Hunter's Choice

by C E Keene

  He'd settle for just experiencing what it was like to ride on a flying mount, a prospect he found both exciting and terrifying.

  "Let me get these ladies saddled up for you."

  The man moved to the wall and pulled down tack for three of the beasts, fitting them with blankets, saddles, and halters in turn. They all accepted their fate with patience, but Arheis wondered if that courtesy would extend to anyone but their owner and the man who had presumably raised them.

  "Are they… friendly?" he asked.

  "Why don't you come see for yourself?"

  He approached with dubious regard, reaching up slowly. The Solleo he stood by puffed up its neck feathers in a menacing display, making Arheis draw his hand back.

  The owner just let out a loud belly laugh.

  "I told you they're smart! She knows you're afraid of her. She's having a bit of fun." He clapped Arheis on the shoulder. "Go on. Give her a stroke, like you mean it."

  Mira snorted softly at that, and Arheis blushed at the innuendo. But because he was now being watched by literally everyone, he was forced to man up and give the Solleo a stroke.

  This time, the beast didn't try to startle him. His fingers touched the soft, downy feathers that covered her neck, brushing through them in a way that parted them gently. The Solleo made a trilling sound, and Arheis smiled.

  "See? Plenty friendly," the man said. "Now hop on and get rid of those damned Praedus."

  Arheis had ridden a horse exactly twice in his life, making him completely unqualified to do this. But he did it anyway. Grabbing onto the horn of the saddle, he pulled himself up. His shin banged against the Solleo's side and he cringed midway through, thinking he was going to get pecked. The beast was surprisingly patient with him, though, and he was finally able to swing his leg over.

  Mira climbed up after him, her arms around his waist. Arheis ignored the warmth spreading through him at the contact, waiting for the others to mount up, with Higrem taking one Solleo and Zindar and Galen taking another.

  "How do we--?"

  He didn't have a chance to finish the question before the man said, "Take them up to the peak. Find those louts who've been killing your babies."

  A strong flap of wings created an updraft that sent the Solleo skyward. Mira let out a sound of surprise and held onto him tighter, and Arheis gripped the reins as the beast ascended through the open roof.

  To his right and left, the other Solleo also lifted themselves high into the air, joining in flight as they made a beeline for the peak.

  The air was thin this high and Arheis was forced to regulate his breathing to get enough oxygen. As his mount sped toward a cloud, he closed his eyes, feeling condensate prickle against his skin.

  "This is amazing!" Mira said with a laugh.

  Arheis forced his eyes open after that and tried to shift with the movements of the beast, as he'd been taught on those rare occasions of horse-riding. He could feel the pull of its muscles beneath his thighs, the beating of its wings as it climbed higher, and finally he began to feel like he had some control.

  > You have learned Riding. Basic proficiency in this ability will allow you to ride well-trained beasts that are extremely tame.

  The fact that there was an ability for it made him excited. Maybe they'd have a chance to do this in the future. Or… maybe not. To his side, Galen was looking extremely pale. His eyes were squinted shut and he was mumbling something to himself that Arheis couldn't hear.

  Maybe they'd stick to ground mounts.

  "I can see the peak just up ahead," Zindar said, seeming far more at ease on the mount.

  Arheis focused his attention there, trying to see where they might land. But the top of the peak really wasn't big enough for more than one, maybe two people to stand safely. As they drew closer, he didn’t see a nest like he'd expected, but a series of tiny caves, almost like hollows in a tree.

  Beaked faces poked out, their shape bulky, almost like a puffin. The creature that scampered out of the hole was decidedly not bird-like, though. That beak tapered into a reptilian head and body, the length of it moving almost like a snake. Bony growths extended from its back, flexing outward and flapping nearly iridescent, insect-like wings.

  What a strange creature. They'd have to lure it down to a safe place, and--

  His mount let out a growling call and beat back at the air with its wings, propelling them toward the creature. The Praedus launched itself from its small ledge and flew directly toward the Solleo despite being a fraction of its size.

  It let out a piercing call and Arheis began to understand its intent. More Praedus poked their beaks out of the holes, leaping into the air and speeding toward his mount.

  He tried to pull up on the reins, to navigate around the incoming swarm, but his Solleo didn't much care for that. She held herself aloft and swiped with large paws. One of the Praedus was knocked back, but six more replaced it easily, their bodies contorting and sending their back talons into the Solleo's side and flank.

  "Come on, girl, you can't just stay here and take it."

  Arheis tried to urge the beast forward, and this time, she actually obeyed his command. She sped forward and when he leaned to the right, so did she. He could feel the response of the beast beneath him and knew there was no way he was going to be able to keep his mount safe and fight at the same time.

  "I need you to--" he began to call to Mira.

  "On it."

  Arheis heard the sound of a crossbow loading, then a thunk as she let a bolt fly. It stuck into the snake-like body of one of the Praedus, tearing through a wing in the process, and the creature went down.

  > You have slain Praedus!

  > You have gained 5 XP.

  He would have celebrated, but that Praedus was quickly replaced by another. There were at least twelve zipping around his mount, and more trying to slash at the other two.

  "Galen, you're going to have to open your eyes, or take over driving!" Arheis shouted.

  The elf seemed reluctant to do either, but eventually he did open his eyes. One arm still held on to Zindar in a vice-like grip, but the other was extended and casting some kind of spell. Rocks flew from below, spearing two of the Praedus and sending them tumbling down.

  > You have slain Praedus! (x2)

  > You have gained 10 XP.

  "I can't attack and stay on this thing," he heard Higrem say before witnessing the man attempt to do just that.

  It ended with him almost falling out of the saddle.

  Arheis directed his mount downward, leaning his weight forward. He had to duck to avoid the searching talons of a Praedus, and Mira managed to peg it with another bolt. Galen followed that up by pelting another two with icicles.

  > You have slain Praedus! (x3)

  > You have gained 15 XP.

  It didn't seem to matter how many they killed. More just kept coming. Arheis scanned the peak, seeing the endless supply of them coming from their dens.

  "Can you jump down to that peak?" Arheis called to Higrem. "If you can cut them off before they get a chance to take flight, we'll only have to deal with the ones in the air."

  "I think so," the man said, and without his having to guide it, his Solleo brought him closer.

  Higrem sheathed his sword and leapt from the beast's back, landing in a crouch. In one fluid motion he yanked his sword free and made a swift, upward arc that cleaved two more Praedus in half just as they managed to get into the air.

  > You have slain Praedus! (x2)

  > You have gained 10 XP.

  With the beating heart of the beasts now managed, Arheis focused on what was left. He navigated as best he could, getting it wrong every now and again. The feeling of his mount being raked by Praedus talons was visceral inside him, like he'd failed the poor creature. At one point there were so many coming at him that he was almost paralyzed by indecision, but quick thinking on Galen's part knocked several of the beasts out of the way with one jagged rock.

  Behind him, he heard Mira ra
pid-loading and firing bolts. They didn't all connect, but enough did that there were noticeably fewer Praedus zipping around.

  Down below, Higrem was swinging his sword in a low arc, sending parts of Praedus flying. It was a gruesome scene, blood and viscera whipped outward from the point of his blade, but it was getting the job done.

  Between the three of them attacking and Arheis and Zindar driving--with added assistance from the riderless Solleo that swooped in and swiped at several Praedus--they managed to thin the numbers.

  Two more remained, and when they realized they didn't have backups coming, they turned tail and sped away, their wings making a buzzing sound as they went.

  "I don't think we can let them live," Arheis said regretfully, "they'll just rebuild their clutch."

  "I wish I could disagree," came Mira's reply from behind him.

  She'd already loaded her crossbow and expertly fired a bola that snared both the remaining Praedus, bringing them down for a flashy finish from Higrem's overhead slash.

  Arheis' heart was pounding, and even his Solleo was still behaving like there was a fight yet to come. But with Higrem's intervention, the endless tide of Praedus had stopped. They'd defeated all of them.

  > You have slain Praedus! (x12)

  > You have gained 60 XP.

  > Your quest Egg Thieves has updated.

  You've cleared the peak of Praedus. Return all of the Solleo to the rookery owner to retrieve your reward.

  Higrem's mount landed on the peak of its own volition, giving him the chance to climb on. Once everyone was secure, they headed back to the rookery and Arheis tried to get a feel for how much damage the Praedus had managed to do to their mounts.

  White fur was stained pink, with little gashes all along his creature's side. It dripped down onto the wings as they beat into the air, and Arheis noticed some of the feathers were plucked clean out. A frown etched itself onto his face.

  "They didn't attack us in the least, but these Solleo were torn up."

  "I might have something we could use on them," Mira said, though her tone sounded uncertain.

  He felt suddenly guilty, as though he'd done the owner more of a disservice than a favor. The Solleo seemed to be flying fine, but the sight of all that blood was disconcerting, and when they landed he was fully prepared to have the owner tear into them.

  Instead, he greeted them with a loud, "Ho there! I saw some of that from here. Impressive fighting!"

  Mira slid down first and Arheis followed, immediately rifling through his pack for bandages or something that would staunch the flow of blood.

  "Your Solleo were pretty injured," Zindar said with a frown, carefully stroking the neck of his mount just above a sizable bald spot. "The Praedus didn't go after us at all."

  "Speak for yourself," Higrem said, holding up his arms.

  Like the Solleo, he was sporting several gashes, all of which were bleeding like crazy.

  "Gods above, you could've said something about that earlier," Mira chided him.

  "It looks worse than it is," the owner said, patting Arheis' mount. "Praedus secrete something through their talons that makes you bleed a whole lot more than you would otherwise."

  An anti-coagulant? That was neat. And really nasty. With just a few well-placed cuts, they could feasibly kill something much bigger than them. Like Higrem, who still didn't seem remotely concerned about the whole thing.

  "I'll take care of them, don't you worry," the man said, patting one of the Solleo.

  It preened and cooed in response, butting its head against his hand like a cat.

  "Let me just get your credits. I'll send word down to the Matron that the bounty's handled, too."

  > You have completed: Egg Thieves!

  > You have gained 143 XP.

  > You have earned 15,000 GC.

  Arheis pocketed the credits as they'd agreed. That was enough to pay for an armor set for one of their party members. Now they just had to make the same amount four more times.

  Glancing up through the open roof of the rookery, Arheis tracked the position of the sun. It was further down in the sky now, nearly swallowed by the nearby peaks. Brilliant oranges and pinks streaked across the sky, and the light was dimming.

  "We should make camp near the cave," he told the others. "I don't want to know what it's like to try and navigate these mountains in the dark."

  "Agreed," Mira said, "let me just finish patching up this idiot."

  Higrem grunted at that, but didn't deny it. Admittedly he'd been the linchpin in their last fight. He'd been the one to overcome the gimmick. But he might well have suffered with those wounds until they made camp, and by then it could've been too late.

  Yes, some part of Arheis knew that Higrem would just respawn and it didn't matter that much, but the man seemed eager to keep that part of himself a secret.

  Once he was bandaged, they headed down the mountain, bidding farewell to the rookery owner and his beasts. The descent wouldn't have felt nearly as perilous if they weren't racing against the fading sunlight, but as it was, every pothole in the winding mountain road felt like a deadly hazard. Arheis was forced to walk with immense care and ultimately they didn't make it to the bottom before dusk fell.

  But they did make it close enough. The first trail marker was in sight and a torch lit the rest of the way. Solid, flat ground felt good under Arheis' boots, and he suggested they make camp right there, rather than waiting until they got closer to the ice caves.

  The back to back hunts had taken their toll, it seemed. Everyone was tired, and Arheis felt a bone-deep exhaustion despite his Stamina levels being full. He slumped down against a rock, rooting through his pack to find his last remaining energy potion.

  He didn't quaff it yet, wanting to get the full effect when they were fighting the Stirandi. But he did set it beside him as a reminder that he'd soon feel better.

  Zindar and Galen worked on a stew with the meat they'd acquired from the Celir, and it occurred to Arheis that they hadn't been able to get anything from the Praedus.

  "Think there's a chance the Praedus we killed won't be picked clean by tomorrow?" he asked the group.

  As if on cue, some beast howled in the distance.

  "Doesn't seem likely," Zindar said. "I'm not sure there was much to use from them, anyway. They were pretty small, and the key parts were really easy to break."

  True. Arheis wasn't going to worry too much about it. They couldn't change things now, and he hadn't seen any Praedus materials listed on the requirements for either the armor or the augments they needed.

  He watched Zindar and Galen make the stew, observing the way Zindar cut the meat and the various herbs and spices Galen threw in. Despite not cooking it himself, he was able to learn the recipe just by watching.

  > You have learned the recipe: Hearty Stew.

  The stew warmed him, acting as a buffer against the chilly winds that blew through the mountain pass. The meat was incredibly gamey--just as the description said--but the spices and the stewing process helped make it palatable, at least.

  > You have temporarily received 20 bonus hit points.

  Once he'd finished his meal, Arheis threw back the energy potion and a healing potion to top himself off, feeling the life return to his body almost instantly. The others made use of their own potions, and they broke down the camp before continuing to the ice caves.

  23

  Night had fully formed by the time they made it there, settling over the area like a thick blanket of pitch. The temperature was swiftly dropping, and the nearer they came to the ice cave, the colder it got, to the point that Arheis' teeth were chattering despite the buff from the stew.

  "I know the bounty said ice c-cave, but does it have to be this c-cold?" Mira asked, her arms wrapped around herself.

  Apparently buying actual cold weather gear should have been a priority, too, but the weather in Iskaral was relatively mild compared to this. Arheis hadn't assumed it would be a problem.

  > You are co
ld. Your dexterity has decreased. Prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures will lead to harsher penalties.

  Well, fuck. As a Guardian, that was really going to affect him. It was going to affect all of them. Trying to hold weapons with numb fingers seemed a fool's game.

  "Let's get more torches going," he suggested, "at least that'll give us a little warmth."

  They'd tried to conserve their fuel--some beast fat Zindar had purchased in the market--but now was definitely the time to burn it. The Pruvari was holding their current torch, so Arheis fumbled with the little canister of fat, swiping a rag into it several times and tying that around a stick. He repeated the process until they had three torches. One for Zindar, one for Mira, and one for himself--the three people who most needed to make precise use of their fingers.

  He was still shivering violently, and he had to curl his fingers tight around the torch to hold onto it as they entered the ice caves, but eventually the idea paid off.

  > You are no longer cold. Dexterity returned to normal.

  "Better?" he asked his companions.

  Just looking at them, he could see the difference. There was color in their cheeks again, and they weren't all shivering.

  "Better," Mira answered.

  With the cold handled, Arheis was able to focus on the environment. He'd been inside plenty of ice caves in video games--they were a common enough setpiece, no matter the style of game. But nothing compared to actually experiencing one firsthand.

  The walls of the cave weren't just rimed with frost, they were practically crystalline, with thick slabs of ice covering them in long panels. Arheis and his companions were reflected on the glimmering surface, the light from the torches cast almost like a kaleidoscope.