Eldest Cub

Biodata

Power Progression

Appearance

• Bird form: Entirely black feathers, unlike the predominantly white plumage of his father and sisters. His green eyes are slightly darker than Tao Qiu’s 16 24 32.
• Human form: A chubby young boy with black hair, green eyes, and a fair, soft, round face 99.
• Later hairstyle: Wears his long hair in a simple ponytail and declines Lou Yu’s offer of a more elaborate hairstyle 178.

Personality

Eldest Cub is reserved, steady, and gentle. As a hatchling, he barely moves except to meet basic needs, contrasting sharply with Second Cub’s restlessness. His quietness does not mean indifference: he notices Tao Qiu’s anxiety over the third egg and gently rubs against its shell as though encouraging the chick inside 16.

He takes his position as the eldest sibling seriously. During exercise, he monitors his sisters for accidents; during games, he studies how to protect them more effectively. His protectiveness can become cutting aggression when they are hurt: after Little Snake upsets Second Cub, he attacks her insecurities and answers her threat of poisoning with a threat to peck her in two 24 29 58.

He deeply wants Tao Qiu’s affection, even when he conceals it. His black feathers initially make him fear that being different could cost him his father’s love, but Tao Qiu’s consistent care resolves that insecurity. He still privately wishes for more attention to himself and initially regards Lou Yu as a rival for it 32 40 135.

Eldest Cub is also observant and capable of scheming. He recognizes Tao Qiu’s special treatment of Lou Yu, helps plan the family’s surprise revelation to Black Rabbit, and later proposes acknowledging Lou Yu partly to prevent additional partners or children from competing for Tao Qiu’s attention 105 113 162.

History

Hatching and Life in the Valley

Eldest Cub crawls out of his shell before either of his sisters; Second Cub hatches three days later. When his eyes open, the first face he sees is Tao Qiu’s, and he affectionately rubs against the hand holding him. During Third Cub’s difficult hatching, he remains beside his father and becomes distressed when he notices Tao Qiu bleeding 16 17.

Tao Qiu chooses the name “Ink” for him because of his black feathers and reserved, steady temperament, preferring it to the colder-sounding “Night.” His full name, Tao Mo, later appears in the design for his first birthday celebration 24 99.

Life in the valley combines play, household tasks, and practical training. Eldest Cub helps harvest crops and brings Tao Qiu water after noticing that he has been sitting in the heat. While the cubs are home alone, he responds cautiously to Third Cub’s warning that something is approaching, checking the cave entrance before discovering that it is their father 29 32 42.

First Birthday and Human Transformation

In the days before his first birthday, Eldest Cub begins eating and sleeping much more than usual. During his transformation, he dreams of being trapped in a suffocating cocoon and struggles to escape because he fears dying and never seeing Tao Qiu again. He awakens as a human toddler, initially able to make only simple sounds 98 99.

Tao Qiu teaches him to walk and use a spoon, but changing back into a bird proves much harder. His temporary inability to fly makes him dependent on his father for travel between the cave and valley floor. He turns his attention to learning human speech, eventually comforting a tearful Tao Qiu with “Dad... don’t cry...” and singing for Third Cub’s birthday 100 101.

Hunting and Accepting Lou Yu

Training with Black Rabbit develops the siblings’ teamwork. They rotate command, obey one another’s orders, and use improvised distractions alongside their beaks and claws. Their first successful hunt is a little wild boar; subsequent training causes injuries, and Tao Qiu pauses their hunts so they can recover after they refuse his healing blood 116 117.

After discovering a photograph of Tao Qiu kissing Lou Yu, the cubs conclude that Lou Yu is their other father. They construct a mistaken explanation that he previously abandoned them and decide to pretend ignorance rather than upset Tao Qiu. Eldest Cub later proposes formally accepting him to reduce the possibility of Tao Qiu finding another partner and having more cubs 134 135 162.

Once Lou Yu is accepted as family, Eldest Cub’s attitude becomes openly protective. Believing that humans at the base are bullying him, he urges Lou Yu to stay in the valley and promises to share their food. Lou Yu subsequently reveals that he possesses an offensive special ability 169 170.

Yong’an Base and the Family’s Exposure

At Yong’an Base, Eldest Cub explores the school with his family, befriends Congcong, and eventually begins attending classes. When Second Cub’s strength threatens to expose their disguise, he explains that she was simply born stronger than most people 189 207 208 227.

When hostile forces target the family, Lou Quan urges them to flee. During the later negotiations, Eldest Cub calls Lou Qing “Grandpa” and is allowed to hold his clothes. Representatives of the Shen, Bai, and Zheng families demand control of Tao Qiu and all three cubs as public property of the Central Base 233 235.

Abilities & Skills

Transformation

Eldest Cub inherits the ability to assume human form from Tao Qiu, whose transformation ability originated from eating a glowing fruit 113.

• His first transformation is preceded by increased appetite, prolonged sleep, and feeling unusually hot 98 101.
• Human speech and coordinated movement require practice rather than arriving automatically with the transformation 99 100 101.
• He initially cannot return to bird form, unlike Third Cub, who learns to switch forms during her first lesson 100 104 107.
• By the siblings’ combat training, he is active in bird form again 116.

Flight and Physical Combat

His bird form provides flight, sharp claws, and a beak suited to close attacks 65 116.

• Intercepts fleeing prey so his sisters can attack from other directions 116.
• Can briefly lift a struggling little boar, but its weight forces him to release it after flying just over ten meters at low altitude 117.
• Cannot pierce every hard surface: his claw attack only slightly damages a tough pumpkin and sends it rolling away 140.

Tactics and Teamwork

He combines protective instincts with coordinated attacks and improvised tools 24 116.

• Takes turns commanding his sisters and follows their orders when they lead 116.
• Uses rocks, branches, water, mud, and sand to distract opponents or obstruct their vision 116.
• Participates in a plan to splash crop thieves with chili water before attacking 122.
• Leads his sisters during a later hunt for mutated goats 204.

Learning and Communication

Eldest Cub learns quickly and applies lessons beyond their original setting 101.

• Develops spoken human language through conversation with Tao Qiu and watching cartoons 101.
• Reads characters and writes words in the snow while explaining a joke to Congcong 207.
• Learns to feed himself with a spoon after several attempts, later practicing with bamboo chopsticks and forks 100 102.
• Sings “Calabash Brothers” in bird calls and later performs a birthday song in human language 21 101.

Equipment & Personal Items

• Gold chain — Enjoys wearing it in bird form but stops wearing it as a human because he thinks it looks silly 178.
• Wooden weapons — Receives wooden weapons among the cubs’ toys and examines them with visible excitement 143.
• Bamboo utensils — Uses the child-sized chopsticks and forks Tao Qiu makes after the cubs begin transforming 102.
• Scented balm — Receives a box from Huo Lan alongside his sisters 207.

Relationships

• Tao Qiu — Biological father and primary caregiver. Eldest Cub seeks his approval, notices his emotional distress, and imitates his comforting gestures 16 21 101.
• Second Cub — Younger sister. He watches over her impulsiveness, defends her against Little Snake, and covers for her when her strength attracts unwanted attention 29 58 208.
• Third Cub — Youngest sister. He shares food with her, understands her anxiety about looking different, and reassures her while she waits to gain human form 19 32 101.
• Lou Yu — Acknowledged father, initially treated as a rival for Tao Qiu’s affection. After accepting him, Eldest Cub promises him food and protection 135 162 169.
• Black Rabbit — Family friend and combat mentor. Trains the cubs, praises their tactics, and later welcomes their affectionate roughhousing 116 117 211.
• Little Snake — Competitive acquaintance. Eldest Cub challenges her boasts, helps arrange a race instead of a forbidden fight, and fiercely retaliates when she upsets Second Cub 53 54 55 58.
• Congcong — Human playmate. Eldest Cub explains the siblings’ wordplay to him and helps preserve their disguise during a snowy courtyard visit 207 208.
• Lou Quan — Protective uncle figure who prioritizes the children’s escape when enemies arrive 233.
• Lou Qing — Addressed as “Grandpa” during the negotiations; accepts Eldest Cub’s approach and lets him hold his clothes 235.

Notable Quotes

“It didn’t hurt. I know you held back, Dad.” 24

“Dad... don’t cry...” 101

“The human base is too dangerous. Dad, don’t go back. We’ll share our food with you. We won’t let you go hungry.” 169

Trivia

• Finds scavenged candy too sweet and trades his share for more fruit 47.
• Chooses extra cartoon episodes as his first birthday wish 100.
• Quietly practices singing before his turn, then visibly perks up when Tao Qiu praises his performance 21.