The Return of the Beast Princess

Chapter 12 - Practice makes perfect *

They have been walking all day under the heat of the scorching sun but they haven't even seen one beast man. Asha haven't eaten for almost three days and even if she was absorbing energy all night, it made her stomach growl. And with Dumu's sense of hearing, he heard it.

"It is going to be dark soon. I will hunt so we can have something to eat."

He was about to go towards the deeper part of the forest when Asha stopped him.

"Wait. I'll hunt with you."

Dumu was about to refuse but he remembered that the female he is with is not so ordinary. He nodded at her and they both went inside the forest.

It took them a while til they saw a wild boar resting below a tree. They silently crouched behind some thick bushes to observe their surroundings.

Asha signals Dumu to get closer to her and she whispered so he can only hear.

"Is that a beast man or just a beast? Can we eat that?"

The hot breath from her mouth gave him goosebumps that made him blush. He takes a deep breath to control his excitement and whispered back to her while they are both still watching the boar's movements.

"A beast. We can eat that."

He was about to move closer so he can attack but he was held back by the female. He looks at her and she shakes her head no. He just stayed crouched down as she got her bow and arrow ready.

"If I can't kill it from a distance and when the prey sees me and attacks me, that's the only time I fight. This is the safest way. This is how I hunt...."

He watches her seriously as she concentrates and aims her arrow at the boar. The arrow swiftly flew and pierces the boar's head. They watched it twitch for a while and they walked towards it after it stops moving.

"What is that thing? It is too powerful. It can kill."

Asha was kicking the boar to check if it was dead. She stepped on the boar's body as she pulled her arrow back and showed it to Dumu.

"This is an arrow and this is a bow," she showed the bow before putting everything back behind her. She signals him to carry the boar as they go back to the riverbank.

"If the one using it is not experienced enough, you won't be able to use it effectively. Just like anything else, you'll need practice. Anyways, can you clean that? I'll go and get things to start a fire."

Dumu stopped when he heard her say fire and she noticed it. She remembered what happened last night and sighed.

"It will not kill us, I promise. Just clean the boar so we can cook it."

Even though Dumu isn't assured of what the female said, he did it anyway and went to the river to clean the dead boar. Not far from the riverbank, Asha digs two pits and have two bonfire ready.

She sharpened a lot of long sticks and went to the river to wash them. She looked at Dumu while he was removing the skin of the boar.

"Can you also cut some meat into small pieces so I can pierce the meat with these?"

Dumu looks at the sticks the female is holding then nodded at her.

"Thanks. You can put the cut pieces here."

She left a large pot beside him and went back to the pits. She then stacks some rocks on either side and was smiling as she does this

What is this female trying to do?

She then brought another large pot out of her space and a spatula. She saw a flat rock and carried it over in front of her pits. Dumu also walked towards her carrying the pot full of meat.

"Can you summon water to clean this slate and put water in that other pot? It would be a good practice for your water manipulation."

He was hesitant for a moment. He looked at the river's distance from where they are and thought for bit. He then concentrated as Asha watched him.

"Water feels cool and refreshing right? Try to feel it like it's a part of your body. When the water blends with your energy, try to call it and direct it to where you want it to go. Take it slow, you don't need to rush."

Dumu nods as he focused. The water from the river slowly floats in the air and fills the pot full and the remaining splashed on the flat rock slate. He was a bit tired after but he was smiling like a happy kid when he looked at Asha.

"You are a fast learner. That's good. You really need to acquire more mana so you won't feel drained. But it feels great right? Remember, practice makes perfect. Well done."

He rested and leaned on a tree while watching the female get busy. It really felt good and fulfilling after doing something he would think twice to even do. With her guiding him, he felt more confident and more determined to actually try and practice.

Many weird things keeps on appearing out of thin air from her hands. He had noticed it before and just ignored it. But now that the female keeps on having weird and odd stuff out, he cannot anymore.

Where did all of those things come from? What is she even doing?

"Do you need help female?"

"Nope. I'm prepping stuff so I can cook now then we'll eat later...."

He was going to ask more but then she was humming happily while doing her stuff. He sighed and just watched over her.

Even if this female is weird, she looks cute while doing her own things. I will just let her be and keep watch. It is good that it is only the two of us but if others will see how different she is, she will catch more attention and might get in more danger. I know she is not weak but I need to get stronger so I can be able to help her and at the same time, protect her when she needs it.

"Dumu! Come and watch if you want to learn how to cook. It will make your food tastier than just swallowing your prey whole. Eating can be more fun this way."

He nods and slowly slithers towards her but keeping his distance from the fire that she just started.