Anyone who has played any Monster Hunter game will have probably noticed at some point that the ways these so called "monsters" act are strangely familiar, with their behavior being more animalistic than monstrous. This is without a doubt the thing...
An orange glow rolls across the rocky face of the mountain, giving it a mythical aura as the shadows of stones dance in the light. At the peak, a monolith of flame and lava reaches high into the night sky, acting as a burning beacon to all in the area.
As the blaze proudly rises higher into the heavens, the volcano's dense screens of smoke blot out the sun's first morning rays, the light only managing to penetrate the very edges of the clouds. Due to the mountain's continuous eruptions throwing ash into the air, plants have a very hard time growing here, as they are incapable of getting sunlight. Of course, this lack of vegetation makes it difficult for creatures to survive here. Both herbivores and carnivores have an arduous time finding food. It sounds like nothing should be able to live in such a hostile environment and yet, there is life.
While plants may not be abundant, there is no shortage of rocks and minerals. Over time, this has caused some creatures to evolve into lithovores: stone eaters. By being able to obtain energy from ores, some monsters are capable of not only surviving, but thriving in this brutal ecosystem.
But not all animals are capable of gaining energy from stones, there are still some hardy herbivores and carnivores who manage to survive in the area. Perched atop a rocky outcrop that's adjacent to the volcano, Scorch, an adult Azure Rathalos, begins to stir from his slumber.
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Opening his eyes, Scorch lets out a yawn as he begins to awaken. As he stretches out his wings, he quickly shakes his entire body, throwing off the fresh coating of soot he gained from the volcano while sleeping, and reveals his blue and green scales.
Unlike most Rathalos, Scorch was born with the coloration of his ancestors due to a mutation. Additionally, his hide is notably thicker than those of his regular counterparts, making him more durable, but also heavier. This extra weight should make it harder for him to stay airborne; however, this isn't the case. Instead of hindering Scorch's ability to fly, it has forced his muscles to become stronger and more developed, allowing him to not only take to the skies, but become a master of aerial maneuverability.
Once Scorch fully wakes up, he takes in his surroundings before picking at his feet and wings with his teeth, getting rid of itchy dead skin in the process. Unfortunately for him, he can't reach every part of his body, si he'll need to use something to dislodge the rest. Gliding down to the base of the pillar he was perched on, Scorch begins using the rocky outcrop as a scratching post. As he rubs his body against the stone formation, its rugged surface easily scrapes off old skin, providing the Azure Rathalos with some relief.
When he's done tending to himself, the Azure Rathalos spreads his wings, and with the help of a running start, launches himself into the ash-filled sky. With a combination of flapping his wings and gliding over thermal air columns, he continues to gain altitude, the gap between Scorch and the sea of smoke get smaller with every second, until the two collide, and the flying wyvern disappears into the clouds.
