The hunting party's return immediately set all the men and women of the tribe bustling. Slaughtering, gutting, skinning... For a time, the once fresh air was filled with the stench of blood and raw flesh.
The women set up large cauldrons and lit fires. The men threw huge cuts of meat straight into the pots to boil, while some placed them directly over the flames to roast. The children carried little knives and worked together to pry open the beasts' mouths, pulling out their sharpest fangs.
People carried huge sacks of salt out of the caves and rubbed it over most of the remaining fresh meat, curing it on the spot. It was then carried into the caves for storage and air-drying. Others sprinkled powder over the various animal hides that had been stripped off before hanging them out to dry. Once processed, they would likely become the clothes worn by the tribe.
Before long, the fragrance of meat and the stench of blood mingled in the air. To the tribe, it seemed like the most wonderful scent in the world. The children leaped about in high spirits, while Yue Qianchou sat alone on a small grassy slope nearby, smiling as he watched these easily satisfied people.
Night fell. The bright moon rose, and stars dotted the sky. Great bonfires blazed at the foot of the mountain. The bloody stench in the air had long since dispersed, leaving behind only the rich aroma of meat, enough to make one's stomach rumble with hunger.
This tribe of only several hundred people seemed to have turned out in full force, all gathering at the foot of the mountain. They danced rough, unrestrained dances around the bonfires. Only then did Yue Qianchou realize that those qualified to live in the caves were all