Zanzu had landed some distance off, and Konta saw that he seemed almost placid at the way events were unfolding. It was impossible for him to believe, but there could be no denying that Zanzu was merely toying with this over-sized creature. He had yet to receive so much as a scratch, and even after displaying so many incredible feats of physical prowess, Zanzu had not even begun breathing heavily.
The Head Hunter locked eyes with Konta and gave a small grin, something that Konta didn't feel comfortable returning in the given situation. Zanzu didn't seem to notice, however, and instead looked back at the creature and gave a sharp whistle. The three headed beast startled a bit, now clearly wary of the foe they had unsuccessfully attacked twice now. Still, the creature was quite visibly agitated, as the two heads they had been battling swayed back and forth with jaws opening and snapping shut in irritation. Konta mused that the creature had likely never encountered a foe that could so readily thrash it, and was unsure on how to proceed.
Of course, beasts such as those rarely were able to adapt to new situations quickly, and sure enough the creature shot forward again to try a third time to get Zanzu. The head that Konta and Zanzu had injured remained behind, as did the one that was still feverishly trying to swallow the Fruit Bat, so it was only the one head that had broken some of its teeth off earlier that now approached at blinding speed.
Zanzu smirked at the attack, and held out both his hands. The events that happened next flew by at a pace Konta could barely keep up with: The head collided with Zanzu, who caught its jaws with his bare hands and held them open as his heels dug into the ground. The creature's strength was great, but it only managed to force Zanzu a short distance back before it was unable to overcome him any further. The moment the creature had been stopped, Zanzu twisted the head sharply, causing its neck to snap and a spurt of clear liquid to erupt from the cracks in its carapace. The head went motionless, save for the slight twitching of its jaws, and the other two heads screeched in unison, though whether it was because the heads could feel each other's pain or because of blind rage, Konta couldn't tell.
The great beast began to retreat into the water, but before the head could slide too far away, Zanzu ran to where the neck had cracked and pulled from his back the bundle he had brought from the village. Without waiting to unwrap it he stabbed the instrument directly into the wound, driving it straight through the creature's neck.
Zanzu turned and shouted incoherently at Konta. Normally something like that would cause Konta to panic, but at this point the creature they were fighting had made so much noise that it was unlikely that any more would make much of a difference, and Zanzu had already proven how reliable he was in such situations, so Konta felt more comfortable than he would have thought possible running up to his fellow hunter. Zanzu eyed Konta's hammer, which Konta had been holding idly since the last attack, and then looked pointedly at the edge of what he had forced through the creature's neck. Konta understood what Zanzu wanted, though he had no idea what it would accomplish.
Konta raised the hammer and struck the piston with all his force. There was another great cracking sound, and Konta had to turn his head away as another spurt of clear liquid shot from the wound. When he turned back, he saw that the force of his blow had caused the head to sever cleanly from the neck, and though the headless tube continued to slither back into the depths of the lake along with its brethren, the chitinous skull remained behind, its jaw still opening and closing from sheer reflex.
The remaining two heads had already disappeared beneath the lake's surface, which was continuing to froth as its great form sunk deeper into the waters. The lifeless neck that had just been relieved of its head was the last part of the beast to vanish as it was dragged into the depths, all the while leaving a trail of pungent body fluid behind. After just a few moments, only the lingering smell of the creature's blood remained as a reminder of the ordeal Zanzu and Konta had just undergone.
Zanzu had wasted no time in procuring a large tarp that he had brought with him, and quickly wrapped the severed head within it, tying the ends together and handing the bundle to Konta. Despite the unnerving trial he had just undergone, Konta didn't hesitate to take the load and secure it to his back. It was lighter than he had expected given its size, but it was still a great burden, and sloshed as if it were filled with water, making it difficult to balance. Once Konta was sure he had a good handle on it, he nodded to Zanzu, who took charge and started leading the way back to the camp.
As the two broke back into the foliage they had come from, Konta noticed that the shimmering light that had illuminated the lake had yet to fade behind them. He looked up to see that the Filament Beetle had begun to follow them. Undoubtedly it had noticed the distinct lack of food left behind for its efforts, and so had started following them in hopes of drawing predators towards the hunters so that it could feed.
Zanzu had noticed this as well, for the moment the Beetle became visible through a break in the canopy overhead, the great hunter crouched down and shot into the air at an impossible speed. Before the Beetle could react in the slightest, Zanzu had snatched it in his hand and wrapped a cloth around it, where the insect's light still continued to stream through feebly for a few seconds before finally extinguishing itself. The Head Hunter landed on a tree near Konta, quickly hopping from branch to branch until he was again at ground level, making not a sound during his descent.
Though the Head Hunter made light of his incredible feat, urging Konta to follow him with haste back to the village, Konta was feverishly trying to figure out what Zanzu was. There was no possible way that Zanzu could be pulling off the feats he had displayed tonight unaided. It was far beyond the scope of even the greatest hunters Konta had witnessed in his life. Still, he couldn't imagine any kind of pelt that could bestow the kind of reflexes and displays of strength that Zanzu had performed when facing down that terrible three-headed beast or catching the Filament Beetle again. The only reasonable conclusion to Konta was that Zanzu was something beyond a mere human, but what that was, he couldn't figure out.
What he did know, though, was that he was undoubtedly brought along almost solely to bear witness to Zanzu's ability. His contribution to the hunt was minimal at best, and Konta knew that anything he helped with, Zanzu could have done by himself just as easily. The biggest question on Konta's mind was, why did Zanzu go through such lengths just to demonstrate these things to him?
Konta was surprised to find the trip back to the village was much shorter than he recalled the trip to the lake being. Perhaps it was because of all his musing on the subject of Zanzu, but that only further worried him; it meant he had completely drifted off into his mind on the way back, a trait that would get a hunter killed in most situations. He could only assume it was because he had felt safe to do so, because of the safety that Zanzu afforded him. Still, it was not a state of mind he felt comfortable indulging in. Becoming dependent on the skills of another would only cause him to slack off in his own development.
Zanzu led the way past the scouts who were still standing guard, several of whom turned and looked curiously at the great bundle that Konta had strapped to his back. The Head Hunter paid no attention to their gawking, though, and steered Konta towards one of the larger tents that had been erected in the camp, which was used as a sort of medical facility. Inside the tent, the two hunters were met by Murg and a cadre of tribeswomen who appeared to have been waiting for the duo to arrive. Without a moment's hesitation the women swarmed around Konta and bustled the cargo he had been carrying to the table, where they eagerly unwrapped it. The horrific maw of the strange armored creature was still seemed to be grimacing at the observers, though its eyes were clearly glazed with death.
Once they were assured of what they had been brought, the tribeswomen split up and began procuring several different odds and ends, though for what Konta was still unsure. Several went into the corner of the tent, bringing out a massive basin that looked much like the large communal basin the hunters used to
bathe in; meanwhile, others had grabbed several containers that had been set nearby and were brimming full with water, which they began to pour into the basin. A small number had gone to the storage pouches where various tools were kept to prepare medicine with or to perform surgeries, returning with a number of stone tools, and the rest had taken to lifting the head and placing it in the basin, which was now roughly half full with water.
The tribeswomen wasted no time in using the tools they acquired to begin perforating the dismembered beast head with numerous holes, causing copious amounts of its terrible smelling body fluid to escape confinement and mingle with the water. Konta hadn't realized it before, but Zanzu had bundled the head in just such a way so that the open neck of the beast faced upwards while Konta carried it, preventing this fluid from spilling to the ground, confirming Konta's suspicion that it was this strange clear fluid that had been the true goal of their hunt.
The blood (or whatever it was, for Konta was still indecisive on that matter) caused the water to turn to a murky yellowish color, and he took notice at that moment that the women were all wearing gloves while handling the beast's head, in addition to face masks they had donned while preparing the items for whatever it was they were doing now. It caused Konta a bit of unease that he had breathed so much of that creature's foul breath and the horrid stench of its fluids, but there was little use in worrying about it now.
Zanzu tapped him on the shoulder, signaling for Konta to follow once more. Konta wasn't sure whether he had the fortitude to go on another excursion tonight, but thankfully Zanzu only ended up leading him to the pile of Ravager bodies near the trunk of the Willow. The Head Hunter hoisted a large armful of them and began back towards the tent, so it only made sense for Konta to do the same, though he was only able to bring a fraction of what Zanzu had walked off with.
Konta walked through the flaps of the tent just in time to see Zanzu drop the entire armful of dead Ravagers directly into the basin, which was now full to the brim with the yellowed fluid mixture, causing some of the sickly concoction to slosh over the sides. Konta brought his share over and repeated the process, careful not to get any of the mixture on him. He watched as the long deceased bodies slowly sank into the fluid, and suddenly Konta remembered what he had just been thinking about the other morning. Could this be the answer to the question he had in the back of his mind this whole time? Was the blood of this beast some sort of preservative that would allow them to keep the Ravagers from decaying? He knew that when certain foods were preserved by the tribe, sometimes a strong smelling liquid was used in the process. It would make sense that these creatures would be preserved in a similar manner.
The two hunters took only a couple extra trips to deposit the entire collection of Ravager specimens into the basin, which the tribeswomen quickly sealed off with a great lid. Konta and Zanzu helped move the basin back into the corner, where it would keep the corpses safe until they needed to be used at a later time.
Zanzu clapped a great hand on Konta's shoulder when everything was finally finished, his beard crinkling in that way it always did when Konta thought he was smiling. Taking that as a sign that the job was well and done, he gave a small nod and returned the smile, and left without a single glance back. He had experienced quite enough tonight, and was quite looking forward to the sanctity of his own tent.
It only took Konta a few moments to toss his hammer and provisions next to his other belongings, lay his Obsidian Panther pelt carefully over everything, and collapse on the soft Danderdeer bed on the ground next to Kontala, who still had some time before she awoke. Though he thought he had been careful to not wake her, he was surprised to feel her roll over and wrap her arms around him, pulling him as close as she could with her belly protruding as it was. He wanted to turn and return the embrace, but suddenly realized the extent of his exhaustion, and so could only return the gesture by gently squeezing her hand.
As he drifted off into sleep, his thoughts were on his beloved beside him and their child, but he knew that in his dreams, his mind would be focused on the dread beast he had discovered that night: the terrible Formaldehydra, whose name was just as new as the experience Konta had facing it down with Zanzu. Though Konta knew the encounter was yet another stepping stone in becoming a great hunter, he also knew that the encounter would haunt him for many nights to come. Unfortunately, it was a situation he was well used to, and gave up indifferently to the nightmares that awaited him.
The Fog of Rafflesion
After the encounter with the Formaldehydra, the weeks of Autumn that followed seemed rather dull in comparison to Konta. Peace was something often sought after and rarely found by the tribe, so it was fortuitous that day after day passed with no real threat bearing down on them as they camped underneath the Weeping Willow. With the Ravagers properly preserved, they had no shortage of blood to continue coating the tree with, and the lack of predators attacking the encampment indicated that their efforts were not going to waste. The hunters had managed to secure several great catches on their expeditions, not the least of which was an adult Fruit Bat that would make excellent rations for the grueling Winter that lay just around the corner. Zanzu had even managed to secure an incredible find in a mature Kogyu Cow, whose meat was nutritious enough to last the tribe for a year if conserved properly.
Still, Konta's hunt for the Formaldehydra with Zanzu had changed something inside of him. He began to realize just how little he really knew about the world around him, and seeing Zanzu's incredible feats against the great beast made him understand how far away he was from being a top hunter in the tribe. Konta was frustrated at his ignorance, but so long as the tribe was at peace, he knew there was little reason to fret over such petty problems. There were more important things for him to worry about than his hubris at the moment.
For one thing, Kontala was nearing the time of childbirth. She had swollen so greatly now that she could not do anything other than the most menial of tasks, and had to rest constantly while even performing those. The other women of the tribe seemed to bustle harder with each passing day to carry Kontala's burden, for they knew better than any man in the tribe the strain that came with having a child.
Konta spent what little free time he had available tending to her every need, all the while imagining the type of life he would have once he had a pup to look over. It was a more exciting and terrifying idea than any hunt could be, but what he worried about most was Kontala having to give birth during Winter, when the weather would be at its harshest and the dangers would be greater than any other season.
Even when out on hunts, he found his thoughts constantly drifting back towards his mate and their future progeny. After a close encounter during one hunt where Konta almost fell prey to a Puffer Hippo, a fiercely territorial creature that was so resilient the tribe had yet to hunt one successfully, Murg had apparently noticed how distracted he was and placed him on a rest period. Konta felt thoroughly ashamed of himself, though as he mused over the predicament he wondered if other hunters ever felt these kinds of emotions when they were expecting a child.
It was only a few days' hiatus before Konta was sent back on the hunt again. Autumn was entering its final days, and every hunter was working extra hard to make sure that the tribe had enough supplies to make it through Winter. Once the seasons shifted, there would be almost no food to hunt or materials to procure for kindling and medicine. Konta was teamed with Faygo, charged by the eldest tribeswoman Marg to lead a group of four less experienced hunters on a search for some useful plants. Both the hunters were equally ignorant when it came to first aid matters- that was the territory of the tribeswomen- but Marg thankfully provided some small samples of what she wanted so they could easily compare and identify what they needed. A scout had already found a location where several specimens were growing, so the hunting group only had to be pointed in its direction, and they were off.
Konta was thankful to have been assigned a task with Faygo, whom he felt a closer kinship with than
any other hunter in the tribe aside from his Kontala. They were roughly the same age, and had learned the tools of the trade right alongside each other. Both were distinguished hunters on their own, but together they created a considerable force in the tribe. Konta was right alongside Faygo when he fell the Triceraboar that the latter now wore as his distinguishing hunter's pelt. Even though Konta didn't directly help kill the beast, for a hunter could only wear a pelt if he killed the creature by himself, Faygo insisted that night that Konta shared in his victory supper, made from the meat of the Triceraboar that he had killed. Normally no hunter would ever share such spoils with another, so the fact that Faygo was so adamant about it made Konta realize how important his presence had been to his friend. Konta had made it a point to return the favor when he returned from a hunt with the Obsidian Panther in tow, further cementing the bond he felt with his childhood partner.
He had almost gotten lost in thoughts of the past when a swift blow struck him around the head. Konta startled and turned, only to see Faygo giving him a sly grin and shaking his head slightly. It was embarrassing for Konta to be scolded by Faygo, but he also knew that his friend had only the best in mind for him. He needed to focus on the hunt and stop letting his mind wander aimlessly, or he might suffer a fate similar to the one he escaped just days before. On top of that, he was supposed to be teaching the younger hunters how to deal with Autumn's conditions.
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