Abel and atonement

In an earlier post I said that perhaps the reason Abel became a shepherd was to escape the curse. I believe that it is generally assumed that Abel raised sheep for food and clothing. But man was not given the right to eat meat until Noach left the ark(Gen 9:3). Abel must have been raising sheep for clothing(covering). After God hands out his punishment to the three culprits he makes coverings for Adam and Chava out of animal skins replacing the fig leaves that they had provided for themselves. Abel was not only working outside the curse, he was helping to continue what God had started namely covering our naked/fallen bodies. Cain on the other hand, chose a vocation within the bounderies of the curse. He is connected to the cursed ground. Abel is working outside of the curse to make a covering for mans "fallen" state.