Everyone stood still, taking in the order of the tribe leader. Many cried, and others began to argue. There were slight divisions regarding the chief's decision, but with another powerful roar, everyone quieted down.
[Those who wish to stay, can, you should know that our village was never this big or so diverse within the cat tribes. But do know that staying means having to survive the Sumarg's rampage. The Hum let it loose, and now it needs Aether; it will continue to hunt any of us down.
We are part of the Wakened race, Aether flow is in our veins, and we will be hunted by that beast until it either starves or dies.]
Everyone grew quiet after he said that. They knew the rogue summons would stop at nothing to find enough energy to stay stable.
The chief left shortly after making his announcement. Some people hurried to gather what they could for the long journey, while others began making plans for the future.
No one stopped or rushed either side. As for Fay, he felt better than ever thanks to the deep healing, but he still needed food and had to repay what he had promised.
The warriors continued clearing out the debris, so only a few with enough time and energy began preparing to hunt before the group had to set out.
"Sorry, Mira… I know Horin hates us, but can you stay with her and help her?" Fay couldn't think of anyone else he could trust. As for Horin, she wouldn't do anything to Mira—she seemed too busy helping others in the village to join the hunt.
"Yes! Will help with Horin!" Mira suddenly ran off, leaving Fay looking at those who were still mourning, sad, and thankful he wasn't among them.
He then departed with the hunters. Kimya was leading a four-person team this time. The tribe leader was too busy organizing the expedition to help with the hunt, and there was far too much to do for others to join.
The team consisted of Kimya, Anawa, Murho—the one with a bison as his tamed beast—and Kaheem.
All four had been part of the previous day's hunt and were a well-rounded team of friends.
[Little hunter, take this. The leader knew you were going to help us.]
Fay received a new spear—just a sharpened wooden pole. Not as dangerous as the one he had used the day before, but he couldn't complain.
The others weren't much better off. Kimya had lost one of her blades the day before. Murho had only been brought along to carry back the meat and water on his bison. As for Anawa, he was still injured from yesterday's hunt, though it hadn't impaired his ability to throw a spear.
Fay was confident they would do well today. He had a debt to repay and needed the hunt to take his mind off the troubles of the previous day.
As they crossed into the savanna's grasslands, they began searching for predators. The village had been built in this area because it lay at the intersection of three major territories: the Hyenas, the great Saber tribes, and the two-legged lizards—minor drakes capable of wiping out the tribe in hours.
But being at the center of those three meant that none of them dominated the region. Each kept the others in check—or so Fay had been told.
The nearest tribe belonged to the Hyenas. The battle from the day before had likely involved a splinter group trying to find a new home.
[That happens from time to time. We've driven them off before, but this time there were too many. Usually, we only have to deal with three,] Kimya explained as they began stalking a lone long-neck—the only one in sight. They needed a large amount of meat, and this creature was the only one that could provide it.
[We don't usually hunt them when their numbers are this low, but we can't risk bringing back less meat than we need this time,] Kimya added.
She began outlining the plan. This hunt would require the full support of their summoned creatures—Jolt, Grin, and Kimya's panther.
[We'll have the creatures weaken the long-neck first, then we move in. Focus your spears and swords on the neck. And remember—don't get near the tail or stand too close. Little hunter, make sure your summons attack and pull back quickly. It'll be dangerous if even one of us gets caught underneath.]
Fay nodded. He was ready. This hunt would more than pay his debt and provide food for him and his sister for at least three days.
The team moved into formation, each taking their role. Fay was assigned to attack from the rear, while the other three took the flanks, with Kimya up front.
Fay summoned both Jolt and Grin.
"I think you two already know what we're planning… right?"
Grin just giggled, but Fay knew he understood. After what had happened the day before, he realized that his creatures were always with him, in one form or another.
Jolt, on the other hand, didn't make a sound. He simply charged up his energy, ready to play his role.
"Good, let's start. We're leading the charge. Jolt, take the left. Grin, the right. And remember—they warned us about the tail!"
Fay gave the command as his two creatures darted forward. He, meanwhile, held back for a few seconds to observe and decide which side needed support.
As both creatures rushed in, the large apatosaurus—roughly the size of a giraffe—began to flee, along with the startled antelope that had been grazing nearby.
"I'm sorry… but we have a big tribe to feed," Fay muttered under his breath before sprinting forward.
He quickly saw that Jolt needed help. It was obvious—his hyena, Grin, now stood over two meters tall, while Jolt remained just half a meter in height. His length helped somewhat, but it wasn't enough.
Fay ran to Jolt's side, careful to avoid the massive tail. Together, they worked to weaken one of the creature's legs.
Dodging and rolling, Fay narrowly avoided the whip-like tail that cracked overhead. He managed to get close to the left leg by sheer effort and timing.
Jolt focused on the front of the same leg, using bursts of electricity to stun and slowly burn through the creature's tough hide.
But the one doing the most damage was Grin. He had already torn through one leg and was moving on to the next with relentless force.
Fay kept his focus—he had his part to play.
Soon, the others joined in. The panther went for the neck alongside Kimya, while the rest focused on the damaged sections caused by Jolt and Grin. Together, the hunt was a success—no one was hurt, and everyone did their part perfectly.
Once it was over, Jolt and Grin were each rewarded with a leg. Not that anyone else would eat them—they were far too damaged from the fight.
The benefit of having such creatures was that nothing went to waste. Everything was carefully divided: parts for the tribe and parts for the beasts.
Fay wasn't surprised by the sight of supposed herbivores eating meat. Back in his world, capybaras were known to do so, and seeing a bison digging into meat didn't strike him as strange.
[Lots of meat! Everyone will get a good share here, but first, we need to figure out how to bring it all back. Fay, you'll need your hyena's help. We won't be able to carry much ourselves.]
"Sure thing… but how are we supposed to bring it back?" Fay asked, confused about how his creature could transport such a massive load.
That's when Kimya placed several hundred kilos of neatly cut meat on Grin's back.
[Remember, they're not bound by our world's rules. They can carry far more than we ever could—but at the cost of mana. So when we arrive, your creature will need another leg.]
Kimya then loaded a large portion onto his own panther. As for the bison, it carried nearly half the beast's body across its wide back.
"Well, Jolt… looks like you'll have to return. You might be able to carry some meat, but you're too slow for this haul."