Chirpy, in essence, was just a vegetable-loving winged beast.
Timid by nature, gentle in temperament, and utterly lacking in hunting and foraging skills, it relied heavily on Jian Mo and Wu Jiong since they had adopted it. They only knew of two foraging spots it frequented: the southern canyon, where it ate powdered pipe flowers, and the alpine meadows southwest of the He’an Tribe, where it found white umbrella mushrooms.
As an omnivorous creature, a winged beast like Chirpy required a significant amount of food to sustain itself. Its limited foraging grounds could hardly meet its needs.
Jian Mo suspected that when they first encountered Chirpy injured and frail, its poor condition wasn’t solely due to being trapped in the cave. It was likely malnourished even before the accident, surviving on irregular meals.
For Chirpy, the concept of abundant food seemed almost unimaginable.
Jian Mo asked Ye Luo, “What do you mean by saying its food supply is abundant?”
Avoiding Chirpy’s gaze, Ye Luo whispered, “Chirpy loves berries, right? A few days ago, I saw it carrying an entire bundle of thumbberry vines back to its nest and eating them slowly outside.”
Jian Mo was taken aback. “I’ll check when I get back. I haven’t noticed anything recently.”
Ye Luo continued, “I didn’t pay attention at first either. But after seeing it eating thumbberries, I started observing. It’s been bringing food back to its nest daily, eating, and then carrying the vines and shells to the river to dispose of them.”
Jian Mo couldn’t believe it. “It’s that clever? Cleaning up the evidence?”
Ye Luo nodded, about to add more.
But Jian Mo, upon reflection, realized it wasn’t entirely impossible. Chirpy had always been cunning when it came to food.
Unable to sit still, Jian Mo stood up. “I’m going back to check.”
At home, Jian Mo mentioned the situation to Wu Jiong, and then grabbed a broom to clean Chirpy’s nest.
Chirpy had tried to be discreet, but Jian Mo still swept up a significant pile of berry shells, vegetable peels, and leafy debris.
Some of the food remnants were things Jian Mo had never fed Chirpy. It was impossible for them to be leftovers from old meals.
He murmured incredulously to Wu Jiong, “Chirpy’s really grown bold. Eating here at home while sneaking off for extras outside. Do you think it’s found itself a second home somewhere?”
As a vet, Jian Mo had often heard stories of cats being fed by multiple households.
It wasn’t hard to imagine Chirpy flying to another tribe and finding someone else to feed it.
Wu Jiong dismissed the idea. “Unlikely. The nearby tribes all know Chirpy is our winged beast. No one would take it in.”
Jian Mo pondered. “Then did it gather the food itself?”
Even as he spoke, he doubted it. Chirpy was usually generous, sharing whatever food it foraged. It wouldn’t hoard food like this unless it felt guilty.
Wu Jiong suggested, “No point guessing. Let’s follow it tomorrow and find out.”
Jian Mo nodded. “Alright.”
Pretending not to suspect anything, the two fed Chirpy as usual.
Chirpy ate happily, craning its neck and chirping with excitement.
The next day, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong made arrangements and pretended to go foraging. Instead, they hid in the bushes across the river, keeping a close eye on Chirpy.
Chirpy played with the cubs in the tribe for a while before leaving the group and heading back to its nest. The cubs were accustomed to this and paid it no mind.
Once back at its nest, Chirpy rested for a moment, then carefully scanned its surroundings. After ensuring no one was watching, it shook out its feathers, took a running start, and soared into the sky.
From their hidden spot across the river, Jian Mo stared in astonishment. “Wow, it’s even playing it cool, sneaking off when it thinks no one’s looking?”
Wu Jiong gently tugged Jian Mo’s arm. “Come on, let’s move. It’s heading this way.”
Jian Mo asked, “Why is it coming this way? Did it spot us?”
Wu Jiong shrugged. “Not sure.”
The two quickly relocated to another patch of bushes.
Chirpy flew toward the riverbank but didn’t approach their hiding spot. Instead, it landed in the tribe’s medicinal herb garden and began pulling up plants with its beak.
After gathering a sizeable bundle of herbs, Chirpy used its claws to cover the disturbed soil, camouflaging the area.
Jian Mo whispered, “It’s practically a genius!”
Wu Jiong commented, “Some beasts are quite intelligent.”
Jian Mo muttered, “I know, I’ve met a few. But Chirpy was never this sharp before.”
As a vet, he’d encountered pets that could practically enroll in school. But Chirpy had never seemed that capable.
Wu Jiong said, “Let’s follow it.”
Chirpy took flight again, this time carrying the herbs in its beak.
The patrols of the He’an Tribe were used to Chirpy flying around and assumed it was chasing off birds or catching insects in the fields. They didn’t find its behavior unusual but were curious about Jian Mo and Wu Jiong lurking across the river. One of them started to call out.
Jian Mo quickly gestured for silence, signaling them not to shout.
The patrol beastman raised an eyebrow in curiosity but didn’t pursue the matter further.
Meanwhile, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong followed Chirpy on foot.
Chirpy flew leisurely, making it easy for them to keep up as they ran after it. Jian Mo felt like he’d run a marathon by the time Chirpy descended near the base of a mountain. It hesitated briefly before disappearing into a large cave.
Panting heavily, Jian Mo asked, “What’s in that cave?”
Wu Jiong replied, “Let’s get closer and find out.”
They crept toward the cave entrance, careful not to make noise. As they approached, Jian Mo caught an unfamiliar scent—a wild, animalistic odor.
He and Wu Jiong exchanged a glance.
Wu Jiong identified it first. “It’s the scent of a wild-winged beast.”
Jian Mo exclaimed softly, “I thought it smelled familiar! Wait—if Chirpy’s visiting a wild winged beast, could it have found its former companion?”
Wu Jiong considered this. “It’s possible. Let’s grab some leaves to mask our scent.”
He led Jian Mo into a nearby grove, where they plucked leaves and grasses, crushed them, and smeared the juices over their skin.
Jian Mo grimaced at the strong plant smell. “This is to prevent the wild-winged beast from smelling us?”
Wu Jiong nodded. “Exactly. Let’s head in.”
Chirpy, perhaps too accustomed to being around humans, seemed to have little sense of danger.
By the time Jian Mo and Wu Jiong sneaked into the cave, Chirpy had its back to them. It was busy sorting through a pile of berries and roots deeper in the cave.
As Jian Mo’s eyes adjusted to the dim light, he noticed the herbs Chirpy had carried in were set neatly to one side.
Perhaps due to sensing a sound or catching a whiff of something, Chirpy suddenly glanced back. However, it didn’t spot Jian Mo and Wu Jiong, who were pressed tightly against the cave wall.
After a brief look around, Chirpy sat sideways and continued enjoying its meal.
Jian Mo and Wu Jiong seized the opportunity to move deeper into the cave, hiding in a recessed area.
With Wu Jiong’s strength, there was little nearby that could pose a threat to them.
Chirpy ate for a while before lounging on its back, snacking in the most relaxed position possible.
Watching Chirpy laze around like a panda, Jian Mo couldn’t help but wonder if this was its true nature all along.
After observing for a while, the two retreated to discuss.
Jian Mo guessed, “Could Chirpy have made a friend—or maybe even found a mate? That unfamiliar winged beast must be sharing food with it for a reason.”
Wu Jiong replied, “We’ll know once that other winged beast comes back.”
They waited patiently for what felt like forever. Jian Mo was on the verge of dozing off when another winged beast finally flew in.
The two retreated to the side of the cave to observe it.
Jian Mo quickly noticed something. “Wait a second! Is that a male-winged beast? I think I saw—uh—its eggs.”
Wu Jiong nodded after a closer look. “Yes, it’s male.”
Jian Mo was stunned. “Chirpy likes males?”
After all, Chirpy itself was a male-winged beast!
Wu Jiong shrugged. “Not necessarily ‘likes’ in that sense.”
Jian Mo countered, “If it’s not about liking, why would one male-winged beast tolerate another mooching off its food?”
Wu Jiong reminded him, “Don’t forget the herbs Chirpy brought earlier.”
Jian Mo suddenly realized, “So this male-winged beast is injured? But it flew pretty steadily. I didn’t notice any signs of injury.”
Wu Jiong observed carefully. “Not entirely steady. Its hind leg seems injured.”
The winged beast’s black fur made it hard for Jian Mo, with his average eyesight, to spot any visible injuries.
Wu Jiong sniffed the air and said, “Its wound is infected and festering.”
Jian Mo tried sniffing too but couldn’t pick up anything.
The unfamiliar winged beast landed smoothly and entered the cave.
The cave remained quiet; there were no screeches or signs of conflict between Chirpy and the newcomer.
Wu Jiong suggested, “Let’s go take a look.”
Jian Mo followed behind Wu Jiong, cautioning, “Be careful.”
Winged beasts could be aggressive, and their venomous stingers weren’t just for show.
Wu Jiong nodded, his muscles tensing in readiness to transform into his beast form if necessary.
They stepped inside.
The unfamiliar winged beast, busy chewing on the herbs, immediately noticed them. It let out a sharp, high-pitched screech: “Scree!”
Its stance was defensive, glaring at them as though deciding whether to attack or flee.
Hearing the screech, Chirpy sat up abruptly. It was so startled that the nut in its claw nearly slipped. Its fluffy face wore a guilty expression, and it looked down, showing half the whites of its eyes. “Chirp?”
The resemblance to a dog caught sneaking snacks was uncanny.
Jian Mo couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation.
The unfamiliar winged beast let out another warning screech.
This time, Chirpy snapped out of its guilty stupor. Forgetting its embarrassment, it responded with a loud cry: “Chirp!”
The unfamiliar winged beast turned toward Chirpy, baring its fangs. “Scree!”
Chirpy flinched, shrinking its plump body. Jian Mo felt a pang of sympathy and was about to call it over when Chirpy suddenly spotted him and Wu Jiong.
In an instant, it scrambled to the cave entrance, spread its wings, and positioned itself protectively in front of them. Facing the larger winged beast, it screeched back: “Scree scree scree!!!”
Chirpy’s cries sounded entirely different now, its fur bristling in fear but refusing to back down as it shielded Jian Mo and Wu Jiong.
Jian Mo’s heart melted at the sight, a lump forming in his throat. He watched Chirpy with deep emotion, touched by its pure and simple love for them.
Wu Jiong placed an arm around Jian Mo’s shoulder, sharing his gaze between Chirpy and the unfamiliar winged beast.
The stranger seemed more formidable than Chirpy—larger, with longer claws, bulkier muscles, and an overall more powerful appearance. Yet Chirpy stood its ground, roaring again: “Scree!”
Jian Mo patted Chirpy’s plump rear. “It’s okay. Wu Jiong’s here, so don’t be scared.”
Chirpy hesitated before moving aside slightly, glancing back at them with a pure and innocent expression. “Chirp.”
Jian Mo gave it another reassuring pat, gently pushing it further aside. Then, stepping forward, he addressed the unfamiliar winged beast. “We mean no harm.”
The unfamiliar winged beast remained on high alert.
Jian Mo gestured toward Chirpy, specifically its lower abdomen near the hind legs, and spoke to the other winged beast. “Can we take a look at your injury?”
After a moment of hesitation, the winged beast seemed to understand. It folded its wings and lowered its threatening stance slightly, letting out a soft chirp: “Chirp.”
Having raised Chirpy for a long time, Jian Mo recognized the change in tone. The winged beast was no longer intent on attacking.
Under Wu Jiong’s watchful protection, Jian Mo cautiously approached.
The closer he got, the stronger the pungent, fishy smell became, hitting his nose like a punch and making his nasal cavity sting. He instinctively held his breath.
The unfamiliar winged beast stood uneasily as Jian Mo approached.
Gently touching the area around its injury, Jian Mo quickly felt a swollen lump near the wound.
When he applied light pressure, a wet, yellowish fluid oozed out—it was pus.
After a quick glance at the winged beast, Jian Mo carefully parted the swollen area to examine the wound further.
The injury showed no signs of healing. Instead, it was severely infected and festering.
Peering deeper into the wound, Jian Mo’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Stuck inside was a broken horn.
He blinked in shock and leaned in closer to confirm.
Sure enough, a fractured horn was embedded in the flesh!
With such a large piece of horn lodged inside its body, it was astounding that the unfamiliar winged beast could still move around freely and even go out hunting.
Wu Jiong examined it and remarked in a low voice, “That’s an antler from a forked-horn beast. This winged beast must have been gored while hunting one, leaving the horn embedded.”
Winged beasts, being omnivorous, occasionally hunted animals.
But the forked-horn beast, similar to a large stag, was a formidable prey. For this winged beast to attempt such a hunt showed incredible courage.
Whether it had succeeded or not, the lesson it learned was clearly a harsh one.
Jian Mo tried pressing on the horn fragment but found it deeply lodged in the muscle, likely stuck in a crevice between bones. It wouldn’t budge.
Fearing further damage, Jian Mo pulled his hands back. “We can’t remove it here. It’ll need surgery back at the tribe.”
He stepped back and looked into the winged beast’s eyes. “Come back with us, and we’ll treat you.”
The unfamiliar winged beast stood motionless, as if uncertain whether it understood.
Jian Mo stepped back further, beckoning with his hands for it to follow.
Still, the winged beast didn’t move.
Turning to Chirpy, Jian Mo said, “Chirpy, talk to your friend. Tell it to come back to the tribe for treatment.”
After repeating himself twice, Chirpy finally understood. It turned to the other winged beast and called out loudly, “Chirp—!”
Waiting outside the cave, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong didn’t have to wait long. The unfamiliar winged beast hesitated for a moment but eventually followed Chirpy out.
True to form, Chirpy didn’t just leave—it carried out the other winged beast’s stored food as well. No matter how urgent the situation, it couldn’t stand wasting even a scrap of food.
To soothe the unfamiliar winged beast, Jian Mo instructed Chirpy to lead it back to the tribe.
Wu Jiong transformed into his giant wolf form, carrying Jian Mo on his back as they ran below.
Despite its injuries, the unfamiliar winged beast managed to follow them, flying with an almost unbelievable steadiness.
Jian Mo watched it from below, marveling. “That’s incredible. Its injuries barely seem to affect it.”
Or perhaps, Jian Mo mused, the winged beast was simply too determined. Even with such a severe wound, it refused to falter or take it easy.
The giant wolf quickened its pace, arriving at the tribe ahead of the winged beasts.
Jian Mo and Wu Jiong immediately informed the patrolling beastmen to ensure the unfamiliar winged beast wouldn’t be stopped or confronted, as any conflict could provoke it.
Hearing the story, one of the patrolling beastmen responded loudly, “Understood! I’ll take the cubs to the back of the tribe.”
Wu Jiong nodded in approval.
Chirpy soon arrived with the unfamiliar winged beast and led it directly to its own nest.
Chirpy, clearly proud of its nest, chirped loudly at the other winged beast: “Chirp chirp chirp!”
Its tail was raised high in triumph, and even from the side, Jian Mo could sense its smugness.
The unfamiliar winged beast seemed to have a mild temperament, ignoring Chirpy’s obvious display of pride.
Jian Mo brought out a fresh clay bowl, filling it with water for the new winged beast, and offered it some fish balls he had prepared earlier.
Chirpy loved the fresh fish balls, but Jian Mo was unsure how the unfamiliar winged beast would react.
To reassure Chirpy and avoid it feeling jealous, Jian Mo fed it two fish balls first. This also served to demonstrate to the newcomer that the food was safe.
As expected, both winged beasts were pleased.
When Jian Mo offered the fish balls to the unfamiliar winged beast, it took one, chewed thoughtfully, and then its eyes lit up. Its tail even wagged twice involuntarily.
Jian Mo couldn’t help noticing its sharp, menacing fangs, which were noticeably longer and sharper than Chirpy’s.
As Jian Mo fed the winged beasts, Ban Ming and a group of young beastmen arrived, excited to see the newcomer.
“Brother Jian Mo, we heard you brought back a new winged beast!”
“Wow, is this it? It looks so strong!”
“It’s even bigger than Chirpy!”
“Are we going to keep it in the tribe? I can help find food for it!”
The group circled around the winged beast, showering it with compliments.
However, the unfamiliar winged beast wasn’t used to so many people. Its fur bristled as it stood up, spreading its wings threateningly. “Scree—!”
This was clearly a warning posture.
Rather than being intimidated, Ban Ming and the others were even more excited.
“This new winged beast has such a bold personality! That’s exactly what I want in a winged beast. Chirpy is too soft and cute.”
“Brother Jian Mo, can we keep the new winged beast?”
Jian Mo noticed the newcomer growing increasingly agitated and hurriedly waved the group away. “Shoo, shoo! Don’t crowd around it!”
Reluctantly, Ban Ming asked, “Are you sure we can’t keep it?”
Jian Mo replied, “We don’t even know if it wants to stay yet. Back off, or you might get smacked.”
The unfamiliar winged beast’s wild and defiant nature made it clear that taming it wouldn’t be easy.
Its persistence in flying steadily despite its severe injury impressed Jian Mo. He found himself admiring its bravery and resolve and had no intention of forcing it into captivity.
After dispersing Ban Ming and his friends, Jian Mo called out, “Ban Ming, ask your dad if he can come help with surgery. I need to operate on this winged beast.”
Ban Ming’s distant voice replied, “Got it!”
With the onlookers gone, Jian Mo resumed feeding the winged beasts but was careful not to overdo it.
He needed to anesthetize the unfamiliar winged beast for the surgery, and too much food could cause complications during sedation, such as vomiting.
After feeding the new winged beast two more fish balls, Jian Mo patted its leg gently. “Don’t worry. You’ll be fine soon.”
The unfamiliar winged beast lowered its head to look at Jian Mo. After a moment’s hesitation, it mimicked Chirpy by brushing its wing against Jian Mo’s arm. “Chirp.”
