Bestiary

The man's collection of books was small, but straight to the point. The first book explained how to butcher animals such as wolves, boars or even deer. The information was very detailed, going as far as to explain how the knife should be held and moved. Each animal had a different technique, especially for its hide. The methods contained in the book were really great. With such techniques, one would be able to remove the hide or fur intact, with no or minor damages.

Besides explaining the method, something else that piqued my interest was contained in the book. The variants of the Great Forest. He didn't call them such, but the name Black Wolf was in the list. When it came to silver variants, apparently they had their own names. "You wrote here a specific name for some animals. For example Moonlight Wolf, or Iron-furred Bear. Are you talking about the silver wolves and bears? Or something else?", I asked.

"Hmm? These are their names. I suppose both have silver-ish fur, but... Do you perhaps not know that?". He seemed a bit surprised, that sort of knowledge must've been obvious for him. "No, I called them silver variants. They are usually stronger than others, but no one ever told me why they'd be silver", I replied.

"I believe people have been calling such 'variants' as you put it, the same throughout the history. Why they are stronger is a different matter... To shorten the whole thing, just like we can become stronger, animals can as well. They can grow... Take your turtle for instance", he replied.

"That's why... No wonder the forest isn't crawling with those Moonlight Wolves, or the Iron-furred Bears", I said quietly to myself. The man smiled and told me to continue the book. I wasn't sure what else he'd have in store, but just his comment alone made me really curious.

The book described how to process a few other animals that must've been variants. Though very little description vas provided as to what the animal looked like, since the book focused on processing. There were a few names worth noting though.

Though the book wasn't long, it took me about an hour to finish. I wasn't sure how long the man would allow me to stay, so my next choice had to be careful. 'Bestiary? The hell is that?', I asked myself while picking up the book. Bestiary was a book with animals and creatures, an extensive book on them to top it off. Not only were there drawings of each animal, the book explained strength and weaknesses of each creature.

"This book... Did you write it?", I asked stunned. "Hehehe, so you found my most precious work. Yes, I'm the author of this book. Neat, right?", he replied really proudly. "I'm shocked. Each animal depicted is... This is just too good. Moreover, you wrote their strength and weaknesses? This book alone would be treated as a holy item by all hunters in the world", I praised.

"Hahaha... Alright kid, stop with the rubbish. If you want to be impressed, read it from beginning to an end. Then tell me what you think", he replied with a large grin. Even though I've seen only a few first pages, my hands were already itching to flip those pages like mad.

The book seemed to progress by difficulty of hunt, and strength or lethality of an animal. First few pages had stuff like rabbits, deer and boars. Though these were animals I'd rarely hunt, I've read every single word written on each page. The next few pages contained details on creature that to me were a rare sight.

One of them was a Royal Hornet. The same huge hornet that me and Shelly encountered inside the forest. Their weakness was simple, fire. Fire was the best way to deal with them, albeit not always could someone start a fire on an entire nest. The next solution mentioned was a bit more hands on. The Royal Hornets were fast, had good eyesight and sense of smell. One could say they were a perfect predator, but there was one weakness. Their bodies were fragile. Even a kid could kill a Royal Hornet with a stick, provided the attack was on target.

The solution was simple, quick and precise attacks. The strength wasn't required, hence light weapons would be the preferred choice. A sturdy stick had advantages over a sword due to reduction in weight. The book even mentioned that Royal Hornets didn't produce poison, but their stings could be deadly. Especially when a whole swarm attacked.

Another familiar looking creature appeared on the next page. 'So these things are called Rotworms', I thought while looking at the drawing. These were the darkly coloured worms, me and Shelly encountered while looking for Haze Flowers. The book was very specific about dealing with Rotworms. Unless you possessed a weapon made from very rare metals, killing them wasn't easy.

There were two ways to kill these creatures though. The first was strength and a heavy weapon. Broadswords or hammer would do the trick, of course provided the wielder had enough strength to break the shell. The other method was a bit more dangerous, as it required to get close and personal with the creature. Using a sword or spear, one had to thrust it right into the creature's mouth. That alone wouldn't be too difficult, but the danger came from a specific angle.

There was only one try with that method, because if the creature survived, the arm holding that weapon would be swallowed. Rotworms had three sets of very sharp teeth, once they caught something, they'd mince it in no time. Fortunately, it was easy to escape them. Moreover, these creatures lived under the ground for most of their life. Anyone with enough attention would be able to spot or hear them approach.

The next few pages contained information about the wolves and bears. Including the variants, which of course was perfect for me. I learned about their weaknesses, strengths and habitats. The second to last page had a drawing of another wolf, but it wasn't normal. The wolf seemed to be on fire, at least in few places. 'Fire-eating Hound? The hell is that thing?', I asked myself confused.

The description was a bit lacking compared to other entries. 'Fire-eating Hound, the apex predator of the wolf family. It's immune to fire, while some parts of the body remain aflame for the rest of its life. This creature originates from Silent Pass. Very dangerous creature, avoid at all costs'. That was all the description provided.

I wasn't sure what to think of that creature. 'Could this be called an animal at that stage? A wolf immune to fire... What the hell is on the last page then?', I asked myself before flipping the page. What greeted me on the next page was even more ridiculous. Besides the detailed drawing, the description was even skimpier.

'What the hell is that thing?', I found asking myself again. The last page suggested a name, Wilderbeast. The creature had four legs, similar to those of a horse. The creature itself seemed to be bigger than a bear. It's ugly elongated head with two curved horns was the stuff of nightmares, and it probably belonged there with its back coat. The description only mentioned two things, it's incredible fast, and deadliness.

I stared blankly at the page for a while, then directed my gaze at the man sitting on his chair. "This thing... Those two things at the end, what the hell are those things? Are they even real?", I asked. "So you made it to the end. Yes, they are very real, and believe me when I say, these aren't all the creatures of the forest. The book contains creatures I encountered personally", he replied.

"Are you telling me you actually saw that wolf on fire, and that... Wilderbeast?", I asked unconvinced. "I know, it sounds and looks stupid, but they are real. I haven't faced the two creatures you mentioned. I only saw them, hence such poor description. The names you see, these are the names I came up with. I've no idea how they are called, or if they are called anything", he replied.

I could tell he was speaking the truth. That man really encountered those things, and lived to actually preserve these encounters. "You mentioned Silent Pass for the Fire-eating Hound, but where did you find that Wilderbeast?", "The same place. You want to go there, don't you?", he replied.

"My intentions were to go there from the beginning, before we even met... I don't know about going there now", I said a bit dejected. "Oh, you can go. Just make sure you do not go down the cliff. Though areas around the cliff are fine, the further west you go, the worse. I think my journey there used up all the luck of my life", he explained before adding, "It's almost night, stay here if you want. Though I don't have another bed, there are some skins laying around".

I decided to take him up on the offer. "Mah! Maaah...", Shelly came over complaining. "Oh right, I forgot. Time for dinner, hehe. I'm surprised you waited so long", I said while taking out some meat. "Do you want some? It's cold but alright", I proposed. The guy smiled and took out some of his own roasted meat. "Hahahahaha....", we laughed at each other. "You don't mind if I read another book?", "Sure, go for it", he replied.