated, and even blamed for their own losses—he couldn’t help but feel sympathy for them. They had traveled an incredible distance, from the borderlands near the Western Continent, just to retrieve their cubs. It must have been an incredibly difficult journey.
After a moment of thought, he suddenly asked, “Would you consider staying in our tribe?”
Last night, he had shown his draft regulations to Lang Qi, and they had both agreed that they could work. Keeping the feline tribe here wasn’t out of the question.
“We’ve done nothing wrong—what?” Mao Chuan, still caught up in his emotions, abruptly froze. His head snapped up in shock.
The surrounding feline beastmen also stopped eating, staring at Bai Tu in disbelief. Did they hear that right? Were they really being invited to join?
For a moment, they were overwhelmed with joy—but at the same time, they were afraid to get their hopes up too soon. They turned to Bai Tu for confirmation.
Seeing their anticipation, Bai Tu simply nodded. Yes, they had heard him correctly.
Meanwhile, in the corner of the canteen, a certain beastman who had been leaning against the wall and rubbing his stomach suddenly sprang to his feet and bolted outside.
Bai Tu spoke with the feline tribe a little longer before having Bai Qi lead them to the communal dormitories to rest. After that, he went to the kitchen, grabbed the snacks Tu Mu had set aside for him, and started heading home.
Halfway there, he ran into Xiong Liao and another bear beastman.
They hadn’t noticed him yet. Xiong Liao was solemnly giving instructions to the other bear beastman.
“When you get to the canteen, grab Lord Bai Tu’s leg and cry as hard as you can.”
Bai Tu: “???”
Thanks for the chapter!