Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off novel Chapter 196

Chapter 196: Chapter 196: The Great Ration Hustle and the Clingy Fox

Rong Ye and Han Jue didn’t linger in the pouring rain. Seeing the immediate, organized panic of the tribe was a clear signal that the time for lounging was over.

Han Jue, practical and strong, immediately headed back to the cave to ensure Su Qinglan was covered and secured and, most importantly, to start shifting.

Rong Ye, however, had a more self-serving, yet essential, duty in mind. He immediately bolted toward the storage area where the tribe’s rations were being distributed.

The rule was simple: the rations, consisting of smoked meat, dried fruits, and the yet-to-arrive precious rice, had to be divided immediately.

The distribution was happening now because if everyone kept their share in one central location, some greedy or less prepared families might eat theirs early and demand more, leaving others at a disadvantage by the end of the long rainy season.

So, most of the food was being distributed to each family and single beastman, with a small percentage held back for emergency use.

Rong Ye, slick with rain and determination, had arrived to oversee the proceedings.

He had to keep an eye on the distribution.

After all, his female was so delicate; she needed the absolute best to eat. And since she was carrying a cub, their assigned allotment would naturally be larger. He had to make sure the distributor didn’t shortchange them.

The distributor was an elderly, broad-shouldered beastman named Bo. He was soaked to the bone and trying his best to keep the distribution fair and calm amidst the downpour and the tribe’s general anxiety.

But Bo found his task nearly impossible because Rong Ye was clinging to his side like a particularly annoying beast cub.

Rong Ye’s violet eyes scanned every single piece of meat that came out of the stone bowls.

"Elder Bo," Rong Ye purred, not even attempting to hide his shamelessness, "are those pieces of the neck? Lan Lan cannot chew the tough neck meat! Only the soft, juicy loin, please. Look at the fat marble on that one...that’s perfect for her!"

Bo felt an almost irresistible urge to smack the fox right in his slick, smug face. "Rong Ye, your family has been assigned your share! You already have two entire bowls of smoked loin from the giant elk you hunted! Be fair!"

"Fairness is for the slow, Elder Bo," Rong Ye retorted with a loud humph, puffing out his chest.

"We hunted with our might! We deserve the best pieces! Don’t you dare give Lan Lan tough meat. Look at this piece," he poked a piece of smoked meat in the distribution bowl with a finger.

"It looks dry! Give us the bowl that Han Jue smoked! His meat is always better sealed!"

Rong Ye was ready to fight whoever opposed him. Even though their family, thanks to Han Jue and Hu Yan, already had plenty of their own smoked meat, he would still want the best pieces from the communal pool. This was for Lan Lan, and they deserved it, he thought.

Elder Bo sighed deeply, the sound barely audible over the rush of the rain. His patience was wearing thin, but he paused, carefully eyeing the clamoring fox.

Bo remembered how much meat both Hu Yan and Han Jue had brought in during the last big hunt. He also remembered that Rong Ye’s mate was Su Qinglan, the tribe leader’s daughter.

Offending this particular family, or this particularly irritating fox, would not be good for his old age. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Fine," Bo grumbled, rubbing his temples. He pointed to a large, sealed stone bowl. "This one contains three ribs from a young bison, which are the softest. Take it, and get out of my sight!"

Rong Ye’s pitiful, rain-soaked expression instantly vanished, replaced by a flash of smug victory.

He snatched the heavy bowl with astonishing speed, tucked it securely under his arm, and gave the tired Elder Bo a cheerful, yet utterly insincere, wave.

"Thank you, Elder Bo! May the heavens bless your bones for your generosity!" he called out, before sprinting off toward their cave, now utterly satisfied with his hard-won, premium rations.

Su Qinglan wanted to help. She stood up and moved towards the piles of furs, but Han Jue immediately blocked her path with his arm.

"No, Lan Lan. You rest," he instructed gently but firmly.

Hu Yan stepped in behind her, his large, calloused hand resting on her shoulder as he nudged her back towards the warm furs with a low rumble of warning in his chest.

Defeated but understanding, Su Qinglan could only sit back down. She directed them instead, pointing to items and checking things off in her mind.

"The dried herbs are all in the woven basket," she instructed. "Make sure the lids on the cooking stone bowls are sealed with clay, or the moisture will ruin the rations!"

The contents of their cave felt so few: the food stores, the dried herbs she had collected, the pile of soft furs and heavy hides, the few stone utensils, and a couple of wooden items Hu Yan had carved. This was the sum of their possessions.

But when they started gathering it all, the items quickly accumulated. The stone bowls and heavy tubs, essential for carrying water and storing food, became surprisingly bulky and heavy.

Han Jue effortlessly lifted a massive stone tub full of smoked meat and put it aside for the first trip.

Hu Yan used his strength to haul rolled hides and large wooden tubs.

The two husbands worked quickly, efficiently, and silently; their movements were so coordinated that they stunned her.

The cave was almost ready when a loud, cheerful voice suddenly echoed from the entrance.

"Lan Lan! I’m back!"