4 The Compulsive Hunt
The next morning, I realize that I've slept almost double what a normal human would, yet I feel refreshed. My previous fatigue gone, the hunger starts coming in.
Grrrrr
Yesterday, I scouted all the animals that were drinking water not so stealthily, and my plan would be to find the weakest one and use an element of Surprise, hoping that I'd be able to get in a first blood and help that intense Hunger I've held ever since. Though, that's much easier then I seems seeing how the Fawn was the weakest animal in the immediate vicinity. All I can hope for now is natural progression.
Remembering my Dreams, they were very sporadic. Different from what I'd have imagined. After leaving, I had the System observe the large Deer, the one that led the Herd of Deer that all have Antlers. The small one, with a Tier of 0.4 was called a Prided Deer.. but this one was different.
The Deer, standing about 2 and a half meters tall, had Antler like tree branches, yet perfectly symmetrical while still maintaining the perfectly natural image. Across the side of it's Pelt, it had clear green lines like grasses stemming from the crown of his head, looking incredibly surreal. Yet.. something told me that it'd taste mighty good. Much better then that Fawn from before.
'System, how strong is that Deer?'
[System Observation]
[System Status
Name: Unnamed
Species: Nomadic Deer
Tier: ??
Affinity: ??
Psychical Proficiencies:
◊Antler Proficiency 4◊
◊Windwalking Proficiency 6◊
Elemental Proficiencies:
◊?? ??◊
◊?? ??◊
System Evaluation: Evolved from the Prided Deer, using the Mana they've collected from eating Herbs, Grasses, and other Plants in the environment over years, and the Wisdom they've collected to naturally evolve.
Final Opinion: Not Present]
Yes, My dream was of eating that. The whole thing, and then chewing the bones afterwards. Oh, how that'd be heavenly.
Rumbling coming from my stomach and a searing pain as if it's trying to eat itself, I find myself starving, forcing the.. tasty imagery, out of my mind. And just as I was about to despair and bombard the System with questions, I start hearing Howling. With my new ears, I can clearly tell it's about 4 or 5 wolves separately, and I feel.. like I understand.
The Blood Wolves are on a Hunt.
The River, being North-East of my Den, I've been able to identify it as territory of the Blood Wolves. While, yesterday after I've met most of the Animals/Monsters, associating a smell to them all was difficult. At the Trail in front of my Den, the only ones who passed me Westward were the Deer, Elk, Snakes, and a small amount of Large Insects.
Speaking of which, I couldn't identify the elements to a lot of those animals, such as the Snakes and Elk, though I'd assumed I could. Yet again, the 'Simple Elements.'
'System, define Simple Elements.'
[System Excerpt]
[Simple Elements: Fire, Wind, Water, and Earth are simple elements that mostly manifest in creatures that evolve from having no access Mana, while more complicated elements are from further evolution or crossbreeding. More complicated Elements are identifiable after accessing Mana.]
Okay, that makes sense. I'm sure those elements are pretty generic, not like the Blood Wolf or the Nomadic Deer yesterday. From the System Evaluation, I can tell that the Nomadic Deer was evolved from the Prided Deer, and the Prided Deer that I've seen all have either no access to Mana or have yet to Evolve.
A low rumble and intense vibration shakes my body, as I involuntarily let out a low Whimper.
The hunger that I've been fending off has finally prevailed over my rational thoughts. With the thought of the prevailing Howls of the Blood Wolves, I impulsively decide to rush over to scavenge, or check the situation..
Coming out of my Den, I head uphill southwards, until the general terrain starts descending. The Grass on this side of the Den is marginally smaller then towards the River, the opposite direction, but the Trees still have their Density, and they start to reappear as the hill evens out. About 8 minutes after leaving, and Half a mile in distance, I finally come across a Scene that would normally make my heart quiver, yet.. I'm too hungry from that.
Looking through my narrow vision, I see abnormally dense trees and 4, striking Blood Wolves, all with black lines going straight down their Pelts from the Nose, all the way to the Tail. Abnormal patterns and a mixing of red and black make them stand out, yet from my sense of smell and instinct I can tell they're the same Wolves as yesterday.
Past tree line, and in between the 4 Blood Wolves, there's 8 Prided Deer, some of which with Injuries, particularly one with a broken leg and prevalent claw markings bleeding on it, being the Fawn that I've been Eyeing. Although I willed nothing, a transparent screen comes into my sight pulling me out of my tunnel vision of the Fawn
[Predatory Mode Enabled]
[System Status
Name: Unnamed
Species: Prided Deer
Tier: 0.4
Affinity: Wind
Eval: Movement Impaired]
[System Status
Name: Unnamed
Species: Prided Deer
Tier: 0.6
Affinity: Wind
Eval: Light Injury]
[System Status
Name: Unnamed
Species: Prided Deer
Tier: 0.6
Affinity: Wind
Eval: Uninjured]
[System Status
Name: Unnamed
Species: Prided Deer
Tier: 0.7
Affinity: Wind
Eval: Healthy]
Before I could look at the rest of the evaluations, the Blood Wolves decide the time is ripe and that they should make a move.
Focused on what they're doing, they ignore me and slowly close the square they've got the Deer locked into, waiting for one to step out for a nice feast. The Deer, seeing the situation deteriorate start to get much more stressed, deciding to heave their front halves upwards, sort of like a horse bucking and try and scare off the Predators, which creates an opening for the Hungry Wolves.
Sprinting in, the Wolf closest to me sprint in and grabs the 0.7 Deer by it's neck, dragging it down and toward outwards letting the blood that's been released create a trail on the short grasses and plants.
Seeing their friend or family being mauled, the other 7 decided to run for it just as the other 3 wolves decide to make a move, as the one exactly opposite to the first Wolf made it's move taking out another large Deer, the rest of the small Herd make a move for it, running further south of the Den, as the other 2 Wolves sprint for bigger targets.
Looking towards where the pack was, the injured Fawn, or for now, the Target, was limping away at a moderate pace using it's back legs to propel itself forwards. Breathing heavily, and tunnel visioning onto the Target, I prowl out of the tree line and break for a sprint in between the 2 successful Blood Wolves and the one's currently chasing into the Forest, putting all the strength I could accumulate with my already hungry body.
Bolting forwards and almost losing myself in the momentum, I lunge for the Deer from the side, striking for it's Neck with my fangs, and for the first time, I've tasted blood. Too bad It was mine.
The Deer, having the instincts of a higher leveled Creature, a sensitive one at that, noticed me, swinging it's Antlers towards me mid lunge knocking the breathe out of me and crushing a few bones on my Front Right Leg, causing a searing pain to spread though the whole Leg.
Getting a grip on myself, I roll into a lunging position ignoring the pain, using my Front Left Leg and forcing my Front Right Leg by applying pressure. I lunge forward once more as the Deer has yet to run or stumble away due being knocked aside from my momentum, grasping the Deer's neck, with heavy breathes through the Nose and I tilt my Front Left Paw and push the leg forward to pull the Deer my way, so as to do more damage to the throat of the Animal so as to secure the kill.
Struggling, the deer squirms, kicks, even using it's broken leg, while trying to get in a position to knock me away with it's Antlers. Doing so only worsens the injury in my Front Right Leg, almost making me let go due to the unfamiliarity of the pain. Luckily, Adrenaline is pumping through my Veins and I wouldn't let my first kill go just like that.
A few seconds of compulsive movements from the Deer and it finally kicks in. It's dead. Lamenting on my first kill, I don't feel regret, fatigue, or the really immersive pain flowing through my body. I feel Hunger. Hunger like I've never felt before and I was getting desperate.
Thinking that I'd have no way of pulling my Prey back to my Den, let alone getting back safely myself, I'd dig in, right now right here as the Blood Wolves are doing. Slightly pulling the deer to the opposite Tree Line of where I was, I start to rip through it's fur and skin, ignoring the unsavory texture while doing so, I finally get it. Meat, blood fat and meat.
A mildly sweet taste attacks my mouth as the blood comes into contact with my taste buds, and I rip into the raw meat. Unlike what I'd think, my teeth rip it off as a strip and unlike the fur and skin, the meat is easy to wolf down, especially considering the heat of the body. As the adrenaline starts to wear off while I go to town on the Deer Corpse, I start to feel the pain, fatigue, soreness, and most of all, my cognition coming back. And boy does it feel good to know how stupid I was doing that.
As I wasn't totally there when I got the Kill, I don't know if the sweet lady voice of the System talking to me to tell me that I've gotten the first kill, or there was a notification sound, but I definitely didn't notice.
'System, open my Status.'
[System Status
Name: Hollow
Species: Grey Wolf
Tier: 0.0 ⇧
-Host will ascend a level after healing and having a long night's wrest. System advises Host to not leave your Den until you're fully Healed.
Affinity: Neutral
Points: 4
Psychical Proficiencies:
◊Claw Proficiency 1◊ -0%-
◊Fang Proficiency 1◊ -2%-
Elemental Proficiencies:
>Host is lacking in Elemental Proficiencies<
System Evaluation: A Hunter who doesn't know how to Kill. Only learning how to be a predator after watching others is a road to death.]
Hmm, now's the time for Questions..
'System, what's Predatory Mode?'
[System's Predatory Mode is the System adapting to the Host's preference and shortening the Status screen for convenience during any form of Hunting. Can be manually turned on and off, or during dire situations.]
'Am I able to adjust my own Status to those Preferences?'
[System only shows the Host's Status for convenience. Although you cannot change statistics you can indeed change the lay out. Would you like to enable Predatory Layout? {Yes}{No}]
'Yes.' Seeing at it really bugged me seeing my full Status Screen all the time, I wanted to change to something that was much easier on the Eyes. Sometimes simplicity is the greatest thing, and in this case it helps convenience wise.
'System, show Status'.
[System Status
Name: Hollow
Species: Grey Wolf
Tier: 0.0 ⇧
Affinity: Neutral
Points: 4
>Host is lacking in Elemental Proficiencies<
Hierarchy Position: Bottomfeeder]
Huh.. they really aren't pulling their punches. Noticing the same before, as me only getting 4 points for killing the Deer, I can't help but question it. Though, logically, the Deer was no harm to me except for that broken leg that I still have to deal with, it still pisses me off.
Well. It's a lot smaller then I remember. Is this what it meant earlier by Predatory..?
Hmm, this change really fits with me well. I feel comfortable seeing the simplicity of it, a sort of immersion that I was missing before. Noticing that I've only gained 4 Points, I decide that it's time for me to move after getting my fill. As the Sun rises fashionably late, I shouldn't wait for predators, nocturnal or not, to catch me looking like a snack.
Moving north I walk slowly, avoiding the other Wolves and animal tracks, making sure to not apply pressure upon my right leg especially going up hill. I enter my Den with no reward to show except 4 Points, a broken front leg, and a no longer empty Stomach.
Thinking of what to do while I heal, how long it'll take to heal, or even if it will FULLY heal, I remember something 'The Watcher' said before he sent me here with the System. Wait, no, the System said it. Why I'm remembering this after I went hunting, I've no clue. It's probably the horrendous pain that comes from putting pressure on my shattered leg. What the hell did that Deer eat? Oh, skill.. Let's see if I can get one, like the Deer's innate skill they have..
'System, didn't you promise me an occupational skill, defensive or offensive, or something like that?'
[Yes, System is obliged to hand over 1 Low Tier Skill from your God's repertoire and assign it to the Host. Would Host like to choose it now, or at a later time?]
As I've never asked what type of god I'm under, I'm really curious as to what skill he'll possess for me to take. If it'll make my life easier, I sure wouldn't mind it.
'Yes, I'd like to choose my skill now.'
As those words finished, list upon list of skills divided into categories, and those hundreds of categories are divided into 3 sections, Mana Usage, Conditional Mana Usage, and Innate Skill.
'Let's see what we've got here...'
