Ava's smile faltered, surprised by Oma's question. "You don't know what fish is?"
Oma and Lily exchanged puzzled glances. "No, we don't," Oma replied.
Ava's eyes widened in shock. "Fishes are those small things that swim in the river" she asked "You don't eat fish?"
Lily scrunched up her nose. "We don't eat things from the water. They smell bad."
Odette, the aged shaman's female, chimed in, "And they taste even worse."
Ava chuckled. "That's because you eat it raw. Trust me, cooked fish is a delicacy."
Oma raised an eyebrow. "Cooked?"
Ava nodded. "Yes! Food tastes better when cooked over a fire. Cook means to apply heat from fire to food. It's good to do this as it reduces the chance of contracting disease from the raw meat or having a runny stomach, we females, our bodies aren't as strong as males. So tomorrow, we'll catch a fish using a fish trap basket, and I'll roast it for you."
George's ears perked up, intrigued. Kael smiled, supporting Ava's plan.
Lily hesitated. "But won't it still taste... fishy?"
Ava grinned mischievously. "Just wait and see. I'll show you the magic of cooking."
The group's curiosity piqued, they eagerly awaited the next day's fishing adventure.
As night fell, Ava's excitement grew. She couldn't wait to share the wonders of cooked fish with the Beast people.
The next morning, Ava, Kael, George, Oma, and Lily set out to the nearby river. Ava crafted a fish trap basket, with a piece of meat as bait she demonstrated its use.
With the basket submerged, they waited patiently. Soon, a struggling fish was caught, and they returned back to the tribe with the basket.
Ava carefully removed the fish, scraping the scales with Kael's help and began preparing it for roasting using herbs that were procured from the Shaman.
The aroma of roasting fish wafted through the air, tantalizing the group's senses and also attracting the attention of nearby Tribes people.
Oma and Lily exchanged skeptical glances, but their curiosity kept them engaged.
Finally, Ava presented the roasted fish, garnished with herbs.
"Try it," Ava encouraged.
Oma and Lily hesitated, then took tentative bites.
Their eyes widened in surprise.
"This is amazing!" Oma exclaimed.
Lily nodded, savoring the flavors. "The smell is gone, and it tastes... delicious!"
The group cheered, welcoming fish into their culinary world.
Ava smiled, knowing she'd shared a piece of her knowledge from another world.
Ava busied herself preparing a special meal – roasted fish with crushed herbs and berries applied on the outside and stuffed inside the fish. She wrapped each fish in leaves, securing them with vines, and placed them in a basket.
"George, please deliver these to Shaman Lazur, Tribe Leader Morris, and Elder Aunt Odette," Ava instructed.
George obliged, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
As the sun began to set, the aroma of roasted fish wafted through the tribe's homes. Lazur, Morris, and Odette unwrapped their gifts, eyes widening at the savory sight.
They all ate the meal with their respective families, and together, they savored the delicious meal. Flavors danced on their tongues, and they exchanged delighted glances. Seeing how good it was they immediately rushed to Ava's home to seek out the recipe.
"Who taught you this magic?" Odette asked Ava, her graying brown hair swaying with the breeze of the hot afternoon. Elder Odette had visited her home with Tribe Leader Morris and Shaman Lazur.
Ava smiled. "It's just a simple recipe. I'm happy to share."
George chimed in, "And I can show you how to make and use the fish trap."
They moved towards the river, Elder Odette's mates of three also accompanied them to learn the process, other males joined as they made their way to the river.
Ava led the Beastmen to the riverbank, where they had prepared a makeshift cooking area. She began instructing them on how to clean, scale, and gut the fish.
"First, rinse the fish under running water," Ava demonstrated.
George and Kael assisted, expertly cleaning the fish. Ava continued, "Now, stuff the inside with spices and skewer the fish from the head to the other tail end of the fish, apply sauce and roast each side."
Amon, the shaman's son, asked, "Can animal meat be cooked this way too?"
Ava nodded. "Absolutely! Meat can be roasted similarly, bringing out its natural flavors."
Inspired, some Beastmen quickly fetched a piece of red meat. Kael expertly sliced it thin, applying crushed garlic and ginger.
He skewered the meat, sprinkling dried powdered pepper atop. Skillfully, Kael positioned the skewers near the fire, occasionally turning the sides.
Ava explained, "Slicing the meat thin allows it to cook faster and more evenly."
As the meat roasted, a tantalizing aroma wafted through the air, accompanied by sizzling oil. Elder Odette's eyes widened, her gaze fixed on the skewers as she temporarily forgot about the roasting fish.
Ava noticed Odette's fascination and smiled. When the meat was done, Ava carefully removed a skewer and blew on it.
"Try this, Elder Odette," Ava offered, handing her the skewer.
Odette took a bite, her eyes closing in rapture. The texture was pleasant, the fatty and flavorful meat oil spreading across her taste buds.
"By the gods, this is heavenly!" Odette exclaimed, tears streaming down her slightly wrinkled face.
She looked at Ava, gratitude shining in her eyes. "Thank you for this experience. I doubt even the High Lords in Beast City have the opportunity to taste meat like this."
The group shared in Odette's delight, each getting a little piece to taste, savoring the roasted meat and fish.
Eager learners, The tribe's members that gathered around Ava and George parted ways to immediately put what they learned to practice. Soon the meat and fish cooking methods and fish trap instructions spread quickly.
A Young, unmated male took notice using the fish meal to win over his favorite female, other single males witnessed this and soon Ava's fish recipe became a top priority.
Kael, observing the chaos, chuckled. "Ava's cooking has started a revolution."
Ava laughed. "Food brings people together."
Soon, roasted fish became a staple in the tribe's cuisine. Families shared meals, bonding over the flavors.
Tribal gatherings transformed into roasted meat and fish feasts, with Ava's recipe at the center.
Tribe Leader Morris, seeing the activity and laughter in the tribe, with single males carrying their prepared meat or fish meals and approaching females who sat with their males beside their own fire in an attempt to woo, he proclaimed, "Ava's arrival brought prosperity and unity to our tribe."
Lazur nodded. "The beast god smiles upon us."
Odette patted Ava's hand. "You've become a true member of this tribe."
Ava's heart swelled. This moment, surrounded by newfound friends, felt like a turning point. She was no longer an outsider; she was becoming a part of this community. Looking around the lifestyle of the Beast people were improving, there are baskets, females no longer eat raw meat and they now know the importance of herbs in cooking. She would continue to improve the lifestyle of the tribe bringing happiness to all around her and in turn herself, after all this environment will influence her future cubs.
As night fell, people left the tribe square in the center of the tribe to return to their respective homes. The tribe's homes filled with laughter, and the scent of roasted fish lingered, a testament to Ava's culinary gift to the people of the tree tribe.
The next morning, after breakfast, Ava busied herself with organizing the spices she had brought back. She tasted each spice, carefully considering the best combinations and storage methods. She decided to sun-dry the peppers, intending to grind them into powder later. For the garlic, she planned to craft a small, light net bag using slender but sturdy plant stems near her territory. This would allow her to hang the garlic bulbs in the storage den.
However, Ava realized she needed containers for storing the powdered pepper and spices, along with dinnerware—plates, cups, and utensils for eating and drinking.
She remembered the bamboo plants nearby and asked George to gather bamboo stems of various sizes, from the thickness of her arm to some as large as her thighs.
Ava summoned Kael, describing her design for open, freestanding shelves.
"Two to be placed in the food storage den and two for the sitting room," Ava instructed. "Each shelf should have six compartments."
Once Kael understood the design, he nodded, and set to work, looking for the most suitable wood in the forest. A while after he was seen dragging felled Tree to the backyard
George, now at Ava's side, followed her instructions carefully. She showed him how to fashion cups of different shapes and sizes from the smaller bamboo stems and how to craft large bowls and food flasks with covers from the bigger bamboos. He also made small food bowls, flat plates, salt boxes, and storage containers, carving and scraping the outer and inner surfaces until they were smooth. Together, they moved on to creating bamboo spoons and forks.
George easily made a few large bamboo cooking spoons, but carving the smaller spoons and forks proved more challenging, with several failed attempts. However, after some trial and error, he finally succeeded in crafting several small spoons, two- and three-pronged forks, and a few large two-pronged cooking forks. He also made containers to hold the utensils.
By the time they finished, a complete set of dinnerware and cooking utensils had been made, ready to be stored on the shelves Kael was building for the sitting room.
Ava's face lit up with joy, surveying the array of dinnerware and cooking utensils. George stood, admiring their handiwork, feeling accomplished.
Ava set aside the remaining hollow bamboo for future use in soap making. As George stood up, surveying the piles of neatly crafted objects, he saw the satisfaction and joy on Ava's face. That moment filled him with a sense of accomplishment and pride.