He knew that there had to be a reason for this odd behavior he had just experienced, but there was little time to wonder what it was as Konta passed into a dreamless sleep.
*
The first thing Konta noticed when he woke up again was that he wasn't inside his tent. Someone had managed to drag him out and place him next to the fire pit, where the sudden brightness and heat woke him up, or at least so he assumed. His head still swam from whatever it was that Kontala had him drink, but as if to respond to his addled state, a massive hand appeared beside him holding another cup of something steaming. Konta didn't even have to glance to know who it belonged to.
Seeing Zanzu explained how he ended up outside, but Konta was still curious as to why the Head Hunter had taken such lengths to get Konta rested and active during the night. There was little doubt in Konta's mind that Zanzu was planning a night hunt, but why would he be so keen on taking Konta along when there were several readily capable scouts that could be just as effective?
He decided that it was better to simply make sure he was in his top form for whatever prey they were after tonight, and quickly finished the drink he had been handed. Unlike the first one, this one was steaming from genuine heat rather than the chemical properties, and Konta nearly scalded himself by trying to finish it in a single gulp. Still, the strong heat helped get his blood moving and filled him with a new vigor, steadying him for whatever was to come.
Zanzu seemed impatient to get a move on, so Konta hurried to retrieve his weapons for the hunt. To his surprise, Zanzu shook his head when Konta grabbed his usual flint knife and wooden spear, taking them from his grasp and handing him the great hammer made of the strange glinting stone. Most of the time Konta balked at using the weapon, being so slow and cumbersome, but he knew that whatever it was they were about to hunt must be something that only sheer power could overcome.
The only other things he needed besides his hammer were a few odds and ends for first aid purposes, so it took little time for Konta to be ready to move out. Zanzu took charge, leading Konta to the far end of the Weeping Willow. At this time of night there was very little activity in the camp, with but a few tribeswomen who preferred to work at this time tending to various tasks like keeping the fire stoked for any scouts returning from their excursions and preparing the things that the other tribeswomen and hunters would use when they soon awoke. Near the edge of the tree's perimeter, a few scouts kept watch from just inside the edges of the Willow's canopy, staring out into the muddled, rain splattered darkness for any signs of danger. They let Zanzu and Konta pass readily, but Konta wasn't quite sure he wanted to go charging ahead into what he saw.
Konta was no stranger to night hunts, even if he wasn't a scout, but a night hunt during Autumn was a completely different experience. It was hard enough to see through the endless downpour when there was still daylight straining through the thick cloud cover; take away that and it became all but impossible to see more than a dozen heads in front of you. Scouts that had nighttime routes during Autumn were the best of the best, somehow finding a way to do their jobs despite such circumstances. Konta couldn't help but feel a bit more appreciative of their efforts as he stood in their situation, where every twitching shadow could be a predator that he would never see coming.
He stuck close behind Zanzu, who appeared to know well enough how to navigate through the foliage. More than once the Head Hunter made sudden turns and as Konta followed his stride he was sure he heard some rustling from the direction they had just been going. It was all too well known that there were many types of plants that were just as vicious as any animal, especially during Autumn, and Konta could only be thankful that it was Zanzu he was shadowing now.
Zanzu held up his arm to stop Konta right at the edge of a clearing. Even with so much time to let his eyes adjust it was still impossible to make out anything other than inky blackness. However, Konta could hear the distinct sound of splashing water, so he assumed that they must be very close to a lake or river. He tried his best to make out what it was, but it proved to be a hopeless attempt. He turned to Zanzu, expectant, but the giant man had grown deathly still and was staring intently in the direction of the clearing. At this point, Konta felt like little more than a bystander, but he was certain that his reason for being here would become apparent before long, so he spent the idle time trying to make out whatever it was that Zanzu was apparently waiting for.
After some time, Konta became aware of a sound that didn't quite match up with the others he had grown accustomed to hearing- a different sort of patter, ever so slightly different from the sound of the rain on the ground or hitting the body of water. The sound seemed to come from somewhere overhead, and it was moving. As Konta looked towards his fellow hunter to see if he had heard it, Zanzu dug into the bag he had brought and unearthed something wrapped in cloth. Without a moment's hesitation he ripped the cloth off and hurled the object overhand with all his strength.
Konta didn't even have time to wonder what was thrown as suddenly a dazzling light exploded into existence above the clearing. Konta couldn't help but shield his eyes as the brilliant flare illuminated the night sky. When his eyes finally adjusted, he was able to see now that they were indeed at the edge of a clearing that opened to a great lake, the waters frothing from the endless rainfall.
Konta squinted as his eyes shifted to the glowing orb that now hovered some distance over the lake, and readily enough recognized the light source as a Filament Beetle, a sort of scavenging insect that had a distinct method of hunting. Rather than capturing prey itself, a Filament Beetle would find creatures that it considered suitable to eat and follow them until nightfall, waiting for the creature to fall asleep. Then, the treacherous insect would fly overhead and explode into the shimmering array that Konta now beheld, instantly alerting every predator in sight to a free meal. In turn, the Filament Beetle was free to help itself to whatever remained of its unlucky victim.
The creature was difficult enough just to find unless it was flashing in its distinct fashion, but it was even harder to capture one. The fact that Zanzu had one on hand was yet another point in favor of his unchallenged hunting skill. Konta, however, was more interested in whatever creature they were trying to flush out with the flare.
It was then that Konta's ears picked up a distinct flapping sound. Something shot across the sky at the bright ball of light, emitting a frantic series of clicking noises, and Konta realized that the Beetle had attracted the attention of an adult Fruit Bat. He hearkened back briefly to a couple seasons ago, when the other hunters and he had taken out the pups to teach them how to harvest Fruit Bat young, and how he had seen a full grown Fruit Bat sleeping far ahead. Seeing one awake, however, was a different story- the incredible beating of wings that at full span stretched farther than five adults, the visible contraction of its muscles displaying the incredible strength it needed to keep itself aloft, and the horrible claws and teeth it bared angrily at the unknown disturbance, all of that reminded Konta that this was a creature that could rip him apart before he even had a chance to cry out. Even worse, he knew that it could hunt for many days and nights on end without resting so long as it continued to rain, being able to renew its strength and stamina by absorbing water directly through its body.
Konta tensed, waiting to see how Zanzu would begin the attack on the Fruit Bat. He wondered why his fellow hunter would demand he keep his spear and knife at camp, when those two weapons would have been far more useful against their current quarry than the hammer he now clutched tightly. So tense was he that he didn't even notice the way the surface of the lake began to bubble and churn, and it was only as the surface began to break that he realized that something else had noticed the unusual luminescence of the Filament Beetle.
That something exploded out from the depths of the lake, something long and twisting that careened into the sky and snapped around the Fruit Bat without giving it a chance to react. The Filament Beetle sensed the danger and fluttered higher, but cont
inued to shine, biding time until it could feed. Its brilliance allowed Konta to get a good look at the creature that had caught the Fruit Bat so effortlessly, a gift that Konta wasn't so sure he was grateful for.
What he beheld was unlike any creature he had seen before. It bore a long, segmented neck comprised of over a dozen pieces that gave it the ability to twist and undulate in a sickening fashion. At the end of that neck was a grotesque maw filled with long, translucent teeth that were just barely visible, being they were currently embedded deep in the Fruit Bat's flesh. Its features seemed somewhat reptilian in nature, though its eyes were compounded and more reminiscent of an insect's, but what was truly disturbing to Konta was what he saw within the beast.
Its entire body was somewhat transparent, the light of the Filament Beetle capable of shining well through the length of it, but here and there were dark shadowy forms that seemed to be frozen within the beast. It only took Konta a moment to realize that they were other creatures, likely previous victims of this monstrosity that were still lodged in its throat. Even now, as the creature began to work its jaw and swallow the Fruit Bat it had caught whole, Konta could see the other dark shapes inside this horror beginning so slide further and further down its gullet.
Konta wanted to run. He hadn't the slightest idea what this creature was capable of, but being able to so easily capture and kill a Fruit Bat, to say nothing of the numerous creatures it had already obviously caught, was nothing for two lone hunters to be trying to hunt. He turned to make sure Zanzu was ready to retreat. To his shock, Zanzu was instead stepping out of the clearing and slowly walking towards the edge of the lake. Konta could see that the creature, whatever it was, had already noticed Zanzu's approach. He could only hope that it wouldn't attack with its jaws preoccupied.
Konta's hopes turned to unbridled horror as the waters began to churn again, and another creature identical to the first broke through the surface. Before Konta even had time to believe what he was seeing, a third head also emerged on the opposite side, its teeth gnashing. The two new heads flanked the one that was still feeding on the Fruit Bat, both emitting an ominous fog from their open jaws. Together the three continued to rise from the depths of the lake, and it was now that Konta could see that all the necks joined at one single, large transparent body.
Zanzu now stood at the shore, and if Konta didn't know better he would have sworn the Head Hunter was daring the creature to attack from the way he held himself as he looked up at the three monstrous visages that glowered at him.
Without any signal or warning, the two new heads shot towards Zanzu, their long transparent fangs bared and poised to kill.
The Formaldehydra
Time seemed to slow for Konta as he watched the pair of ravenous jaws flash towards his fellow hunter. His mind raced as he tried to think of something, anything he could do to prevent Zanzu from being ripped asunder by the great beast's razor sharp teeth. In the end, all he could do was hope that Zanzu could leap backwards in time to perhaps avoid the worst of the impact.
The Head Hunter did in fact make a move, but rather than trying to escape backwards, at the last moment he sprang forward with a single incredible leap. Konta had never seen a hunter move so quickly in his life, and apparently neither had the great beast, for both heads tried to close inward to catch the spry human. However, they had apparently not expected such a swift reaction, and their sudden attempt to change direction caused the two head to knock together at full force with a cracking sound that rivaled a thunderclap.
The heads of the beast both hit the ground, completely dazed, the only signs that they were still alive being a steady stream of mist that continued to issue lazily from their maws. The third head seemed to realize that its counterparts were in trouble from the way its shimmering eyes turned upon the situation, but it was still preoccupied with the freshly caught Fruit Bat and so was helpless to do anything.
Zanzu was in a prime position to deliver a strike against the creature, as its heads spun around in a dizzied haze from their sudden collision, but instead he turned directly towards Konta and made a motion. For some strange reason, Zanzu wanted Konta to step out from his vantage point and join him on the shore of the lake.
Konta's instincts were still definitively telling him that stepping any closer to this creature was the stupidest thing he could do. It seemed every bit as moronic as walking right up to a Tortoasise or a Razorback Mammoth and openly provoking it. Still, Konta knew that there was no reason for Zanzu to openly expose him to a situation that would do either of them harm, and Konta was curious to see what exactly the great hunter had in store for this horrific beast. So, with one last great swallow and a cold sweat drenching his body more thoroughly than the rain could ever hope to do, Konta emerged from his hiding place, gripping his hammer tightly enough to make his tanned knuckles turn a grisly white.
The monster had recovered its senses before Konta had made it halfway towards his comrade, and its eyes immediately focused on the arrival of a new target, one that likely looked much less imposing than the tall and powerfully built Zanzu. Seeing that he had drawn the creature's attention only made Konta even warier about the situation, and every cell in his body screamed for him to turn and run from this place as fast as he could. It was years of experience that had given him the ability to assess situations in a hunt to such a primal degree, and he had no doubt that it was because he listened to those gut reactions that he was alive today. It was only because Zanzu made another impatient motion for him to step out that Konta was able to force himself to ignore those feelings and continue towards what he assumed was certain death.
Without warning one of the heads reared back and lunged again, appearing to sense the lack of conviction in the new prey's movements. Konta had no idea how he was expected to fend against this creature, but it was too late to think of flight; he knew he couldn't hope to pull of the kind of agility Zanzu had displayed moments earlier. His trusted hammer, the sturdiest of all his weapons, felt significantly useless against what was now bearing down on him, but it was the only thing that he had to defend himself, so he pulled back with every ounce of strength his could muster. Adrenaline surged through Konta's veins as he prepared to attack with what was likely the last swing he would ever take.
A dark blur shot into the sky, directly above one of the monster's heads, and landed with a resounding thump. Konta had to blink several times to make sure the rain wasn't causing him to see things, but there was no doubt that the object that had dropped onto the attacking creature was Zanzu. The force of his impact blasted the head into the ground, where it skidded for a distance from its own momentum until it finally came to a rest just within arm's reach of Konta. Up close, the great jaws of this creature were even more intimidating, as there was no doubt that it could swallow Konta whole if he made a venture within its mouth.
However, having the creature so close and in such a helpless position, Konta's instincts kicked in once again, and this time he reacted without hesitation. Hefting the hammer high overhead, Konta brought its full mass down directly onto the open multifaceted eye of the beast as it spun in its socket in confusion. There was a mighty crunching sound as the strike rang true, and a great spurt of liquid ushered from the wound as the beast let out a terrible screech of pain.
Konta had been analyzing the creature from the moment he first laid eyes on it, as he always did when encountering something he had never come across before, and the more he observed the more uncomfortable he became being so close to it. For one thing, the stream of fog that streamed incessantly from their mouths had a strong, biting odor to it that instantly told Konta it was dangerous to breathe. Being in such close proximity didn't make matters easier, but it did allow him to notice that the body fluid that had been expelled when it was attacked was not blood, or at least not like any blood Konta had ever seen. As he was already well aware, the creature was transparent for the most part, and so he wasn't as shocked as he might have been to see that its blood, too, was
transparent, but what concerned him about it was that the acidic odor it gave off, a stench even greater than the beast's breath. Was this monstrosity some sort of giant container of poison?
As if to further cement this theory that he feared, he could see now that the creature's teeth were not like a lizard's teeth, as that was the first thing he compared the beast to. Considering the vast number of creatures he had more experience with, Konta found their appearance more similar to somewhere between a snake's fangs and an insect's stinger- they were hollow, pointed, and slightly transparent like their owners, and it was easy for Konta to see that there was some sort of liquid inside those great fangs. He had little doubt now that whatever this thing was filled with, it was almost definitely something lethal if injected, and that it had plenty of options for dispensing its deadly payload on unsuspecting prey.
The creature flailed in vain to try and escape as it continued to writhe in agony, yet it was unable to wrench itself free with Zanzu still sitting atop it. Konta marveled at how his fellow hunter could pin down such a gigantic creature. Certainly he was a large man, but to be able to incapacitate such a creature would indicate that he weighed even more than he appeared to, which only raised further questions for Konta.
He was so confounded by the events that were whirling through his head that he had almost forgotten that there was a second head to contend with. As if just noticing the situation at hand itself, the other head opened wide and made another wild lunge at Zanzu, who was still sitting atop his quarry. Without batting an eye, the Zanzu leaped off the creature from a sitting position right as its comrade was about to strike, causing the two heads to once again collide painfully. The second head, which had struck with mouth agape, recoiled back and let out a high screech of pain, and Konta noticed that most of its teeth had been broken off and were leaking more of the strange foul liquid that the beast was filled with. It was both a testament to how hard the creature's carapace was, as well as a further indication that its teeth weren't designed to crush or chew as much as they were made to puncture and inject, much like a serpent.
Against All Instinct Page 8
