As we followed Krikos to hunt for new prey, I asked Cynthia what was wrong since she seemed out of shape.
She just remained silent. After I took a good look at her I just proceeded to move forward. Since I knew she probably felt uncomfortable talking about the situation.
We spent our time hunting groups of animals. First a group of deer. We managed to take down four of them before they ran off into the distance. This time we just left the bodies on the ground for the snake beast to consume since it would take too long to drag back.
We made a quick exit and after a few minutes we heard sounds of dirt and plants shifting and snapping. Knowing that snake beast had arrived where we were just a moment ago.
Fear sends chills down my spine, as I think of the consequences, if we had tried to stay and take the yield of the deer flesh.
Now knowing how fast the snake beast was. I'm glad we stuck to Cynthia's plan. Krikos cries out.
"Kee-ar!"
As Cynthia and I headed over. We found a herd of moose. One of them, larger than the rest of the pack, seems to have green stripes along his body going around its natural brown fur.
Cynthia sneaks over while whispering.
"Lets be careful this time since they have a magical beast as a leader."
I replied saying.
"Well of course I can see that, I'm not blind."
Cynthia then responds with.
"I'm glad, since this beast is D ranked, the same rank as me. I don't think I have enough strength to keep you safe."
"Let's just injure his legs and the smell of blood will attract the snake beast."
So we quickly made a plan. I was going to circle around the group of moose, since they would think I was a beast without a magic core.
While sneaking forward I would then make some noise and then grab their attention. While that was happening, Cynthia would fire one of her spells to their legs thus disabling and injuring them. After they're injured the snake beast will smell them and head over to fill his belly.
As I circled around while sneaking, I reached my desired location just across from Cynthia with the Moose pack in-between. Then I grabs some stick and stones to throw up in the air and screamed.
"Ahhhhh!"
This quickly turned their head over to me, with their mouths full of brightly coloured plants that they were chewing on.
The leader looked over calmly and that was when I felt something I never felt before. The pressure on my body, like the gravitational pull of the earth, just increased by 6 times.
My breathing became labored, muscles strained to my body standing and my veins bulged. My face felt like a balloon blowing up. Just as my knees were about to buckle I heard Cynthia's voice.
"Storm blades!"
The next moment the pressure was gone, I saw the moose leader's ears flicker, then he turned his head. But by then it was too late. Cynthia was only 10 feet away too close of any reaction.
As the sharp blue magic blades came flying to the herd and injuring the whole group's legs. I heard the leader's angry cry.
Deep and long, like the deepest setting of a base sound effect. I could feel the rumbling through the ground and it shook the earth.
"Mmmmhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"
Cynthia started to run while screaming.
"Run you idiot, run for your life!"
I was so attracted by the beauty of her magic and the nuance of the moose leader's cry, I forgot I needed to escape for my life.
The moment I heard and realized the situation I was in. I ran with all I had, in Cynthia's direction.
Cutting through bushes and short trees not caring if I made any noise. As I heard the whipping of bushes and branches.
The nightmare of my dreams: the sound of earth being shoved aside and any unfortunate flora in its path breaking and or snapping. It was getting louder and closer by the second.
The snake beast was coming and I knew it. The moose leader seemed to understand and started to make a soft high-pitched whimpering.
"Ehhhhhhh…"
"Eeeehhhhhhhhhhh…"
"Eeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhh…"
It seemed to be begging for its life. Then moments later the whole pack was making the sound.
It sounded like the cries of death.
In my conscience, I felt guilty. Knowing the whole herd would be wiped out. As my face was making a frown and eye brows all scrunched up.
I spot Cynthia laying down on the ground, with her chest moving up and down from exhaustion, her breathing was heavy.
As the sound of the forest foliage reached her ears from my running, she turned her head and spotted me. Then she asked me.
"Ehats wrong, why is your face like that? We made it out alive. You should be happy or at least glad."
She sat up and focused on my face. I told her.
"I just feel a bit guilty from the sounds of the moose herd."
She paused for a moment and then something clicked. She then patted the ground next to her and I sat down. She then turned to the direction of the moose herd and said.
"You know sometimes, I forget you're just a child. With all of your actions and quick thinking. I sometimes treat you like a fellow adventurer."
To me that felt like an honor and a good thing. Since I didn't want to be treated as a child.
Mentally I was at least 25 years old, much older than her. Just less experienced about this new world. She then continued.
"I know it might be tough sometimes taking a life, but in this world sometimes it's kill or be killed."
"Especially in this forest where everything is trying to get you. I thought you knew that by now. Since you were in the forest by yourself, for quite a while all alone."
Then Krikos landed on my shoulder in-between me and Cybthia and started to scream at her.
"Kee-ee-ar!"
"Kee-eeee-ar"
Cynthia then laughed and said.
"Sorry I didn't mean alone, you had Krikos with you, but what I'm trying to say is this world is dangerous. So if you want to survive, you need to understand that sometimes taking a life means saving yours.
"And I'm sorry Krikos I didn't mean to disrespect you"
She then proceeded to pet Krikos. Krikos then nodded his head and let out a cheerful chirp.
"Kik!"
"Kik!"
I then responded by saying.
"Yeah, I get that. I just need to get used to it, but it doesn't get easier."
Cynthia then says.
"It does get easier, but it's a good thing you feel this way, it just means you're human."
"To be honest it's a good sign. At least you're not a psycho mass murderer."
Then she giggles and smiles. Krikos nods his head and then leans into my cheek and rubs his head against me. Trying to comfort me.
As we sit there relaxing our muscles and catching our breath. With the sun shining down providing a comfortable warmth.
The sound of the snake slithering across the ground picks up then slowly fades away.
Cynthia then said.
"Okay lets go check on the herd. There's a good chance that we're lucky and that the snake beast might be full."
"The Moose leader was D class beats after all. With higher grade food the less we have to eat."
As send out Krikos and slowly make our way to the moose carcasses. I smelled the scent of blood and wet earth. The scent got stronger as we proceeded forward.
With a cry from Krikos.
Cynthia and I knew it was clear and safe.
As we reached the herd. I saw that the moose leader was nowhere to be found. That some of the smaller moose bodies were left either half eaten or left alone.
Cynthia does a dance and said.
"Quickly make a fire, the scent of the snake beast is still in the surrounding area so we should be safe to cook and eat the bodies that were left alone."
" Don't touch the half-eaten moose carcasses. Since the snake beast has poisonous venom and we wouldn't be able to handle it."
I dug a large pit and gathered fire wood, while Cynthia expertly butchered the untouched bodies and sliced them into thin strips perfect for cooking and storing.
Even Krikos was busy keeping watch of the surrounding area, making sure both of us were safe.
After everything was cooked and stored. We ate to our hearts content and laughed with happy bright smiles.
Krikos was the most excited trying out new meat. He tried both raw moose and cooked moose.
I was thinking that maybe Krikos was a foodie, slowly developing into a meat connoisseur.
Once we had full stomachs, we once again headed off on our journey to Smoke Town.
As we followed Krikos to hunt for new prey, I asked Cynthia what was wrong since she seemed out of shape.
She just remained silent. After I took a good look at her I just proceeded to move forward. Since I knew she probably felt uncomfortable talking about the situation.
We spent our time hunting groups of animals. First a group of deer. We managed to take down four of them before they ran off into the distance. This time we just left the bodies on the ground for the snake beast to consume since it would take too long to drag back.
We made a quick exit and after a few minutes we heard sounds of dirt and plants shifting and snapping. Knowing that snake beast had arrived where we were just a moment ago.
Fear sends chills down my spine, as I think of the consequences, if we had tried to stay and take the yield of the deer flesh.
Now knowing how fast the snake beast was. I'm glad we stuck to Cynthia's plan. Krikos cries out.
"Kee-ar!"
As Cynthia and I headed over. We found a herd of moose. One of them, larger than the rest of the pack, seems to have green stripes along his body going around its natural brown fur.
Cynthia sneaks over while whispering.
"Lets be careful this time since they have a magical beast as a leader."
I replied saying.
"Well of course I can see that, I'm not blind."
Cynthia then responds with.
"I'm glad, since this beast is D ranked, the same rank as me. I don't think I have enough strength to keep you safe."
"Let's just injure his legs and the smell of blood will attract the snake beast."
So we quickly made a plan. I was going to circle around the group of moose, since they would think I was a beast without a magic core.
While sneaking forward I would then make some noise and then grab their attention. While that was happening, Cynthia would fire one of her spells to their legs thus disabling and injuring them. After they're injured the snake beast will smell them and head over to fill his belly.
As I circled around while sneaking, I reached my desired location just across from Cynthia with the Moose pack in-between. Then I grabs some stick and stones to throw up in the air and screamed.
"Ahhhhh!"
This quickly turned their head over to me, with their mouths full of brightly coloured plants that they were chewing on.
The leader looked over calmly and that was when I felt something I never felt before. The pressure on my body, like the gravitational pull of the earth, just increased by 6 times.
My breathing became labored, muscles strained to my body standing and my veins bulged. My face felt like a balloon blowing up. Just as my knees were about to buckle I heard Cynthia's voice.
"Storm blades!"
The next moment the pressure was gone, I saw the moose leader's ears flicker, then he turned his head. But by then it was too late. Cynthia was only 10 feet away too close of any reaction.
As the sharp blue magic blades came flying to the herd and injuring the whole group's legs. I heard the leader's angry cry.
Deep and long, like the deepest setting of a base sound effect. I could feel the rumbling through the ground and it shook the earth.
"Mmmmhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"
Cynthia started to run while screaming.
"Run you idiot, run for your life!"
I was so attracted by the beauty of her magic and the nuance of the moose leader's cry, I forgot I needed to escape for my life.
The moment I heard and realized the situation I was in. I ran with all I had, in Cynthia's direction.
Cutting through bushes and short trees not caring if I made any noise. As I heard the whipping of bushes and branches.
The nightmare of my dreams: the sound of earth being shoved aside and any unfortunate flora in its path breaking and or snapping. It was getting louder and closer by the second.
The snake beast was coming and I knew it. The moose leader seemed to understand and started to make a soft high-pitched whimpering.
"Ehhhhhhh…"
"Eeeehhhhhhhhhhh…"
"Eeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhh…"
It seemed to be begging for its life. Then moments later the whole pack was making the sound.
It sounded like the cries of death.
In my conscience, I felt guilty. Knowing the whole herd would be wiped out. As my face was making a frown and eye brows all scrunched up.
I spot Cynthia laying down on the ground, with her chest moving up and down from exhaustion, her breathing was heavy.
As the sound of the forest foliage reached her ears from my running, she turned her head and spotted me. Then she asked me.
"Ehats wrong, why is your face like that? We made it out alive. You should be happy or at least glad."
She sat up and focused on my face. I told her.
"I just feel a bit guilty from the sounds of the moose herd."
She paused for a moment and then something clicked. She then patted the ground next to her and I sat down. She then turned to the direction of the moose herd and said.
"You know sometimes, I forget you're just a child. With all of your actions and quick thinking. I sometimes treat you like a fellow adventurer."
To me that felt like an honor and a good thing. Since I didn't want to be treated as a child.
Mentally I was at least 25 years old, much older than her. Just less experienced about this new world. She then continued.
"I know it might be tough sometimes taking a life, but in this world sometimes it's kill or be killed."
"Especially in this forest where everything is trying to get you. I thought you knew that by now. Since you were in the forest by yourself, for quite a while all alone."
Then Krikos landed on my shoulder in-between me and Cybthia and started to scream at her.
"Kee-ee-ar!"
"Kee-eeee-ar"
Cynthia then laughed and said.
"Sorry I didn't mean alone, you had Krikos with you, but what I'm trying to say is this world is dangerous. So if you want to survive, you need to understand that sometimes taking a life means saving yours.
"And I'm sorry Krikos I didn't mean to disrespect you"
She then proceeded to pet Krikos. Krikos then nodded his head and let out a cheerful chirp.
"Kik!"
"Kik!"
I then responded by saying.
"Yeah, I get that. I just need to get used to it, but it doesn't get easier."
Cynthia then says.
"It does get easier, but it's a good thing you feel this way, it just means you're human."
"To be honest it's a good sign. At least you're not a psycho mass murderer."
Then she giggles and smiles. Krikos nods his head and then leans into my cheek and rubs his head against me. Trying to comfort me.
As we sit there relaxing our muscles and catching our breath. With the sun shining down providing a comfortable warmth.
The sound of the snake slithering across the ground picks up then slowly fades away.
Cynthia then said.
"Okay lets go check on the herd. There's a good chance that we're lucky and that the snake beast might be full."
"The Moose leader was D class beats after all. With higher grade food the less we have to eat."
As send out Krikos and slowly make our way to the moose carcasses. I smelled the scent of blood and wet earth. The scent got stronger as we proceeded forward.
With a cry from Krikos.
Cynthia and I knew it was clear and safe.
As we reached the herd. I saw that the moose leader was nowhere to be found. That some of the smaller moose bodies were left either half eaten or left alone.
Cynthia does a dance and said.
"Quickly make a fire, the scent of the snake beast is still in the surrounding area so we should be safe to cook and eat the bodies that were left alone."
" Don't touch the half-eaten moose carcasses. Since the snake beast has poisonous venom and we wouldn't be able to handle it."
I dug a large pit and gathered fire wood, while Cynthia expertly butchered the untouched bodies and sliced them into thin strips perfect for cooking and storing.
Even Krikos was busy keeping watch of the surrounding area, making sure both of us were safe.
After everything was cooked and stored. We ate to our hearts content and laughed with happy bright smiles.
Krikos was the most excited trying out new meat. He tried both raw moose and cooked moose.
I was thinking that maybe Krikos was a foodie, slowly developing into a meat connoisseur.
Once we had full stomachs, we once again headed off on our journey to Smoke Town.