The forest had settled after the colossal clash with the Blood Fang. Broken branches littered the undergrowth, and the scent of fur and blood still lingered in the air. Hunnt wiped a thin sheen of sweat from his forehead, flexing his fingers within the gauntlets. Pyro perched on a nearby rock, flicking his tail and adjusting his tiny sword and shield.
Kael lowered his bowgun, breathing steadily but keeping his sharp crimson eyes locked on the two hunters. "Not bad," he said cautiously, finally letting a hint of respect enter his voice. "You handled that… well, recklessly, but effectively."
Hunnt smirked faintly, arms crossing. "Reckless? I call it calculated risk. Besides, it's all in the wrist." He glanced at Pyro, who puffed his chest proudly. "Right, Pyro?"
Pyro chirped. "Of course, Master!"
Kael's eyes flicked between the two, narrowing slightly. "You said you were hunting a monster threatening a village. Which one? Because the creature I was tracking—blood trails, claw marks, and terrified villagers—doesn't match the description of that beast back there."
Hunnt's smirk widened, but he didn't answer immediately. He crouched low, scanning the surrounding trees and underbrush, voice calm and even. "We're tracking a different target. Reports say it's terrorizing a village further east. But our methods… they're the same. We want to protect the people."
Kael's brow furrowed. "So we're not hunting the same monster?"
Hunnt nodded. Pyro hopped down, skittering along the forest floor. "I'll watch him, Master! Nyaah!"
Kael gave a low grunt and lips twitched into a small, reluctant smile. "I still don't fully trust you… but if your Palico trusts you, that's enough for now."
Pyro puffed out his chest again, tail flicking in delight. "Of course, Master is Master! Nyaah!"
The forest grew quiet as the hunters moved carefully, each scanning for signs of movement. Hunnt and Pyro took the lead, moving with silent efficiency, while Kael stayed a few paces back, bowgun at the ready. The tension was palpable; despite the mutual respect, neither fully trusted the other.
After a few minutes, Hunnt paused, kneeling to inspect faint tracks in the mud. "These prints… the claws aren't like the Blood Fang. They're smaller, more deliberate. Whoever made them moves carefully, avoiding detection. A clever hunter—or a dangerous monster."
Kael crouched beside him, studying the tracks. "You're right. The creature I'm tracking—its prints are jagged, wide, and it leaves deep gouges in the earth. We might be following parallel paths… but our quarry is different."
Hunnt nodded, fists flexing inside the gauntlets. "We'll cover more ground separately, but stay close enough that if something happens, we can assist each other. Understood?"
Kael's met Hunnt's crimson eyes, sharp and calculating. "Understood. But one wrong move, and I won't hesitate to act against you."
Hunnt smirked faintly. "Same here."
Pyro chirped, leaping onto Kael's side momentarily before spinning back to Hunnt. "Master, nyaah! I'll handle him if anything happens!"
With an unspoken agreement, the hunters diverged slightly. Hunnt and Pyro moved cautiously toward the east, following the subtle signs of their monster's trail, while Kael veered west, following his own leads. Both kept their senses alert, fully aware that another dangerous predator—perhaps even the Blood Fang again—could strike at any moment.
The sun dipped lower, filtering through the forest canopy in golden streaks. Hunnt paused atop a fallen tree, scanning the horizon. "There," he murmured, pointing subtly to a distant valley. "The village is just ahead. Our target is close."
Kael, a distance away, crouched behind a rocky outcrop, observing faint smoke rising from a small settlement. He noted claw marks along the trees, fur scattered across the ground, and a trail of broken foliage. The signs all pointed to a single, intelligent predator—clever, territorial, and relentless.
Hunnt flexed his gauntlets and smiled faintly at Pyro. "Ready, Pyro?"
Pyro chirped confidently. "Always, nyaah!"
Kael shook his head, muttering as he adjusted his bowgun. "I don't understand that Palico… but I'll admit, it's impressive. That little creature seems to read you perfectly."
The forest grew tense as distant roars echoed across the valley. Hunnt and Kael's monsters—different targets entirely—let out their calls almost simultaneously, each a warning to trespassers in their territory. The hunters paused instinctively, noting the echoes, measuring the threat, and preparing for what could come next.
For a brief moment, the wilderness seemed to hold its breath. Two skilled hunters, a loyal Palico, and two separate monsters—paths destined to intersect or collide. Mutual suspicion lingered, but the shared instinct of survival and the knowledge that they were all capable hunters held them together, if only tenuously.
Hunnt turned slightly, eyes scanning Kael's distant figure. "We don't need to trust each other yet. But if things go wrong… be ready to act."
Kael's lips pressed into a thin line. "Always. And you—don't make me regret watching your moves, kid."
Pyro chirped, tail flicking, seemingly understanding the tension perfectly. "Nyaah! Don't worry, Master! We've got this!"
The forest stretched ahead, full of shadows, broken trees, and unknown threats. But for now, a fragile understanding had been forged between the three hunters—Hunnt, Pyro, and Kael. They were not allies… not yet. But the wilderness had aligned their fates, and survival depended on trust—partial, reluctant, and cautious, but trust nonetheless.
Each hunter adjusted their stance, scanning the forest floor, listening to the distant roars and the shifting leaves. Their eyes met occasionally across the distance, silent acknowledgment passing between them. They were hunters, each with their own path, each with their own mission—but in that moment, the forest bound them together, if only temporarily.
Unseen beneath the canopy, the shadows of the predators they pursued moved, watching, waiting, and calculating. The night would soon fall, and with it, the hunters' skills and wits would be tested like never before.
And somewhere, deep in the forest, two monsters—fanged, cunning, and deadly—prepared for the inevitable confrontation, unaware that their quarry would be met not by one hunter, but by three.