Roger woke up in the cold and wet morning, and the warm heat source around him made him involuntarily cuddle closer. The black panther liked his defenseless dependence, and lowered his head to lick his eyelids affectionately and tenderly.
"Okay, okay, I'm awake." Roger opened his eyes, smiled and put his arms around its neck, "Get up, Black, we should go out and find something to eat." Finally made up his mind to get out of the black panther's belly Get out from under the soft and warm fur.
It was a spring morning, but the weather was still frighteningly cold. The sudden sleet last night made the coldness of this humble hut so cold. If it wasn’t for Blake by his side, he would have spent another sleepless night. night of.
The firewood in the bonfire pit in the middle of the room has been burned out, leaving behind a thick layer of ashes. Roger lifted up the stone slab next to it to cover it, and looked into the room inside. Dong Ge and Nan Qing were still asleep. Now that he was old, he could finally fall asleep. He didn't go to disturb him, and went to the north corner lightly to carry two wooden barrels out. The only little water had already frozen.
The house has no door, and there are only two simple wooden boards across the door, and stones are piled up to block it at night to barely block the wind. At this time, Blake has cleaned the door and is standing there waiting for him.
"Let's go, let's go to the lake to get some water first, Dong Ge and Nan Qing should need it later." Roger laughed.
The black panther seemed to understand what he said, flicked its tail, and led the way.
Black was a wounded black leopard he picked up on the side of the mountain about a month ago. He had a wound on his back. He didn't want to treat it because he really didn't want to have too much sympathy for a beast. It was injured, and no one can guarantee that it will not fight back in the next moment, and he has no extra food to feed it. His first thought at the time was that if the leopard died like this, he might still get some leopard meat to eat , or a leopard skin to keep warm, but that leopard seemed quite human, and kept looking at him with pleading eyes. Its eyes were beautiful, with a light emerald luster, but even so, he still chose to leave. .
After Dong Ge and Nan Qing heard about it, they swore that the leopard would not hurt anyone, so he brought some herbs there. Fortunately, the weather is cold and there are few ferocious beasts in this season, so it can still use the cover of the mountain wall to hide. attacks by other predators and birds of prey.
More than a month later, his injury healed quickly, at least he can walk and run, and he can often help him catch small prey. He lamented the recovery ability of the beast in his heart. At that time, he was so injured that he couldn't even make a sound.
Because the whole body is covered with shiny black fur, he named it Black, but Black seems to prefer that he only pronounce the sound "Bo". Every time he calls him "Bo", it will be very happy, and its tail wags vigorously.
There was rain and snow last night, and the mist by the lake was very heavy in the morning. The grass under our feet was wet and slippery. Roger's shoes were very thin, with only a thin layer of animal skin, which Nan Qing cut off from his winter clothes. It's soaking wet now.
Blake got down on his stomach and swept Roger with his tail, beckoning him to climb onto his back.
Roger shook his head: "It's okay, I can walk by myself, your injury hasn't healed yet." He doesn't regret saving it at all now, it can always understand what he means, and can respond appropriately, except that it can't Speaking, it is almost as considerate as a person.
This lake was formed by the melting of snow and ice in the surrounding mountains. The water in the lake was extremely cold. After carrying it back and forth twice, Roger's hands became numb from the cold. The water in the stone pot outside the house was 80% full. He lit the fire to boil the water. Blake lay on his stomach, huffing and puffing at his hands.
The corner of Roger's mouth couldn't stop smiling, he scratched his chin, and said, "Don't worry about it, Bu, I'll just warm it up in a while." How could a black leopard be so caring.
Put the only four edible eggs in the house, boil the water, and leave a little firewood underneath to keep warm. He and Black are going to walk east along the lake today. The weather is getting warmer. With the help of Black, they are now At least I can fill my stomach every day, but I still can't save some leftover food for the next day.
As the sun rose, the fog thinned a lot. The snow-capped mountains in the distance, the sparse forests, and the grassland nearby gradually became clear. This was a small basin on a plateau, surrounded by desolate people, and they were the only family. In fact, strictly speaking, he is not counted. He has only been in this world for 61 days. Dong Ge and Nan Qing picked him up in the jungle. He does not understand why he came here. It was just an ordinary time. Archaeological excavation, but came to a strange world because of a shelter from the rain.
Roger did not bring many things with him, except for a pocket watch, a small saber, a black stone, and a pack of hard candies. He was reluctant to eat these candies, except sometimes for Dong Ge and Nan Qing Apart from making a cup of sugar water, he gave himself one piece a week, but today he was really hungry. After half the morning, they drank some water and didn't eat anything. He fumbled for it from his innermost pocket. He took out one, bit half of it, held it in his mouth, and handed the remaining half to Black's mouth.
"Come on, open your mouth, cloth, eat it, maybe your stomach will feel better."
Bu opened his mouth obediently.
Roger smiled and patted his big head.
They found a bamboo grove on the hillside of the sunny slope. Roger knew that if there was a bamboo grove, there might be bamboo shoots, but he was not sure if there were any at this time. Roger took out his small saber from his pocket and tried digging at the roots of the bamboo, but After digging five or six trees in succession, but found nothing, Blake seemed to have understood what he wanted to do at this time. He sat with his head on his back and rested. After taking a breath, it has already planed more than one meter away.
"Is this loosening the soil for the bamboo forest or digging bamboo shoots?" Roger propped his chin up, and smiled as he watched it digging dirt all over his body and head. It was so cute and silly.
But it really let him dig it out. Although the bamboo shoots are small and tender, only as big as a palm, there are twenty or thirty of them. The result is already very good. Blake dug them out in front, and Roger followed behind and picked them up into the basket. .
On the way back, they were lucky. They encountered a young bison drinking water by the lake. Bu’s injuries were not yet fully healed. He might have problems dealing with adult bulls, but this kind of young bison was more than enough.
Roger has never paid much attention to food. For him, there are only two kinds of food, which are full or not. There is nothing delicious or delicious, so Joey always said that he is a perfunctory person. Yi had been by his side since he was a boy, and he didn't even notice his intentions at all.
When they came back, Dong Ge and Nan Qing had already woken up and were washing their hands. Dong Ge's face was pale and his spirit was very poor. He was old and was seriously injured while hunting years ago. It's not easy, now that spring is here, I hope he can get better as soon as the weather gets warmer.
Roger used two beef front legs to make stewed bamboo shoots with beef. The bamboo shoots were put in just before the pot, so the taste is very crisp. There is an appetite, but it is a different taste when you actually eat it in your mouth. Anyway, it can't be considered delicious.
Luo Jie helped Nan Qing and Dong Ge fill a bowl each, hesitating whether to give Blake a bowl too, although it brought the prey, but it seemed a bit inappropriate to let it consume a human portion when food was in short supply, and finally Luo Jie Jie still decided to share a bowl with Black. He only ate a little bit of the meat, and then fed the rest to Black. The mouth and eyes are all narrowed into a slit.
Dong Ge and Nan Qing looked at each other with a smile, and then Nan Qing said: "Roger, I mentioned to you last time that Dong Ge and I are getting old and will not be able to take care of you in the future. It is difficult for you to survive alone in the wild. Are you considering finding a tribe to live in?"
I don't know if it was an illusion, but Roger saw that Bo's ears were pricked up. Although his ears were usually pricked up, they were especially straight now.
"I don't like crowds, and it's fine now." Half truth, half lie, although based on his work relationship, he has to deal with people, but in private, he still likes to be alone and read some books , do your own research. Besides, he didn't want to spend any effort to understand this world. He had to go back. When the cold passed, he had to find a way to go back to that jungle no matter what. Maybe he could find some clues to go back there.
Black Panther's eyes dimmed.
Nan Qing persuaded: "It's better to stay in the tribe. If it's not a last resort, Dong Ge and I don't want to wander outside."
They are all from the Feiyu clan, and he is Dong Ge's female partner, but five years after the ceremony, they have no children, and according to the regulations of the tribe, they must be separated, and he needs to find another orc to form a partner, but he and Dong Ge Ge disagreed, so they could only be expelled from the tribe. After so many years, they are old, but they don’t regret the choice at the beginning. The only regret is that survival is too difficult, and none of their children can survive. It's luck to get Roger, but they can't delay him. The leopard orc in front of them looks very good. They hope that Roger can go back with him. Roger is still young and such a beautiful female. No tribe will not accept him.
But it seemed difficult for him to get close to people. Even though they lived together for more than two months, Roger took good care of them on weekdays, but he was not as familiar with him as a leopard. Roger said he had been injured and had forgotten many things. Seeing that they got along so well, they were embarrassed to remind Leopard that he was also a beastman.
After dinner, Dong Ge and Nan Qing went to the lake to tan the animal hides. Roger processed the remaining beef and hung it up with a leather rope. Taking advantage of the warm weather, he boiled some hot water to take a bath. The bucket was big enough, and when Roger was halfway through washing, the panther was circling around, and couldn't resist jumping in too, splashing muddy water on Roger's face.
"You're dirty, cloth," Roger exclaimed, trying to lift it up by his ears.
The black leopard's big head pretended to be stupid and slammed into Roger's arms and began to play tricks.
Luo Jie was helpless, pushed him and said with a smile: "Turn around, I'll help you brush your back first." The injured part of the back should not get wet.
The panther licked Roger's neck and carried it obediently.
At that time, I didn't think about separation, so my life was very peaceful. The black leopard's injury was getting better day by day. A handful of wildflowers.
It was the first time in his life that he received flowers from a black panther, and Roger himself was also happy.
What's even more surprising is that the house is cleaned up every day. Someone always washes and dries his clothes at night, and the buckets and pots are filled with water for two people, and so on. Dong Ge is not in good health, and Nan Qing Taking care of him almost all the time, it shouldn't be possible to do these things. I didn't do it myself.
"Bu, did you do it?" Roger teased him, then laughed, "Perhaps Nan Qing did it."
When Luo Jie asked privately, Nan Qing hesitated for a moment, looking at the black panther thumping happily in the lake.
"Bu, I like going into the water more and more now." Although she complained on her lips, the corners of her eyes and brows were all soft.
Nan Qing smiled and thought, it's not because you brush his hair every time that he likes it so much, so he tried again: "Roger, have you really never thought about finding a beastman companion?"
Roger shook his head affirmatively.
Nan Qing sighed inwardly, "I do those jobs when I can't sleep." He still decided to help that child, Anbu. When it's hot, Roger still likes to take a nap on the panther's belly. The sky is always clear, and the lake reflecting the snow-capped mountains is also blue and clear.
"Are you really going? Without Roger?" Nan Qing asked with a frown.
"I have asked many times, he will not leave with me, Uncle Nanqing, you know, today is the year of reincarnation once every 20 years, our Leopard tribe will be attacked by herds of beasts, my dad My brothers are all in the Horde, and I can't hide here. As soon as the herd is over, I'll be right back with Roger."
"Okay, you go. Dong Ge and I are here to accompany him. This place is still safe, so you don't have to worry too much." In the year of reincarnation every 20 years, every tribe will suffer a devastating blow. Protecting the tribe is the responsibility of the orcs, which cannot be avoided, and he also understands it.
Five months later, the tide of leopards finally passed, and Anbu rushed back day and night. The house by the lake had been abandoned for a long time, Dong Ge and Nan Qing passed away, and Luo Jie also left.