310 - Hunting the Cattle Herd
“Huh? But Chief, you told me to go farm. What should I do? Farm or hunt…?”
“Farm when you get back. First, secure food we can eat right now.”
“Yes, sir!”
After the hunt, if we have plenty of food, I could have them farm when there's nothing else to do.
“Hey, Chief! A few days ago, I spotted a huge herd of cattle over that way! They were massive and scary, so I just watched and came back. If we all charge in, we could take down at least one! …Well, maybe even more than two, since you're so strong, Chief. Just one would feed the whole tribe plenty for two days straight.”
“Yeah? Then let's head there. Lead the way now.”
Wild cattle weren't pushovers. Think water buffalo herds. I'd seen wildlife docs where those beasts impaled lions through the gut with their sharp horns like spears. The beef cattle in modern feedlots had been bred soft over thousands of years, but these ancient ones? Totally different. Wild ones were fierce and savage. Like the fighting bulls in those Spanish bullfights.
That's why the scout hadn't charged in recklessly—he'd just watched and bailed. No point getting cocky and dying.
But I'm different.
A cow charging me? That'd be the day it becomes beef.
I gripped my stone spear tight, led the male tribesmen, and rushed straight to where the herd had been spotted. The cattle seemed to have moved on, but humans had been tracking prey since forever. We followed their footprints and shit trails to figure out their path and tailed them.
The herd wasn't far. We spotted them grazing leisurely and stopped in our tracks.
“There, Chief—the cattle herd.”
“Whoa… way more than I thought. Hey, who found this? You get first pick of the women next time we snag more.”
The herd looked like at least 500 head. A massive find.
“…Uh, it wasn't this big when I saw it… Looks like they merged with another herd.”
“Yeah? Offer's off.”
“Ah….”
The scout clamped his mouth in regret as I pondered how many to take. Too many and we'd waste it. But passing it up felt like a waste too… Could pen them up in a barn or something… Wait, barn?
Ah, fuck. Knowledge restriction again. …Just grab ten and head back. More would be wasteful anyway. Track their migration route and follow… Oh? Yeah, just shadow them.
I wasn't settling down anyway. So why not trail the herd indefinitely?
Just stick to this herd until we've eaten every last one?
It was my own idea, but damn, it was brilliant.
I laid it out for the tribe.
“Chief, that's a great plan.”
“Brilliant, truly.”
“As expected from someone sent from the heavens.”
“Heh heh. Keep praising me. Flattery's sweet.”
I positioned the tribesmen to half-encircle the herd, then charged out yelling, hurled my spear, and bagged exactly ten cows.
The wild cattle didn't charge when we kept our distance, pelting them with spears and stones. Some got riled and tried to fight, some bolted… but most ignored us.
What the hell? If the whole herd had rushed us, we'd be dead. But these idiots? Half the herd could drop ten and they'd just keep grazing and chewing cud like nothing happened.
“No wonder they got domesticated later. Tsk tsk. Ten down—time to move.”
“““Yes, sir!”””
Watching the tribe haul them, I wondered if ten was overkill.
Should've stuck to five…?
Twenty-five guys lugging ten massive cows looked brutal. Basically 2.5 per animal… I had to pitch in with both hands. We barely dragged them back to camp.
Yeah, five next time. Got greedy without thinking about transport.
Everyone was probably thinking the same.
And hauling wasn't the end. We had to smoke the meat right away to preserve it, or it'd spoil fast after all that work.
“Men who hunted and hauled, rest up. We'll handle the butchering and smoking. Chief, you worked so hard.”
The former chief of the absorbed tribe led the women over, took the cows off our hands, and told the men to chill.
“Yeah, you ladies handle it. The guys are huffing, foaming at the mouth like dogs. They'll all be bedridden with aches tomorrow.”
“Yes, Chief. Hunters, rest. Pushing more could make you really sick. We'll do the butchering, smoking, cooking—everything today.”
“Good.”
“But you're barely winded, Chief? You carried two cows solo on your shoulders… Are you really from the heavens?”
“Obviously. I'm not like those weaklings. I don't tire from this. Strength to spare. Hey, my women—if it's heavy, tell me. I'll help; I've got power and stamina overflowing.”
“…….”
The ex-chief gave me that dazed, smitten look. I walked over, stroked her lower belly and pussy mound gently, and she blushed, whispering, “Not now.”
“Not now means later, right? After dinner.”
She blushed harder, bowed her head shyly, and nodded.
The exhausted men sprawled out to rest after the hunt (or rather, the hauling). The women butchered the cows—separating meat, hides, bones, tendons—like pros. Women in this era had to know this stuff cold. Learn or starve. If you couldn't, you were useless. They'd forgive injury or illness, but laziness? No mercy—from ancient times to now, humanity's instinct.
The kids from the merged tribe helped their moms and aunts with what they could. Basic survival skill. Earn your keep from childhood.
The elders taught smoking to the clueless women, passing down wisdom. That's how old folks ate without starving.
Butchering, smoking, cooking… While the men recovered, things progressed smoothly, and soon we were chowing down on roasted meat.
“Chief, the best cuts for you.”
“Mmm, good.”
The choicest beef went to me, the chief. I'd helped the women with heavy lifts thanks to my endless energy, then crashed in my hut. They delivered the prime stuff right to me.
Lounging with the bustiest woman's soft tits in my hands, I let them feed me without lifting a finger.
Even ancient folks knew good cuts. Tender, marbled meat? Obvious to anyone who'd eaten beef. Try a bite if unsure.
They weren't dumb—just lacking future knowledge. So the best went to me: tenderloin, sirloin, ribs, strip, top sirloin, etc.—modern faves.
Next tier to the hunters, then women, kids, elders. Elders got softer bits for weak teeth. Kids chewed the toughest. But hey, kids that age could gnaw iron… Wait, iron?
As I kneaded those big tits, mouth open “ahh~” for tenderloin bites, I heard the tribe outside feasting happily.
“Ahh, so much meat—bliss.”
“Chief says we'll trail the herd from now on. No starving till they're all gone.”
“Hahaha, perfect. Hope every day's like this.”
“Hauling heavy cows daily?”
“…Point. But better than starving. Rather schlep like today. Heh heh.”
“True. Hahaha.”