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Due wakes up... Another day has started... They stretch and yawn and then remembers... Zero is in the shelter with them... They hurry to cover their mouth to not disturb him further.... Zero in the meanwhile is just lying there still all curled up... Ears flatten... Snout hidden under the arms.... Twitching time to time... Sometimes a little whine can be heard... But other than that Zero is cold empty not just tired but... Completely drained by any energy...
'We should prepare something else for her... Something better... He barely touched that soup... Agreed' Due turns toward a large pile of books and old parchment... moving slowly and quietly reading through recipes and other information about different slugcats... Then in one of them they find it... A legendary slugcat with supernatural powers.... The one who could ascend anyone.... 'Interesting... I wonder how a god tastes like.... And maybe will help Zero too... Hopefully...' Due starts reading everything there is to know about this "god".... The hunt has to be perfect... They don't want to risk ascending... Not now... Not ever...
Preparation they need that to take down a god... Due takes another book... And goes to a nearby homemade lab... They start moving fast distilling from a fiery explosion made from yellow powder and a hot metal to a clear liquid in a glass vial... Due looks at the vial with a plan in mind... Now... They only need to find the prey... On the book is written *they live in the colder parts of the world where snow is abundant because it's easily sustainable for them thanks to their fluffy fur... Even though it seems docile in nature they are incredibly untrusting and despite them not being able to throw spears they are still a hard prey because of their ability of ascending anything alive*....
"Well... I think we better start walking then...." Due takes their knife and a pouch with inside the clear liquid vial and some rations.... Then with a soft voice "bye Zero.... Please... Get better..." Closing behind themselves the shelter door....
Due starts to walk towards the colder parts of the known world... The snow was getting more common and the view is becoming a more desaturated color... How could a GOD live here... It was boring... And depressing.... The faint light and warmth from scattered lanterns fill the insides of the iterator structure... As Due moves deeper in the region a freezing storm erupts outside... So they rush in search of a shelter... In a labyrinth of pipes and rooms running fast they finally find one jumping inside as the worst of the storm hits....
They fell to the ground snout first.... The air inside the shelter was already warm... The numbness in their paw from the cold already vanishing...
"Stay down!" A firm but shaky voice breaks the hum of the wind....
Due shows intent to get up ignoring the supposed order given by the strange voice... 'Fuck-Fuck!' In front of them stood tall a green furred slugcat the tail a bit yellow and three dots on its forehead... The look on their face said it all... And Due being in such a vulnerable position made it even worse.... 'Maybe they don't know us... I want to skin them alive for that soft fur kill it now jump!'... "Can I stand up?.. I mean no harm..."...
Saint: "Toss me that knife first..." the green scug pointing at their knife...
Due: "Okay okay...." takes out the knife slowly and tosses it to Saint... 'We don't need it anyway... YES WE DO YOU STUPID INCOMPETENT'
Saint: "What is in that pouch?..."
Due: pulling back the ears... "Just... Just something for my brother.... He is ill..." looking sad and worried.... "ca- can we stop with the questions... I.. really need sleep...."
Saint: "Okay yes... But... Don't come close to me" then curls up in a corner... Starting to drift asleep....
Due waits a couple of hours now certain that Saint is asleep... Then silently gets up open the bag and takes out the small vial... Getting ready to pour it on the face of the slugcat... They are going to kill a god... 'What a stupid death... Especially for a god' As they pour the mixture on Saint...
A horrible screech comes out of Saint's mouth as its fur and skin starts to melt... The skin burning and bubbling up creating a black viscous substance.... Due coldly watches as Saint twitches in pain on the ground trying to grab Due's legs... The acid now melting their flesh... Causing deep gashes and laceration across its face... A black and yellow blood pouring out from the deeper ones.... Due reaches for the knife tucked behind Saint... "A god!?" Said sarcastically and with a tone of delusion... "I hoped something more..." taking the knife and stabbing Saint through the heart.... "I had a more interesting encounter with a fish... Disappointing"... Bleeding Saint body right there but collecting the blood in a medium sized jar....
After the storm stopped Due exits dragging the lifeless body of Saint strangely the body had no rotting smell on the contrary it smelled like flowers... Soft and delicate.... Its fur still soft and warm to the touch... The color fading from the green fur to a more brown or even gray color....
They got lost a bit but in the end they arrived home... Finding Zero in that same corner now awake and staring at them.... Due with a soft voice starts to talk... "Hi Zero"... No response she was just watching them blankly and numb to those words.... Due approaches carefully.... "Do... Do you need anything?...." He stares at them then a barely audible whisper.... "I... I'm a bit... cold..." his face turning pale... Those words... The way Zero said them... Almost made Due cry.... They slowly get a pelt and place it over Zero... Now having a bit of a thankful smile.... "I'll make food now... I'll be back in a little..." As Due walks back out with some ingredients....
Section 1 Bleeding:
Well... Cut the throat and let that black and golden blood flow out... Make sure to catch it tho we don't want the blood of a god to go to waste
Section 2 Skinning:
Be extremely delicate... It's a soft and thin fur... Use your best utensil.... Cut along the spine and peel off like usual... Cut all along the neck to detach the skin of the head from the rest of the body for other uses....
Section 3 Cleaning:
Open up their stomach... You can smell a really almost pungent flower smell... Take out every organ... They look pristine... Immaculate... Perfect... Healthy... With those we will make an incredible broth....
Section 4 Cuts:
Cut off limbs head and tail.... And remember to cut off the long tongue....
Cooking:
Golden legs:
A bit of Saint blood
2x Legs
Salt
1x Gooieduck
Hot flat stone
Start by filtering the blood with a towel of a sturdy material... While the golden color drips down we can cook the legs... Add on top salt and cook on the meat for 6–8 minutes then add the golden part of Saint blood... Sear for a couple of seconds it will caramelise and form a crunchy crust....
Eat with the gooieduck for a good mix.... The taste is incredible... The meat is light and fruity... Really juicy... Crunchy tho soft under the crust.... The gooieduck adding a bit of weight to the plate....
Honey tongue strips:
Honey or sap
1x Saint long tongue
A pinch of salt
Pan or flat stone
Preheat the stone.... Cut the tongue in one of two ways: long thin stripes or short flat and wide strips.... Cover in honey or sap and place on the stone until they curl up and darken in color.... Add a pinch of salt... Then remove and let cool down....
A really gentle fruity flavor... A bit chewy and really energetic....
The god blood:
1x Saint chest
Saint organs
Lillipuck roots
3x Eggbug eggs
Pot
Put the pot on the fire and add water... While we wait to boil cut up organs and clean the Saint chest from all the meat... Add everything in the pot and a couple of bones too... Break the eggs and add together with the roots... Wait until the water turns golden-brown.... Remove the bones....
It's soft... Fruity warm... It feels like a hug given by a friend or a family member.... Every problem seems to vanish after you eat the soup...
Tail:
1x Saint tail
Pot
Chop it up and melt the little fat it has in a pot. You can use that to cook other things adding a fruity flavor....
Tips:
Watch out it could become addictive....
Due gives a bowl of soup to Zero... He sips hesitantly.... After she finished it Zero and Due go to sleep... Still on different beds but she already looked better....