Chapter 233
The cubs in the tribe were born one after another. As the new cubs gradually grew, the older ones began to learn how to shift into their human forms.
By the time the little rabbit turned three, there had been no change. Despite being three years old, the little rabbit had not shifted into his human form.
Unlike others, Bai Luo, the little rabbit’s father, was calm about it. While the rest of the tribe was puzzled, he gently held the cub and said, “The little rabbit doesn’t like to shift into a human form. When he wants to, he’ll do it.”
“Yes,” Lang Shui, who was very familiar with this situation, nodded. “Qi didn’t like to shift when he was small either.” She had been worried when Lang Qi refused to shift, but eventually, he did it on his own without needing to be pushed.
Though they said that, Lang Shui still looked at the little rabbit with some concern.
Bai Luo gently stroked the little rabbit and kissed him on the forehead, saying, “It’s okay even if he doesn’t shift into a human form.” Unlike others, he understood how difficult it was for the little rabbit to be born. Even if the little rabbit never shifted into a human form, he would still take care of him. As long as the cub was happy, that was all that mattered.
Hearing Bai Luo say this, no one dared to bring up the topic again.
Only particularly weak cubs did not shift into human form, so by saying this, Bai Luo had already prepared for the worst. Thinking about Bai Luo’s partner, who only appeared once every few years, the tribe didn’t want to upset Bai Luo. No matter how kind Bai Luo was, he was still the respected shaman, and they couldn’t take advantage of his good temper.
…
When the little rabbit turned three, Bai Luo gave him a name—Bai Tu. The little rabbit was very happy with the name his father chose, and from then on, he would only respond when called “Bai Tu.”
Although Bai Tu was already three years old, his size hadn’t changed much since he was a month old. He was still small, and even the two younger wolf cubs could carry him around. He had stayed the same size.
Even smaller beast cubs were rarely this tiny, so when the beastmen passed by Bai Luo’s place, they were especially careful.
They had always been cautious, but before, they were worried about disturbing the shaman. Now, however, the tiny cub was smaller than half their palm, and if they weren’t careful, they might accidentally injure him.
In reality, the beastmen were just being overly worried. Bai Tu didn’t get many chances to run around. He was either carried around by Bai Luo or taken by Lang Qi.
At six years old, Lang Qi went out with the other cubs of his age to look for food. No matter what they found, the first thing he did when returning was bring back the best food for Bai Tu.
Bai Tu loved fruits, and fortunately, the cubs of his size could only find fruits when they went out.
To gather fruits for Bai Tu, Lang Qi became faster at climbing trees each day. Since he was lighter after shifting into beast form, he could reach fruits that many adult beastmen wouldn’t dare try.
Bai Tu ate less, so even though he loved food, he couldn’t eat much each day. When that happened, Lang Qi would give the remaining food to the other two cubs.
The larger female cubs had some self-control and stopped eating when they were full, but the male wolf cubs, who had just been born, would eat as much as they could, never turning down food. Lang Qi had to step in and take the remaining food away, placing it out of the reach of the small wolf cubs, or else they would end up eating too much and struggle to move.
Days passed, and just when everyone thought Bai Tu would never shift into a human form, a delicate little figure appeared in the tribe.
Most cubs liked to crawl around on the ground. Even if their parents kept reminding them, they couldn’t change the habit. The cubs let outside in the morning usually came back covered in dirt, and though some could be cleaned off, others had mud dried onto them. They either had to rinse off in the water or slowly clean themselves.
After shifting into human form, the dirt they had collected would not always completely fall off. Some would remain on their skin, so most cubs, when shifting for the first time, were rather dirty and needed a wash before they looked presentable.
Bai Tu, unlike the other cubs, was too small to run around like them at the base of the mountain. He mostly interacted with plants or stayed near the cave. There was dirt, but it wasn’t excessive.
Even when he went to the plant-growing area, Bai Tu didn’t roll his whole body in the dirt. At most, his paws would get dirty, but they could be easily cleaned.
Due to his cautious nature, Bai Tu always made sure not to get too dirty. If he did, he wouldn’t ask Bai Luo for help but would clean himself up before returning home.
The first time he shifted into a human form, Bai Tu was pulling up plants that Bai Luo had planted.
Lang Qi wasn’t around during the day, so Bai Tu was alone. However, Bai Tu’s body had not grown much, while the plants, after a few months, had grown taller than Lang Qi. Bai Tu wrapped both paws around the plant and tried with all his might, but the plant didn’t budge. He slowly released his paws and stared at the plant. However, the plant wasn’t Bai Luo or Lang Qi, nor was it like Black Jian; it wouldn’t know his intentions just because he stared at it.
Bai Tu put his paws back on the plant, trying to pull it up like his father had taught him.
Using all his strength, Bai Tu successfully pulled the plant out, but he also fell over in the process.
As he was about to roll over and run back, he suddenly felt something was off.
His viewpoint was much higher than before, and he could now see the top of the plant. Unlike before, when he could only see the roots and needed to be lifted to see higher, now he could see it all by himself. Bai Tu, who had grown more aware, looked down at himself in surprise.
Remembering how the other cubs in the tribe covered themselves with furs after shifting into human form, Bai Tu looked around but couldn’t find any furs. He had no choice but to cover himself with plants.
When Lang Qi returned to the cave with fruits from the mountain, he noticed that only Bai Luo was busy inside. Hearing that Lang Qi had returned, Bai Luo pointed outside to the patch of plants and said, “Go look there.”
Bai Tu usually stayed near the cave, and if he went somewhere else, the watching beastmen would inform Bai Luo. If he didn’t come, it meant he hadn’t gone far.
Lang Qi set down the fruit and took the biggest cherry, cleaning it before heading out.
He walked to the patch of plants and called out, “Tu?” Most of these plants were Bai Tu’s favorites, and he treated them with great care, not letting anyone touch them. Therefore, unless Bai Tu needed them, Lang Qi wouldn’t go near.
Normally, Bai Tu would immediately come out when he heard Lang Qi’s voice, but this time, it was quiet inside.
“Tu? Where did you go?” Even though Lang Qi knew Bai Tu wouldn’t wander off, he still felt anxious.
The little rabbit was too small. So small that even the full-grown cubs could bully him. If he accidentally wandered to another place and they didn’t find him in time, he would surely get hurt.
Hearing the sounds outside, two plants in the middle of the patch shifted slightly.
Though the movement of the plants wasn’t large, Lang Qi, who was concerned about the little rabbit, noticed it and made his way toward the center.
Fortunately, Bai Luo had deliberately left a small path for the cubs to move through so they could tend to the plants. The path was narrow, just wide enough for a sub-beast or a cub to walk through. What Lang Qi didn’t expect was that when he reached the two plants, what he saw wasn’t the little rabbit, but a cub who had shifted into a human form. Even in human form, Bai Tu was much smaller than the other cubs of the same age, and his entire body was mostly covered by the plants, leaving only his large, pitiful eyes exposed.
Even though Lang Qi recognized him, he still confirmed once more, “Tu?”
Bai Tu, now in human form, nodded. It was indeed him.
Initially, he had thought that shifting into a human form would be fun, but now he realized it wasn’t. His legs felt uncomfortable, possibly even injured—he was an unhealthy cub.
“What’s wrong?” Lang Qi quickly noticed the change in Bai Tu’s expression. Bai Tu shook his head, not knowing how to describe the discomfort. It wasn’t exactly pain, but it didn’t feel right. Lang Qi, feeling anxious, wasn’t sure what to do when Bai Luo arrived.
After hearing the cub’s description, Bai Luo chuckled helplessly and took out a piece of beast skin to wrap the now-human Bai Tu. “You’ve squatted too long, your legs are numb. It’ll be fine in a bit, don’t worry.” He then gently rubbed the tearful cub, saying, “Next time you feel uncomfortable, you need to call for your father right away, okay?” Bai Tu obediently nodded and promised to follow his father’s advice.
After Bai Tu shifted into human form, Lang Qi began to bring him along more often when going down the mountain. While searching for food in the woods, Lang Qi would find a clean spot and let Bai Tu eat slowly, while he took the other cubs to find food. Bai Tu was very well-behaved, staying in one place for a long time without running off when Lang Qi told him to stay.
And so, Lang Qi took Bai Tu out every day, and before they knew it, several months had passed.
The cubs could only freely move around in the summer. During the rainy and snowy seasons, adult beastmen rarely went out, and the cubs were strictly not allowed to leave the cave.
Bai Tu didn’t mind staying in the cave during these times and happily kept Bai Luo company.
At this age, Lang Qi was in his mischievous phase and generally didn’t listen very well. When cubs of the same age went out to play and didn’t return, the adult beastmen would usually ask Lang Qi if he knew where they had gone.
At such times, Lang Qi would mention a few places where the cubs liked to go.
Usually, based on Lang Qi’s hints, the parents could find their cubs in the snow piles.
Similarly, Lang Shui could also use Lang Qi’s hints to find Lang Ze in the snow piles.
Lang Qi looked at Bai Tu, who was quietly following Bai Luo, learning about herbs inside the cave, and then glanced at his younger brother, who had just been brought back by Lang Shui, covered in white snow with all four paws flailing about. His expression clearly showed his distaste.
Lang Shui noticed Lang Qi’s distaste and looked down at the cub in her arms, letting out a slight sigh.
She too was somewhat disgusted, but it was her own cub, what could she do? She patted the snow off him, it was still manageable.
When Bai Luo saw Lang Shui returning with the cub, he immediately understood the situation. He pointed to the stone pot next to Lang Qi and said, “There’s hot water in it, pour half a bowl for the cub to drink.”
Every year during the snow season, there were cubs who would sneak out while the adult beastmen weren’t paying attention, so Bai Luo would prepare plenty of warming herbal soups. The cubs who got caught would be forced to drink half a bowl.
It was unpleasant, but the effect was remarkable. After drinking the medicine, the cubs usually didn’t get sick, and even if they felt unwell the day before, they’d be lively again the next day.
Bai Tu, seeing the struggling little wolf cub, slid off his stool and walked over to it. He said earnestly, “You have to drink the medicine, or you’ll get sick. If you get sick, you’ll have to drink a lot of medicine.”
The little wolf cub, still struggling, paused. He hadn’t understood what Bai Tu said but only heard something about drinking a lot of medicine. Lang Shui seized the moment when the cub was distracted and quickly gave him the medicine Lang Qi handed over.
Having been conditioned to swallow whatever was put in front of him since he was young, Lang Ze reflexively swallowed a couple of mouthfuls. When he realized what had happened, half a bowl of medicine was already in his stomach.
Bai Tu quickly shoved a piece of fruit into his mouth.
Lang Ze chewed a few times and finished eating.
It was impossible for the medicine to come back up now, and even though his mouth still tasted of the medicine, Lang Ze didn’t spit it out. Lang Qi, quick as ever, grabbed the remaining food from Bai Tu and stopped Lang Ze from eating more. He had just had medicine, and while a little food was fine, too much would be bad. Lang Ze struggled to get down from Lang Shui’s hands.
Seeing that the medicine had been given, Lang Shui didn’t force the cub any further. She let him go, watching as he scrambled to the ground. The moment Lang Ze hit the ground, he seemed to come alive and lunged at Bai Tu.
Having been raised to know who was most likely to give him food, Lang Ze didn’t go for his mother, not Bai Luo, and certainly not his older brother, but the cub who was only a year older than him—Bai Tu.
But Lang Qi didn’t give him the chance. As Lang Ze ran toward Bai Tu, Lang Qi grabbed him by the back of his neck and lifted him without expression. “Go home and take a bath. You’re too dirty.” Any cub that rolls around in the snow is too filthy to look at. Lang Ze’s eyes widened in protest. He wasn’t dirty! There was no mud!
Lang Qi seemed to understand the clueless look on his younger brother’s face and disdainfully tossed him into a nearby basket. Snow itself wasn’t dirty, but after playing outside, the cubs were far from clean.
The basket was Lang Qi’s, and much smaller than an adult beastman’s basket. It was hard for the cub to climb out, especially when someone was stopping him from doing so.
Lang Qi stood up, holding a small wooden stick. When he saw Lang Ze almost climbing out, he poked the cub’s paw with the stick.
Even though Lang Ze had grown larger than other cubs of his age due to his larger appetite and size, he was still under three years old and hadn’t shifted into human form yet. His strength was no match for Lang Qi, the mischievous older brother. Every time Lang Ze made it halfway out, he was poked back down. Bai Tu, watching from beside the basket, felt that this wasn’t right. He watched Lang Ze try and climb out repeatedly, then saw Lang Qi poke him with the stick. It didn’t seem like it should be this way. Lang Qi thought Bai Tu wanted to play and offered the stick to him. “Do you want to try?”
“It’s too painful,” Bai Tu shook his head.
Lang Qi replied, “It’s fine, he doesn’t mind the pain. He’s fallen countless times outside.”
Hearing his older brother’s words, Lang Ze, irritated, kept trying to climb. Once he was out, he was going to give his bad brother a good beating.
First, like this, then like that… he was sure he could defeat his brother.
Lost in thought, bam, Lang Ze slipped again, making a louder noise than before as he fell back into the basket.
Both Lang Qi and Bai Tu turned to look at the basket. The little wolf cub that had been there earlier was gone. Instead, there was a small child, roughly the same height as Bai Tu.
Lang Shui, who had been talking to Bai Luo, heard the noise and turned around to see the scene. She was surprised, but more so pleased. “As expected, being with Qi has made Ze shift into human form much faster. Looks like we’ll need to have Qi keep an eye on him more often.” The two cubs were not yet three years old, and one of them had already shifted into human form. For convenience, Lang Shui had thought up both their names at once—Lang Ya for the older cub, and Lang Ze for the younger.
Lang Ze hadn’t shifted into human form yet, but he was even more mischievous than Lang Ya, who had already done so. He only behaved around Lang Qi. Now, having shifted in front of Lang Qi, Lang Shui thought it would be a good idea to let Lang Qi keep an eye on Lang Ze from now on.
Upon hearing his mother’s words, Lang Qi, looking thoroughly displeased, refused immediately. “No.”
Meanwhile, Lang Ze burst into tears, unsure whether he was crying because his mother had given him to his brother to watch or because his brother had rejected him.
