Chapter 199 Regretful Encounters, Reminiscences, and a Journey on Foot...
The magical beasts flew very fast, and the place where Lai and the others had their accident was not far from Tata's father's original territory, less than a hundred miles away.
The great monster returned to its territory in less than half a day.
He found a safe tree hollow, carefully hid the cub inside, and without even catching up with Tata, prepared to go out to find him food.
Young monsters don't get hungry easily, so we must make sure they get to eat fresh, tender meat every day.
Tata was very reluctant to see her father leave, especially since he had just reunited with her and then left her alone in the forest.
Although this is my father's territory, it doesn't mean it's completely safe.
"Amanta, I'll be back soon, or you'll go hungry tonight."
"All right."
Tata was reluctant, but he didn't disobey his father's decision. Soon, he was the only beast left around the tree hollow.
It was only afternoon, not yet dark, and Tata wasn't afraid of being alone with the beast; he just didn't want to be separated from his father immediately.
The little monster stayed listlessly in the tree hole.
There was no hay at this time of year, and the old father, busy searching for his lost cubs, didn't have time to prepare a dry burrow for the little monster. Tata could only lie in the tree hole and curl himself up with his tail.
He had so much to say to his father, but he knew he had to stay hidden and not cause him any trouble.
When a beast is alone, it is most likely to have all sorts of thoughts, and the joy of reunion gradually cools down.
It's not that we've already transitioned to the adaptation phase, it's just that we're not as excited as we were when we first met.
I wonder what Lai and Seya are doing now. Without the carriage, how will they continue their journey?
Did they miss the beasts since they didn't have time to say goodbye?
Fortunately, Lai's injuries seem to have fully healed, otherwise the beast would have been worried for a long time...
Tata's thoughts were racing. Not long after, he heard the sound of landing outside the tree hole and smelled his father's familiar scent.
"Tata, come out and eat some meat!"
The monster called its cubs out from outside, and when it saw the little white fluffy ball jump out of the tree hole and run towards it, it felt an indescribable tenderness deep in its heart.
"Run slowly, no rush."
"Father, where is Mother?"
Tata looked up at his father, who was dozens of times larger than him. The monster didn't answer the cub's question directly, but instead urged him to eat quickly.
"Eat quickly, eat more, it's still hot."
He had already killed the bison by biting it at the neck. If he hadn't wanted to get back quickly, he would definitely have hunted a small, magically powerful beast for his cubs.
The monster used its sharp claws to tear open the bison calf's abdominal cavity, making it easier for the cub to eat the most nutritious and flavorful parts, such as the liver and the chewy heart.
Tata did not disappoint her father's good intentions. Although she was not used to eating raw food for a while, she still ate her fill.
After confirming that the cub was completely full, the monster devoured the remaining beef. Then it took the cub to the river to drink.
As darkness fell, the two beasts returned to the edge of the tree hollow.
Tata still lives in the tree hole, while Tata's father lies at the entrance of the tree hole, guarding Tata inside.
The forest is especially dark at night when there is no fire or lamplight.
High-level magical beasts don't need these things to intimidate potential attackers; they are incredibly powerful beings in themselves.
Those beasts who are afraid of offending magical beasts will stay far away as soon as they smell the scent of the markings left behind by them.
The monster's excellent senses allowed Tata to quickly adapt to the darkness, and she could barely see in the sparse moonlight. But the little monster still missed the glass lamps of human society and the reassuring figure by the campfire.
"The beast wants to sleep next to you."
After meeting, Tata made her request for the first time, and how could the Warcraft not grant the cub's small wish?
He rolled over, exposing his soft belly so that Tata could find warmth in the darkness.
"Father Beast, how is Mother?"
This is the third time Tata has asked about his mother today.
Tata remembers that her mother was badly injured at the time, and her father kept avoiding her questions. Anxiety subtly filled all of Tata's thoughts.
He was made to keep asking his father, trying to get accurate answers.
The great monster knew that running away was not the problem; there were some things the cubs would eventually have to know. He pondered for a while and organized his thoughts.
While he was pondering this, Tata's heart was pounding in his throat.
"Amanta".
"Huh?"
What's wrong?
Tata answered with a slightly nervous tone. In the past, he would only be called by his full name when he did something wrong or when his parents were about to say something serious to him.
"Your mother has passed away, but your father will always be there for you as you grow up."
The monster waited silently for the cub's reaction.
The air was quiet, save for the cacophony of insects and the low whimpers of the little monster.
The monster rose slightly and gently licked its cub.
He was still so young compared to the long lifespan and growth period of a monster.
Before he could learn all the survival skills from his mother and enjoy her meticulous care, he lost his beloved family forever.
Tata's soft whimpers eventually turned into loud sobs, and the monster clumsily and cautiously comforted the cub until he sobbed and fell asleep.
The little monster curled itself up into a ball with its tail, a sign that the cub lacked a sense of security.
He could hardly imagine how his most beloved youngest son had survived in the hands of humans and returned safely to the forest.
Especially what happened during the day today.
If he hadn't been following them closely, searching for their trail, and hadn't happened to witness the monster preparing to attack the carriage, it's easy to imagine what terrible things the cub would have encountered.
Warcraft felt a chill run down his spine when he thought about it.
He then used his paws to pull Tata closer to his belly.
That happened a few years ago. Two young, wandering mortal brothers tried to defeat him and take over his and his wife's territory.
He was lured out by one of them to fight on the edge of their territory. Unexpectedly, not long after he left, the other one found the cave where his wife was nursing her cubs and intended to kill Tata, who was not yet a year old.
The wife fought off the young male mortal to protect her cubs, managing to escape with her wounds and cubs, only to be caught by a human capture team...
When he returned after dealing with the mortal beast, the cub had already disappeared.
His wife was badly wounded; a long arrow had almost pierced her neck.
With her last breath, she entrusted him with the task of finding the cub before she breathed her last. From then on, he began a long and arduous search for the cub.
He first tried to locate the humans who had taken the cubs by smelling the scent of the arrows. But somehow, they had managed to destroy all traces and scents.
After losing track of the humans, he continued his pursuit of the two young mortal beasts.
Although they were successfully killed, the deceased wife and the kidnapped cubs could never return.
The monster learned the whole story from the smaller beasts in its territory.
Every spring and autumn thereafter, he would stand guard at several key intersections leading into the forest, searching for the group of humans who had taken the cubs away.
Finally, that autumn, he smelled that human scent that he would never forget.
A cold glint flashed in the monster's eyes.
When he found them, the humans had stolen several unhatched monster eggs from somewhere, and several cubs were sleeping soundly in their cloth-covered iron cages.
He sniffed around but still couldn't find his own cub.
Enraged, the monster could no longer remain calm and composed, and launched an attack on the human party.
The desperate cries of humans filled the entire forest. From their cries, he learned that the cubs had been sold to human towns, which gave the desperate old father a glimmer of hope.
But at the same time, these damned worms escaped under the protection of the magic circle.
If it weren't for those boundary markers, these magical beasts wouldn't have been trapped deep in the forest because of their overwhelming power.
Several more years passed, his magic grew stronger and stronger, his hope of leaving the forest became increasingly slim, and his temper became more and more irritable.
Many monsters that lost their cubs have given up the search and started breeding again with their partners, but he continues to persevere, trying to find a way to leave the forest.
With such persistence, things finally took an unexpected turn for the better.
During that time, a large number of unfamiliar creatures suddenly appeared in the forest. According to the news from those small rodent monsters, there were humans, beastmen, skeletons of the undead race, as well as goblins and golems.
Then, a few days later, a series of explosions echoed through the forest.
That night, the rumbling sound of the boundary marker being destroyed lasted for several hours, and the magical pillars of light illuminated the entire forest.
When the main boundary marker was destroyed, a sudden storm arose, and a terrifying and horrifying aura blew in from the distant west on the night wind, making all the creatures in the forest extremely uneasy.
That very night, he unexpectedly discovered that he could cross that invisible boundary that he had tried countless times to cross but could never cross.
Later, near a human town in the forest, he caught a whiff of the cub's unique scent...
As the memory ended, the monster gently touched the cub's forehead with the tip of its nose.
The warm aura emanating from the little monster made him feel very at ease, and he had never felt so content in years.
He kept staring at the little monster beside him until the first rays of dawn rose, without falling asleep.
In the days to come, he decided to do everything he could to raise his cubs.
Teach him how to hunt, how to identify food, how to mark his territory, and how to use magic to protect himself...
There is so much for the cub to learn; Tata must acquire the knowledge and experience necessary to survive in the forest.
He could keep Tata indefinitely, allowing him to live within his territory, and he could even continue raising Tata's offspring until Tata no longer needed him.
Warcraft's eyes were filled with the sleeping cubs beside him.
On the other side, Lai and Seia spent some time finally making their way back to the carriage.
The two horses were still firmly connected to the carriage because of the harness.
The horse with the broken leg was bleeding profusely, and there were signs of struggle all around it. Although it was in great pain and exhausted, it did not die.
It would occasionally let out a painful hiss, its cheeks wet. Upon seeing Lei and the others, it ceased its struggle and silently wept in despair.
This scene would break anyone's heart.
The surrounding area was littered with broken branches and tangled weeds, as well as large areas of damage.
"It's better for it to just die like another horse, given its condition."
Saya gently stroked the head of the horse with the broken leg, borrowed a bone knife from Lai, and intended to end its suffering directly.
"I'll do it."
Lai pulled out a bone knife from the pendant and walked towards it step by step.
"May the Lord God bless you, and may you live freely in the wilderness in your next life, without danger or suffering."
May the mother tree protect us.
It didn't struggle at all and quickly stopped breathing. Ray also pulled out the bone knife, which was covered in blood.
"Let's take off the rope first."
"good."
Lai and Seyah removed all the harnesses and ropes from the two horses, which were stained with a lot of blood.
Lai found a piece of cloth, wrapped them up, and stuffed them all into the pendant's storage space.
The small windows of the carriage were all shattered, and various miscellaneous items were scattered inside.
The carriage itself wasn't badly damaged and could be repaired and used again. However, they had lost their hauler and had to abandon the carriage they had bought at a high price.
Saya shook out the cushions and bedding and handed them to Laiyi, then tidied up various items from the hidden compartment in the carriage.
The two of them worked together, one packing things and the other stuffing various items into the pendant space, quickly emptying the entire carriage.
"It seems there's nothing else."
"Saya said, and Lei nodded."
"let's go."
"Um."
The two walked along the dirt road for about half a mile before encountering the monster that had attacked them.
Its body was covered with hideous wounds and bite marks, and small pieces of ice and icicles several meters high were scattered all around it. The ground and plants were frozen and turned into ice sculptures.
Lai and Seya took a detour and arrived directly in front of the monster, which had a large hole in its chest.
"Tata's father was an extremely powerful burial beast!"
Sayya commented that he was far more knowledgeable than Ray.
"He took the monster's magic core, which is why it has such a large wound on its chest."
Seyar took out his dagger, stepped forward, and used the power of earth element to cut off a single horn from the monster's forehead.
"Lei, you'd better put this away, it's a good thing!"
"good."
The bloody animal horn was wrapped in canvas and stuffed into the already small space.
"Let's get out of here quickly. The strong smell of blood will attract other wild animals soon."
After dealing with the animal horn, the two immediately left the area and found a small river to wash the dirt off their hands.
Without a carriage to take them around, they walked only a few miles in the afternoon, which was very inefficient, and besides that, they were physically exhausted.
Night fell quickly, and the two had to stop and rest.
Fortunately, Lai had prepared a tent before setting off; otherwise, they would have had to sleep by the campfire for the rest of the journey.
If bad weather occurs and a suitable cave cannot be found to rest, the journey will become more difficult than ever before.
The campfire brought light and warmth, and also drove away the darkness and cold.
Neither of them got a good night's rest.
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