| GB | Mark | 42
Once they left the main city, the orcs' chatter faded like receding tides, and Yu Bai finally felt a sense of peace and relaxation.
He could dismiss the orcs' words as mere background noise, but Huo Duo'er clearly took them to heart.
Orcs never shied away from discussing such matters—reproduction and procreation were significant parts of their lives. Huo Duo'er wasn't as frivolous as them, but he still earnestly reassured Yu Bai.
Yu Bai was so embarrassed that he wished he could bury himself in a hole and hide.
As they walked out of the main city, his ears, tucked under his fluffy hat, felt like they were burning.
Yu Bai quietly lifted one side of his hat, letting the breeze cool his ears.
After a while, he said, "Let's head to the old cabin first."
This spring, he wanted to pay his respects to the elderly orc, Ruo, the gray sheep.
Ruo had given him a new life in this era, and in his heart, he had come to regard him as family.
Following Yu Bai's directions, Huo Duo'er carried him to a hillside not far from the stone cabin.
The morning light of spring illuminated a raised grassy mound, in front of which stood a small, nameless wooden marker.
Yu Bai squinted slightly and patted the arm wrapped around his waist, signaling that he could be put down now.
The raised mound was already sprouting many small flowers and plants. Yu Bai took out two pieces of dried meat and a few dried fruits from the sack Huo Duo'er carried, placed them on the mound, clasped his hands together, and bowed deeply toward it.
Huo Duo'er had never seen such a way of paying respects. Orcs prayed to their gods by prostrating themselves on the ground, remaining in that position until the priest completed the ritual.
Moreover, orcs only worshipped deities and did not pay homage to deceased members of their kind.
Huo Duo'er watched his mate's unusual behavior but ultimately kept his thoughts to himself.
After paying his respects to the elderly orc, Yu Bai was about to leave when his knees were suddenly gripped, and Huo Duo'er picked him up again.
Blushing, he whispered, "You can put me down now."
Huo Duo'er glanced at the animal hide wrapped around Yu Bai's feet. The ground was damp in spring, and it would get dirty after walking for a while.
Yu Bai followed his gaze and looked at his modified shoes, chuckling, "It's fine. At most, the soles will get a little dirty. I can avoid the puddles, and it won't be a problem."
Having not found any rubber trees, Yu Bai had woven a sole about three to four centimeters thick using hemp rope, making it tightly knit and slightly elevated. He then stitched animal hides and fur onto it, creating a rudimentary pair of boots.
Though they looked somewhat crude, they were far more aesthetically pleasing and warmer than the orcs' usual practice of wrapping their feet in animal hides. Some orcs even had no protection at all, trudging through winter in straw sandals with their feet red and frozen.
Yu Bai stepped on the soft, muddy ground, thinking about further improving the shoes and making a pair for Huo Duo'er as well.
They left the stone cabin and chose a nearby mountain range as their gathering spot, centered around the cabin.
When Yu Bai had been rescued by the elderly orc, he was too weak to move for a long time, so he didn't know exactly where he had gathered the medicinal herbs that fed him.
Now, he could only infer the general area.
The elderly orc was advanced in years, and his legs and stamina couldn't keep up. He never ventured out for too long, so Yu Bai deduced that the herb-gathering spot wasn't far and the path was relatively gentle, suitable for his to walk.
When the sun was directly overhead, Yu Bai finally found the medicinal herb.
In the low hills extending northeast from the stone house, a type of wild grass grew everywhere. He carefully identified its scent, confirming it was the medicinal herb they had been consuming over the past year.
Before long, Huo Duo'er had cut a large patch of it with a stone knife, filling his basket to the brim.
While Huo Duo'er was gathering the herbs, Yu Bai wandered around the area, trying to discover more plants.
Unfortunately, most of the edible plants nearby had already been discovered by the orcs. To find more, they would have to venture further away.
As the sun dipped below the treetops, they left the foot of the mountain.
Passing by the stone house, they encountered A'Li returning from the river.
A'Li was carrying a large jar of clay and waved his dirty hand: "Bai! What brings you out here?"
Yu Bai replied, "We came to gather some medicinal herbs on the mountain."
He glanced at the jar of clay and asked, "What's this?"
A'Li explained, "Now that the weather's better, my mother wants to make pottery."
He chuckled and hefted the jar of clay.
"Bai, since we've run into you, could you come and teach us?"
Yu Bai nodded, then remembered the giant beside him and said, "Huo Duo'er, if you're busy, you can go ahead. I'll teach A'Li and then head back on my own."
Huo Duo'er glanced at A'Li and gave a slight nod.
He added, "I'll come to pick you up before the sun sets."
It was early spring, and the sun had only recently started appearing, setting early each day, sinking into the clouds before evening.
Huo Duo'er's intentions were clear, and though Yu Bai noticed, he said nothing, simply nodding in agreement.
**
After seeing Huo Duo'er off, Yu Bai and A'Li headed to the wooden shed where they lived.
In the open area outside the shed, A'Li mother was building a pottery kiln with wet clay, surrounded by Tak and a few other females.
"I think it should be built like this, you're doing it wrong..."
"Last time Bai said it wasn't like this..."
The orcs were all chiming in, and A'Li mother was getting confused. Hesitating, she caught sight of the figure following A'Li and her eyes lit up.
Take grinned, "Bai?!"
It had only been a winter since they last saw each other, but Bai seemed even more attractive now, with a round, rosy face and eyes brighter than the stars in the sky.
Moreover, the animal robe Bai was wearing was something they had never seen before. And what was wrapped around his feet? Fur? It was different from the fur they used to keep their feet warm.
Yu Bai exuded an air of novelty, and Take walked up to him, only to be glared at by A'Li, who then stepped back, touching his horns.
A'Li pouted, "Bai has a mate now!"
He added, "My mother been struggling with building this kiln for ages. Good thing you came, Bai, or they'd keep giving her wrong advice."
Take and the other females wanted to argue but, feeling guilty, they lowered their heads and chuckled awkwardly.
Yu Bai looked at the half-built kiln and said, "There's no major issue, just a few adjustments needed."
He rolled up the sleeves of his fur robe, ready to lend a hand.
A'Li mother stopped him, "This clay is very dirty."
Yu Bai was different from most orcs. He always had a pleasant, he had a warm scent and looked clean—his appearance, his fur robe, everything. In the entire tribe, no orc was as meticulous as Bai.
A'Li mother was afraid of getting him dirty, but Yu Bai smiled, revealing his small white teeth, "It's okay, I want to help."
His smile was gentle and harmless, and even the most hardened orc would soften at the sight of him.
So they made way, and Yu Bai helped A'Li mother build the remaining part of the kiln, occasionally asking A'Li to lend a hand to compact the clay.
Once the kiln was built, they had to light a fire at the bottom. Only after the entire kiln had hardened could they place the pottery inside.
Yu Bai sat in the middle, digging out clay to make container molds, while several orcs surrounded him, learning from his actions.
Gradually, another group of orcs gathered around.
"What are they doing?"
"Shaping mud into bowls? Won't they dissolve when they touch water?"
A'Li tried to explain, but they couldn't understand. If he hadn't seen Yu Bai use a clay bowl before, he wouldn't have believed that mud could be fired into a usable bowl.
The sun was about to be swallowed by the clouds. Remembering Huo Duo'er's words, Yu Bai washed his hands and explained some details about pottery firing to A'Li mother. Then he asked, "Are these pottery pieces good?"
"Of course! Even the high priest has never heard of such things. When the others went out to trade with other orc tribes, they never saw anything like this."
Yu Bai: "If we use pottery, or even the leather boots I'm wearing, could we trade for good produce with other tribes?"
A'Li mother: "Absolutely!"
She added, "I've discussed it with Tata's family. After the spring hunt, we'll give you half of the meat and fur. We can't take advantage of you for nothing."
The most valuable things orcs could offer were meat and fur, but Yu Bai didn't accept them. Instead, he asked A'Li's mother for more information about the summer orc trade fair.
A'Li mother told him everything she knew, and after listening, Yu Bai began to form some new plans in his mind.
The last ray of sunlight disappeared into the clouds, and the sky turned gloomy as the wind began to pick up.
Even in spring, the wind at the edge of the tribe was still cold, causing the fur on the orc robes to flutter wildly.
A'Li and the others were used to such an environment, but Yu Bai, who had lived in the main city for several months, couldn't withstand the damp chill of spring.
He sneezed a few times, and soon after, he saw Huo Duo'er coming to pick him up.
Huo Duo'er had gone out hunting in the afternoon and had just come down the mountain to fetch Yu Bai.
Through the thin layer of animal hide, Yu Bai could feel the warmth radiating from Huo Duo'er's chest.
He had just washed his hands, and his fingertips were cold. Seeing this, Huo Duo'er let him place his hands on his chest, and they were quickly warmed by the steady body heat.
Yu Bai's fingertips pressed against the firm and elastic muscles, and suddenly he noticed the orc stiffen. Belatedly, he retracted his hand, realizing he had touched a sensitive spot.
Huo Duo'er, with his short, neat hair, had slightly reddened ears, exuding a sense of heat.
He puffed out his chest a little: "Bai, do you want to touch more?"
Yu Bai stammered, shook his head, and considerately adjusted the other's collar.
Huo Duo'er felt a bit regretful.
If only he hadn't been as hard as a rock and scared Bai.
The evening spring breeze dispersed the heat between them.
Back at the small courtyard, Huo Duo'er had to deal with the wild prey he had hunted.
Wild birds and rabbits weren't in a hurry to be slaughtered. Instead, following Yu Bai's previous instructions, they were kept in an enclosed area to be raised.
While Huo Duo'er was building the shed, Yu Bai was training the little wolf in the corner.
The yak-wolf cub had grown a lot in the past month. Though still small, its innate predator instincts made it eager to kill the wild birds and rabbits they had brought back.
Yu Bai tightened his face and raised his voice slightly, scolding, "Little wolf, sit down."
The little wolf tilted its head and let out a soft "awoo."
Yu Bai cut a piece of meat and held it in his hand: "You can only get up when I count to ten. If you do it right, you can have the meat."
"Ten, ten, got it?"
The little wolf: "Woof."
Yu Bai counted from one to nine, then back from nine to one, never uttering the number ten. Although the little wolf was a bit restless, its bottom remained firmly planted on the muddy ground.
Seeing this, Yu Bai laughed and shouted, "Ten!"
The little wolf jumped up with a yelp, snatched the meat from Yu Bai's hand, and began devouring it.
Huo Duo'er glanced sideways: "Bai, can you train wild beasts?"
Yu Bai shyly shook his head: "Just some common methods for taming little dogs."
Huo Duo'er lowered his head and said nothing.
He suspected that his mate was a priest, but Bai didn't admit it, nor would he press further.
At night, Yu Bai drank a soup made from medicinal herbs, feeling much more comfortable afterward.
He wiped himself with hot water, soaked his feet, and when bored, he would tell Huo Duo'er about the appearance and effects of some herbs. Halfway through, he began to feel drowsy and leaned to the side.
Huo Duo'er used a cloth to dry his warm, pinkish legs and feet, tucked them into his embrace, rubbed them a bit, and then took a few sips.
Pushing up the animal robe, Huo Duo'er gazed at the thin yet slightly fleshy chest, his eyes darkening.
Although his mate had not yet accepted him below, Huo Duo'er was not discouraged. Instead, he took pleasure in marking the other's body.
Remembering the places Yu Bai's fingertips had touched on their way back, Huo Duo'er pushed the beast robe even higher.
He didn't know what to do next, relying only on instinct and the strange sensations he had experienced not long ago. He lowered his head, opened his mouth, and extended his tongue.
Until Yu Bai moved restlessly for a while, Huo Duo'er withdrew his wet tongue.
Looking at the place that seemed to bleed, he rubbed it with his rough fingertip, it was trembling and a bit pitiful, making him even more parched.
Huo Duo'er lowered Yu Bai's animal robe and added a few logs to the stone basin.
He lay down on the bed, embracing his warm and soft mate, sniffing with his nose bridge and felt satisfied with the mark he had just made.
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