|
Post by Alma on Dec 31, 2021 23:47:28 GMT -6
She had never taught the seeker his name though, not that she had even decided on a name yet, and he ignored her ‘Pstpss’ as he did her more colorful attempts to call her.
He was hurt. He licked at the blood covering his sides, but he could not reach the scratches between his spines, trying to be quiet as he pressed himself against the back of the crate he was hiding in. Perhaps he might have had worse happen to him in the wild, enraging a parent so that he was little more than another body to be eaten, but he barely recalled his time in the nest.
Now he hurt, and there was a big one stalking around outside after killing some prey of its own, with another possible big one nearby. He pressed himself tighter against the wall of the crate at the footsteps neared him, preparing to attack should the big one’s face appear. Then maybe he’d steal its prey once he chased it off. 16
|
|
|
Post by Alma on Dec 31, 2021 23:47:39 GMT -6
It was a happy thought, and the seeker looked out at the pair of legs with wide eyes, waiting for them to come close enough. This time he would bite the big one.
But the big one did not stop near him, continuing its circuit, making noises that followed no pattern.
“You know,” Alma said, half to herself, “I’m not surprised the b-kwal,” she wanted to get paid after all, “didn’t know what a pteropty was. They ain’t common. But mistaking them for a mouse?” Alma shook her head in mock disappointment as she neared what turned out to be another empty corner. “Heck, you’re closer to a mouse in size. Maybe they’ll think your a mouse.”
Alma chuckled to herself, wondering if she’d hear the seeker fall if she called out the command word. “Ya’know what, I’d say you’re as timid as a mouse. How’s being called Mouse work for you?” Alma dropped to a squat suddenly next to a crate, peering inside to find…nothing. She stood up with a creak of her knees, sighing loudly enough that she failed to hear the wood of the loft creak as well. 17
|
|
|
Post by Alma on Dec 31, 2021 23:47:50 GMT -6
The wood creaked again, and this time she heard it. Turning to face the loft, Alma glanced at the ladder. “Seeker’s can use ladders? Color me impressed.” she muttered, then called out, “Alright Mouse, time to come down from there.” She heard the shuffling as what she assumed had to be the seeker approached the edge, something dragging on the wood alongside him. Alma took a step back as she tried to remember if the amulet had still been on the seeker when she knocked the pteropty off of him, taking back another step as the thing above her rustled loudly.
The seeker, Mouse, had made his decision. It was one prey, one big one, and he was going to kill it like he had done to the tiny prey scattered around the floor. The big one had its back turned to him as he came out, and he stalked as quietly as he could, the sound of his paws against dirt hidden behind the big one’s muttering.
Then the big one stepped back, now close enough to bite, and he opened his jaws to do just that. 18
|
|
|
Post by Alma on Dec 31, 2021 23:48:06 GMT -6
Two things happened at once.
Alma’s attempt to step back away from the thing waiting in the loft failed as her heel encountered something that had not been there before, sending he stumbling to the side with outstretched arms as she fought to keep her balance. She might have succeeded if not for the second thing that happened.
The pteropty had been trapped in the barn for several days, one who had escaped the worst of the strange birds outside only to have its skull later flattened into a pancake. The second, face burned by poison so that one eye was a useless milky orb, had been content to chew on it’s mousy meal while its mate had hunted what mice that failed to make the leap. It had heard the screams and waited, expecting its mate to flutter back up with a broken-necked COD in its mouth, but there had only been the chatter of the watcher beasts that patrolled the farm and struck out with pointed sticks. Eye burning, tail beginning to do the same as the poison clotted and filled its sacs, the pteropty was in no mood to fight the intruder, and had decided to flee.
It leapt down, unable to see the intruder or its mate, wings held wide to allow it to glide safely to the dirt. But its wing clipped something that shrieked and roared, and it panickedly tried to flap as it crashed into the ground besides the loud thing. 19
|
|
|
Post by Alma on Dec 31, 2021 23:48:19 GMT -6
Plank of wood forgotten against the side of the barn, Alma grappled with the flailing creature, holding its wings as shields against its waving tail and snapping teeth. She yelled, hoping to catch the attention of the bug as green-tinged clear fluids dripped down the leather of her boots and gloves, but she could not spare a glance towards the door.
The bug did not come, and Alma tried to break the wings, to pin the pteropty so she could manage to choke it out, but the critter squirmed and nipped, the human forced to change her grip as venomous fangs sought to pierce her gloves.
Instead, there was a screech-squeak from within the barn as Mouse charged in, latching onto a kicking leg and biting down with a crunch.
The pteropty squealed and turned its attention to the seeker, only to find the grip on its wings gone as hands tightened around its neck.
- The thing was soon dead, and Alma breathed deeply, looking down at Mouse as he still held the leg in his jaws. Alma stood up with a “Welp, better go pick up-” and the seeker dropped the leg to scurry back into a crate. He did not retreat far, his red eyes peering out from just inside it, but neither was he attacking.
Alma sighed, then scooped up a handful of mice corpses. She walked towards the crate, ignoring the growl as she watched the seeker retreat further back from the corner of her eye, then dropped the mice just inside.
She could still hear him crunching away as she grabbed the two larger corpses by their wings, dragging them towards the door. She’d be back for the last Mouse in a moment.
((Self Note: Mouse-4.0/2.0))
20
|
|
|
Post by NPC on Feb 23, 2022 21:01:04 GMT -6
Congratulations, you have successfully completed the quest! Your QP will be added to the bank and your prize will be sent out shortly.
|
|