A growing hunter.

User avatar
Lupis
Petopia Artist
Posts: 11051
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:43 pm
Realm: Moon Guard
Gender: Agender [They-them]

A growing hunter.

Unread post by Lupis »

Naga. They attacked in mass, often by starlight when the hunters were asleep. The natives could always tell when the snake-men had been around, as they could still hear the hisses and scraping of scales, still feel the moist, heavy air even hours after. The savages had a way of imprinting themselves so even the land and the air could not forget their presence. This, combined with the fact that they stunk like rotten fish and bitter salt, made them the perfect barbarians, the perfect storybook monsters. Younglings learned to fear the telltale signs, be it waving tracks in the sand or bits of sea salt on the grass.

In south-eastern Stranglethorn, the reek of dead fish sopping with mold and salt weighed down the air until it sagged like fog. The sound of grit-covered scales grinding against one another bounced off the hills and trees, making the world into a giant seashell. In the heavy air, crowned by the blood-red light of a falling sun, stood a group of lanky, slouched silhouettes, armed with all manner of weapon - spear, axe, dagger, sword, entire trees worth of bows and quivers bursting with arrows. Beside some of them sat lazy felines, licking their paws and paying less then no attention to the world. Waves crashed softly on the shore, the hills echoed with jungle sounds, and sand was shuffled under restless feet.

Behind the assorted trolls, nestled in the tree line, was a smaller figure. Although not spectacularly tiny, the silent troll was obviously young, blue fur soft with youth. He watched, rapt, crouched in the undergrowth beneath a large jungle tree. Pale blue hair was kept in a messy knot, tossed over his back where a mini-sized quiver and bow where held. On his hip was a small but sharp dagger, showing few signs of real use. As for armor, the youngling wore nothing but a ragged tunic and pants, otherwise unadorned. Red eyes matched the glow of the sky as they scanned impatiently across the shore, muscles twitching as each red-topped wave was mistaken as the enemy.

Nothing seemed to happen until the sun had sunk into the ocean, shrouding the world in its overwhelming absence. The young troll in the background fidgeted as his pupils expanded, an uncomfortable experience that he never enjoyed.

It started with a hiss. Not the sound of a sea-born Naga, however, but the warning cry of an alert feline. The dark shape of one such beast slid across the sand and settled by the water's edge, gazing resolutely into the vast expanses before it. The muscles of each waiting troll bunched, hands moving to touch weapons. The troll in the background jumped, eyes opened wide, waiting the next move. But nothing happened. The feline heaved a sigh and slipped back to the line of trolls, sitting and beginning to give itself a nice wash. Muscles loosened and hands dropped. The rest of the night - long, silent, and dark - was calm. The young troll amused himself by counting the stars as they came out, eventually giving up and simply staring out into the dark until the blackness of the horizon seemed to consume what light the stars provided.

The small village of Zan'Granna was quiet as the young troll blinked awake. He was laying on a tiger skin, surrounded by green and brown splotches that seemed to swim before his eyes. In a sleep-induced daze he blinked several more times and turned his head, finally recognizing his surroundings. Wooden posts holding up a circular thatch roof, decorated with trinkets and relics - his hut. Letting out a hybrid of a yawn and a sigh, he slowly got to his feet, swaying from side to side as he tried to remember how to walk. A quick breath told him that there had been no Naga attack, to his disappointment. Being allowed to tail the Hunters was an honor, but when nothing happened, it wasn't very exciting. When he had first heard that he would be able to follow them, he had nearly jumped out of his fur. However, they hadn't done any fighting yet. The only thing they did was hunt and stand out in the dark, waiting for an impending attack that was not to be.

His mother said it was a blessing that they didn't have to fight. He couldn't even guess why.

Tumblr ~ Flight Rising
Avatar by Kamalia, signature by me!

Image

User avatar
GethlarNomudac
Artisan Hunter
Artisan Hunter
Posts: 627
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 9:52 pm
Gender: male Alt-aholic
Location: Celebrating getting mah new SPIRIT BEAR BITCHES

Re: A growing hunter.

Unread post by GethlarNomudac »

AWESOME STOREH, are you goin to post more of it?
please say yes /spam /beg
u lost tha game :D
User avatar
Lupis
Petopia Artist
Posts: 11051
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:43 pm
Realm: Moon Guard
Gender: Agender [They-them]

Re: A growing hunter.

Unread post by Lupis »

Yup ^.^ I wouldn't be able to stand keeping it at just this.
Glad you like it!

Tumblr ~ Flight Rising
Avatar by Kamalia, signature by me!

Image

User avatar
Jaekira
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2010 11:35 am
Realm: Hellscream

Re: A growing hunter.

Unread post by Jaekira »

Very nice, vivid imagery there. Well done! I'll be keeping an eye out for more. What a good read!

Image
Uloo of <Petopians> on Nesingwary, US

User avatar
Nel
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 7:54 pm
Realm: Detheroc
Gender: Female
Location: Louisiana aka "Down South".

Re: A growing hunter.

Unread post by Nel »

I really liked it! I do hope that you write more!
Image

You may step in love many times.
Only do you fall in it once.

Http://Dragcave.net/user/Nelium
User avatar
Lupis
Petopia Artist
Posts: 11051
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:43 pm
Realm: Moon Guard
Gender: Agender [They-them]

Re: A growing hunter.

Unread post by Lupis »

Emerald leaves rustled in a humid breeze as parrots absently squawked themselves into the limelight. Light from the midmorning sun dodged the leaves and settled on the jungle floor below, dappling the ground. There was much small movement, but it seemed still as death to the young troll, hunched up on a branch. Lazily his red eyes tracked the ground, skipping over bushes and ferns. With nothing sighted, he gave up and turned his head to gaze curiously at the stone-still figure of Gar'zal. The senior troll was crouched on a branch, muscles taut, breathing slow and controlled. Occasionally one of his thick calloused fingers would twitch with strain, but otherwise the blue-furred figure was but an odd outcrop on the branch, as still as the solid trunk of the tree.

A movement caught the young troll's eyes. His gaze darting down to the ground, he was surprised to see that absolutely nothing had changed. What had caused the movement? Another glance at Gar'zal let him follow the hunter's gaze down to a line of ferns, waving in the slight breeze. A frown crossed his features. There was nothing strange about the ferns, they where just ferns. He had seen hundreds of ferns before. Still, he was determined to see what the experienced hunter was seeing. Narrowing his eyes, he glared hard at the ferns, expecting them to burst into flames with the intensity of it. Nothing, nothing, nothing... A flash of orange. All of his muscles stiffened and he had to cling to the branch to stay on. The orange had disappeared, but now he knew what to look for. Carefully he raked his eyes over every frond, catching slight traces of fur. A black stripe here, a twitching tail there, and he had identified the prey. The tiger was had hidden so skillfully in the ferns, its entire bulky body had disappeared in the dappled light. But now, he could see it. Albeit, he could only slightly outline parts of the beast - the tail was sticking out under that frond, a paw showing over beside those leaves - but it was good enough for him. Pride filling him, he glanced triumphantly at Gar'zal and was rewarded with a slight nod and a faintly amused look.

The senior troll was moving now, one hand moving slowly to his waist and drawing a throwing axe. His eyes never shifting from the tiger below, his arm moved on its own as it raised, positioned itself, and became stiff and a board, motionless. The young troll blinked. He had been expecting the death of the tiger, not a motionless hunter. Why didn't he attack? Why was he waiting? It didn't make sense. And if that wasn't bad enough, his muscles where starting to ache...

More movement distracted him. He looked down to see the ferns rustling, black and orange striped flicking in-between each frond. The tiger moved forward, its mighty fanged muzzle protruding from the ferns, leathery pink nose twitching. Behind the ferns, the young troll could see its muscles stiffen, and he could hear the faint growl building in its chest. Evidently, it had caught their scent. Strong muscles flexing, it lunged out, turning its head to gaze directly at him as its claws reached through the air. He froze, stunned, too surprised and terrified to move. In the same moment, Gar'zal's wrist lashed forth. The axe was suddenly imbedded in the tigers neck. It let out a half-yowl and fell from the air, dead in seconds. The young troll sat trembling in the tree, eyes wide an gazing at the axe. Gar'zal was grinning as he jumped down from the tree and looked up at him.
"Ah, yu be gettin' yu's first scare, Vallrok. Dat bein' what et be feelin' like when Deat' be starin' yu in da eyes."
Vallrok broke his gaze away from the axe to look at Gar'zal, and nodded. Death. He hadn't thought of it as a possibility before - something that happened to everyone else, but not to him.
"C'mon' down 'ere, mon. Yu's not goin' ta be leavin' dis tigah wit'out a prayer, are yu?"
Still stiff with lingering fear, the young troll slipped down from the branch and landed beside the tiger, kneeling by Gar'zal with one hand on the tiger's lifeless chest. The senior troll did the same, his hand resting on the tiger's head.
"Ta Shirvallah. May da Loa take yu." Gar'zal intoned, and stood. Vallrok followed, gazing down at the tiger. He had been on such hunts before, of course. The tiger was just one of many. Still, none had threatened him with death like this. None had made his blood run cold and boil like fire simultaneously.

His blood still simmered as he made his way back to camp, the haunches of the massive beast in his arms as Gar'zal supported the rest of it. Death was a possibility now. He would have to be more careful.

Tumblr ~ Flight Rising
Avatar by Kamalia, signature by me!

Image

Post Reply