After settling their cubs, Feng Yan and Rong Shan transformed into their beast forms and began searching for the beast’s tracks, retracing their steps from the place where they had first discovered it.
Feng Yan, with his keen sense of smell, was responsible for tracking the beast’s scent through various plants and soil. Rong Shan, who was more meticulous, was responsible for finding the various traces left by the beast.
When they were young, they had joined the most valiant beastmen of their tribe to kill a long-haired beast. Its pelt made into animal clothing had excellent insulation, the fur-lined animal clothing worn by their two cubs was made from the long-haired beast clothing they had been reluctant to wear in their youth.
Back then, they outnumbered the beast and, knowing the terrain intimately, lured it into the dense forest. Using the most primal methods of attack and tearing at it, it took them a long time to subdue it.
This time, it was just the two of them facing the beast. Feng Yan and Rong Shan had grown considerably since then. They were both excited and nervous, determined to defeat the beast but also deeply fearful.
Even so, neither of them lost their composure, they naturally had a backup plan. If they couldn’t successfully lure the beast to the trap, they had another escape route. With their combined stamina, they could easily shake off the beast.
Feng Yan looked up at the sky. They had begun their reconnaissance when the sun was high in the sky, and now it was already past its zenith.
The two giant snow foxes hadn’t given up. Their eyes remained focused, and their ears perked up, picking up any unusual sounds in the forest. There hadn’t been any rain or snow recently, so the tracks wouldn’t be easily covered up, they still had a chance.
A few birdsongs echoed through the forest, but otherwise, there was no other sound.
Rong Shan suddenly stopped, nudged Feng Yan with his paw, and gestured for him to look.
Rong Shan parted the bushes, and finally, a series of messy tracks appeared not far ahead, interspersed with large, narrow footprints that were deeply embedded in the soil.
Nearby were what appeared to be the drag marks of small prey, fallen leaves and broken grass stems littered the path, and a faint smell of blood lingered.
Feng Yan and Rong Shan exchanged a glance, both understanding that the ferocious beast was nearby.
They adjusted their breathing, softened their steps, and followed the long trail.
Then they saw a colossal creature devouring prey at the edge of the forest.
It was a gigantic beast with a deer’s head and an ox’s body, its face ferocious. Its body was a terrifying seven or eight meters long covered in a thick layer of short fur, and its single horn was easily two meters long.
Before spotting the beastmen, the beast appeared no different from ordinary wild animals, and was mechanically eating its fill. But when the beastmen appeared, its eyes turned blood red.
The shadows in the forest lengthened. The giant snow foxes parted and crouched in the grass, concealed in the shadows with their eyes fixed on the massive, horned beast in the distance.
They waited for their opportunity.
The giant horned beast ate at an irregular pace, it was an omnivorous predator. After finishing its meal, it slowly emerged from the dense forest and came to an open meadow, leisurely nibbling at the roots.
The beast’s enormous horn reflected a purple light in the sunlight.
Now!
Long-standing teamwork allowed Feng Yan and Rong Shan to move in unison!
Feng Yan bared his sharp teeth, swiftly and fiercely biting the giant horned beast’s neck, while Rong Shan deftly rushed forward, seizing the opportunity to scratch its hind leg.
“Roar—!” the beast howled.
The two giant snow foxes retreated immediately, and quickly disappeared into the dense forest.
The giant horned beast turned its head. Its angry roar echoed through the sky, and its eyes rapidly turned a dark, blood-red, sharp horn charging towards the snow foxes.
Using the trees for cover, the two snow foxes darted left and right, circling behind the beast and launching a new attack.
Each time it was scratched or bitten, the giant-horned beast struggled to shake off its attackers, but they didn’t linger, and quickly retreated into the forest.
This repeated evasive attacks coupled with the beast’s inability to catch its prey, fueled its growing frenzy. Sensing the beast’s waning strength, Feng Yan and the two foxes exchanged a glance and turned to run.
Feng Yan and Rong Shan deliberately exposed themselves to the beast’s line of sight and began sprinting towards the trap.
The giant-horned beast, enraged beyond measure, roared deafeningly and charged recklessly in the direction the two snow foxes had fled.
The earth seemed to tremble.
Hearing the commotion, Xue Tuan and the others quickly sprang to their feet on the hillside, anxiously looking towards the source of the sound.
“Is it Father and Mother coming?” Xue Tuan asked anxiously. The three Hu brothers were already trembling involuntarily: “…Probably.”
Just as they finished speaking, two white figures rushed towards them from a distance followed closely by a gigantic monster.
A single glance at the monster was enough to send chills down their spines. The young beastmen couldn’t understand how the Snow Foxes had the courage to face this horned beast, it was terrifying!
“Ugh.” The three tiger weasels covered their ears and crouched down, too frightened to look.
Just as they were about to reach the trap, the two giant snow foxes leaped.
Their superb jumping ability allowed them to clear the more than ten-meter-wide trap and land safely. The horned beast following behind them wasn’t so lucky.
Its size was proportional to its weight. It lacked intelligence, and was charging blindly forward, its eyes only focused on tearing apart any beastmen it encountered. When it charged onto the trap disguised as branches and weeds, the entrance collapsed instantly.
The giant horned beast sank into the pit. Its paws struck the hard wooden spikes first as its heavy body sank deeper.
As the beast’s struggles grew weaker, silence returned to the world.
“It…it’s done…” Bing Qiu murmured.
Everything had happened so quickly and dramatically that the young beastmen were stunned into silence.
“It’s done!” Bing Qiu shouted. He picked up Xue Tuan and quickly slid down the hillside.
“Father! Mother!” Xue Tuan cried excitedly, “Amazing!” Witnessing their parent’s bravery firsthand was far more exhilarating than any stories they’d heard from his brother.
Feng Yan and Rong Shan were still in their beast forms, their snow-white fur adorned with numerous fine, large and small bloodstains. They were minor wounds, though. Panting, they nuzzled their two cubs. The family enjoyed this rare moment of joy.
When the hunting team returned laden with their spoils, the entire tribe was in an uproar!
They actually caught a giant horned beast!
This was unimaginable before, and even more incredible than the legends told by the traveling beastmen!
“It can’t be real…”
“Pinch me, am I dreaming?”
“Hiss.”
The beastmen in the tribe had never seen anything like it.
“They were only slightly injured…”
The beastmen watched in disbelief as five adult beastmen and three cubs barely managed to carry all the meat from the giant horned beast.
This harvest of food was more than enough for several families to survive the cold season.
At this moment, the beastmen could no longer say that the Snow Fox family had gotten it by luck. Everyone was shocked, yet secretly prayed that they might get a share of the meat.
No one dared to make such a request directly. Being unwelcome before was already embarrassing enough but to go up and criticize someone else’s hunted food would likely get them thrown out by the elder.
Xue Tuan sat on his brother’s back with a wide grin spreading across his face. His father and mother were truly amazing! He was incredibly lucky to have been born into the Snow Fox family.
Gray had never been surrounded by so many people before, and curiously looked around.
Chong Yan also helped carry some of the meat. Actually, he was quite strong and wanted to carry more, but the Snow Fox uncles didn’t know him well and treated him like an ordinary cub.
The little black lion walked beside Bing Qiu, and constantly watched Xue Tuan’s movements, afraid that the meat Bing Qiu was carrying would push Tuanzi off.
The Snow Fox family’s strength was undeniable, and won over most people’s hearts. The worship of the strong is timeless.
“Is this the new family?” a tall beastman in the crowd asked. His face was weary, and his skin a bronze tan from years of hunting.
The speaker was none other than Shi Hu, the tribal chief who had just returned. His beast form was a saber-toothed tiger. Shi Hu and his hunting party had traveled westward, finally concluding their long hunt today, bringing back two medium-sized minotaurs. Compared to Xue Hu and his companions’ haul, it was negligible.
“Yes,” replied Priest Yun Lu, the chief’s consort. His brow was furrowed. He had maintained this expression for the past few days as if constantly worried.
“The matter we discussed with the elder can no longer be delayed,” Yun Lu said, not as a suggestion as his patience had reached its limit.
Shi Hu exhaled, seemingly having finally made up his mind: “Let’s announce it at the altar tomorrow.”
Shi Hu and Yun Lu’s gazes followed Feng Yan and Rong Shan. They noticed that they hadn’t returned to their thatched huts, but went directly to the central altar of the tribe where they usually distributed the meat.
In an instant, everyone in the tribe gathered at the altar.
Feng Yan and Rong Shan silently began to butcher the giant horned beast. They kept the best parts for themselves as they still had two picky hungry cubs at home.
The tribespeople stirred with excitement, feeling both thrilled and ashamed. The beast was infamous, but they had also heard that its meat was incredibly delicious. The snow fox family had shown no intention of monopolizing the beast, which deeply moved them.
Shi Hu stepped forward and bowed deeply to the snow fox family, a gesture usually reserved for expressions of respect.
“I, and my tribe, do not know how to express our gratitude,” he said.
The other elders and priest following the chief did the same to the snow fox family.
“No need for that,” Rong Shan, who was butchering the meat, stood up and waved his hand at them. “We had promised to provide food for the tribe.” They were simply keeping their promise.
Even though Rong Shan said that, Shi Hu was still deeply grateful to them. He felt guilty for not being able to bring back more food for the tribe, a guilt stemming from his incompetence as chief.
This giant horned beast could help many struggling families survive a few more days during this harsh winter. Every year, some in the tribe succumbed to food shortages, while others left and never returned.
Watching the elder, the chief, and the priests bow to the Snow Fox family, the deputy chief, his face grim, led his family away, refusing to participate in the meat distribution.
Shi Hu silently watched the deputy chief leave. He knew the deputy chief’s family wasn’t lacking food.