Challenge #00680 - A315: Putting the Om in Omnivore

T’reka and some of the weirder things humans eat….

Of course putting a settlement into otherwise pristine land was bound to cause some ecological imbalance. The absence of so very many trees meant an upswing in homeless insects. Some of whom took the deforestation as a cue to breed.

The insects fed the birds and amphibians, who took the excess food as a cue to breed.

Which meant there was now an excess of Gargantua frogs looking for food in all the wrong places. Which, in turn, meant that the inhabitants of Wiwazheer were looking for things to do with predator frogs. Specifically, things to do with predator frogs that were going after the infant domesticated birds.

Which was why -when T’reka enquired about the activity- Wiwazheer was having the First Grand Gargantuan Cook-Off.

“Oh they’re edible,” said Su-syn, busily barbecuing and basting. “We’re all finding a way to make them ‘palatable’. This was the least-cost solution.”

Small children were still finding material for the town full of chefs. Some of them were struggling with the weight of the gigantic amphibians. Some of the very small ones were attempting to herd the beasts with pointed sticks.

I have never seen a species with the primary solution ‘can we eat it’,” T’reka confessed.

“Well, if the long answer’s ‘yes, but—’ we’ll look to other uses for the things.” Su-syn turned a frog steak over. “Want to join the judges?”

T’reka unconsciously backed away. “No. Thank you.”

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