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The New World is fraught with danger and filled with monsters both thinking and feral. It is a land where humans struggle to survive and coexist with forces far greater than themselves. Hence why the massive monsters that call this place home have taken it upon themselves to guard and guide them. To teach and train them and see to it these frail and imperfect beings have all that they need to survive if not one day thrive in these inhospitable lands.
That and to bully and bother and love on them.
Shock and awe I wrote a sequel to Monster Hugger! Filled with cuddles and combat and all sorts of derring do and danger I was compelled to revisit this world and flesh it out further.
Hopefully you enjoy!
Thumbnail comes courtesy of kernelDecoy!
FIRST, PREVIOUS, NEXT
“What is that posture?!” Brook incredulously asked.
“Can't this wait until after my third and final cart?” Jet snipped back. He winced as the huntress dressed his scrapes and bruises.
“And those swings! You're not even trying to follow through!”
“W-well, I mean! I don't want to hurt her!” Jet whined while he gestured to Nell.
The Nargacuga clasped her clawed hands around her beak as she stifled a hearty laugh. “Jet. I love you, more than you could ever know, but...”
“You couldn't even if you wanted to,” Brook followed up for her. Perched atop a moss and mushroom covered log, Jet sitting right beside her, the exasperated veteran unloaded on her closest confidant with biting albeit well-meaning observations. Clad in her own armor, Charge Blade slung over her back, Brook wasn't content to just act the part of a grizzled veteran. She would damn well look it too if only to show him how a Master Rank huntress carried herself.
Nell and Taras both, bumping shoulders, snorted while their significant others bickered. The towering Trainers casually sauntered about the forest clearing that had become the Nargacuga's stomping grounds while they eagerly eavesdropped. “Thanksss again for having usss!” the Tobi-Kadachi hissed as they stepped over felled and sundered trees. “I know thisss wassssshort notissse and all.”
“I'm not complaining,” the beaked bat cat laughed. “It's nice to have a second opinion, you know?” Nell rumbled as she gently punched at the scaled squirrel. Her smile strained when she lowered her voice. “Be honest. What do you think? Am I too easy on him? Too hard?”
“Psssh. You are fine!” Taras happily punched back. “There'sss nothing wrong with your training regiment. Jet jussst...” the Tobi-Kadachi scratched at his cheek while he took to whispering. “It'sss clear that you are more important to him now than hisss Massster Rank ever will be. Hisss drive hasss faltered. He isss ssstruggling to come to termsss with that isss all.”
Nell's spiked tail dragged along the forest floor behind her while flustered growls and chirps echoed within her throat. The crimson bands of fur that wrapped around her eyes positively glowed as blood rushed to the Nargacuga's face. “J-just between you and me? These daily tests and trials of ours? More and more they feel like trysts,” she mumbled.
Taras' forked tongue quietly hung from between his lips as static crackled along his back. “Isss that really ssso bad? You ssshould hear how fondly he ssspeaksss of you!”
“Oh I have,” the Nargacuga replied with a nervous but giddy laugh. “It just seems like such an abdication though. Of my reponsibilities to him as his Trainer.” Nell shrunk in on herself as she and Taras slowly circled back to Jet and Brook. “I should be seeing him through to his Master Rank and not... not this. Not focusing on how every day is better for having him in it. Not on how happy I am to just be with him.” Sighing, Nell bit her tongue.
The Tobi-Kadachi nodded in bashful understanding. There was no easy answer, fumble as he might, Taras could offer them. More than anything, shameful as it was to admit, he couldn't help but idly wonder. “If you don't mind my asssking... jussst how far along are you two? H-h-e hasssn't offered to ssshow you hisss nessst yet hasss he?”
“Come now, Taras!” Nell chirped as she shyly fanned herself. “It's a little soon for that don't you think? I mean. I-I-I wouldn't say no if he did...” Scaled hands cupped against her cheeks, the Nargacuga's heart raced at the thought. “What about you? Has Brook... has she shown you hers?”
Taras turned beet red at the mention. Pops sounded out as electricity crackled upon him with such intensity that smoke visibly trailed off his steaming form.
“She has, hasn't she?!” Nell excitedly whispered. “To think, a human trusting you enough to show you their nest! No armor, no weapons, just you and them at their most vulnerable...”
“Ssstop!” Covering his eyes, the Tobi-Kadachi shyly hissed while Nell rumbled longingly at the prospect of Jet extending that selfsame invitation to her.
Having succeeded in thoroughly flustering themselves, the monstrous duo took their sweet time regrouping with their respective lovers. “So! R-r-ready to get back at it?” Nell declared as she had mostly succeeding in reclaiming her composure.
“Ready as I'll ever be,” Jet sighed while Brook shook at his shoulders and forced him to stand upright and at attention. Grumbling, he wordlessly complied when she wrapped her arms around him from behind and puppeteered him into a proper fighting stance.
“Hmm...” Hands held out before her, motioning for Jet to lock his limbs in place, Brook gave him one last look see. Eh. Feh. She slapped at the back of his helmet in subdued satisfaction. “It'll have to do.”
“Go Jet!” Taras cheered as he shuffled back onto the sidelines along with Brook.
Steadying his breathing, Jet tightened his grip on the handle of his Hammer. His fingers sank deep into the grooves that countless bouts and years of training had worn into the very metal.
Clapping her hands together, Nell wordlessly rolled her shoulders before dropping down to a crouch. Letting her hands come to rest upon the parched land she slowly slid herself forward while her clawed toes churned through the earth. Shifting about on all fours a low and guttural growl rose within her throat. “Ready?”
The Hunter nodded.
Nodding back, Nell parted her maw as wide as she was able so as to let the roar welling up inside her chest slip free. The Nargacuga inhaled and...
Ŗ̶̦͍̫̩̻̪̘̓̔̾̈̓̃̈́̋͋̂̚͘͝͝O̷̰̜̖̞̓͐̇͑̾̌̕Ẫ̶̙̆A̶̫̺̠̤̻̖̹̻̖͙̠͑́̏̽Ạ̴̈́̔͌̓̉̋͘̚͠͝R̶͉̰̩͕̘̪̤̋͋͝R̴̞͕͎̬̰͙̮̄̀̈́̔͝R̴͎̝͌R̷̡̨͈̱͚̭͙̖͕͎̈͂̂̌͑͠R̸̛̭̳̄̈́͑̌R̷̯͔͎̭̟̞͊͒͛̕R̵̡̼̻͉̓̍̈̓͗̾͘͠R̸̦̱̜̫̣͙̗̖̭̂̿͐̄́̂̑̅̊̋̎̍R̷̟͈̝͇͖͙̤̓͊̈́̓͂͊ͅR̵̡̝̩̞͙͕̦͉̐̀̂́͑͝͝R̶̢̮͈̱̱͇͍̞͎̐̐R̸̛̠̩̫͌͂̂͑́͊͗̑̕͘͠R̵̨̮͚̪̂̇͜R̵̯̥͙̟̍R̸̡̢̡͕̫̻̺̬̦̫͍͇̈̌̎̍̓́̉͘R̷̩̳̣̞̪̟̖̠̺͎͙̫͉̋̄́̆͑̇͑͋͐̓͊͝ͅR̸̭͎̞̹̰̙͚̽̈́͆̅̏̍͆͘͝͠R̸̛̭͍̖̱̿̒̑͂̂̀̍͐̿̒̐͝Ŗ̶͓͓͕̥̻͉͔͙̱̍͌̍̿̅̕͝͝ͅŖ̶̨̘͎̹͍̗̳̘̘̘̟̞͐͑͐͌̉̑̉̓̉ͅR̸̛͇̮̰̹̓̒̀̂̐̓̓͘R̸̡̨͇͇̘̻̼̘̲̤̤͚̪͊̈́͂͜R̵͓̺͉͍̖͖̦̎̊̃̓̔͌͗̾̇̕͜ͅͅR̸̢͎̥͚͓̲̻͕̟͔̞̜̋̈́̌̆̊́̽̃̍̒̃R̸͕̺͖̯̻̞̗̥̪̺̭̺̜̋̃̋́̓́͌͂̆͗Ṛ̴̨̧̱͉̜̩̻̪̲̭̪̈̏͆́̎͋̿̽́̎̌̒̂̓́
Pure malice, mindless and unquenchable, washed over the Ancient Forest in waves of sound and fury.
Nell's fur stood on end as she froze in place. The weight of the ill-intent carried on that bestial howl made the monster stop dead in her tracks.
Jet's ears rang, deafeningly so, while his body stopped responding to conscious thought. His limbs, dull and slow, struggled to cut through the heavy air.
“JET. JET, LOOK ALIVE!” Brook screamed at him. She had heard that tell tale call to violence far too many a time now to be phased by it.
Whatever stupor and morass had befallen him dissipated instantly. Heart pounding and adrenaline coursing through his veins, Jet hung on the huntress' every word for guidance.
“Wasss... w-w-wasss that what I think it wasss?” Trembling, Taras was terrified not only by the fact that had he pondered the idea but that he had tiptoed right up to speaking it aloud.
“TARAS. GROUP UP, NOW,” Brook barked.
The Tobi-Kodachi obediently obliged as his body hummed and crackled with electricity. Skittering off of the sidelines, tossing fearful glances over his shoulders with every step, he protectively took to circling round Jet and Brook. Even if he couldn't put on a brave face h-h-he would still guide and guard his friends!
“Here? Now?” Mind racing, Nell's thoughts crashed into one another as instinct and self-preservation crowded out her capacity to string together concepts much less words. Eyes gone wide, she possessively prowled about the clearing as her home, and everyone she shared it with, were placed in eminent danger. Together with Taras she would throw her body between her beloved and whatever may come.
Brook hurriedly lobbed a number of potions and powders at Jet... not that she expected them to make a difference. “If you're looking for a pep talk, well, I'm sorry to disappoint,” the huntress forlornly quipped. Blade drawn, and the axe head of her Charge Blade held up before her like a shield, she took command of the situation. “Stick together and aim to kill. Know that our feral guest certainly is...”
THOOOOOOM
Footfalls, frantic and plodding, violently rattled the thickets of flora that surrounded the clearing.
THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
The stomach churning crack of trees, one after another after another effortlessly being snapped and rent apart with ease, rose to a cacophonous crescendo.
RRRRRRRROOOAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR
An unfamiliar bellow, its palpable rage honed and guided in stark contrast with its predecessor, preceded a bone rattling explosion. Clouds of pulp, splinters, and upturned earth surged out towards the quartet and pelted them with shrapnel.
THOOM THOOOM THOOOOM THOOM THOOOM
A pair of silhouettes, their forms and features barely visible through the still settling dust, came crashing towards them and whatever warning Brook shouted out went unheard. Among the chaos she simply dragged Jet out of the way along with her as Taras and Nell dove aside and scrambled to safety.
Ŗ̶̦͍̫̩̻̪̘̓̔̾̈̓̃̈́̋͋̂̚͘͝͝O̷̰̜̖̞̓͐̇͑̾̌̕Ẫ̶̙̆A̶̫̺̠̤̻̖̹̻̖͙̠͑́̏̽Ạ̴̈́̔͌̓̉̋͘̚͠͝R̶͉̰̩͕̘̪̤̋͋͝R̴̞͕͎̬̰͙̮̄̀̈́̔͝R̴͎̝͌-
THWACK
FWACK
FOOM
A meaty series of crunches followed by a blast of heat cut the horrid howl short. Panting, blood and scales dripping from her teeth and knuckles, Alma stood tall among the clouds of dispersing dust. Tossing a look over her cloaked shoulder, the Anjanath snarled at her unwanted onlookers. “Flee this place! Now!”
Staggering to his feet, Taras worriedly called out to the Slayer. “Alma!”
KATHOOOOM
The hulking reptile doubled over when her unseen foe slammed into her torso. Even with her heels embedded into the very earth Alma was sent skidding back as crags of dirt and upturned stone accumulated around her ankles. Teeth clenched, embers dripping from her lips, the Anjanath simply willed her way through the injury and responded with a plume of hellfire that erupted up and out from her throat.
In an instant the cloudy air turned ashen and burned away. The face of the unthinking abomination that threatened their continued existence was revealed. A Tigrex, its bloodshot eyes devoid of pupils or any cognizant signs of life, twitched unnaturally as smoke trailed off its blackened scales. Packed dense with muscle, almost too much for its frame to handle, it lashed out at Alma with no regard for the grievous injuries it had already incurred.
“You heard her!” Brook shouted. She shoved Jet forward in fits and spurts, just enough for him to get his bearings and ultimately propel himself unaided, before turning her attention to Taras. Tugging at the tufts lining his tail Brook's pleas swiftly turned to out and out threats.
Snaggleteeth sinking deep into his lips, the Tobi-Kadachi shamefully turned away from Alma. He... he... he would trust in her. Any help he could think to offer would, in truth, only hinder the Slayer. Humiliating as it was to admit.
Nell, her eyes aglow, solemnly stomped besides the humans as they beat a hasty retreat. “Keep them safe. Keep them safe. Keep him safe,” the Nargacuga thought to herself ad nauseam. She furiously latched onto that single minded goal for it was all she could do to keep her nerves, bundled and fraying, from boiling over.
“Brook. Jet.” The words that tumbled out from Nell's beak, interlaced with heavy growls, were rough and brusque on the ear. “You will return to Astera,” she rumbled. “We will see you to safety. Afterwards, Taras and-”
Ŗ̶̦͍̫̩̻̪̘̓̔̾̈̓̃̈́̋͋̂̚͘͝͝O̷̰̜̖̞̓͐̇͑̾̌̕Ẫ̶̙̆A̶̫̺̠̤̻̖̹̻̖͙̠͑́̏̽Ạ̴̈́̔͌̓̉̋͘̚͠͝R̶͉̰̩͕̘̪̤̋͋͝R̴̞͕͎̬̰͙̮̄̀̈́̔͝R̴͎̝͌R̷̡̨͈̱͚̭͙̖͕͎̈͂̂̌͑͠R̸̛̭̳̄̈́͑̌R̷̯͔͎̭̟̞͊͒͛̕R̵̡̼̻͉̓̍̈̓͗̾͘͠
The Tigrex, still smoldering, went utterly rabid at the faintest hints of movement. At the attempted escape.
Eyes gone wide, Alma wrapped her hulking arms around the Flying Wyvern's neck as it furiously tried to drag itself forward. Its horns and ragged scales scraped away at the Anjanath's biceps as she tried to crush its throat. Yet, even though it stood at only half the Slayer's height, its strength, fury, and desperation knew no bounds. The Tigrex's discolored stripes, stretched wide over its broad back, practically split apart at the seams when the muscles contained beneath them suddenly bulged.
Alma could feel her hold falter. “Taras!” screamed the Anjanath.
With an ear splitting roar the feral monstrosity broke free from the Anjanath's death grip. The sheer force with which the creature propelled itself forward along the earth tore the wings that lined the Tigrex's forearms to shreds. Nigh instantaneously it closed the gap between itself and the fleeing party.
Taras, having tossed a look back at Alma's cry, did what little he could with the heads up afforded to him. One moment Brook was perpendicular to the ground. The very next she found herself parallel to it. As did Jet. Scooped up and chucked aside in a single motion, the sensation of the Tobi-Kadachi's heavy palm pressing against their backs failing to even register, the Hunters soon found themselves sailing into Nell's grasp.
“What are you-” Brook managed to blurt out before the Nargacuga's scaled fingers clamped around her like a vice. She blinked. Taras, forcing a nervous smile, stood before her. Again Brook blinked. A bloody mist comprised of light blue scales and fur occupied the space where her boyfriend had been.
Taras' balled up form, fraying with sparks and a morbid smelling smoke, was flung into the surrounding thicket with a horrible crash. Tree after tree after tree split and crunched apart as he tumbled through them.
The Tigrex, now running alongside them, turned its murderous gaze towards Nell.
Ŗ̶̦͍̫̩̻̪̘̓̔̾̈̓̃̈́̋͋̂̚͘͝͝O̷̰̜̖̞̓͐̇͑̾̌̕Ẫ̶̙̆A̶̫̺̠̤̻̖̹̻̖͙̠͑́̏̽Ạ̴̈́̔͌̓̉̋͘̚͠͝
WHAM
Whirling about on her heels, spikes jutting from her tail, the Nargacuga slammed her morning star of a limb against the side of the fell beast's head. A sickening and muffled pop sounded out from its neck while its lower jaw was all but smashed clean off its skull. Jagged maw hanging limply from its battered skull the Tigrex still matched Nell step for step.
“The both of you close your eyes!” Brook yelled. Arm held out before her, and steadied upon the massive Nargacuga fingers wrapped around her, the huntress slotted a bright glowing insect into the Slinger anchored onto her gauntlets. Bowstring drawn back, the huntress squeezed at the metal grip wrapped around her palm and sent its payload flying square into the abomination's eyes.
VBEWWWW
Ŗ̶̦͍̫̩̻̪̘̓̔̾̈̓̃̈́̋͋̂̚͘͝͝O̷̰̜̖̞̓͐̇͑̾̌̕Ẫ̶̙̆A̶̫̺̠̤̻̖̹̻̖͙̠͑́̏̽Ạ̴̈́̔͌̓̉̋͘̚͠͝R̶͉̰̩͕̘̪̤̋͋͝R̴̞͕͎̬̰͙̮̄̀̈́̔͝R̴͎̝͌R̷̡̨͈̱͚̭͙̖͕͎̈͂̂̌͑͠R̸̛̭̳̄̈́͑̌
Shaking its head, the Tigrex wailed when the agitated Flashbug released a brilliant and blinding burst of phosphorescent light. Howling and raging its attacks grew ever more frantic as its claws and broken jaw felt nothing but air catch against them.
“We can't outrun this,” Brook said with a heavy swallow. Its sight would return soon enough as would the chase. “We're putting this thing down here and now.”
Cursing to herself, Alma gave chase with everything she had.
Jet said nothing when his armor started to buckle. To protest Nell's fingers curling ever tighter, ever more possessively, around him would be an unnecessary distraction. Not when split second decisions still decided whether they would survive one moment to the next. Not when they lacked time enough to even fret over the fate of their friend.
With great reluctance Nell released both of the Hunters. She could serve as their sword or their shield but not both. “What would you have us do?” the Nargacuga bitterly rumbled.
The heavily armored huntress interlocked her short sword into her Charge Blade's axe head and sighed when it locked into place with a pronounced click. “To start...” Brook gestured to the Nargacuga. “Brain the damn thing again. Stun it if you can.”
Nell slammed her tail down behind her in unspoken acknowledgment.
“Jet.” Brook rest a hand upon his shoulder and gently shook him. “I'm counting on you to knock this thing down. Remember when I gave you grief earlier about following through?”
“...Yeah.” Trembling, Jet tightened his grip on his hammer so much so that the paint lining the handle cracked beneath his fingers.
“Stay away from its front. Hit one of its back legs, I don't care which, as hard as you can. So long as you can sweep one of them out from underneath it I can handle the rest.”
Ŗ̶̦͍̫̩̻̪̘̓̔̾̈̓̃̈́̋͋̂̚͘͝͝O̷̰̜̖̞̓͐̇͑̾̌̕Ẫ̶̙̆A̶̫̺̠̤̻̖̹̻̖͙̠͑́̏̽Ạ̴̈́̔͌̓̉̋͘̚͠͝R̶͉̰̩͕̘̪̤̋͋͝R̴̞͕͎̬̰͙̮̄̀̈́̔͝R̴͎̝͌R̷̡̨͈̱͚̭͙̖͕͎̈͂̂̌͑͠R̸̛̭̳̄̈́͑̌R̷̯͔͎̭̟̞͊͒͛̕R̵̡̼̻͉̓̍̈̓͗̾͘͠
“Do or die,” Brook grimly stated as her Charge Blade hummed. The trio dispersed.
The Tigrex furiously swung its head side to side in an effort to dispel the blots and dots that still plagued its vision.
THOOM THOOM THOOM
A guttural reverb echoed within the beast's bloodied throat as it turned to face the monster hurtling herself towards it. It didn't need its sight for this. Roaring, the Tigrex catapulted itself into Nell's indistinct form to trade blows.
WHAMMMM
A trail of blood streaked the air as the Tigrex carved heaving gashes into the Nargacuga's whirling tail. Howling, Nell fought through the pain and brought her weapon of choice to bear against its skull. She could feel it crumple beneath her.
Circling around the Tigrex, affording its forearms and tattered wings a significant berth, Jet raced towards its hind legs. Head dipped low, he watched as its arms and legs buckled beneath Nell's hammer blow. Looking upon the abomination a fire flared to life within Jet's breast. All this time... this was what Nell fought so hard to keep him here for. And she had been right. He wasn't ready.
Jet's arms burned as his muscles tensed with every footfall. So this was what he had to look forward to. This was what he would subject himself, and Nell, to should he dare to set out as a Master Rank Hunter. Hammer held at his side, the Hunter could feel the overwhelming surge of adrenaline break his body down from the inside out. If he lacked the strength to take care of and fend for himself... how could he in good conscience ask Nell to accompany him on his travels? To endanger herself whenever he inevitably failed to carry his weight?
The Tigrex's limbs spasmed as they slowly straightened themselves out.
He wasn't prepared to face something like this. Not as he was now. Whirling about in place, centripetal force accumulating to the point that Jet felt as if his arms were about to rip themselves out of their sockets, the Hunter brought the head of his Hammer to bear against the Tigrex's back leg.
But one day he would be.
THWAMMMMMMM
A thunderous clap boomed through the Ancient Forest. The feral Wyvern's leg, with a wet crunch, found itself bent in ways it was never meant to be. Roaring defiantly the Tigrex collapsed to the grassy earth as, for the first time, its body was physically unable to meet the demands of its unbridled instincts.
Before the Tigrex could rise once more countless clicks, wheezes, and whirrs sounded out from Brook's Charge Blade. Swinging the great double bladed axe overhead, its razor sharp curves crackling with energy, the huntress sank her weapon deep into the bane's neck. It handily cleaved through the thick layer of burnt and melted scales before coming to a halt against a mass of muscle.
VRRRRRRRRRR
Energy boiled and bubbled out from the impact site as the Elemental Phials infused into the Charge Blade crackled and seethed. What were faint pops rapidly escalated in intensity before a controlled explosion rippled out along the whole of the Tigrex's neck.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
Yet...
Ģ̴̤̄̏̀̂̎͗̎͌̚R̷͖̠̭͖͈͖͕̣̫͒̍͛̃̌̈̓͗͋͌͘̕͘͝͝Ǫ̶̛̩̟͎͖͈̙͒̿̊́͐́̅̅̾̓͜͜A̶̛͍̠͚̝͉͔̔̊͂̅̈́͆A̴̩̥̩̹͉̭͈̖̼̲̘̦̾W̸͚̲̣̰͕͇̤̒͆̈́̍̀͂̍̓̍̐̚ͅR̶̢̼̠̣̲͎͉̣̘̺͇̦̤̱̒̍͆͌͗̍̐͆̕̕͠Ř̵͔̬̦͚̘̔̉̿͊̆͋̄̐͊̒̚͘
It refused.
“No...” Brook mouthed aloud as she backed away with halting steps.
Even as bubbles of blood frothed along its throat torn open, even as its roars turned into disgusting gurgles, even as it body lay battered and broken... the monstrosity simply refused to relent. Forcing itself up by the strength of its forearms alone its pupil less eyes came to focus intently on Brook. With an ghastly shudder it raised a mangled claw and-
KATHOOOOOOOM
Catapulting herself across the clearing Alma quite literally threw herself into her quarry. Clawed feet pressing into its shoulders the Anjanath rent and tore apart the Tigrex's torso while she rode it away from those she was entrusted to protect. As the abomination skid to a halt, having been embedded into a bloody and shallow crater, Alma leapt off of it and furiously proceeded to pummel away. Her fists came to replace the very air as her calloused knuckles crushed and caved in the Tigrex's every identifiable feature.
Jet couldn't help but gawk at the strength that someone that bore the title of Slayer could wield. Shock waves, colored by displaced droplets of blood, dirt, and pebbles, rippled out from Alma with her every blow.
Ģ̴̼̳̤̗̣͙͋̉̑̋U̴̗̙̲̞̿̍̃̒͐̃̀̒̚̚͠L̶̻̩͓̠͉̯̠͙̔̅̐̓̾̓̓́̾͑͜͝͠͝R̶̨̰͖̟̭͕̆͋̈́͆͋̐͌͐͊͜͝R̵͖̯̝̘̜͗̀͋̀̿̉̐͋̄̚G̴̢̢̗̩͎͚̲̹͉̖̭͚̩͍̗̃̎̑̎͛̓̓̂̿̈́̀̿͝Ľ̷̢̥̗̗̯͓͖̣̱̘̳̾̓̓̎͛̏̄̐̌̀͌̚͝ͅẸ̶̲̮͇̝̩̰̽̈́̒̀͜͜͝
Still it wasn't enough. Drawing in deeply of the humid air, the Anjanath filled her lungs to near bursting before unleashing an incinerating breath upon the dread beast. The abomination's silhouette, wreathed in flame, writhed and struggled even as it was consumed by the Slayer's conflagration. Even as its scales and flesh fell away it fought. Only when its body was nothing more than ashen bone caked with charred flesh did it finally concede defeat.
Shoulders sagging, Brook panted while scales and ash rained down through the smoke that rose from the felled feral. Its body, writhing and rage filled but a blink ago, finally sat silent and still.
Adrenaline fading, Jet stumbled backwards and fell onto a patch of ivy creeping along the ground. They did it. They actually did it. He followed through even! Turning his head to his side he looked to his fellow Hunter. “Brook, are you-”
Paying little mind to her Charge Blade, still embedded into the Tigrex's skeletal neck, Brook bolted off as fast as her legs would carry her. The clank of her greaves carried heavily across the clearing until she disappeared into the thicket of trees that Taras had been tossed into.
"...Oh," Jet sighed heavily. As Nell's heavy footsteps drew close the intensifying vibrations sent him bouncing and wobbling. Dropping to a crouch the Nargacuga slid a finger behind his head and propped up his neck. In tender silence the size mismatched couple took comfort in each other's company.
Alma quietly tucked her chin against her shoulder as she ruefully took in the aftermath of her failure. This was never meant to be their fight. That said... squatting before the Tigrex's smoldering corpse the Anjanath couldn't help but acknowledge how capably they had carried themselves. With great care she plucked the curious weapon free and watched as the wrinkles that lined her palm all but swallowed it up. Such marvels these humans were capable of crafting. Even for all she inadvertently put it through this, whatever it was, remained intact.
“W-wait a minute!” Jet yelped.
Alma froze in place. Eyes pressed against the sides of their sockets she guiltily held the Charge Blade close.
“Nell! You're bleeding!” Clambering up and out of the Nargacuga's tender embrace he hurriedly tended to her carved open tail with what potions and powders Brook had entrusted to him earlier.
The Nargacuga protested... until her own burst of adrenaline wore off. Distressed chirps filtered free from her clamped shut beak as the searing pain proved too much to ignore. Her composure, callous and calculating not all that long ago, crumbled away as she took to sniffling away the tears while Jet washed and dressed her wounds.
Rumbling bashfully, Alma rose to her feet and breathed easy. With nary a word she tucked away the spoils of battle and approached the couple. “Mine apologies,” the Anjanath introduced herself with a deep and reverent bow. “I... I have only hollow words to offer as consolation.”
Brows arched, Nell and Jet both regarded the Slayer with surprise when she dropped to kneel before them.
“By my weakness did I allow your injuries to come to pass. As a Slayer, as the protector of these lands, I have failed you.”
Even when prostrating herself Alma still stood eye level with Nell. The soothing gels and potions that Jet had taken to kneading into the Nargacuga's now dressed wounds had taken the edge off but a dulled anger still remained.
Alma's eyes hung low as the full weight of her responsibilities bore down upon her back. She patiently awaited the duly earned and well justified invective that she had heard many a time before.
Stepping forward, Jet rubbed at an arm. “I mean... it could have been worse, right?”
The Anjanath lifted her head and quizzically regarded the human.
“So. Um. Thank you, Miss Slayer! Err Miss Alma.” Nervous as could be, Jet stumbled over his words yet carried on regardless.
Alma found herself at a loss. He was... praising her? Why?
Fists clenched, the Hunter forced himself to broach the topic. “Will... will Taras be alright? Is there anything you can do for him?”
Wait. She recognized this human. Clearing her throat, Alma took to treading unfamiliar territory. “Forgive me, Ser... Ser Jet was it?” Her heart lifted at the nod of affirmation. “While I would be remiss to downplay the scars he now surely bears I am certain that Taras still draws breath.”
Hand clasped against his chest, Jet exhaled a long held breath in relief as he leaned back into Nell. Grunting, the Nargacuga thumbed at her little love while she opted to keep her comments to herself.
Rising to her feet, the Anjanath could not peel her eyes away from Ser Jet no matter how hard she tried. Perhaps the Tobi-Kadachi's pride in him was well placed after all. “If you would suffer my company even now I would beg your permission to see Taras shepherded to safety and succor. I owe him that and much and more.”
“I mean we're not about to say no,” the Nell plainly stated. “He'll need all the help he can get.” Grunting, the Nargacuga forced herself to a stand and sauntered forward with a wince.
Jet, forced to jog to keep up with his loomy lady's leisurely pace, dutifully followed after her. All while remaining blissfully unaware of how heavily Alma's gaze rested upon him in turn.
“You can just say you're impatient for your latest and greatest care package,” Jet snarked.
“I will sssay no sssuch thing!” Shifting in place, the Tobi-Kadachi groaned as he propped himself up against a rocky wall and made himself comfortable. His nest, a surprisingly well furnished and tastefully decorated cave hidden beneath the gnarled roots of a great tree, exuded warmth.
“Uh huh,” Jet said with a playful roll of his eyes as he set out plates of lukewarm food, smuggled straight out of the Canteen, alongside the enormous mat of stitched together skins and feathers that served as the Tobi-Kadachi's makeshift bedroll.
Hands wrapped around his snout, Taras physically struggled to restrain himself from scooping up each and every one as they were laid out.
Rubbing an oven mitteny hand along the back of his head, Jet couldn't help but laugh as he motioned for the Tobi-Kadachi to dig in. “I know it's not as good as anything Brook can whip up but...”
“Ssshusssh,” Taras snooted as he gleefully took to devouring a handful of his home cooked, and hand delivered, meals. Along with, as per usual, the ceramic plates they came on. Strained coughs wracked the Tobi-Kadachi's chest following a particularly hearty and throat straining swallow. “Ahhhhhh! Delisssshisss!” the scaled squirrel said with a smile. Rumbling contentedly, he lovingly nosed at the exhausted and slumbering huntress cupped against his chest. “Thanksss again for covering for Brook. ”
Hair tied back and clad in an apron, Jet raspberried. “Ahh it's fine. I could use the practice anyway!” Lips pulled flat, the grease stained Hunter grimaced. “It's my fault as it is for giving Nell a taste of human cuisine. She's been on me ever since and not so subtly wondering when she can expect me to treat her to it again.”
Chuckling, Taras thumbed and gently stroked at Brook's back as his broad tail, scarred and stripped free of its many scales, curled around and came to rest on his lap. Prickly tufts of fur, and the beginnings of new keratin growths, dotted it. “How isss ssshe by the way?” he asked.
“Better! Better,” Jet hehed. “She's still been on edge ever since the, you know, and has only just now been willing to let me wander off on my lonesome.”
The Nargacuga had been insistent, forceful even, that she be there to accompany him any time he dared to traverse the trails of the Ancient Forest. The familiar routine of their daily bouts of training, having been put on hold in the wake of the near disaster, had given way to something new. Every morning now, Nell waited for him just outside Astera. Be it to serve as his escort through the untamed wilds or...
Blushing, the Hunter scratched at a cheek as he fondly recalled the affection she showered him with prior to his part-time shifts at the Canteen. He pounded at his chest and forced his increasingly flustered thoughts elsewhere. “Brook uhh... I see Brook is still refusing to take anyone's advice. Much less her own.”
The dark skinned human, ragged and spent, sank deeper and deeper into sleep as Taras' chest rose and fell with his every breath. Her hands, forearms, and fingers bore countless scrapes and bruises.
“You know how ssshe getsss. Ssshe'll doubt and sssecond guess everything unlesss ssshe doesss it herssself,” Taras sighed. Cracking a weary smile, the Tobi-Kadachi gingerly planted a kiss atop Brook's head. No matter how many supply drops, no matter how many wellness checks, no matter how much Jet and Nell pleaded with and reassured her... Brook out and out refused to leave Taras' side. For nearly a week now she had spent sun up from sun down dressing his wounds, hand crafting medicine, cooking his meals, and cleaning his bedding. Or at least she had been until she worked herself to the brink of collapse.
“I figured as much,” Jet replied. Try as she might Brook couldn't very well take care of Taras if she neglected to take care of herself. Shaking his head he tossed down a knapsack, stuffed to the brim with clean bandages and clothes, alongside the plates of cooling food. “Anything special you'd like to request for tomorrow's drop off?”
Taras hummed as he cupped his palm against Brook's back. The huntress attempted to stir and rouse herself from her much needed rest and he would have none of it. “Mayhapsss sssome... what do you humans call it? Thossse thingsss you humansss use to line your nessstsss? Blanketsss? I fear Brook will be loathe to leave for sssome time yet and I want her to be asss comfortable asss can be until then.”
“I'll see what I can rummage up,” Jet promised.
“I appressshiate it,” Taras tiredly hissed as he slid back down along the cave walls. “O-oh! And Jet?” Taras piped up.
“Hum?”
“Ssshould you...” Taras interrupted himself with a yawn as he struggled to stay awake. “Ssshould you sssee Alma could you tell her thanksss? For everything?”
“Of course,” Jet warmly replied.
Having spent what little energy he had Taras weakly bid Jet off with a wave and a snaggletoothed smile. The Hunter, recognizing he was overstaying his welcome, gladly reciprocated the gesture and departed. As his foot steps faded into silence Taras cuddled Brook close and slowly peppered his little love with one heartfelt kiss after another. His breaths, deep and heavy, came to fill the chamber when he finally drifted off to sleep alongside her.
Dragging an arm along his forehead, Jet panted as he ascended the subterranean slope leading out of Taras' nest. Roots, piercing through the stone and soil layered above, coiled and lined themselves along the walls. They, and the clumps of moss interspersed among them, greedily drank of the humid air.
THOOOM
Pebbles and streams of dirt tumbled down from the curved ceiling.
THOOM
Brow cocked, Jet cautiously stepped out from the winding cave and into the fading light of the setting sun.
THOOOOOM
Clapping her hands together, Alma grunted after neatly stacking a veritable mountain of gathered herbs and honey combs alongside the entrance to Taras' abode. “Hmm?” Her gaze narrowed and her expression turned dour at the sight of something scurrying out from the Tobi-Kadachi's abode.
Jet, frozen in place, immediately wilted under her glare. “H-h-h-h-hello, Miss Alma,” he stammered with a wave of his oven mitteny hand.
“...Oh! Forgive me, Ser Jet.” Stepping aside, the Anjanath bowed her head. “I did not recognize you without your armor. Mine apologies, I nearly mistook you for a trespasser!”
“A-a-all good,” the Hunter nervously mumbled as he beheld the Slayer. Her form, shrouded in shadow, swallowed up the sun and scraped at the very sky itself. “What uh... what brings you here?”
The Anjanath gestured to the sweetly scented piles of flora and wax that towered over him. “I happen to be... familiar enough with your kind's remedies and ministrations. It is not much, I confess, but I would relieve Ser Brook of what burdens I can. While I lack the knowledge to synthesize the medicines she uses to treat him I am more than capable of procuring the required reagents.”
Blinking, Jet struggled to parse just how many potions the alchemists of Astera could create with such a haul. The settlement very well could be without want for the whole of a generation. “R-right. By the way umm... uhh... T-taras sends his regards! He wanted to thank you for, well, t-this I'm guessing.” Cheeks burning bright, the human groaned at how horribly he had fumbled that.
Alma growled happily at the thought. “Full glad am I then. He is kind to say as such as are you to relay it.”
Thoroughly tongue tied, Jet blankly nodded. Her presence, the very air about her, intimidated and awed him in equal measure. “I'll uhh... ermm... y-yeah. I-i-t was nice seeing you again, Miss Alma!” Grasping desperately for something, anything, to say the Hunter opted to instead beat an awkward retreat lest he embarrass himself any further.
WHUMPF
That was the plan anyway. Heart caught in his throat, Jet's neurons repeatedly misfired when Alma's impossible tail slapped down before him and halted his escape.
“A moment if you would, Ser Jet.” A chill wind, heralding the arrival of a storm, whipped across the Ancient Forest when she spoke.
With great hesitation, Jet tilted his neck back to gaze up at the Anjanath. Clouds, thick and purple and heavy, gathered overhead.
“Pardon my brashness but I... have a request I would make of you,” said Alma as she scratched at the back of her neck. “You are, of course, under no obligation to grant it.”
Silence, punctuated by the pitter patter of the coming rain, hung over the Ancient Forest as Jet found himself too cowed to answer either way.
“S-sincerely, I mean as such!” Alma hurriedly clarified as she dropped to her knees to better address the ankle high Hunter. Tremors rippled out from her when she did so. “While I recognize that my countenance can come across as imposing please do not mistake my inquiry as an imposition!”
Jet's frayed nerves, having been rattled and shook straight, permitted him time enough to consider her offer. Surely there was no harm in simply hearing her out was there? Clearing his throat the frazzled Hunter finally found courage, that or foolishness, enough to answer. “W-what did you have in mind?” he asked.
The Slayer sighed in relief as the skies above opened up with a peal of thunder. Rising to her feet, Alma held her cloaked arm out to her side and stepped forward to shield Jet from the sudden downpour. “Come. Walk with me.”
“So that's where this went,” Jet mused aloud as he slung Brook's Charge Blade over his back.
“That I ask for your forgiveness as opposed to your permission is inexcusable all the same,” Alma shamefully muttered. Shuffling forward step by step she struggled to slow her gait enough to accommodate the human at her side.
“I mean...” Jet stopped himself before he could finish that thought. Brook could speak to the matter herself when the time was right. “Why though? Why take it?”
Nostrils flared, Alma exhaled and inhaled heavily. “Know that I seek only to explain, not excuse, myself.” Smoke trailed from her lips as the Anjanath warmed herself with deeply held breaths that stoked the fires in her chest.
In silence they tread down the muddied and rain slicked paths. Hugging close to Alma, her form crackling with heat, Jet quietly pondered. “...You saved our lives. I don't think it's too much of an ask to hear you out,” he playfully shrugged.
Alma's expression softened at the reassurance. “You're too kind, Ser Jet. ” With great care she daintily set one gargantuan foot down before the other as they slowly circled the forest. Though it taxed her she was mindful to splay and arch her toes such that her footfalls were muffled enough so as not to knock the human aside. “Yet I cannot accept that for Taras still came to harm. Those creatures have grown bold and for all my vigilance some still manage to slip past.” The Slayer's shoulders sagged as her heart grew heavy. “I fear that soon, too soon, my every failure will be measured in lives lost.”
Jet pulled his lips taut. Once his training resumed in earnest... he would throw himself into it. He would be earn that Master Rank. Never again would his weakness and shortcomings endanger Nell or Taras or anybody else for that matter!
“Which brings me to my request... and I suppose the appropriate place to start is thus. You, and your kind, fascinate me Ser Jet.”
Head cocked to his side, Jet acked when he briefly stepped outside of the shelter provided by Alma's canopy of a cloak.
The Anjanath rolled her shoulders. “I mean no ill will, Ser Jet, but humans are...”
“Weak?”
A cloud of embers erupted from Alma's maw as she stifled a spit take. Eyes darting nervously side to side she hurriedly tried to regain her composure. “I. Well. S-surely there are more tactful ways to...”
Jet simply shrugged. “What? We know are.”
Tail dragging behind her, the Slayer shyly came around to stating the obvious. “Forgive me, Ser Jet, I am not practiced at speaking so... freely,” she rumbled in embarrassment.
The Hunter hehed. “It doesn't do us any good to pretend that we're not. Honestly we're, well, nothing without our armor and weapons.”
Alma's eyes sparked alive at the mention. “Nonsense, Ser Jet! That you and yours have found a means by which to triumph over trials that would have felled you otherwise, through sheer force of will and wile, is admirable! That you walk here now alongside me, bereft of those same tools, speaks to your bravery. To your trust.” A smile, rich and sincere, spread wide across the Anjanath's mug as she spoke. “For which I am most grateful.”
Jet sheepishly wrung his hands at the high praise.
“And... which I was hoping to discuss with you at length,” Alma confessed. “I absconded with Ser Brook's weapon because I wished to understand you. How you fight. How you can... can... mmph.” The Anjanath balled a fist and turned her gaze to the sky as lighting noiselessly roiled through the clouds above. “To put it plainly... I wish to know how you are able to punch so far above your weight. To reach so far beyond your limitations.”
Looking over his shoulder, Jet hummed at the interlocked sword and axe head that chafed against his apron. The skill ceiling for the Charge Blade, and the destruction it could unleash, was nigh stratospheric. Only the most physically, and mentally, adept Hunters were capable of drawing out its true potential.
Alma bit at her tongue. “Yet the answer eludes me. For all my efforts, shameful and otherwise, I have nothing to show for it. Thus, Ser Jet, I find myself turning to you.”
The humbled Hunter screeched to a halt.
Alma continued to lumber forward. “I cannot, I will not, allow my pride as a Slayer to steer me away from seeking your aid. If it means a brighter future for us all, one of a land free from the threat of those abominations, no cost is too high for my ego to bear. Even should I fail to find the answer I seek I must needs find the courage to ask. To try.” Chin tucked against her shoulder, the Anjanath looked back to Jet.
THOOM
Kneeling before him, Alma dipped her head low. “If nothing else, I must know if aught is to be gained from learning to wield weapons such as yours. To weave your knowledge of martial combat with mine own so that I might become something more.” The Slayer lifted her head and locked eyes with the diminutive human before her. “Ser Jet... my request is as such. Would you be willing to teach me your ways?”
Arms hanging limply at his sides, Jet's mind reeled at what was being asked of him. “You want me to train you?”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
FIRST, PREVIOUS, NEXT
That and to bully and bother and love on them.
Shock and awe I wrote a sequel to Monster Hugger! Filled with cuddles and combat and all sorts of derring do and danger I was compelled to revisit this world and flesh it out further.
Hopefully you enjoy!
Thumbnail comes courtesy of kernelDecoy!
FIRST, PREVIOUS, NEXT
“What is that posture?!” Brook incredulously asked.
“Can't this wait until after my third and final cart?” Jet snipped back. He winced as the huntress dressed his scrapes and bruises.
“And those swings! You're not even trying to follow through!”
“W-well, I mean! I don't want to hurt her!” Jet whined while he gestured to Nell.
The Nargacuga clasped her clawed hands around her beak as she stifled a hearty laugh. “Jet. I love you, more than you could ever know, but...”
“You couldn't even if you wanted to,” Brook followed up for her. Perched atop a moss and mushroom covered log, Jet sitting right beside her, the exasperated veteran unloaded on her closest confidant with biting albeit well-meaning observations. Clad in her own armor, Charge Blade slung over her back, Brook wasn't content to just act the part of a grizzled veteran. She would damn well look it too if only to show him how a Master Rank huntress carried herself.
Nell and Taras both, bumping shoulders, snorted while their significant others bickered. The towering Trainers casually sauntered about the forest clearing that had become the Nargacuga's stomping grounds while they eagerly eavesdropped. “Thanksss again for having usss!” the Tobi-Kadachi hissed as they stepped over felled and sundered trees. “I know thisss wassssshort notissse and all.”
“I'm not complaining,” the beaked bat cat laughed. “It's nice to have a second opinion, you know?” Nell rumbled as she gently punched at the scaled squirrel. Her smile strained when she lowered her voice. “Be honest. What do you think? Am I too easy on him? Too hard?”
“Psssh. You are fine!” Taras happily punched back. “There'sss nothing wrong with your training regiment. Jet jussst...” the Tobi-Kadachi scratched at his cheek while he took to whispering. “It'sss clear that you are more important to him now than hisss Massster Rank ever will be. Hisss drive hasss faltered. He isss ssstruggling to come to termsss with that isss all.”
Nell's spiked tail dragged along the forest floor behind her while flustered growls and chirps echoed within her throat. The crimson bands of fur that wrapped around her eyes positively glowed as blood rushed to the Nargacuga's face. “J-just between you and me? These daily tests and trials of ours? More and more they feel like trysts,” she mumbled.
Taras' forked tongue quietly hung from between his lips as static crackled along his back. “Isss that really ssso bad? You ssshould hear how fondly he ssspeaksss of you!”
“Oh I have,” the Nargacuga replied with a nervous but giddy laugh. “It just seems like such an abdication though. Of my reponsibilities to him as his Trainer.” Nell shrunk in on herself as she and Taras slowly circled back to Jet and Brook. “I should be seeing him through to his Master Rank and not... not this. Not focusing on how every day is better for having him in it. Not on how happy I am to just be with him.” Sighing, Nell bit her tongue.
The Tobi-Kadachi nodded in bashful understanding. There was no easy answer, fumble as he might, Taras could offer them. More than anything, shameful as it was to admit, he couldn't help but idly wonder. “If you don't mind my asssking... jussst how far along are you two? H-h-e hasssn't offered to ssshow you hisss nessst yet hasss he?”
“Come now, Taras!” Nell chirped as she shyly fanned herself. “It's a little soon for that don't you think? I mean. I-I-I wouldn't say no if he did...” Scaled hands cupped against her cheeks, the Nargacuga's heart raced at the thought. “What about you? Has Brook... has she shown you hers?”
Taras turned beet red at the mention. Pops sounded out as electricity crackled upon him with such intensity that smoke visibly trailed off his steaming form.
“She has, hasn't she?!” Nell excitedly whispered. “To think, a human trusting you enough to show you their nest! No armor, no weapons, just you and them at their most vulnerable...”
“Ssstop!” Covering his eyes, the Tobi-Kadachi shyly hissed while Nell rumbled longingly at the prospect of Jet extending that selfsame invitation to her.
Having succeeded in thoroughly flustering themselves, the monstrous duo took their sweet time regrouping with their respective lovers. “So! R-r-ready to get back at it?” Nell declared as she had mostly succeeding in reclaiming her composure.
“Ready as I'll ever be,” Jet sighed while Brook shook at his shoulders and forced him to stand upright and at attention. Grumbling, he wordlessly complied when she wrapped her arms around him from behind and puppeteered him into a proper fighting stance.
“Hmm...” Hands held out before her, motioning for Jet to lock his limbs in place, Brook gave him one last look see. Eh. Feh. She slapped at the back of his helmet in subdued satisfaction. “It'll have to do.”
“Go Jet!” Taras cheered as he shuffled back onto the sidelines along with Brook.
Steadying his breathing, Jet tightened his grip on the handle of his Hammer. His fingers sank deep into the grooves that countless bouts and years of training had worn into the very metal.
Clapping her hands together, Nell wordlessly rolled her shoulders before dropping down to a crouch. Letting her hands come to rest upon the parched land she slowly slid herself forward while her clawed toes churned through the earth. Shifting about on all fours a low and guttural growl rose within her throat. “Ready?”
The Hunter nodded.
Nodding back, Nell parted her maw as wide as she was able so as to let the roar welling up inside her chest slip free. The Nargacuga inhaled and...
Ŗ̶̦͍̫̩̻̪̘̓̔̾̈̓̃̈́̋͋̂̚͘͝͝O̷̰̜̖̞̓͐̇͑̾̌̕Ẫ̶̙̆A̶̫̺̠̤̻̖̹̻̖͙̠͑́̏̽Ạ̴̈́̔͌̓̉̋͘̚͠͝R̶͉̰̩͕̘̪̤̋͋͝R̴̞͕͎̬̰͙̮̄̀̈́̔͝R̴͎̝͌R̷̡̨͈̱͚̭͙̖͕͎̈͂̂̌͑͠R̸̛̭̳̄̈́͑̌R̷̯͔͎̭̟̞͊͒͛̕R̵̡̼̻͉̓̍̈̓͗̾͘͠R̸̦̱̜̫̣͙̗̖̭̂̿͐̄́̂̑̅̊̋̎̍R̷̟͈̝͇͖͙̤̓͊̈́̓͂͊ͅR̵̡̝̩̞͙͕̦͉̐̀̂́͑͝͝R̶̢̮͈̱̱͇͍̞͎̐̐R̸̛̠̩̫͌͂̂͑́͊͗̑̕͘͠R̵̨̮͚̪̂̇͜R̵̯̥͙̟̍R̸̡̢̡͕̫̻̺̬̦̫͍͇̈̌̎̍̓́̉͘R̷̩̳̣̞̪̟̖̠̺͎͙̫͉̋̄́̆͑̇͑͋͐̓͊͝ͅR̸̭͎̞̹̰̙͚̽̈́͆̅̏̍͆͘͝͠R̸̛̭͍̖̱̿̒̑͂̂̀̍͐̿̒̐͝Ŗ̶͓͓͕̥̻͉͔͙̱̍͌̍̿̅̕͝͝ͅŖ̶̨̘͎̹͍̗̳̘̘̘̟̞͐͑͐͌̉̑̉̓̉ͅR̸̛͇̮̰̹̓̒̀̂̐̓̓͘R̸̡̨͇͇̘̻̼̘̲̤̤͚̪͊̈́͂͜R̵͓̺͉͍̖͖̦̎̊̃̓̔͌͗̾̇̕͜ͅͅR̸̢͎̥͚͓̲̻͕̟͔̞̜̋̈́̌̆̊́̽̃̍̒̃R̸͕̺͖̯̻̞̗̥̪̺̭̺̜̋̃̋́̓́͌͂̆͗Ṛ̴̨̧̱͉̜̩̻̪̲̭̪̈̏͆́̎͋̿̽́̎̌̒̂̓́
Pure malice, mindless and unquenchable, washed over the Ancient Forest in waves of sound and fury.
Nell's fur stood on end as she froze in place. The weight of the ill-intent carried on that bestial howl made the monster stop dead in her tracks.
Jet's ears rang, deafeningly so, while his body stopped responding to conscious thought. His limbs, dull and slow, struggled to cut through the heavy air.
“JET. JET, LOOK ALIVE!” Brook screamed at him. She had heard that tell tale call to violence far too many a time now to be phased by it.
Whatever stupor and morass had befallen him dissipated instantly. Heart pounding and adrenaline coursing through his veins, Jet hung on the huntress' every word for guidance.
“Wasss... w-w-wasss that what I think it wasss?” Trembling, Taras was terrified not only by the fact that had he pondered the idea but that he had tiptoed right up to speaking it aloud.
“TARAS. GROUP UP, NOW,” Brook barked.
The Tobi-Kodachi obediently obliged as his body hummed and crackled with electricity. Skittering off of the sidelines, tossing fearful glances over his shoulders with every step, he protectively took to circling round Jet and Brook. Even if he couldn't put on a brave face h-h-he would still guide and guard his friends!
“Here? Now?” Mind racing, Nell's thoughts crashed into one another as instinct and self-preservation crowded out her capacity to string together concepts much less words. Eyes gone wide, she possessively prowled about the clearing as her home, and everyone she shared it with, were placed in eminent danger. Together with Taras she would throw her body between her beloved and whatever may come.
Brook hurriedly lobbed a number of potions and powders at Jet... not that she expected them to make a difference. “If you're looking for a pep talk, well, I'm sorry to disappoint,” the huntress forlornly quipped. Blade drawn, and the axe head of her Charge Blade held up before her like a shield, she took command of the situation. “Stick together and aim to kill. Know that our feral guest certainly is...”
THOOOOOOM
Footfalls, frantic and plodding, violently rattled the thickets of flora that surrounded the clearing.
THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
The stomach churning crack of trees, one after another after another effortlessly being snapped and rent apart with ease, rose to a cacophonous crescendo.
RRRRRRRROOOAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR
An unfamiliar bellow, its palpable rage honed and guided in stark contrast with its predecessor, preceded a bone rattling explosion. Clouds of pulp, splinters, and upturned earth surged out towards the quartet and pelted them with shrapnel.
THOOM THOOOM THOOOOM THOOM THOOOM
A pair of silhouettes, their forms and features barely visible through the still settling dust, came crashing towards them and whatever warning Brook shouted out went unheard. Among the chaos she simply dragged Jet out of the way along with her as Taras and Nell dove aside and scrambled to safety.
Ŗ̶̦͍̫̩̻̪̘̓̔̾̈̓̃̈́̋͋̂̚͘͝͝O̷̰̜̖̞̓͐̇͑̾̌̕Ẫ̶̙̆A̶̫̺̠̤̻̖̹̻̖͙̠͑́̏̽Ạ̴̈́̔͌̓̉̋͘̚͠͝R̶͉̰̩͕̘̪̤̋͋͝R̴̞͕͎̬̰͙̮̄̀̈́̔͝R̴͎̝͌-
THWACK
FWACK
FOOM
A meaty series of crunches followed by a blast of heat cut the horrid howl short. Panting, blood and scales dripping from her teeth and knuckles, Alma stood tall among the clouds of dispersing dust. Tossing a look over her cloaked shoulder, the Anjanath snarled at her unwanted onlookers. “Flee this place! Now!”
Staggering to his feet, Taras worriedly called out to the Slayer. “Alma!”
KATHOOOOM
The hulking reptile doubled over when her unseen foe slammed into her torso. Even with her heels embedded into the very earth Alma was sent skidding back as crags of dirt and upturned stone accumulated around her ankles. Teeth clenched, embers dripping from her lips, the Anjanath simply willed her way through the injury and responded with a plume of hellfire that erupted up and out from her throat.
In an instant the cloudy air turned ashen and burned away. The face of the unthinking abomination that threatened their continued existence was revealed. A Tigrex, its bloodshot eyes devoid of pupils or any cognizant signs of life, twitched unnaturally as smoke trailed off its blackened scales. Packed dense with muscle, almost too much for its frame to handle, it lashed out at Alma with no regard for the grievous injuries it had already incurred.
“You heard her!” Brook shouted. She shoved Jet forward in fits and spurts, just enough for him to get his bearings and ultimately propel himself unaided, before turning her attention to Taras. Tugging at the tufts lining his tail Brook's pleas swiftly turned to out and out threats.
Snaggleteeth sinking deep into his lips, the Tobi-Kadachi shamefully turned away from Alma. He... he... he would trust in her. Any help he could think to offer would, in truth, only hinder the Slayer. Humiliating as it was to admit.
Nell, her eyes aglow, solemnly stomped besides the humans as they beat a hasty retreat. “Keep them safe. Keep them safe. Keep him safe,” the Nargacuga thought to herself ad nauseam. She furiously latched onto that single minded goal for it was all she could do to keep her nerves, bundled and fraying, from boiling over.
“Brook. Jet.” The words that tumbled out from Nell's beak, interlaced with heavy growls, were rough and brusque on the ear. “You will return to Astera,” she rumbled. “We will see you to safety. Afterwards, Taras and-”
Ŗ̶̦͍̫̩̻̪̘̓̔̾̈̓̃̈́̋͋̂̚͘͝͝O̷̰̜̖̞̓͐̇͑̾̌̕Ẫ̶̙̆A̶̫̺̠̤̻̖̹̻̖͙̠͑́̏̽Ạ̴̈́̔͌̓̉̋͘̚͠͝R̶͉̰̩͕̘̪̤̋͋͝R̴̞͕͎̬̰͙̮̄̀̈́̔͝R̴͎̝͌R̷̡̨͈̱͚̭͙̖͕͎̈͂̂̌͑͠R̸̛̭̳̄̈́͑̌R̷̯͔͎̭̟̞͊͒͛̕R̵̡̼̻͉̓̍̈̓͗̾͘͠
The Tigrex, still smoldering, went utterly rabid at the faintest hints of movement. At the attempted escape.
Eyes gone wide, Alma wrapped her hulking arms around the Flying Wyvern's neck as it furiously tried to drag itself forward. Its horns and ragged scales scraped away at the Anjanath's biceps as she tried to crush its throat. Yet, even though it stood at only half the Slayer's height, its strength, fury, and desperation knew no bounds. The Tigrex's discolored stripes, stretched wide over its broad back, practically split apart at the seams when the muscles contained beneath them suddenly bulged.
Alma could feel her hold falter. “Taras!” screamed the Anjanath.
With an ear splitting roar the feral monstrosity broke free from the Anjanath's death grip. The sheer force with which the creature propelled itself forward along the earth tore the wings that lined the Tigrex's forearms to shreds. Nigh instantaneously it closed the gap between itself and the fleeing party.
Taras, having tossed a look back at Alma's cry, did what little he could with the heads up afforded to him. One moment Brook was perpendicular to the ground. The very next she found herself parallel to it. As did Jet. Scooped up and chucked aside in a single motion, the sensation of the Tobi-Kadachi's heavy palm pressing against their backs failing to even register, the Hunters soon found themselves sailing into Nell's grasp.
“What are you-” Brook managed to blurt out before the Nargacuga's scaled fingers clamped around her like a vice. She blinked. Taras, forcing a nervous smile, stood before her. Again Brook blinked. A bloody mist comprised of light blue scales and fur occupied the space where her boyfriend had been.
Taras' balled up form, fraying with sparks and a morbid smelling smoke, was flung into the surrounding thicket with a horrible crash. Tree after tree after tree split and crunched apart as he tumbled through them.
The Tigrex, now running alongside them, turned its murderous gaze towards Nell.
Ŗ̶̦͍̫̩̻̪̘̓̔̾̈̓̃̈́̋͋̂̚͘͝͝O̷̰̜̖̞̓͐̇͑̾̌̕Ẫ̶̙̆A̶̫̺̠̤̻̖̹̻̖͙̠͑́̏̽Ạ̴̈́̔͌̓̉̋͘̚͠͝
WHAM
Whirling about on her heels, spikes jutting from her tail, the Nargacuga slammed her morning star of a limb against the side of the fell beast's head. A sickening and muffled pop sounded out from its neck while its lower jaw was all but smashed clean off its skull. Jagged maw hanging limply from its battered skull the Tigrex still matched Nell step for step.
“The both of you close your eyes!” Brook yelled. Arm held out before her, and steadied upon the massive Nargacuga fingers wrapped around her, the huntress slotted a bright glowing insect into the Slinger anchored onto her gauntlets. Bowstring drawn back, the huntress squeezed at the metal grip wrapped around her palm and sent its payload flying square into the abomination's eyes.
VBEWWWW
Ŗ̶̦͍̫̩̻̪̘̓̔̾̈̓̃̈́̋͋̂̚͘͝͝O̷̰̜̖̞̓͐̇͑̾̌̕Ẫ̶̙̆A̶̫̺̠̤̻̖̹̻̖͙̠͑́̏̽Ạ̴̈́̔͌̓̉̋͘̚͠͝R̶͉̰̩͕̘̪̤̋͋͝R̴̞͕͎̬̰͙̮̄̀̈́̔͝R̴͎̝͌R̷̡̨͈̱͚̭͙̖͕͎̈͂̂̌͑͠R̸̛̭̳̄̈́͑̌
Shaking its head, the Tigrex wailed when the agitated Flashbug released a brilliant and blinding burst of phosphorescent light. Howling and raging its attacks grew ever more frantic as its claws and broken jaw felt nothing but air catch against them.
“We can't outrun this,” Brook said with a heavy swallow. Its sight would return soon enough as would the chase. “We're putting this thing down here and now.”
Cursing to herself, Alma gave chase with everything she had.
Jet said nothing when his armor started to buckle. To protest Nell's fingers curling ever tighter, ever more possessively, around him would be an unnecessary distraction. Not when split second decisions still decided whether they would survive one moment to the next. Not when they lacked time enough to even fret over the fate of their friend.
With great reluctance Nell released both of the Hunters. She could serve as their sword or their shield but not both. “What would you have us do?” the Nargacuga bitterly rumbled.
The heavily armored huntress interlocked her short sword into her Charge Blade's axe head and sighed when it locked into place with a pronounced click. “To start...” Brook gestured to the Nargacuga. “Brain the damn thing again. Stun it if you can.”
Nell slammed her tail down behind her in unspoken acknowledgment.
“Jet.” Brook rest a hand upon his shoulder and gently shook him. “I'm counting on you to knock this thing down. Remember when I gave you grief earlier about following through?”
“...Yeah.” Trembling, Jet tightened his grip on his hammer so much so that the paint lining the handle cracked beneath his fingers.
“Stay away from its front. Hit one of its back legs, I don't care which, as hard as you can. So long as you can sweep one of them out from underneath it I can handle the rest.”
Ŗ̶̦͍̫̩̻̪̘̓̔̾̈̓̃̈́̋͋̂̚͘͝͝O̷̰̜̖̞̓͐̇͑̾̌̕Ẫ̶̙̆A̶̫̺̠̤̻̖̹̻̖͙̠͑́̏̽Ạ̴̈́̔͌̓̉̋͘̚͠͝R̶͉̰̩͕̘̪̤̋͋͝R̴̞͕͎̬̰͙̮̄̀̈́̔͝R̴͎̝͌R̷̡̨͈̱͚̭͙̖͕͎̈͂̂̌͑͠R̸̛̭̳̄̈́͑̌R̷̯͔͎̭̟̞͊͒͛̕R̵̡̼̻͉̓̍̈̓͗̾͘͠
“Do or die,” Brook grimly stated as her Charge Blade hummed. The trio dispersed.
The Tigrex furiously swung its head side to side in an effort to dispel the blots and dots that still plagued its vision.
THOOM THOOM THOOM
A guttural reverb echoed within the beast's bloodied throat as it turned to face the monster hurtling herself towards it. It didn't need its sight for this. Roaring, the Tigrex catapulted itself into Nell's indistinct form to trade blows.
WHAMMMM
A trail of blood streaked the air as the Tigrex carved heaving gashes into the Nargacuga's whirling tail. Howling, Nell fought through the pain and brought her weapon of choice to bear against its skull. She could feel it crumple beneath her.
Circling around the Tigrex, affording its forearms and tattered wings a significant berth, Jet raced towards its hind legs. Head dipped low, he watched as its arms and legs buckled beneath Nell's hammer blow. Looking upon the abomination a fire flared to life within Jet's breast. All this time... this was what Nell fought so hard to keep him here for. And she had been right. He wasn't ready.
Jet's arms burned as his muscles tensed with every footfall. So this was what he had to look forward to. This was what he would subject himself, and Nell, to should he dare to set out as a Master Rank Hunter. Hammer held at his side, the Hunter could feel the overwhelming surge of adrenaline break his body down from the inside out. If he lacked the strength to take care of and fend for himself... how could he in good conscience ask Nell to accompany him on his travels? To endanger herself whenever he inevitably failed to carry his weight?
The Tigrex's limbs spasmed as they slowly straightened themselves out.
He wasn't prepared to face something like this. Not as he was now. Whirling about in place, centripetal force accumulating to the point that Jet felt as if his arms were about to rip themselves out of their sockets, the Hunter brought the head of his Hammer to bear against the Tigrex's back leg.
But one day he would be.
THWAMMMMMMM
A thunderous clap boomed through the Ancient Forest. The feral Wyvern's leg, with a wet crunch, found itself bent in ways it was never meant to be. Roaring defiantly the Tigrex collapsed to the grassy earth as, for the first time, its body was physically unable to meet the demands of its unbridled instincts.
Before the Tigrex could rise once more countless clicks, wheezes, and whirrs sounded out from Brook's Charge Blade. Swinging the great double bladed axe overhead, its razor sharp curves crackling with energy, the huntress sank her weapon deep into the bane's neck. It handily cleaved through the thick layer of burnt and melted scales before coming to a halt against a mass of muscle.
VRRRRRRRRRR
Energy boiled and bubbled out from the impact site as the Elemental Phials infused into the Charge Blade crackled and seethed. What were faint pops rapidly escalated in intensity before a controlled explosion rippled out along the whole of the Tigrex's neck.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
Yet...
Ģ̴̤̄̏̀̂̎͗̎͌̚R̷͖̠̭͖͈͖͕̣̫͒̍͛̃̌̈̓͗͋͌͘̕͘͝͝Ǫ̶̛̩̟͎͖͈̙͒̿̊́͐́̅̅̾̓͜͜A̶̛͍̠͚̝͉͔̔̊͂̅̈́͆A̴̩̥̩̹͉̭͈̖̼̲̘̦̾W̸͚̲̣̰͕͇̤̒͆̈́̍̀͂̍̓̍̐̚ͅR̶̢̼̠̣̲͎͉̣̘̺͇̦̤̱̒̍͆͌͗̍̐͆̕̕͠Ř̵͔̬̦͚̘̔̉̿͊̆͋̄̐͊̒̚͘
It refused.
“No...” Brook mouthed aloud as she backed away with halting steps.
Even as bubbles of blood frothed along its throat torn open, even as its roars turned into disgusting gurgles, even as it body lay battered and broken... the monstrosity simply refused to relent. Forcing itself up by the strength of its forearms alone its pupil less eyes came to focus intently on Brook. With an ghastly shudder it raised a mangled claw and-
KATHOOOOOOOM
Catapulting herself across the clearing Alma quite literally threw herself into her quarry. Clawed feet pressing into its shoulders the Anjanath rent and tore apart the Tigrex's torso while she rode it away from those she was entrusted to protect. As the abomination skid to a halt, having been embedded into a bloody and shallow crater, Alma leapt off of it and furiously proceeded to pummel away. Her fists came to replace the very air as her calloused knuckles crushed and caved in the Tigrex's every identifiable feature.
Jet couldn't help but gawk at the strength that someone that bore the title of Slayer could wield. Shock waves, colored by displaced droplets of blood, dirt, and pebbles, rippled out from Alma with her every blow.
Ģ̴̼̳̤̗̣͙͋̉̑̋U̴̗̙̲̞̿̍̃̒͐̃̀̒̚̚͠L̶̻̩͓̠͉̯̠͙̔̅̐̓̾̓̓́̾͑͜͝͠͝R̶̨̰͖̟̭͕̆͋̈́͆͋̐͌͐͊͜͝R̵͖̯̝̘̜͗̀͋̀̿̉̐͋̄̚G̴̢̢̗̩͎͚̲̹͉̖̭͚̩͍̗̃̎̑̎͛̓̓̂̿̈́̀̿͝Ľ̷̢̥̗̗̯͓͖̣̱̘̳̾̓̓̎͛̏̄̐̌̀͌̚͝ͅẸ̶̲̮͇̝̩̰̽̈́̒̀͜͜͝
Still it wasn't enough. Drawing in deeply of the humid air, the Anjanath filled her lungs to near bursting before unleashing an incinerating breath upon the dread beast. The abomination's silhouette, wreathed in flame, writhed and struggled even as it was consumed by the Slayer's conflagration. Even as its scales and flesh fell away it fought. Only when its body was nothing more than ashen bone caked with charred flesh did it finally concede defeat.
Shoulders sagging, Brook panted while scales and ash rained down through the smoke that rose from the felled feral. Its body, writhing and rage filled but a blink ago, finally sat silent and still.
Adrenaline fading, Jet stumbled backwards and fell onto a patch of ivy creeping along the ground. They did it. They actually did it. He followed through even! Turning his head to his side he looked to his fellow Hunter. “Brook, are you-”
Paying little mind to her Charge Blade, still embedded into the Tigrex's skeletal neck, Brook bolted off as fast as her legs would carry her. The clank of her greaves carried heavily across the clearing until she disappeared into the thicket of trees that Taras had been tossed into.
"...Oh," Jet sighed heavily. As Nell's heavy footsteps drew close the intensifying vibrations sent him bouncing and wobbling. Dropping to a crouch the Nargacuga slid a finger behind his head and propped up his neck. In tender silence the size mismatched couple took comfort in each other's company.
Alma quietly tucked her chin against her shoulder as she ruefully took in the aftermath of her failure. This was never meant to be their fight. That said... squatting before the Tigrex's smoldering corpse the Anjanath couldn't help but acknowledge how capably they had carried themselves. With great care she plucked the curious weapon free and watched as the wrinkles that lined her palm all but swallowed it up. Such marvels these humans were capable of crafting. Even for all she inadvertently put it through this, whatever it was, remained intact.
“W-wait a minute!” Jet yelped.
Alma froze in place. Eyes pressed against the sides of their sockets she guiltily held the Charge Blade close.
“Nell! You're bleeding!” Clambering up and out of the Nargacuga's tender embrace he hurriedly tended to her carved open tail with what potions and powders Brook had entrusted to him earlier.
The Nargacuga protested... until her own burst of adrenaline wore off. Distressed chirps filtered free from her clamped shut beak as the searing pain proved too much to ignore. Her composure, callous and calculating not all that long ago, crumbled away as she took to sniffling away the tears while Jet washed and dressed her wounds.
Rumbling bashfully, Alma rose to her feet and breathed easy. With nary a word she tucked away the spoils of battle and approached the couple. “Mine apologies,” the Anjanath introduced herself with a deep and reverent bow. “I... I have only hollow words to offer as consolation.”
Brows arched, Nell and Jet both regarded the Slayer with surprise when she dropped to kneel before them.
“By my weakness did I allow your injuries to come to pass. As a Slayer, as the protector of these lands, I have failed you.”
Even when prostrating herself Alma still stood eye level with Nell. The soothing gels and potions that Jet had taken to kneading into the Nargacuga's now dressed wounds had taken the edge off but a dulled anger still remained.
Alma's eyes hung low as the full weight of her responsibilities bore down upon her back. She patiently awaited the duly earned and well justified invective that she had heard many a time before.
Stepping forward, Jet rubbed at an arm. “I mean... it could have been worse, right?”
The Anjanath lifted her head and quizzically regarded the human.
“So. Um. Thank you, Miss Slayer! Err Miss Alma.” Nervous as could be, Jet stumbled over his words yet carried on regardless.
Alma found herself at a loss. He was... praising her? Why?
Fists clenched, the Hunter forced himself to broach the topic. “Will... will Taras be alright? Is there anything you can do for him?”
Wait. She recognized this human. Clearing her throat, Alma took to treading unfamiliar territory. “Forgive me, Ser... Ser Jet was it?” Her heart lifted at the nod of affirmation. “While I would be remiss to downplay the scars he now surely bears I am certain that Taras still draws breath.”
Hand clasped against his chest, Jet exhaled a long held breath in relief as he leaned back into Nell. Grunting, the Nargacuga thumbed at her little love while she opted to keep her comments to herself.
Rising to her feet, the Anjanath could not peel her eyes away from Ser Jet no matter how hard she tried. Perhaps the Tobi-Kadachi's pride in him was well placed after all. “If you would suffer my company even now I would beg your permission to see Taras shepherded to safety and succor. I owe him that and much and more.”
“I mean we're not about to say no,” the Nell plainly stated. “He'll need all the help he can get.” Grunting, the Nargacuga forced herself to a stand and sauntered forward with a wince.
Jet, forced to jog to keep up with his loomy lady's leisurely pace, dutifully followed after her. All while remaining blissfully unaware of how heavily Alma's gaze rested upon him in turn.
“You can just say you're impatient for your latest and greatest care package,” Jet snarked.
“I will sssay no sssuch thing!” Shifting in place, the Tobi-Kadachi groaned as he propped himself up against a rocky wall and made himself comfortable. His nest, a surprisingly well furnished and tastefully decorated cave hidden beneath the gnarled roots of a great tree, exuded warmth.
“Uh huh,” Jet said with a playful roll of his eyes as he set out plates of lukewarm food, smuggled straight out of the Canteen, alongside the enormous mat of stitched together skins and feathers that served as the Tobi-Kadachi's makeshift bedroll.
Hands wrapped around his snout, Taras physically struggled to restrain himself from scooping up each and every one as they were laid out.
Rubbing an oven mitteny hand along the back of his head, Jet couldn't help but laugh as he motioned for the Tobi-Kadachi to dig in. “I know it's not as good as anything Brook can whip up but...”
“Ssshusssh,” Taras snooted as he gleefully took to devouring a handful of his home cooked, and hand delivered, meals. Along with, as per usual, the ceramic plates they came on. Strained coughs wracked the Tobi-Kadachi's chest following a particularly hearty and throat straining swallow. “Ahhhhhh! Delisssshisss!” the scaled squirrel said with a smile. Rumbling contentedly, he lovingly nosed at the exhausted and slumbering huntress cupped against his chest. “Thanksss again for covering for Brook. ”
Hair tied back and clad in an apron, Jet raspberried. “Ahh it's fine. I could use the practice anyway!” Lips pulled flat, the grease stained Hunter grimaced. “It's my fault as it is for giving Nell a taste of human cuisine. She's been on me ever since and not so subtly wondering when she can expect me to treat her to it again.”
Chuckling, Taras thumbed and gently stroked at Brook's back as his broad tail, scarred and stripped free of its many scales, curled around and came to rest on his lap. Prickly tufts of fur, and the beginnings of new keratin growths, dotted it. “How isss ssshe by the way?” he asked.
“Better! Better,” Jet hehed. “She's still been on edge ever since the, you know, and has only just now been willing to let me wander off on my lonesome.”
The Nargacuga had been insistent, forceful even, that she be there to accompany him any time he dared to traverse the trails of the Ancient Forest. The familiar routine of their daily bouts of training, having been put on hold in the wake of the near disaster, had given way to something new. Every morning now, Nell waited for him just outside Astera. Be it to serve as his escort through the untamed wilds or...
Blushing, the Hunter scratched at a cheek as he fondly recalled the affection she showered him with prior to his part-time shifts at the Canteen. He pounded at his chest and forced his increasingly flustered thoughts elsewhere. “Brook uhh... I see Brook is still refusing to take anyone's advice. Much less her own.”
The dark skinned human, ragged and spent, sank deeper and deeper into sleep as Taras' chest rose and fell with his every breath. Her hands, forearms, and fingers bore countless scrapes and bruises.
“You know how ssshe getsss. Ssshe'll doubt and sssecond guess everything unlesss ssshe doesss it herssself,” Taras sighed. Cracking a weary smile, the Tobi-Kadachi gingerly planted a kiss atop Brook's head. No matter how many supply drops, no matter how many wellness checks, no matter how much Jet and Nell pleaded with and reassured her... Brook out and out refused to leave Taras' side. For nearly a week now she had spent sun up from sun down dressing his wounds, hand crafting medicine, cooking his meals, and cleaning his bedding. Or at least she had been until she worked herself to the brink of collapse.
“I figured as much,” Jet replied. Try as she might Brook couldn't very well take care of Taras if she neglected to take care of herself. Shaking his head he tossed down a knapsack, stuffed to the brim with clean bandages and clothes, alongside the plates of cooling food. “Anything special you'd like to request for tomorrow's drop off?”
Taras hummed as he cupped his palm against Brook's back. The huntress attempted to stir and rouse herself from her much needed rest and he would have none of it. “Mayhapsss sssome... what do you humans call it? Thossse thingsss you humansss use to line your nessstsss? Blanketsss? I fear Brook will be loathe to leave for sssome time yet and I want her to be asss comfortable asss can be until then.”
“I'll see what I can rummage up,” Jet promised.
“I appressshiate it,” Taras tiredly hissed as he slid back down along the cave walls. “O-oh! And Jet?” Taras piped up.
“Hum?”
“Ssshould you...” Taras interrupted himself with a yawn as he struggled to stay awake. “Ssshould you sssee Alma could you tell her thanksss? For everything?”
“Of course,” Jet warmly replied.
Having spent what little energy he had Taras weakly bid Jet off with a wave and a snaggletoothed smile. The Hunter, recognizing he was overstaying his welcome, gladly reciprocated the gesture and departed. As his foot steps faded into silence Taras cuddled Brook close and slowly peppered his little love with one heartfelt kiss after another. His breaths, deep and heavy, came to fill the chamber when he finally drifted off to sleep alongside her.
Dragging an arm along his forehead, Jet panted as he ascended the subterranean slope leading out of Taras' nest. Roots, piercing through the stone and soil layered above, coiled and lined themselves along the walls. They, and the clumps of moss interspersed among them, greedily drank of the humid air.
THOOOM
Pebbles and streams of dirt tumbled down from the curved ceiling.
THOOM
Brow cocked, Jet cautiously stepped out from the winding cave and into the fading light of the setting sun.
THOOOOOM
Clapping her hands together, Alma grunted after neatly stacking a veritable mountain of gathered herbs and honey combs alongside the entrance to Taras' abode. “Hmm?” Her gaze narrowed and her expression turned dour at the sight of something scurrying out from the Tobi-Kadachi's abode.
Jet, frozen in place, immediately wilted under her glare. “H-h-h-h-hello, Miss Alma,” he stammered with a wave of his oven mitteny hand.
“...Oh! Forgive me, Ser Jet.” Stepping aside, the Anjanath bowed her head. “I did not recognize you without your armor. Mine apologies, I nearly mistook you for a trespasser!”
“A-a-all good,” the Hunter nervously mumbled as he beheld the Slayer. Her form, shrouded in shadow, swallowed up the sun and scraped at the very sky itself. “What uh... what brings you here?”
The Anjanath gestured to the sweetly scented piles of flora and wax that towered over him. “I happen to be... familiar enough with your kind's remedies and ministrations. It is not much, I confess, but I would relieve Ser Brook of what burdens I can. While I lack the knowledge to synthesize the medicines she uses to treat him I am more than capable of procuring the required reagents.”
Blinking, Jet struggled to parse just how many potions the alchemists of Astera could create with such a haul. The settlement very well could be without want for the whole of a generation. “R-right. By the way umm... uhh... T-taras sends his regards! He wanted to thank you for, well, t-this I'm guessing.” Cheeks burning bright, the human groaned at how horribly he had fumbled that.
Alma growled happily at the thought. “Full glad am I then. He is kind to say as such as are you to relay it.”
Thoroughly tongue tied, Jet blankly nodded. Her presence, the very air about her, intimidated and awed him in equal measure. “I'll uhh... ermm... y-yeah. I-i-t was nice seeing you again, Miss Alma!” Grasping desperately for something, anything, to say the Hunter opted to instead beat an awkward retreat lest he embarrass himself any further.
WHUMPF
That was the plan anyway. Heart caught in his throat, Jet's neurons repeatedly misfired when Alma's impossible tail slapped down before him and halted his escape.
“A moment if you would, Ser Jet.” A chill wind, heralding the arrival of a storm, whipped across the Ancient Forest when she spoke.
With great hesitation, Jet tilted his neck back to gaze up at the Anjanath. Clouds, thick and purple and heavy, gathered overhead.
“Pardon my brashness but I... have a request I would make of you,” said Alma as she scratched at the back of her neck. “You are, of course, under no obligation to grant it.”
Silence, punctuated by the pitter patter of the coming rain, hung over the Ancient Forest as Jet found himself too cowed to answer either way.
“S-sincerely, I mean as such!” Alma hurriedly clarified as she dropped to her knees to better address the ankle high Hunter. Tremors rippled out from her when she did so. “While I recognize that my countenance can come across as imposing please do not mistake my inquiry as an imposition!”
Jet's frayed nerves, having been rattled and shook straight, permitted him time enough to consider her offer. Surely there was no harm in simply hearing her out was there? Clearing his throat the frazzled Hunter finally found courage, that or foolishness, enough to answer. “W-what did you have in mind?” he asked.
The Slayer sighed in relief as the skies above opened up with a peal of thunder. Rising to her feet, Alma held her cloaked arm out to her side and stepped forward to shield Jet from the sudden downpour. “Come. Walk with me.”
“So that's where this went,” Jet mused aloud as he slung Brook's Charge Blade over his back.
“That I ask for your forgiveness as opposed to your permission is inexcusable all the same,” Alma shamefully muttered. Shuffling forward step by step she struggled to slow her gait enough to accommodate the human at her side.
“I mean...” Jet stopped himself before he could finish that thought. Brook could speak to the matter herself when the time was right. “Why though? Why take it?”
Nostrils flared, Alma exhaled and inhaled heavily. “Know that I seek only to explain, not excuse, myself.” Smoke trailed from her lips as the Anjanath warmed herself with deeply held breaths that stoked the fires in her chest.
In silence they tread down the muddied and rain slicked paths. Hugging close to Alma, her form crackling with heat, Jet quietly pondered. “...You saved our lives. I don't think it's too much of an ask to hear you out,” he playfully shrugged.
Alma's expression softened at the reassurance. “You're too kind, Ser Jet. ” With great care she daintily set one gargantuan foot down before the other as they slowly circled the forest. Though it taxed her she was mindful to splay and arch her toes such that her footfalls were muffled enough so as not to knock the human aside. “Yet I cannot accept that for Taras still came to harm. Those creatures have grown bold and for all my vigilance some still manage to slip past.” The Slayer's shoulders sagged as her heart grew heavy. “I fear that soon, too soon, my every failure will be measured in lives lost.”
Jet pulled his lips taut. Once his training resumed in earnest... he would throw himself into it. He would be earn that Master Rank. Never again would his weakness and shortcomings endanger Nell or Taras or anybody else for that matter!
“Which brings me to my request... and I suppose the appropriate place to start is thus. You, and your kind, fascinate me Ser Jet.”
Head cocked to his side, Jet acked when he briefly stepped outside of the shelter provided by Alma's canopy of a cloak.
The Anjanath rolled her shoulders. “I mean no ill will, Ser Jet, but humans are...”
“Weak?”
A cloud of embers erupted from Alma's maw as she stifled a spit take. Eyes darting nervously side to side she hurriedly tried to regain her composure. “I. Well. S-surely there are more tactful ways to...”
Jet simply shrugged. “What? We know are.”
Tail dragging behind her, the Slayer shyly came around to stating the obvious. “Forgive me, Ser Jet, I am not practiced at speaking so... freely,” she rumbled in embarrassment.
The Hunter hehed. “It doesn't do us any good to pretend that we're not. Honestly we're, well, nothing without our armor and weapons.”
Alma's eyes sparked alive at the mention. “Nonsense, Ser Jet! That you and yours have found a means by which to triumph over trials that would have felled you otherwise, through sheer force of will and wile, is admirable! That you walk here now alongside me, bereft of those same tools, speaks to your bravery. To your trust.” A smile, rich and sincere, spread wide across the Anjanath's mug as she spoke. “For which I am most grateful.”
Jet sheepishly wrung his hands at the high praise.
“And... which I was hoping to discuss with you at length,” Alma confessed. “I absconded with Ser Brook's weapon because I wished to understand you. How you fight. How you can... can... mmph.” The Anjanath balled a fist and turned her gaze to the sky as lighting noiselessly roiled through the clouds above. “To put it plainly... I wish to know how you are able to punch so far above your weight. To reach so far beyond your limitations.”
Looking over his shoulder, Jet hummed at the interlocked sword and axe head that chafed against his apron. The skill ceiling for the Charge Blade, and the destruction it could unleash, was nigh stratospheric. Only the most physically, and mentally, adept Hunters were capable of drawing out its true potential.
Alma bit at her tongue. “Yet the answer eludes me. For all my efforts, shameful and otherwise, I have nothing to show for it. Thus, Ser Jet, I find myself turning to you.”
The humbled Hunter screeched to a halt.
Alma continued to lumber forward. “I cannot, I will not, allow my pride as a Slayer to steer me away from seeking your aid. If it means a brighter future for us all, one of a land free from the threat of those abominations, no cost is too high for my ego to bear. Even should I fail to find the answer I seek I must needs find the courage to ask. To try.” Chin tucked against her shoulder, the Anjanath looked back to Jet.
THOOM
Kneeling before him, Alma dipped her head low. “If nothing else, I must know if aught is to be gained from learning to wield weapons such as yours. To weave your knowledge of martial combat with mine own so that I might become something more.” The Slayer lifted her head and locked eyes with the diminutive human before her. “Ser Jet... my request is as such. Would you be willing to teach me your ways?”
Arms hanging limply at his sides, Jet's mind reeled at what was being asked of him. “You want me to train you?”
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Category Story / Macro / Micro
Species Unspecified / Any
Gender Any
Size 120 x 102px
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Just marathoned the whole series. Great cliffhanger to this latest part.
More than that, I just love this world you've set up. I could easily see my Royal Ludroth sona being a part of it!
More than that, I just love this world you've set up. I could easily see my Royal Ludroth sona being a part of it!
I'm flattered and delighted to hear as such! Thank you for reading!
I've honestly been pleasantly surprised at how receptive and fond people are of the setting and how easily their own characters, or their own monsters, could reside there. Your Royal Ludroth would most certainly fit right in!
I've honestly been pleasantly surprised at how receptive and fond people are of the setting and how easily their own characters, or their own monsters, could reside there. Your Royal Ludroth would most certainly fit right in!
I must say this series has really been Captivating me. Maybe I'm just a sucker for changes in pace, and friendly monsters coexisting with the hunters fit the bill so well. It gets me so curious of this whole world you've set up! What marks the border between the friendly monsters and the ferals? Are they all anthro? Does Nell really look like the picture you got the thumbnail from? Because I confess I swoon for the sight of such a big, friendly lady~
I wonder if Lenneth would even have a place here. A nargtaur like her might stand out even among the oddities.
I wonder if Lenneth would even have a place here. A nargtaur like her might stand out even among the oddities.
Ahhh you're so kind to say so. Thank you for reading and I'm happy to hear you've enjoyed it!
As for your questions I can tease out a few answers!
-What marks the border between friendly and feral? Cannot say for now! That's lore for later.
-Are they all anthro? The cognizant monsters are! Those who are feral and unthinking typically remain quadrupeds.
-Does Nell really look like the thumbnail? She sure does!
As for your Nargtaur... well this is just one little slice of the world. The Ancient Civilization, the mind boggingly advanced precursors to humans so casually alluded to in the games, may or may not be referenced down the road. I could see their shenanigans and experiments leading to canonical taurs somewhere in the setting!
As for your questions I can tease out a few answers!
-What marks the border between friendly and feral? Cannot say for now! That's lore for later.
-Are they all anthro? The cognizant monsters are! Those who are feral and unthinking typically remain quadrupeds.
-Does Nell really look like the thumbnail? She sure does!
As for your Nargtaur... well this is just one little slice of the world. The Ancient Civilization, the mind boggingly advanced precursors to humans so casually alluded to in the games, may or may not be referenced down the road. I could see their shenanigans and experiments leading to canonical taurs somewhere in the setting!
Oh my gosh, I love her so much! Such a big, curvy lady who's a big sweetheart! Truly, that is so attractive.
Any chance we could speak further? Perhaps through Telegram or Discord? As a fellow writer of lore, I take great interest with you and wish to see if we could trade talks and ideas >w<
Any chance we could speak further? Perhaps through Telegram or Discord? As a fellow writer of lore, I take great interest with you and wish to see if we could trade talks and ideas >w<
Thank you so much! I'm glad people are enjoying the premise and characters I've pondered up.
Thank you! Hopefully the future installments continue to be fun reads!
I like Anjanath as a choice for a female macro, but that my bias towards scalies & dinos speaking.
Action packed, suspenseful, and full of nice, worldbuilding detail. I'm loving your take on the Monster Hunter setting. The human/monster partnerships are interesting and believable and the characters have good chemistry. On top of that, I just sorta love the concept of monsters not making humans totally obsolete. Advanced tool usage is our signature thing and I like to see that used in human/nonhuman team up stories -- especially when its kinda treated as a special ability, since in real life it kinda is!
Excellent work, Radda! ^^
Excellent work, Radda! ^^
Thank you so much for saying as such! I always try to have my stories be character driven so it's a relief to hear the chemistry between them works and is fun to follow. :D
oh my didn't exspect that XD Nell got herself a Rival~
hmm poor Tigrex but i mean he was a feral one
why not making it a bit harder for Jet by having a New trainer showing up a Tigrex witch makes Jet scared as fuck because he gets a relaps with his fear of that moment he heard the feral roar of the other tigrex
But the new trainer turns out to be an absolute helpless cuddlebug with humans in general even managing to make Brooks new subcook palico liking him
maybe after the Tigrex got his first trainee he started grooming his student after every training like as if he where his young much to said hunters embaresment yet not even nell or taras can escape that cuddlebugs friendly cuddles and groomings XD
hmm poor Tigrex but i mean he was a feral one
why not making it a bit harder for Jet by having a New trainer showing up a Tigrex witch makes Jet scared as fuck because he gets a relaps with his fear of that moment he heard the feral roar of the other tigrex
But the new trainer turns out to be an absolute helpless cuddlebug with humans in general even managing to make Brooks new subcook palico liking him
maybe after the Tigrex got his first trainee he started grooming his student after every training like as if he where his young much to said hunters embaresment yet not even nell or taras can escape that cuddlebugs friendly cuddles and groomings XD
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