The smoke from the cooking fire drifted lazily into the sky, curling above the settlement in thick white waves. Usually, whenever Tessa cooked, the scent alone was enough to drive beastmen crazy. The aroma would spread across the area, dragging starving people from all directions like enchanted bait.
But today?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Which was strange.
Very strange.
Zephyr stood beside the fire with his arms crossed tightly as he watched Tania stir whatever horrifying thing she was making inside a giant shell pot. By now there should have been some kind of scent—something savory, spicy, sweet, literally anything—but the air remained suspiciously empty.
"Sorry, Tania," Zephyr finally said, unable to hide his confusion anymore, "but aren't we supposed to be smelling something by now?"
The tiny snail beastwoman didn't even look up at him. She simply grabbed another handful of grain and dumped it into the bubbling liquid before adding enough water to drown a small animal.
