Hunt for the pack
On the north border of Keunim Kingdom lies a thick forest, as old as the world, filled with yellow trees that take on a strange glow when the sun shines. These trees are blooming with colorful flowers no matter the season, giving the most wonderful scent. Yet there are creatures that inhabit this forest, even more alluring than the trees.
The most prized are Walpills - horned creatures with yellow fur and red eyes, smaller than a horse. They are as dangerous as they are beautiful. Walpills are always moving in herd, females and their young cubs together with young males.
Walpills are so prized that if you wanted to be invited to the banquets of noblemen, you had to have a Walpill head in your home. It was a symbol of status and wealth. For the money needed to buy its head, you could feed a whole family for a year.
Nothing is waisted from the Walpill. The powder created from its claws is used as medicine for diseases. Its meat is one of the most delicious in the world and, once dried, it can last for years. But bones are probably the most important part, as they are so strong that the chain mail armor for the King’s guards is made of them. No other armor in the world would match its strength.
"One of them must be hurt, they are moving slower than before!" said one of the hunters. It was his first hunt and he was very enthusiastic about it.
"Must be." responded the old hunter riding a horse in front of the party. He knew better than to get his hopes up. The raining season was about to start and you cannot track wild animals in heavy rain.
Soon the herd was in sight. Its leader was resting - his legs were hurt, probably from the trap set by another hunting party a while ago. You could see green blood dripping from his front legs. He could not move any longer.
"Quick! We must kill it, before it is too late!" The old hunter was yelling from his horse as he charged with a spier to kill the beast.
But it was too late. The dying beast was roaring, telling the forest that a herd has lost its leader.
"We must run now! Leave all that you do not need! May the Gods show mercy to us." Said the old hunter, scanning the forest for movement.
Soon the whole herd was attacking. The hunters were now split in three groups trying to fend off the attacks. There were less and less of them standing, but there were more Walpills dead on the ground. If the hunters survive this, they will be very rich.
With each fallen Walpill, the alpha became angrier. He was now torturing each hunter that he attacked to take revenge for the fallen members of the herd.
Eventually, only the old hunter was left standing. He locked his eyes with the alpha and charged. With one move, the alpha punched him to the ground and laid his claws on the hunter’s chest.
The man remembered his first hunt. It was more than 30 cycles ago. They attacked a lonely female Walpill with her four cubs. She screamed for her children to run, but the hunters’ nets were too fast. Three cubs were captured and the mother slain.
He went deep into the forest to look for the cub. There it was, scared and crying. The hunter raised his spear, but stopped.
"I cannot do this. Run before the others find you." The old hunter looked into the sky and prayed to the Gods that the alpha will kill him quick. He lived a long hunter’s life, his children always had food on their table and he was proud of this.
"A long time ago you spared my life" said the alpha in the deep voice "Go now and never return to the forest, you will not be harmed on you way out."
The alpha moved his claws from the hunter’s chest and led the remaining members of the herd deeper in the forest.
The old hunter looked one last time at the battlefield. All around, he could see only destruction. He approached his horse, took a rope and tied it onto the biggest Walpill he could find. He was a hunter and he will not return home empty-handed.
The most prized are Walpills - horned creatures with yellow fur and red eyes, smaller than a horse. They are as dangerous as they are beautiful. Walpills are always moving in herd, females and their young cubs together with young males.
Walpills are so prized that if you wanted to be invited to the banquets of noblemen, you had to have a Walpill head in your home. It was a symbol of status and wealth. For the money needed to buy its head, you could feed a whole family for a year.
Nothing is waisted from the Walpill. The powder created from its claws is used as medicine for diseases. Its meat is one of the most delicious in the world and, once dried, it can last for years. But bones are probably the most important part, as they are so strong that the chain mail armor for the King’s guards is made of them. No other armor in the world would match its strength.
"One of them must be hurt, they are moving slower than before!" said one of the hunters. It was his first hunt and he was very enthusiastic about it.
"Must be." responded the old hunter riding a horse in front of the party. He knew better than to get his hopes up. The raining season was about to start and you cannot track wild animals in heavy rain.
Soon the herd was in sight. Its leader was resting - his legs were hurt, probably from the trap set by another hunting party a while ago. You could see green blood dripping from his front legs. He could not move any longer.
"Quick! We must kill it, before it is too late!" The old hunter was yelling from his horse as he charged with a spier to kill the beast.
But it was too late. The dying beast was roaring, telling the forest that a herd has lost its leader.
"We must run now! Leave all that you do not need! May the Gods show mercy to us." Said the old hunter, scanning the forest for movement.
The herd was still. They did not move. They were not scared. The hunters will not hurt them now, they were too afraid of what was coming.
"Is it as bad as they say?" Asked the young hunter.
The old hunter looked at him for a couple of seconds "It is much, much worse." The forest suddenly fell silent. You could see something moving in the trees and whatever it was, it was larger than a horse, a lot larger.
"They were running towards him all this time." whispered the old hunter. From the trees came a huge beast with two main horns as big as a horse’s head suranded by smaller ones, all sharp to cut one’s bone in half with ease. Fur was golden yellow in the sun, taking on the same glow of the forest. It was the king of the forest and everyone knew it. Walpill alpha, protector of all herds. He was angry that the hunters killed one of his own and will now retaliate for the fallen brother. Throughout history, only three times was alfa killed and all three heads hang in the main hall of the royal palace.
He ran towards the main force of hunters, smashing the spears, cutting with horns. The young hunter tried to throw a net on him, but missed. He felt a sharp punch in his spine as Walpill's horn pierced through him.
"Is it as bad as they say?" Asked the young hunter.
The old hunter looked at him for a couple of seconds "It is much, much worse." The forest suddenly fell silent. You could see something moving in the trees and whatever it was, it was larger than a horse, a lot larger.
"They were running towards him all this time." whispered the old hunter. From the trees came a huge beast with two main horns as big as a horse’s head suranded by smaller ones, all sharp to cut one’s bone in half with ease. Fur was golden yellow in the sun, taking on the same glow of the forest. It was the king of the forest and everyone knew it. Walpill alpha, protector of all herds. He was angry that the hunters killed one of his own and will now retaliate for the fallen brother. Throughout history, only three times was alfa killed and all three heads hang in the main hall of the royal palace.
He ran towards the main force of hunters, smashing the spears, cutting with horns. The young hunter tried to throw a net on him, but missed. He felt a sharp punch in his spine as Walpill's horn pierced through him.
Soon the whole herd was attacking. The hunters were now split in three groups trying to fend off the attacks. There were less and less of them standing, but there were more Walpills dead on the ground. If the hunters survive this, they will be very rich.
With each fallen Walpill, the alpha became angrier. He was now torturing each hunter that he attacked to take revenge for the fallen members of the herd.
Eventually, only the old hunter was left standing. He locked his eyes with the alpha and charged. With one move, the alpha punched him to the ground and laid his claws on the hunter’s chest.
The man remembered his first hunt. It was more than 30 cycles ago. They attacked a lonely female Walpill with her four cubs. She screamed for her children to run, but the hunters’ nets were too fast. Three cubs were captured and the mother slain.
He went deep into the forest to look for the cub. There it was, scared and crying. The hunter raised his spear, but stopped.
"I cannot do this. Run before the others find you." The old hunter looked into the sky and prayed to the Gods that the alpha will kill him quick. He lived a long hunter’s life, his children always had food on their table and he was proud of this.
"A long time ago you spared my life" said the alpha in the deep voice "Go now and never return to the forest, you will not be harmed on you way out."
The alpha moved his claws from the hunter’s chest and led the remaining members of the herd deeper in the forest.
The old hunter looked one last time at the battlefield. All around, he could see only destruction. He approached his horse, took a rope and tied it onto the biggest Walpill he could find. He was a hunter and he will not return home empty-handed.
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