Chapter 208: Fur Ball the Wolf Cub
Duane followed the sound into the cave.
Although the cave entrance was only two or three meters wide and high, the space inside was not small at all. A rough estimate put it at no less than fifty square meters.
The cave was damp and the air was stagnant. Combined with the remains of half-eaten animal carcasses, the stench inside was unbearable.
Duane held his breath and looked toward the source of the sound.
In a corner of the cave, he saw a nest made of withered branches and dry grass where a wolf cub was lying.
Duane walked over.
A mother wolf lay dead beside the nest, her belly swollen. A half-birthed cub was still stuck in her birth canal.
Duane observed her carefully and came to a rough conclusion.
’This mother wolf’s body is covered in wounds, especially the deep one on her neck. She lost a lot of blood, which is probably the main reason she didn’t have enough strength to give birth.’
Judging by the wounds on the mother wolf’s body, they seemed to have been caused by sharp claws. He wondered if the Giant Lynx had anything to do with it.
Duane touched the mother wolf’s body and felt her abdomen. There was no sign of life.
Clearly, the unborn cub had no chance of survival.
Duane turned his attention to the anxious wolf cub in the nest.
The cub was about thirty centimeters long, its fluffy, silver-gray fur quite beautiful.
Having just been born, its eyes hadn’t even opened yet.
It couldn’t see or hear, nor could it sense its mother’s presence. It was huddled there, trembling and letting out anxious whimpers.
’What a poor little thing.’
Duane crouched down. The cub’s adorable, blocky-headed appearance was quite endearing, and he couldn’t resist reaching out to gently stroke its small head.
The little cub felt the warmth from Duane’s palm. Not only did it not shy away, but it actively nuzzled against his hand, letting out a soft, contented whine.
How did this look anything like the descendant of a giant wolf?
This was clearly just a newborn puppy!
The corners of Duane’s mouth tilted up in a smile, and the thought of raising it began to form in his mind.
’I wonder if a Demon Beast can be domesticated like a dog?’
Dogs did exist in this world. Never mind other places, there were even a few on Black Forest Island.
It was said that the dogs here were also domesticated from mountain wolves.
Although the giant wolves outside the cave were huge, they were ultimately the same species.
’There are a few clans in the Pruck Kingdom that control Demon Beasts, like the Stewart Clan’s Mammoths, the Hughes Clan’s Flame Horses, and the Royal Family’s green-eyed black snakes and Striped Tigers.’
’And if I remember correctly, the Smith Clan has a Giant Shadow Wolf Cavalry Team. Since they can control and tame Giant Shadow Wolves, I’m sure I can too!’
Besides, Duane had the [Basic Breeding] Skill on his attribute panel, which made taming a giant wolf even more feasible.
’Come on, little one. You’ll be with me from now on!’
Duane held the wolf cub in his arms. Its soft body and fur curled into a ball.
’I’ll call you Fur Ball.’
Duane opened his clothes and tucked Fur Ball inside against his chest to keep it warm.
He glanced at the mother wolf who had died in childbirth, sighed, and then left the cave.
Although he didn’t deal with the mother wolf, he didn’t leave the giant wolves that had died outside untouched.
He spent some time harvesting their Demon Cores. There were both Water Attribute and Wind Attribute ones, containing several types of Spell Models.
Unfortunately, time was limited. Duane only managed to skin two of the wolves; the remaining carcasses had already stiffened, making them difficult to handle.
Just then, the wolf cub in his arms began to cry out in hunger.
’This is bad...’
Duane froze on the spot. The mother wolf was dead; where was he going to find milk for the cub?
A cub this small probably wouldn’t even last a day without eating.
Animal blood and fruit juice were no substitute for milk.
As for meat...
Even if Duane chewed it into a paste for the cub to eat, it wouldn’t be able to digest it.
After thinking it over, Duane could only come up with one solution.
’I’ll go to the grasslands below and find a lactating Demon-Horned Goat.’
Duane tied up the wolf hides, grabbed his weapon, and rushed down the mountain as fast as he could.
’If I can find one, you’re lucky. If I can’t, don’t blame me if you die.’
Duane’s speed was incredible; in the blink of an eye, he was off the summit.
However, the summit was some distance from the grasslands, and it took him a full half-hour of sprinting to arrive.
Perhaps the little cub was not fated to die. Duane immediately spotted a lactating Demon-Horned Goat with two or three kids suckling from it.
’You’ll do!’
Duane burst forward at his top speed and tackled the mother goat to the ground. After the startled kids scattered, he took Fur Ball out from his clothes.
"Drink up!"
Duane said, placing the cub’s little mouth on the mother goat’s belly.
Even though the little guy’s eyes weren’t open, it seemed to know exactly what to do and immediately began to drink.
Duane’s anxious heart finally settled. As long as it could drink milk, Fur Ball would survive.
And just then, a line of text appeared in his vision:
[You have successfully fed a Silver-Maned Wolf. Basic Breeding Skill Level +12]
Duane was stunned for a moment, then the corners of his mouth turned up. He hadn’t expected this to count as feeding.
Moreover, the Skill Level experience he gained was much more than what he got from feeding chickens and ducks.
He opened his attribute panel. His Basic Breeding Skill Level had now reached Skilled (200/300).
’By the time Fur Ball grows up,’ he estimated, ’this Skill should break through to Mastery.’
’A Silver-Maned Wolf... so that’s the kind you are.’
He took the waterskin from his waist and, for the first time in this life or his last, began to milk the goat.
After a great deal of effort, he finally filled the waterskin with the Demon-Horned Goat’s milk.
Given Fur Ball’s current state, if it drank sparingly, this should last about three days.
’I need to get back as fast as possible.’
Once Fur Ball had drunk its fill, Duane immediately got up and sped off down the mountain.
A Celestial Tier Warrior traveling at full speed didn’t need long to get from the Heavenly Mountain Range to Thorn Valley.
Meanwhile, on Broken Wave City’s only commercial street.
Ever since Duane arrived on Black Forest Island and introduced various policies that put more resources into the hands of common people, this place had become much more "prosperous."
This time, with several hundred Frog Fish Monsters, the butcher, Jian Dao, and Auntie Mara’s kitchen staff couldn’t possibly process them all.
Keeping in mind the Lord’s order not to be wasteful, Ralph decided to sell the meat from the hundred or so remaining Frog Fish Monsters at a relatively low price.
Demon Beast Meat, even when cooked simply, was very nutritious for ordinary people.
Families preparing for the upcoming "Power Testing Conference" in March would buy some, even if it meant borrowing grain and copper coins to do so.
Who wouldn’t want their children to stand out in the Power Testing Conference and join the Guard Team?
After all, on Black Forest Island now, becoming a follower of the Lord was an extremely glorious thing.
The meat from a hundred Frog Fish Monsters sounded like a lot, but it sold out in just one day.
"Is it really all gone?"
The question came from a man in armor, the Sun Emblem of the Holy Radiance Court emblazoned on his chest.
He was from the Medical Sanctuary, one of Manny’s men.
"You’re too late, sir. The Frog Fish Monsters are indeed sold out!"
The butcher, Jian Dao, was wiping his knives, preparing to pack up the stall and head back with two other servants.
The Guard Knight from the Holy Radiance Court looked annoyed.
His strength had hit a bottleneck, and eating Demon Beast Meat would increase his chances of a breakthrough.
Even if he couldn’t break through, the Frog Fish Monster meat was so cheap that buying a pound or two for a couple of meals would at least satisfy his craving.
"Look, can’t you get Steward Ralph, or someone else, to bring a little more out to sell?"
"I can pay more!" he added.
The butcher, Jian Dao, glanced at him, then shook his head and replied politely:
"I can’t make that decision. Without the Lord’s permission, the Steward won’t bring any more out."
He added helplessly, "I suggest you wait for the Lord to return and ask at the castle then."
The Guard Knight’s brow furrowed. He didn’t have the guts to go looking for Duane.
’Living on this Black Forest Island is so damn frustrating!’
If this were anywhere else, would anyone dare have such an attitude when the Holy Radiance Court wanted to purchase some supplies?
What’s more, the people on this island didn’t see them as so sacred; not everyone respected them.
The Guard Knight seethed with frustration. Suddenly, an idea struck him.
’I don’t dare approach Baron Duane or Raymond, but surely I’m not afraid to buy a little Frog Fish Monster meat from the peasants who’ve already bought it?’