For the fields on the lower slopes, they dug irrigation ditches, but for those on the higher slopes, the Beastn and their families had to haul water bit by bit with stone basins and ladles.
Fortunately, in the year they had been cultivating the fields, they hadn’t had any major pest problems.
Occasionally, a few dirt-mice would burrow in and gnaw on the plant roots, causing so mischief in the fields.
Whenever that happened, the tribe’s cubs would run over, furiously digging with their chubby little paws to unearth the dirt-mice, getting a hearty al in the process.
The tribal trade was imminent, and they couldn’t delay any longer. Otherwise, they might get caught in the heavy rains and floods of the great rainy season on their way back.
Before she left, An Jin instructed the tribe mbers staying behind to feed the sheep, insects, and chickens, to rember to gather fodder from the mountains, and to properly spread beast manure as fertilizer on the fields...
Blah, blah, blah.
In short, there was a mountain of things to do.
As the tribe took up farming and animal husbandry, with slting likely to be added in the future, life was steadily improving. But it also ant there were more and more things for her to manage and worry about.
Yet, it was surprisingly fulfilling.
Large quantities of supplies were loaded onto handcarts, and the Beastn stood ready to depart. At An Jin’s command, the great procession set off.
As usual, Ling Hong went with her.
Gu Yin, feeling uneasy, also insisted on coming.
Xi, the Little rfolk, was usually very clingy, so An Jin had been worried he would throw a fit and insist on coming along too.
But when she asked him, the Little rfolk acted completely out of character. He sank down into his wooden barrel, leaving only his glistening, sapphire-blue eyes and delicate ear fins visible, as if she were so villain about to drag him away. "I don’t want to go! It’s too far!"
"The round trip takes half a month! The land is so dry, and there’s no water anywhere. I don’t like it! I’ll be baked into a fish jerky..." He sulked in the water, gloomily blowing bubbles. He was clearly dead set against it.
The rmaid Clan were all very delicate, especially on land. They couldn’t stand the slightest hardship.
The harsh sun on the road would dry and crack his skin. He’d shrivel up like a fish out of water.
And if he shriveled up, he’d be ugly.
And if he was ugly, what would he have left to compete for affection? He couldn’t beat the other two in a fight anyway, especially not that Snake Beast.
The more Xi thought about it, the more tragic it seed. ’All I have going for is my beauty. Isn’t this the greatest tragedy in a fish’s life?’
...
Halfway to the city, An Jin’s group encountered several other traveling tribes. She noticed the gazes of many Beastn drifting to her face.
They stared hungrily, like tigers eyeing their prey.
"HISSS~" A murderous intent simred within Gu Yin. If An Jin hadn’t held him back, he would have gouged out the eyes of those male Beastn.
’How dare they covet my mate? They’re asking to die.’
"Jin’er, you’re too beautiful. Any normal male would get ideas about you," Gu Yin said, his gaze softening as he looked at her. But in his heart, he was both happy and worried.
"Beautiful?"
An Jin looked quizzically at Gu Yin and Ling Hong. Seeing the other Beastn from her tribe nodding in agreent, she touched her own fair, smooth face and drew in a sharp breath.
She was only now realizing that her appearance wasn’t what it used to be.
She had gotten used to being called ugly when she first arrived in this world. Besides, the changes to her appearance had been gradual, seeping into every passing mont. She saw her own face every day when she washed up by the river.
Over ti, she hadn’t noticed much of a difference herself.
Now that everyone had pointed it out, she was shocked to realize that in the eyes of the Beastn—especially single, young male Beastn—she was like a delectable piece of at, enough to make them drool.
But in the Beast World, such beauty was far too dangerous. If it weren’t for Ling Hong and Gu Yin standing guard by her side, she’d probably have been snatched away by so Beastman long ago.
"Don’t be afraid, Jin’er. If anyone dares to try and take you, I will kill them without a mont’s hesitation," Gu Yin said coldly.
Ling Hong quickly chid in, soothing her anxiety. "We won’t let anything happen to you. Don’t worry. If we run into any raiders, I’ll bite their necks off in a heartbeat!"
The other Beastn at her side echoed the sentint. Radiating killing intent, they shifted into their beast forms and roared, driving away the restless Beastn from the other tribes.
’Hmph! We can’t let Beastn from other tribes snatch away our kind, clever, beautiful, and adorable Clan Leader!’
"Forget it. The most important thing right now is to keep moving. A fight would delay us, and it would be bad if we ran into the rainy season on our way back."
An Jin shook her head, though a faint warmth spread through her heart. She looked around. "Is there any mud or sothing I could use to cover my face?"
Ling Hong nodded. He dug up so black mud from a nearby puddle, placed it on a large leaf, and handed it to her.
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