Trials and Tribulations

Chapter 4: Off Limits

Ray sat in his spot for a little over an hour until the trio of Nargacuga left, satisfied with their free meal. He put his pack back on before grabbing his bow and arrows and putting them on his back. As he stood up he remembered the spikes he had collected and put them in the holster with his arrows. "Well that was an interesting first encounter. I suppose I should track them down again. I have to make sure those hunters don't come out this way and try to hunt them down. Just thinking about that is painful." Ray shook his head to dismiss the thought from his mind, walking off in the direction he saw the wyverns go in.

Following the combination of small and large tracks was a simple enough task for any hunter or tamer, and for Hezrayth it was all but second nature. He carried on following the trail they left behind but was quickly distracted when he heard the distant echo of an explosion. "What in the wyverian hell was that? No one from the village should be out here hunting while I'm on my trial... Unless it's not them!" 

Ray immediately set off running in the direction he heard the sound from. Bounding over fallen trees and through the thick growth of the forest, Ray made sure to keep his eye out for anything that didn't belong. "Come on, give me something. Something that loud doesn't just disappear that quickly." Ray complained as he stopped running for a moment to search the area he was in, listening for any more noises and looking for any signs of a tussle or clues of who or what was nearby yet couldn't pinpoint anything.

"I can't hear anything in this state, I need to calm myself first then listen." Taking a deep breath, he calmed his heartbeat and steadied his breathing, listening to his surroundings one more time. The sounds of smaller monsters were all around yet even amongst the noise he finally picked out the distinct sound of a weapon clashing with a monster. He turned to the northeast and followed the sound as it slowly got louder and louder. Along the way he was aware that he was being followed, evident by the rapid crunching of the undergrowth and snapping of smaller tree branches and twigs.

Coming to the spot where the fighting was originating from, Hezrayth crouched down in the brush and crept closer until he could observe what was going on. In front of him a female hunter wielding a Gold Rathian hunting horn accompanied by a black and white palico and a male hunter wielding a Nakarkos Greatsword accompanied by a palamute were fighting a pair of Arzuros. The two hunters and their companions worked well together using the surrounding environment to their advantage to provide them with cover or to ensnare their targets with vines. One of the Arzuros charges at the male hunter who holds the charge off by blocking with his sword, slowly being pushed back.

"Chante, finish it off while it's preoccupied!"

"On it!" The female hunter, now known as Chante, uses a toppled tree to get an aerial boost before swinging her hunting horn down on the Arzuros' neck, a loud cracking sound echoing out from the impact. The first Arzuros slumps to the ground motionless then they all turn their attention to the other Arzuros, which stood on its hind legs with forearms outstretched, roaring ferociously at them.

"Looks like it wants to keep fighting even after watching us take down its buddy. Alright then bring it on big guy!" The male hunter readies his sword again, his palamute ready to fight alongside him. Chante plays a defense buff melody with her hunting horn, then readies herself for another assault. Before anything else could happen the ear-piercing roar of a Nargacuga rang out close by. Due to its loudness, all the hunters had to cover their ears, the palico and palamute whining and covering their sensitive ears. The Arzuros flinched away from the sound, falling back to all fours before turning away and running from the area.

"Damn! It's getting away!"

"Let it go. Sounds like we might have bigger problems approaching."

"That was a Nargacuga wasn't it? It sounded extremely close, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was watching us." Ray peered behind him and deeper into the forest, barely spotting the ever-creeping Lucent Nargacuga, making its way closer towards them. 'It probably wants the free kill for the youngsters while watching me. Those hunters are both at risk and a danger here. This is going to be quite the challenge.' Ray thinks to himself as he looks back at the two hunters and their companions. Just as he was going to make his presence known to the hunters, the rapid scuttling of several footsteps gained both his attention and the hunters as they turned to the noise, weapons still ready to go. His heart sank as he watched the two juvenile Nargacugas carelessly spring forward from brush.

"Two small fries? This will be easy. I'll take them both out in one swing." The male hunter muttered as he rushed the two juvies. The two juvies froze in place realizing there was more danger in the area still, startled cries of distress coming from their small bodies. Ray's instincts forced him from his hiding spot as he rushed to intercept the hunter, standing between him and the baby Nargacugas with his bow drawn and two arrows nocked ready to fire at the hunter. The male screeched to a halt the moment he saw Ray, aiming his weapon at him rather than the monster.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?! I'm trying to kill those monsters!"

"I know what you're trying to do and unfortunately, I can't let you do that. You would be interfering with my trial if I did."

"Trial? What are you on about?"

"Hold up Aiko. I think he's one of those Tamers. They're more common out here in Ozolas than in Ediran." Chante pipes up, approaching the two men as she holsters her weapon. "Put your weapon away idiot before you get us all killed." She says pulling the male hunter back a couple feet. He didn't initially understand why she said it until the adult Nargacuga crept out from the dense woodlands, coming to stand behind Ray and the two juvies, its tail lashing furiously, silver pelt bristling with anger, the signature hostile red glare, and a low growl escaping its jaws. Aiko was quick to holster his weapon and back away slowly with Chante. Without turning around, Ray released the tension on his bow and put his arrows away as he slowly crouched down. Once low enough he placed his weapon on the ground then held his hands up to show he was unarmed as he turned around. He took the risk of looking up to meet the adult's gaze, its golden gaze swirling with hostility but not for him. Its menacing gaze was trained on the two hunters behind him and reasonably so, after nearly watching its offspring get taken out by one of them.

"I need you guys to do as I say and keep backing away slowly. Don't stop until I tell you to. She sees you as an active threat but she's also my trial target. I don't want to have to choose between saving one or the other." 

"O-okay." Both hunters and their companions continue to slowly back away from Ray and the trio of wyverns. He listened carefully to how far away they were moving before deciding they had moved far enough away.

"That's good enough there. Don't move until I'm finished here."

"Whatever you say man." Ray raised up one hand to get the adult's attention. Her gaze immediately snapped to him with a low growl, taking a step forward to tempt him into fleeing. Maintaining eye contact and holding his ground, Ray resolved to not go anywhere until he was sure nothing was going to escalate into a forced hunt. The two juvies, carefree with their mother present, approached Ray with the same curiosity as the first time circling around him and sniffing to figure out if he was food or danger. Moving with extreme care he took off his pack then opened it, removing one of his rations and unwrapped it. The juvies came to stand in front of him, eyeing the food in his hands, cute squeals and growls coming from their small bodies.

He tore the ration in half before holding it out to them. They both got closer, little noses twitching as they sniffed the food before looking up at their mother for approval to take it. She lets out a low growl then they both take the rations from Ray's hands, eating them whole which surprised Ray.

"As of right now these three are under my protection and are off limits to hunt. I will defend them from anything possible, including other hunters. Do you both understand that?"

"Yeah, perfectly clear."

"Glad we could come to a mutual agreement so quickly." Ray says, looking back at Aiko and Chante with a small smirk.