The Phoenix did take the bait.
This increases Asher's confidence in his assumptions that she's following him for food and warmth.
Just like last time, he didn't confront nor interact with her. After he threw the last piece of food, he laid down to sleep.
Wouldn't she notice that this was intentional? It doesn't matter. If she's back, it means there's nowhere to turn to except him.
...
In the next few days, Asher would travel and repeat the routine tirelessly.
As days gone by, the rustling sound would occur more often and slowly.
She must be getting weaker, Asher assumed.
The few dim rays of sunlight became more yellow at an angle. Which means, the night is approaching once more.
Nearby, Asher saw the large boulder and decided to stay the night beside it. This boulder was slanted in shape, with one side flatter, and had an obsidian texture.
With this, he can always find his home. The flatter side points to the origin of the fire. This is how Asher was confident in the direction he was heading to.
Night came once again. It got colder to the point that Asher could see his every breath.
Dried roots were used as fuel and a campfire was created.
Soon after, she arrived along with the rustling sound. It was much quieter this time.
Ignoring her presence from a distance, he ate his dinner. This time, he got lucky and got six wild potatoes in one go.
First potato.
Then came the second until the fifth.
All were devoured as slowly as possible. Asher wouldn't skip a chance to agitate the Phoenix.
Then, the last potato. Four or five were usually enough for him as he was getting tired of eating the same thing. This sixth one, he didn't need it. But would he give this to her whole?
Of course not.
Like what he did the last time by chewing and spitting it out just to infuriate the devil, Asher was about to bite down when a shout interrupted him-
"Stop right there!"
"..."
She finally snapped.
"... urk!"
Realizing her mistake, the Phoenix grunted. But there was no turning back.
Knowing that her presence had been known, the Phoenix came into view of the fire.
Grrrr*
Her stomach roared louder than before as she could smell the potato. With a grimace and angered look, the Phoenix had her fists tightly clenched as she glared at the man who had tortured her for nights without end.
.
.
.
As a Divine Being, the Phoenix had never known what hunger and thirst felt like. With no energy to sustain her, her body was craving external sustenance. But she couldn't provide it as she had no idea how to live like a mortal, let alone have wilderness survival skills.
One night, to her fortune, she saw a dot of light far away.
With no original direction in mind, she came closer and saw fire.
Wahhh!
Fire, my beloved!
Give me heat!
Along with hunger and thirst, the cold tortures her day and especially at night.
But before she could get closer, her eyes rolled to the man beside the fire. Her vision was good so even though he was still far away, she knew who it was.
It was that mortal!
The one who attempted to kill her!
She gritted her teeth and felt like going in there and killing him herself!
Rustle*
However, she held herself back. Remembering the terror she felt back then, the Phoenix knew she stood no chance against this mortal as nothing changed since the day they fought.
Hell, she even got weaker as her body craved food!
That's why she stayed quiet and decided to leave once this human's alertness was gone.
But as she turned around, she smelled something.
What was that?
It's a bit sweet. She looked back and saw the insolent mortal enjoying himself at some meal.
Where did he get that?
"Mmmm, so sweet."
You don't need to tell me. I know from the smell...
Grrrr*
The Phoenix suffered as she could only watch the insolent mortal eat while she starved. She couldn't think straight as she stared from a distance.
Gulped*
Will she also be able to eat if she asks him?
No!
What am I thinking!?
Asking a mortal to give me, a Phoenix, food?
Haha, he should be groveling in front of me, joyful to offer me his little, sweet... soft... delicious...
Gahhh!!
The Phoenix screamed in her mind. However, what happened next would shock her.
The insolent man, no, the foolish insolent man who must've had his head turned to mush, bit on the last potato, chewed it, and- a-and!
HE SPAT IT OUT!
The Phoenix felt like gauging her eyes out from madness.
How could he do this? That was precious food!
I swear! Once I get my powers back, I'll create a special hell for him! I'll give life to these little potatoes and let them torture him for the rest of his life!
But as the Phoenix goes on a rampage in her mind, she can't do anything in reality.
Second bite, third bite, fourth bite... spat, spat, spat.
Until the last bite.
Don't tell me... the Phoenix shivered as she unconsciously reached out her hand with helplessness.
She felt like she was about to cry.
But at the moment, the idiotic brainless foolish insolent mortal threw the last bite as if it was trash.
What's going on in his head? Her mind turned slightly blank.
Like a large cat looking at her prey, the Phoenix stayed still.
She waited.
Finally, the man yawned and laid down to sleep. But she had to make sure first. After some time, the Phoenix couldn't hold it in. She circled the campsite, rummaging through the ashes in the dark.
Thanks to her excellent eyesight, the darkness was not totally black. Soon, she felt something.
Food!
Hehehe!
That idiot! He didn't know how precious this is!
Then she dropped that one bite of potato down her throat.
What is this? The Phoenix, in all of her thousands of years of life, has never tasted something this good.
Does this world produce the tastiest treats in the myriad of worlds?
She salivated, but there was no more.
It was far from enough to make her full.
After that, she would follow the insolent mortal from afar. Seeing how he found food just from digging, she did as well, but found nothing.
Huh? Huh? How can he find one but I cannot? Is this world treating me like a joke?
She didn't know it, but it takes some knowledge to find some underground food in the wild. Eventually, with luck and persistence, or desperation for a better word, she found one.
Haha, serves you right, human! I have found my own!
It was a ginger.
Once she happily took a bite-
Mweh!
She almost spat it out.
Not tasty at all!
However, it was nutrients regardless and her stomach craved it. Enduring the weird taste, the Phoenix forced it down her throat. No matter what, her hunger was greater than the weird taste.
Even that wasn't enough.
Thinking about the sweet potato that night, the Phoenix found herself near the bonfire again.
Night after night.
Eventually, she would wait for that one last bite to be thrown out before she wagged her non-existent tail.
After which, she was filled with despair.
What am I doing?
Grrr*
Her stomach replied, reminding her of what was important.
As days went on, her hunger, thirst, and cold made the Phoenix reach her limit. Seeing the abominable mortal waste food again, she snapped.
"Stop right there!"
... Bringing us to the present.
The Phoenix found that the insolent mortal wasn't surprised by her presence. Thinking how she foolishly thought she was hiding well had her face burning.
But what's happened happened, nothing she could do.
Most importantly, potato!