It wasn't unheard of for a hunter to escort a tribeswoman on a hunt for a particular ingredient, but it was a rare occurrence; normally, anything needed for the tribe's well-being would be found by hunters alone, brought back to the village, and prepared in the safety of the community by the tribeswomen there. The only time tribeswomen headed into the field with hunters was when the ingredient in question was difficult or impossible to procure without special preparation. The Cactyringe seemed to be just such a case, and so it was upon Konta to protect the medicine woman and deliver her safely to their quarry. With time being of the essence, Konta wasted none of it as he left the tent in all haste, Klika following right behind him.
Cactyringes were not difficult to find, for the most part, as they weren't a plant that required special circumstances to grow in, and they tended to grow in large numbers. As Konta stood on the rocky outcropping that overlooked the tribe's encampment, he contemplated which direction they needed to head in to find their prey. He knew that the Desert Flower was a creature that didn't stray far from its nesting grounds, preferring instead to wait for prey to approach it- therefore, there had to be a Cactyringe grove somewhere close by. Noting that he couldn't see a grove from where he stood, Konta figured that perhaps the strong winds had blown the Desert Flower nearby, in which case their best bet in finding a Cactyringe quickly was to head against the desert gales. With a curt hand gesture he pointed Klika to the west and set off at a brisk pace.
At the top of the first dune they were accosted by, Konta squinted through the blasting sands to get bearings. Off to their right in the distance he could make out the shape of a glittering blue lake, a couple palm trees bearing large orange fruit dotting the banks. A grim smirk crossed his face for but an instant, glad that his prey this time was something far less harrowing, and he returned to the task at hand. Directly in front of the duo was a large flat wasteland, without another dune to be seen for miles. A large number of identical, branching shapes sprouted from the ground in a close cluster, and Konta sighed a breath of relief- their target was right in sight. Klika had seen the shapes too, and didn't hesitate to take the lead as she marched down the slope with Konta in tow.
Konta's relief was short lived as the Cactyringe grove grew closer, and apprehension began to set upon him. The Cactyringe itself was not much of a threat, as long as one was careful to avoid the razor-sharp needles as long as a man's finger that covered the plants from top to bottom. What the real danger came from was the creature that made Cactyringe groves its hunting grounds and nests, the creature that started this whole hunt: the Desert Flower.
Konta's experience with the Desert Flower was well ingrained in his training as a hunter. It was considered one of the greatest threats during the months of Summer, and Konta had lost more than one friend in his childhood to this deceptive arachnid. The hunters that had trained him when he was but a pup had taken him and those his age to a Cactyringe grove shortly after the third Desert Flower attack one Summer, and showed the pups how to tell the scorpion apart from the flowers that naturally grew on the Cactyringe. It was not an easy task, but there was an important reason to make the distinction: the Cactyringe plants that could be used to create the Desert Flower antitoxin never had a nest within them. Konta now had to use that knowledge to find a plant that they could use to obtain what they needed.
He realized with a start that, as he was absorbed in thought, Klika had rushed towards the nearest Cactyringe, removing a small, precise knife with which to prepare the plant. In a flash of movement Konta removed the small flint knife he had tucked in his waistcloth, and with the swiftest of motions stabbed a flower that had been crawling ever so patiently towards Klika's outstretched hand. He grabbed her around her shoulders and pulled her back forcefully as several other Desert Flowers crawled from their resting places, their petal-like stingers twitching eagerly at the sign of prey. Konta gave Klika a pointed look before grabbing her hand and, to her apparent astonishment, led her directly into the grove.
Konta knew that as long as they didn't stray too close to a nested Cactyringe, they had little fear of a surprise attack, and any suspicious flower on the ground could be easily avoided; Desert Flowers were notoriously slow moving hunters. Konta walked between the succulent plants, carefully winding through them in an effort to find the widest path available. More than once, one of the long needles would catch on his robe, and the sudden vibration would send the Desert Flowers nesting on the plant to rush forward as fast as they could, tails quivering expectantly. Still, his experience allowed him to keep well outside their striking range, and with a quick tug he'd free himself. Klika, being led by hand, was free to keep her attention on making sure her own wraps didn't catch in a similar fashion.
Their search range was limited to the edge of the immense grove, in case a hasty retreat became necessary, but it didn't take more than a few tense minutes for Konta to stop in front of a Cactyringe that didn't particularly stand out from the others. He leaned in as close as he dare, taking careful note of the flowers. The distinguishing characteristic between the Desert Flower and the flowers that grew on the Cactyringe was the thin, transparent stinger that tipped every “petal” of the scorpion. While normally very difficult to see with the naked eye, these stingers glinted in a very peculiar manner when viewed just right in the Sunlight. With the Cactyringe grove blocking the majority of the sandstorms and the Sun high overhead, it took little effort for Konta's well-trained eye to see these stingers.
The flower he now examined had no indication of such stingers, so he took a slight stab at it with his knife. It quivered slightly from the strike, but otherwise did not stir. He made eye contact with Klika and nodded towards the Cactyringe, indicating it was safe. Klika was still hesitant to approach, now that she had a better understanding of the dangers at hand, but at Konta's silent insistence she finally pulled out her small knife again and set to work, now comfortable dealing with her subject.
Konta watched on, amazed, as she carefully shaved off several of the deadly needles, isolating a thorn that, upon close inspection, appeared longer and thicker than the others. Ever so carefully, with fingers trained in dealing with the most delicate subjects, Klika cut into the thick flesh of the Cactyringe, slicing slowly around her selected needle. Once she cut full circle, she gingerly pinched the needle at the base and the tip, and with a continuous, measured pull that seemed to last ages they couldn't spare, she pulled the segment free.
Konta's eyes grew wide as he saw what lay on the other side of the chunk of plant she removed. A large, bulbous pod quivered on the back end, undulating slightly even now as she held it. Konta could hear a slight sloshing from within the pod, indicating it was brimming with some sort of fluid. Without hesitation she wrapped the needle and the pod carefully in a thick cloth and placed it in her satchel. She looked at Konta and nodded poignantly, indicating that they had what they needed, and without a second thought Konta led them back through the grove.
Finally free of the deadly plants, Konta took off at a sprint towards the village, but slowed quickly when he noticed that Klika was lagging far behind. She was taking great care to coddle the satchel that held their prize, and Konta realized that with her precious cargo she couldn't move too quickly, lest the ingredient be damaged and their effort be for naught. Still, he knew that every second could prove fatal to the girl, so in an act of desperate thinking he rushed back to her and lifted the tribeswoman into his arms, cradling her as he would a child. He stood still for only a moment, hoping she would follow his line of thought, and after her initial shock she seemed to understand what he was trying to do, and carefully cradled the package against her chest. She was entrusting the final stretch to Konta's area of expertise.
With a mad burst of adrenaline Konta took off, unhindered by Klika's weight. Having been required to run while encumbered from predators innumerable times in his life, Konta was more than accustomed to the strain, and made much better time than Klika would've while trying to run and
protect the parcel at the same time. He sprinted onward, devoted to his purpose, while she focused on keeping the ingredient intact, and together their efforts got them back to camp before the Sun had crept any further in the sky, their cargo completely unharmed.
They had arrived not a moment too soon, as Konta observed in further amazement how their hunt had procured not just a remedy for the scorpion's toxin, but a method of application. Klika wasted no time inserting the Cactyringe's needle directly into the child's inflammation. The bulb on the back of the needle pulsed madly, and through the thin, partially transparent needle Konta could see a purplish liquid being discharged through the needlepoint and into the girl's arm.
Results were almost instantaneous as the swollen area began to reduce in size, the discoloration faded slightly, and the girl's ragged breathing grew normal as she fell into a peaceful sleep. It made Konta wonder, ever so slightly, how the Cactyringe could produce such an incredible cure without any human preparation. Did it use the needle as protection from being destroyed by the Desert Flowers nesting around it? If so, what causes only certain Cactyringes to be protected from the scorpions that live freely in other hosts?
At the end of the day, it didn't matter. A precious member of their tribe had been saved, and a small communal gathering was held that night to commemorate Konta and Klika's swift action in the face of adversity. Konta sat with Kontala, sipping contently on a fermented drink, and as Grimzi approached him and gave him a small bracelet she wove from flowers, he was happy to be reaffirmed that his skill as a hunter could do more than just take life.
The Sand Bee
Summer seemed to drag on almost uneventfully after the Desert Flower incident for Konta and his tribe, as the revolution of the Sun and Moon marked days that turned into weeks. The occasional sandstorm was the greatest threat that attacked the nomads, but it was something they had lived through for many Summers, and they plowed through it with their usual stubbornness. The hunters were able to secure food from sources such as the flightless Dunerunner bird and the reclusive Funnel Mole, both of which were less dangerous than the average beasts that roamed during the season. Still, the tribe was always vigilant for those deceptive Summer animals that they had already encountered more than they would've liked.
It was during one Summer morning, as Konta was just waking and going about his daily preparations alongside the tribeswomen, that a scout returned from his rounds out of breath and looking rather ragged. The scout, a fairly new recruit to their nighttime fold whom Konta knew as Tamto, had something clutched tightly in his hand, and rushed to the chief's tent without acknowledging any other tribesmen. This naturally drew the attention of everyone nearby, and they rushed to see what he had to show the chief so urgently.
Murg was just stirring from sleep, slipping on his crude loincloth as Tamto burst in. Still flushed and panting, the scout extended his hand and showed its contents to the chief. Immediately Murg went pale, his eyes narrowing at the sight of whatever it was. His brow furrowed for a moment, and then he turned and began to roll things up and pack them.
The crowd of people who waited at the mouth of the tent scrambled to see what the chief had just seen, but they didn't have long to wait, as Tamto turned, his eyes wide and his pallid face livid with terror, as he displayed the object he had retrieved during his night hunting- an object that immediately caused most of the witnesses to back away, their mouths silently agape in fear.
It was a long, thin barb that closely resembled a dagger, its material translucent and tinged the color of sand. At the wider end, what appeared to be ragged, dried flesh still clung loosely to the object. Konta knew there was no denying that this object was the stinger from a molting Sand Bee.
Sand Bees were a far too common occurrence during Summer, vicious creatures that were- like humans- mostly nomadic in nature. They wandered from area to area, braving the sandstorms and blistering heats to find suitable nesting grounds. Once they found a place they deemed suitable, they would burrow intricate hives in the sands and lay their eggs. After their job was done, the entire swarm would die, but their egg clusters would continue to grow, safe from the relentless seasons in their expertly made nests, until next Summer came around, at which time the new swarm would hatch and emerge, feeding endlessly and growing at a frightening pace until they too found a new nesting site, and the process would repeat.
This stinger was a sign that a Sand Bee had just recently molted, and within range of the campsite. If it possessed such a dangerous stinger before molting, Konta knew that it likely had one twice the size by now, and there was an entire swarm possibly converging on the camp at this moment.
Without an instant's hesitation the tribe exploded into a flurry of movement as the rest of the tribe was woken, everyone hurrying to take down whatever they could and pack it as quickly as possible. Some things would have to be left behind. The risk of being attacked by a swarm of Sand Bees was far more pressing than saving something as replaceable as a hide tent.
Once everyone had loaded up the bare essentials and covered themselves as needed the tribe was off, going the opposite direction from where Tamto had found the barb. Fortunately, all the scouts had returned before they departed. There was no time to wait for stragglers with such a threat descending upon the tribe.
Summer felt no sympathy for their plight, and the winds seemed to only increase in intensity as the tribe rose from the depression they had been camping in those last few months. Sand buffeted them relentlessly as they tried their best to forge forwards, the storm blowing directly into them as if to deliberately impede their progress. The stoutest warriors took the lead, doing their best to absorb the brunt of the force and make things even the slightest bit easier for the women and children to move onward. The other hunters stayed on the outer perimeter to defend against anything, Sand Bee or otherwise, that might spring a trap upon their very vulnerable group.
Attacks were only one plight the group faced, though. They had been forced from a very advantageous location so suddenly that the tribe was not quite sure where they should go next. The scouts had not found any similar camping sites in the range of their hunting grounds, so the only choice they had was to forge onward and hope that they would happen upon some place they could set up camp for at least a short time.
Konta was walking near the back of the troupe, looking half-passively from one tribesman to another, his hand on the shoulder of Kontala who walked just ahead of him. As he struggled to keep a close eye on everyone and make sure nobody was separated, there came through the air a noise that immediately caught Konta's attention. Despite the howling winds, there was no mistaking that there was something else out there, making a high-pitched buzzing that cut through the desert maelstrom and caused Konta's very bones to rattle.
The first one materialized as if from nowhere, bursting through the sand curtain from the group's right with stinger poised menacingly. Zanzu, though he was one of the hunters covering the front, immediately lunged from his position, pulling the massive spear he carved himself from his back and impaling the attacker in one swift motion. The creature twitched spasmodically at the end of the spit for but a moment before it went still. Konta could barely see it even from his vantage point, for its carapace was a perfect match for the sand and dust that was billowing about the group. Its compound eyes, however, reflected the cruel light of the Sun readily enough, void and emotionless.
The buzzing now reached a fierce intensity, and immediately the tribeswomen and children threw themselves to the ground to try and protect themselves. The hunters had all unsheathed their spears, encircling the huddled group while facing outwards to deflect any incoming attack. The chances of fighting off an entire swarm of Sand Bees was nigh impossible, but the tribe had one boon that could possibly save them at this juncture.
Konta spared a glance towards Klik, who was the only hunter who had yet to draw his spear. Instead, he was furiously uncovering his pelt, which was among the most delicate of all the hunters' cl
oaks and thus was usually tucked away during the day, when the harsh Summer storms could damage it. That cloak was the only hope the tribe had of getting out of this situation, and it was up to the other hunters to fend off their attackers until Klik was ready.
Within moments another half dozen Bees dove on the tribe, their deadly barbs unfurling from within their bodies and pointed straight at the hunters. The spears of the hunters were thankfully just long enough to strike at the Sand Bees from outside their range. The real danger was in missing. As fast and agile the Sand Bees were, a single failed strike would give them enough time to attack, and Konta knew the Sand Bees wouldn't miss their mark.
Before the last of the new attackers had fallen, another dozen emerged to attack. Konta was able to strike one down with a single blow, but found it lodged firmly on the head of the spear. As he tried to kick it off the end, a Sand Bee appeared from the storm right in front of him. With the stinger just an arm's length from him, he instinctively turned his back it.
The attack glanced off the rock hard fur of his Obsidian Panther pelt, and as the beast fell to the ground from the sudden recoil, Konta wheeled around and drove the spear straight down. The fire-hardened point burst through the Sand Bee stuck to the end and impaled the one that had just attacked him.
As the hunters fought desperately to keep their attackers at bay, Konta noticed that the sandstorm was beginning to abate. Thoughts that some good fortune had befallen them were quickly replaced with horrible realization as he saw the massive shadow that blotted out the Sun above their heads. The hunters looked up, and now it was clear that the storm's subsiding was caused by the rapid wing fluttering of what appeared to be over a hundred Sand Bees hovering just above their group.
Against All Instinct Page 5