Chapter 111

"What are you looking at by the door?"

Wrapped in a blanket, Titus sat on the bed like a small hill. The charcoal brazier on the earthen base beside the bed emitted a bright red glow from the cracked black charcoal, warming the room.

Today, he helped Cloudy prepare a very peculiar dish, and at this moment, the pot of food was bubbling in the center of the house, emitting white smoke. There were several bowls of neatly cut ingredients still waiting to be added. The aroma of the stew filled the air, making him tempted to sneak a taste by the pot. "What's happening outside?"

"Clouds, lots of them." Cloudy leaned against the door frame, looking up at the sky. The temperature was even more comfortable today. The Matriarch and the other mothers had been staying in the warm house for the past few days, checking on the heating system. Titus also found time to visit and see the newborns he had been eagerly awaiting. Seeing the children sleeping soundly wrapped in thick blankets brought a sense of joy to everyone, including Cloudy.

The past year since arriving here had been meaningful for her. Not just for herself but for others as well. They would all get through this rainy season smoothly. She gazed over the entire settlement, where each house emitted light through the cracks in the stone bricks. Every family had enough charcoal, food, and warmth. She knew that knocking on someone else's door at this time wouldn't be met with fear or rejection; instead, everyone would warmly call out her name.

Lately, she hadn't been having as many nightmares, and thoughts of the modern times had faded. She was gradually learning how to find a sense of belonging in the daily life of the settlement and how to pass the time. When the weather was good, she could stroll alone in the rainforest, collect bird eggs, fish, catch insects for Titus, or find some sweet fruits for herself. When she didn't feel like going out, she would tinker in her backyard, researching useless new gadgets at the wooden table or experimenting with new spices, pondering over new menus.

These activities were no longer boring to her; they were now essential tasks full of vitality.

"Shall we close the door? It's time for dinner." Titus, in his fluffy pajamas and wrapped in a blanket, struggled to move to the edge of the bed. "Is it very cold outside?"

"It's just right for me." Cloudy felt the cool breeze one last time, then closed the door and returned inside. The lunch she had prepared today was a hot pot... yes, a simple stew with dried meat. This morning, she and Titus had prepared plenty of fresh meat slices and vegetables.

Additionally, she had prepared a large bowl of fried insect bites for Titus using animal fat as a side dish. "Is the room warm enough?" She was sweating profusely; she had just opened the door a crack to let some air in. She was only wearing the vest and underwear she had brought, her hair tied up high, her cheeks and forehead flushed from the prolonged exposure to the charcoal heat.

"It's fine." Titus loosened the blanket a bit, testing the temperature. "Hmm... it's warm!"

With the recent drop in temperature, Cloudy had Titus help her make some modifications to their house, adding hay and various items that couldn't be used
The animal skins used as roofing were already plastered with mud months ago, so there was no need for further renovations. The window in front of the desk was also sealed with bricks.

Food and fuel needed for the rainy season were piled up next to the shelves. Every available space inside the house was filled with supplies, leaving only a small area in front of the desk for cooking.

After closing the door, Cloudy sat cross-legged in front of the stew pot. Below the pot was a sturdy stone stove with a few pieces of charcoal and some kindling inside. The soup had turned into a creamy white, with yellow oil droplets floating on the surface. The simmering broth caused the dried meat to float and then slowly sink back down.

The soup smelled delicious... the base was made yesterday with fish bones and small dinosaur bones, and today, Cloudy added spices and pan-fried meat. Titus eagerly abandoned his blanket, grabbed a bowl, and sat next to her with a wooden spoon she made yesterday, looking quite amusing in his pajamas. His fluffy hair, likely due to prolonged exposure to the fire, made his six round pupils look very happy.

"Today feels different," Titus gently bumped his head against Cloudy's forehead. "The food is amazing. And there are bugs."

Is it amazing as long as there are bugs? Cloudy began preparing the vegetables to blanch. Besides some meat slices and fish fillets, she also made meatballs and fish balls, mixing in crunchy, tasteless root vegetables. "In my settlement, in the last few days before the rainy season, we celebrate. Because it's over, the old has passed."

"Is this a celebration?" Titus pointed to the fragrant pot of soup. "Are we cooking something?"

"No, we eat together with important people," Cloudy used chopsticks to pick up the tender dried meat from the pot and fed it to Titus. "We eat together, warm food. It will be better afterwards."

Perhaps her words were too abstract, as Titus clearly did not fully understand. His eyes sparkled as he stared at her, then he leaned in closer and rubbed against her with his arm. "Like."

She was used to this kind of interaction, like lovers and family... Would she continue to maintain this state with Titus in the future? She was certain she wouldn't change her view of Titus, the other half she never wanted to lose. Her mental state had only improved since meeting Titus, relying on physical contact and even sociality, things she gained only after meeting him.

As a partner, Titus was ideal - loyal and passionate. Although sometimes his primitive behavior could be a bit frustrating, it was a sweet kind of annoyance. "Titus, I'm happy. When you found me on the green slope."

"I'm happy too!" Cloudy brought up something from long before, for reasons unknown, but as they reminisced, Titus felt happy as well. Thankfully, back then, he had listened to his fellow tribespeople.
The deformed child was interested, so they took a look at Green Hill. Otherwise, there would be no way to bring Cloudy back to live together. Thinking about it, they couldn't help but reach out and tightly hug Cloudy, saying, "We've been together for so long. So happy."

Yes, we are always happy when we're together.

The smoke from the pot wafted in front of the two, as they placed the ingredients next to the pot to cook together, feeling very happy. Cloudy was eating soft meatballs, and when she bit into them, the broth would flow onto her tongue along with the chewy meatball, mixing the delicious broth with the hearty taste of the meat. One bite and her eyes would squint in delight.

Titus didn't eat as elegantly as Cloudy, he kept searching for meatballs in the pot with Cloudy's specially made large spoon, clearly losing himself to the chewy meatballs, even temporarily forgetting about the fried insect chunks: "In the future, we should always eat this."

If everyone eats this ingredient, it will be consumed quickly... but it's okay to eat it again tomorrow. Cloudy quietly drank a sip of thick soup and said, "Titus, after the next rainy season, I want to go to a farther place."

In the next instant after speaking, she realized her words were too ambiguous, and as she turned to explain, she was met with Titus' grimacing face: "Leave, me?! No way!"

"No..." There's no need to shout so loudly, if you want to leave, you could have left already. Cloudy awkwardly swallowed the jerky in her mouth, "Yes, I want to explore further with you, to see more animals, plants..."

Titus, like a deflating balloon, went from looking like an angry lion to having wide eyes and a big head in a split second: "Cloudy, do you think the settlement nearby is boring?"

"Yeah." They had already explored all the areas that could be explored. The lake was considered a relatively far-off place, but because they had to check traps there from time to time, it had become as familiar as going back home. "I want to go to even farther places."

Titus chuckled, "Cloudy, you can't outrun me. Only if you outrun me, can we go farther."

"It's too hard!"

"Outrun me."

"..." Cloudy raised her hand and started hitting Titus' thigh, "Can't outrun you, but if I break this, I can!"

"I can't bear to leave." Titus still had that annoying smile on his face, "Cloudy can't bear to see me get hurt."

Getting even more annoyed, she couldn't help but grab Titus' ear, "I'm definitely capable of going farther, I'll go by myself!"

"After this rainy season, I'll become even stronger!" She had made up her mind. In the next rainy season... next year, she would focus more on honing her hunting skills, she would train to become stronger. "There isn't much need for me in the settlement. I want to go into the forest, find more food, and even hunt larger prey on my own."

"Umm..." Titus tried to pull his ear out. He had always thought of Cloudy as a hunter, capable of bringing back small to even medium-sized wild animals on her own.
Unfortunately, Cloudy's movement speed is very slow, otherwise... "After the rainy season, Cloudy and I went hunting alone once."

"We work together to hunt wild beasts, to train. Let Cloudy go further!" Titus paused here. "Go further, but not without me. You have to be with me."

"With you!"

"Always together."

The two leaned close, holding warm soup in their hands. In the simple yet warm room, there was a strong smell of food and a cozy mist.

For Cloudy, this was the best gift after hard work.

"Cloudy, do you still think about your settlement? Today is a day of celebration."

"Not much anymore. After this rainy season, I think I can forget about those things."

"Why forget?"

"Because this is my settlement."

Tick-tock—

"Titus is here, I am here."

Tick-tock, tick-tock—

Rainwater dripped on the leaves, slid down, and merged with the moss and soil. The sound of this season echoed in the rainforest.

"Titus, I hear the sound of raindrops. Is it the rainy season?"

"Yes, the rainy season is here!"

The small raindrops gradually grew larger, linking together to form curtains of rain.

The sky was dark with thick gray clouds, but there was no longer the fear and worry from before. Inside the house, the two sat close together, enjoying the warm soup pot, happy.

Things will only get better from now on.