The Return of the Beast Princess

Chapter 13 - Cooking in the Beast World

Dumu just sat in front of Asha and watched her do her stuff. He cannot understand what the female is doing with their food but he kept silent.

There is meat that I left at the riverbank with the skin of the boar I am drying up. If anything happens, we still have meat to eat. I will let the female do what she wants since she looks happy.

Asha put the flat rock on top of one of the pits and let it warm up. She arranges the meat skewers on the other pit neatly. She went to the pot of water not far from her cooking area and scoops water with her hands and washed them.

She got some salt and pepper from her space and sprinkled some on the meat skewers while she rotates each with care. Then she put the remaining meat slices on top of the flat rock that made some sizzling sound. She also sprinkled some salt and pepper on those.

She stood up and walked near a plant with big leaves and plucked some. She then washes it and put it beside her when she got back to the pits.

I think I have to start looking for herbs and vegetables tomorrow when we set off so my supply won't be limited if this continues.

She put some peeled garlic and rosemary at the flat rock as she turns the meat on the other side and sprinkle it again with salt and pepper.

As she continues to rotate the meat skewers carefully, a delicious scent wafted around them that made Dumu surprised and take interest on what the female is doing.

Asha noticed his curiosity for his shiny jet black eyes never left the meat skewers that she is cooking.

"You can cook meat using fire to make it safe to eat. I know you are used to just swallowing up your prey but it is not safe for it is dirty and it can make you sick."

"But fire can kill you."

"It can, if you use it the wrong way. But if used correctly, it does help in a lot of ways. Like what I'm doing right now, it helps you make your food safer to eat. Fire can also warm your body when it is too cold. Don't you have winter here?"

"Winter?"

"Mmm you know... when the sky rains white cold stuff that can make the place so cold for a long time."

"You mean dead season?"

"Dead season?"

"Yes. Dead season. Many beast men die during dead season. It is too cold and many old beast men, females and cubs die. Some also dies because there is no food because it is hard to hunt."

"Why do you have to make it sound so dark...."

"No. I do not make it dark. There is sun but it hides so there is not much light. It is only dark at night."

I want to facepalm right now.

Asha sighs.

"If you use fire during win... I mean dead season, it won't be too cold. You just need to keep a safe distance from it so you won't get hurt. That could have saved lives."

She removed the cooked meat skewers and cooked meat slices on the big leaves. She scooped the garlic and the oil formed on the flat rock and poured some on the meat making it sizzle. A richer and delicious aroma wafted again in the air.

"Let's cool it down first so we can eat after. Snakes don't like warm things, am I right?"

Dumu's eyes brighten as he looks at her.

"You know?"

She nods, "my father have snakes as pe... friends. So I know a little bit about snakes."

"Is that why you are not afraid of snakes? You are not afraid of me when I turn to a snake?"

She shakes her head, "I'm used to it so I'm not scared. Just don't let me see flying cockroaches. Are there cockroaches in this world? God, I hope there aren't any?"

Dumu looks at her confused, "I do not know cockroaches. But female does not need to worry. I will protect you. I kill cockroaches if we see one."

Asha laughs and it made Dumu more confused. She was tearing up and tries to calm down as she wipes the tears on her eyes.

"I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Dumu, you're cute. Come, try this meat skewer. It's not that hot anymore."

She held a meat skewer in front of a blushing Dumu. He got it and just held it as he watched her get another one and eat.

"Oh, that's good meat right there. I hope I can find more good stuff to eat tomorrow."

She continues eating as he watch her. He then looked at the meat skewer he is holding and tries to eat it like how she did it.

His eyes went wide as the delicious flavor of the meat covers his tongue. He ate faster now that he knows how delicious the food the female made.

"Enjoy your food don't just swallow everything up hahaha. There's more here so take your time and enjoy. It makes eating more enjoyable right?"

He nods at her enthusiastically as he get more meat skewer. She stabs a garlic with the stick and eats it while watching him eat happily.

"Try this too, it's delicious."

She got another garlic and tries to feed it to Dumu. He was a bit hesitant when he saw it but opened his mouth to try it. He only have it a second inside his mouth when he spit it out quickly. He ran quickly to the river and drank some water.

"Okay okay, no garlic for Dumu. Sorry...."

She was giggling as he went back and sat beside her and got another meat skewer. They both went silent as they eat.

Asha stared at the dark sky with four moons as she eats slowly. She felt a little bit sad when she remembers her father. Dumu watched her and felt the sudden change of emotion from the female.

"Do you feel sick female? Is anything wrong?"

"I'm okay. Just feeling a bit sad."

"Are you still hungry female? There is meat at the riverbank and I can hunt more food if you want."

Asha shakes her head, "no... I'm already full. You can eat the rest. I just miss my father that's all."