Mantrin Imperial Guard - 005 Ethos of Solbrecht

Chapter 3: The Hunt, Part II

Weyan, Thylun, Itan, Syrran, Trezka and Nami

"You think we've got enough?"

"Al... most."

A proven technique, spearfishing was utilized by many communities on both Solbrecht and Sogowa prime, with fish being an important source of protein for all members of their kind. With the spear once again in a firm grip, Syrran's characteristic blue green eyes tracked the larger fish in a patch of shallow water as they swirled around his and his partner's legs. Despite wearing all parts of their hunting gear as protection against the sun, which included the poetyo-like ear dress, his clothes were moist with sweat.

Itan's experience and survival skills gave the other Goureg the advantage, his fast and almost predictive reflexes granting him the greater part of their combined catch. But despite the occasional miss, Syrran didn't give up, each kill increasing the satisfaction he got from their current activity.

Their race had an affinity for the coastlines, large inland bodies of open water and larger rivers, with seafood, including shellfish and certain types of crustaceans being an important part of their diet. It had caused their muzzles to develop a hardened tip, more prominent in some individuals than others, to crack shells and get to the juicy inner parts.

The silvery scales of its skin glittered in the bright sunlight that penetrated the surface of the crystal clear water, the animal unaware of the sharp wooden tip hovering above its streamlined body, as it continued the search for its own food.

Until the fisherman struck with enough speed and determination to make the kill. The primitive spear went straight through the body, pinning it to the sandy bottom, a small red cloud dissolving as quickly as it erupted. Syrran's hearts jumped from excitement once again at this seemingly cruel display, knowing it was simply nature following its course.

Shifting his grip on the spear to lift the fish out of the water and take it back to the shore, he heard a splash as Itan struck his target. And with success, the other Goureg tossing him a grin over his broad shoulder as he retrieved his own kill.

"Yep. We've got enough." Trudging toward him, Itan held his catch next to his to compare, squinting his eyes as he bit the tip of his tongue. "All right. Yours is bigger. Not bad, Syrran. We should do this more often."

Giving him a rough pat on the shoulder he walked back to dry land, his massive feet splashing through the water, turning it into a swirling mud. Following Itan's thick sweeping tail, his gaze rested on the small pile of fresh fish with a watering mouth, forcing him to swallow. Raw or roasted, he liked it either way, and they didn't even have to choose between the two with the supply of dry wood they had found on the day before.

To keep the fish from spoiling in the hot sun, they used the large sturdy leaves of a species of plant commonly found in the region to wrap them and keep them out of the keen sight of aerial predators. Despite that, they had to be quick about it, the flesh being very prone to the process of decomposition under these circumstances.

"Leave the spears. We'll come back for 'em later." Sticking his own into the sand next to the wrapped fish, Itan removed his final catch from its tip. Doing the same, Syrran watched his companion lower himself on his legs, to wrap the fish into one of the remaining empty leaves and gestured for him to come closer. They had aimed for two fish each, and given the abundant population in the lake next to their camping spot, they had managed to catch a total of twelve in record time. "Arms up," Itan ordered, holding up the freshly wrapped fish. Collecting the packages, which were about half a step long into the crooks of his burly arms, Itan took the remaining four into his own before rising back on his legs. "Better clean and eat 'em fast, before they spoil."