Aloy slowly crept forwards, taking care not to make any noise and alert her targets. She was keeping a close eye and ear out on everything around her, having been raised in such a hostile world. She rolled forwards to find some solace in a redgrass thicket; the tips of the long grass were the same hue as her fiery red hair, which she was blessed by the All-Mother with. Wherever there was the redgrass, she knew she would be safe; it had helped her on many a hunt. A ridge in front of her prevented her from seeing what lay beyond, but she wasn't worried. She paused, taking a moment's rest.
Aloy was happy to be in the familiar wooded landscape of the Embrace once more. She had not been here in such a long time, not since the murder of the braves at the Proving had sparked her adventure beyond the Sacred Valley. For weeks, she had been traversing the lands north of the Valley, encountering different types of Machines and delving through ancient ruins, left over from people long since perished. She had been called back to the Sacred Valley after finding Braves trapped inside such a ruin, Devil's Thirst; she accompanied them home, despite their protests, to make sure they didn't run into any more trouble. Now, back out in the wilds, she was hunting for the powerful Sawtooth, in the hopes of harvesting a Heart for a bow she had her eye on.
Clicking on her Focus, the tiny device scanned the area quickly. The blue outlines of several animals popped up rapidly: a fox lying in the grass to her left, a turkey casually strolling to her right, and further off into the trees a boar digging through the dirt for juicy roots and tubers. They were all great targets for meat, skins, and talismans, but she wasn't interested in them for now. She glanced around and her Focus finally picked up something - a pair of large Machines, just beyond the ridge ahead of her. She could hear their servos whirring smoothly and the weight of the machine's feet driving into the earth; they made a rhythmic thump thump thump that Aloy was quite used to.
The Focus latched on one Machine and lit its outline in a cheery blue, highlighting the vulnerable components a canary yellow. Everything else was a dulled out gray. A small infobox popped up in Aloy's field of vision, labeling the Machine as Sawtooth. Aloy smiled, gripping her Shadow Hunter Bow a bit tighter.
Sawtooth, the Seeker thought. Combat Class machine, so very skilled at fighting. Quick and agile for its large size. Weak to fire, and usually patrols in pairs. A bit odd there doesn't seem to be a herd of Terraforming Machines they're protecting, though. Aloy crept forward a bit more, peeking her head over the ridge. There were two Sawtooths patrolling a small valley; one was marching around the bowl of the valley, while the other was patrolling near a stream on the other end. The Sawtooth closest to her paused, moving its large head from side to side as it looked for intruders. It growled softly before continuing onwards. Aloy grinned, using her Focus to tag the beast's path. It highlighted in a circular motion, exactly how Aloy knew it was going to look. She quickly formulated a plan, and waited for the beast to continue its patrol before she made her move.
After its circuit passed the innermost part of the valley, the Machine paused once more near Aloy's bush. Nocking two Fire arrows, the Seeker quickly stood and fired the arrows at the Sawtooth's body, causing its formerly blue lights to focus on her. The confused yellow shine of the lights gave way to a furious red, and the Machine let out a stuttering growl. Nocking another arrow, Aloy shot the beast again, causing it to quickly light aflame. The Sawtooth danced around in a frantic circle, trying to put out the flames as best it could. Smirking, Aloy continued to shoot the beast, inflicting more fire damage before switching to Hardpoint arrows. Shooting the Sawtooth's side, she was able to cause some armor and components to fly off, causing the artificial body of the Sawtooth to spark and pop.
The Sawtooth stopped its frantic dance, and turned to glare at Aloy. It was now badly damaged and sparking wildly, and it held its front leg up in the air much like an injured cat. Leveling her arrow at the Machine to land the final blow, Aloy was about to down the machine when her Focus screamed a warning. Rolling backwards quickly, she was able to avoid the second Sawtooth, which slammed heavily into the spot where she was just standing. The healthy Sawtooth's red lights focused on Aloy, and the Seeker furrowed her brows. She switched back to Fire arrows and prepared to fire a shot when the Sawtooth suddenly charged forward.
Caught off-guard, the Machine swiped its razor-sharp, metallic claws across Aloy's torso, sending her flying backwards. She landed with a painful thud and a groan. Feeling for her medicine pouch, Aloy quickly threw some medicinal ember and ochrebloom into her mouth, wincing at the bitter taste. Already feeling some healing taking effect, she stood quickly. She aimed her bow and shot at the second Sawtooth, not stopping her barrage until it, too, was aflame. The Machine jumped around, much like the first did, and Aloy switched her ammo once more. She barraged the Sawtooth with Hardpoint arrows, not stopping until the Machine keeled to the side. The destroyed Machine lay still in the dirt, sparks fizzing from its ruined frame. Aloy glanced at the second Sawtooth, which had watched the whole ordeal from near the stream. Its lights were a yellow hue, and it made no move towards the Seeker.
Not wanting to take chances, Aloy lifted one final arrow and shot it where the supposed muzzle of the Sawtooth was. Just like the other Mahine, the Sawtooth's lights flickered out and it fell to the side, sparking madly. Aloy did a quick scan of the surrounding area with her Focus, yet didn't pick up any new machines: no Watchers, no Scrappers, no Striders. She nodded, pleased she could salvage without any more distractions. Turning to the Machine closest to her, Aloy picked through the Sawtooth's destroyed body, taking anything she could break down for Shard or trade with Merchants. She also picked up any armor components or pieces that were shot loose in the battle. After she was finished with the first, she rummaged through the second Sawtooth. In all, she was happy with what she could find:
1 Sawtooth heart
2 Medium Machine Cores
1 Luminous Braiding
3 Sawtooth Lens
10 Blaze
16 Wire
12 Sparkers
35 Metal Shards
Securing them firmly in her pack, Aloy quickly left the scene, determined to remain unheard. She picked her way back through the grasses towards her patient Charger steed, which hadn't moved from the spot Aloy left it at. Patting its smooth metal flank, Aloy hoisted herself atop its back and turned it towards the trail nearby. She urged it forwards, quickly moving from a walk to a canter to a gallop. Watching the sun break over the mountains, Aloy rode back toward the lands beyond the Sacred Lands, eager to return to the world outside. With the Heart in her possession, she knew she could trade for that bow and further protect herself from the new and dangerous machines.
Aloy thought excitedly about the world she had not yet discovered, lands she had only heard tales of when passing through the scattered settlements. There was the vast desert to the west, where the Carja made their residence and past that a vast sprawling jungle to the south, where the thriving city of Meridian lay. To the north, where the cold winds blew, was the homeland of the Banuk, turning most away with its biting cold and deadly machines. She grinned as she thought about all the new places she was bound to discover. Urging her mount to go faster, Aloy sped towards the Merchant in Mother's Crown, and towards the rest of her adventure.
