For that time and how vikings were, him beating them and all was totally normal. I know from a modern point of view that it's harsh but that's now and that was then.
You might be wondering right now? Why should I help them? I should just let them die and become wolf meat. Well, I might be cold-hearted, but I won't be that cold-hearted that I would refuse to help someone who needed it but if it gets bad I would leave them to fend for themselves. ( and Henrik ?)