Three months later, the Abyss had entered its dry season. But this one was strange: compared with the dry seasons he remembered, the air was noticeably cold!
The Little Succubus ran out of the cave in a smart little leather outfit, brimming with energy. On her back was the small round shield Er Dongsheng had made for her, and in her hands was a dainty little bow. A leather belt circled her waist, hung with all sorts of odds and ends.
Er Dongsheng had made it all for the little one from the spoils he'd brought back last time. Even after all this time, she treasured every piece so much she was only a step away from sleeping with them in her arms!
"Big brother, I'm going hunting!"
Ever since Er Dongsheng had taught her to shoot, the two little weapons had given her a new routine: roaming around the cave and occasionally bagging small prey. She did it every day and loved every moment.
"Mm. Be careful, and come back early!" He was fairly comfortable letting her go out alone now. The area around them was quite safe.
By now, there were no large, dangerous animals within half a kilometer of Er Dongsheng's cave. Carnivores in particular had vanished without a trace.
For the little one's safety when she played, Er Dongsheng swept the area around the cave every few days. The local predators had learned that a dangerous demon lived on that strange, bald mountain, and that he allowed none of them near it!
The gentle herbivores and other harmless little animals benefited, though. As far as the Little Succubus could tell, the number of Abyss Tutu Beasts in this territory had suddenly exploded. Even with her bringing home a few each day, there seemed to be no fewer of them!
Abyss Tutu Beasts were her favorite, especially when Er Dongsheng made a dish called Braised Rabbit Head. She still couldn't understand why a dish made from Tutu Beast heads was called Braised Rabbit Head!
She had asked her big brother once, but he had only gazed at the gray sky with a sorrowful look and said nothing. She had sensibly decided the name must be a great secret and never asked again.
The Little Succubus trotted along in the little animal-hide boots Er Dongsheng had made especially for her. Her feet went thump, thump, thump all the way to the foot of the mountain. She stopped where he stored their water, deftly moved aside the small stone covering the opening, and lowered a bucket tied to a vine into the well.
"Gulp, gulp." After several long, satisfying drinks, she opened the little wooden flask she carried and filled it to the brim. She plugged it, carefully poured the water left in the bucket back into the well, replaced the cover, and set off again!
Really, the Little Succubus had always thought everything her big brother did was marvelous. This well, for instance, could hold water through the dry season—and so much of it! That astonished her. She clearly remembered how, back with her clan, she could hardly get a mouthful of water!
Like many clans living in this forest, hers had no way to store water against the forest's fierce thirst. During the dry season, they had to get moisture from food or trade great quantities of food to demons who could use water magic!
Water was precious in this forest. Sometimes a pound of water could be worth a pound of food.
So even though they had plenty now, the little one still cherished every drop!
And there were so many other wonders: delicious meals, tasty fruit juice, the meat broth that made her drool every time, and more, and more...
"And the cool cave where my favorite fruits are stored! Oh, and my favorite ice chips are in there too..." The more the Little Succubus thought about it, the more she drooled. She rubbed her round little belly, her face full of distress. She wanted to go straight back and eat all her favorite foods, but she had just finished a meal and was too stuffed to swallow another bite!
"Ah, life is so lonely..." The little girl imitated her big brother, shaking her head and sighing. Then... she ran off in high spirits.
She couldn't be bothered to think about what loneliness meant! What mattered was getting some exercise, then going home for a feast!
The Little Succubus lay in the grass, her tiny body pressed flat against the ground. Her eyes stayed fixed on the Tutu Beast's burrow, while her pointed little ears stood upright, listening hard!
There was a big one in there! If she caught it, should she ask her big brother to make soup? Or roast it? Too bad they hadn't saved up many Tutu Beast heads yet. Otherwise, she could ask him to make Braised Rabbit Head!
The little one lay there, her thoughts running wild!
"Squeak, squeak!"
"It's coming out!"
She tucked herself deeper into the grass!
This Tutu Beast was probably enormous. Just the tail poking out of the burrow looked about as thick as the Little Succubus's forearm. Living in Er Dongsheng's territory, free from attacks by predators, these creatures were putting on fat fast!
The Little Succubus quietly drew an arrow made from an Abyss Tree Branch from her belt. She drew her little metal bow, nocked the arrow, and aimed!
She fired!
Whoosh!
The Abyss Tree Branch arrow flew steadily from her hands, streaked like a sword across the short distance, and plunged straight into the Tutu Beast's back!
Thud!
The arrow pinned the Tutu Beast hard to the ground. Its shaft quivered!
The little one was strong indeed. With the Abyss Tree Branch's excellent stability, her arrow had struck true even without feathers at its tail!
"Yay! Velly good!"
Praising herself the way her big brother did, the little one ran over, picked up the Tutu Beast, and examined it from every angle!
"What a big one! Lulu's in for a treat!" Her wide eyes shone as she looked at the plump Tutu Beast in her hands!
"What should I ask my big brother to make?"
"Braise it?"
"Roast it?"
"No, wait, maybe..."
Before you continue