Don tore through the other frenzied monsters like a wrecking ball. His arms slowly but inexorably swept aside any of the critters who got between himself and another scrap of meat. The lucky ones were knocked aside, tumbling away. A few less fortunate ones were squashed under Don's body as he lunged after each piece Grey flung into the crowd. His conditioning to fear open flames was the only thing keeping him from directly attacking the old monster and her rack of rabbit bits.
It wasn't long before the weaker members of the tribe backed off to the edge of the room and watched in fascination as Don lost all self-control. The monsters remaining in the fray were fast and they quickly learned to avoid don's predictable swipes and lunges, but not all of them were willing to give up on the food. Don's body still felt oddly heavy and he moved slowly as a result but anytime he connected with one of the small, feathered monsters, he sent them tumbling. His aim wasn't to hurt, but to keep them away from the food long enough to devour it himself.
Sometime later, Don came back to himself. A wave of shame swept over him. He had never lost control like that before. When he spotted the group of straggling monsters staring at him from the entrances to the Dome, he was unexpectedly struck by remorse. These little creatures got him away from the guards and healed him. They even fed him and in return, he did his best to eat all the food meant for these kind, timid little monsters. Even worse, according to Grey, these monsters were just children. His thoughts and his view were interrupted when Grey doused the fire. The smokey dome quickly filled with steam as the remaining embers burbled and drowned. Once again, Don stared into impenetrable darkness. With the absence of the bright, dancing flames, Don finally noticed a flashing icon in the corner of his eye. When he did, a bright screen filled his vision.
Mandatory Quest: Social Animal
Type: Reputation
Trigger: You have lost control of your demonic nature and entered a feeding frenzy.
Your prodigious appetite and strength have impressed the ColoColo +50 reputation Your actions have caused several ColoColo to go hungry -25 reputation / day
Objectives: Replace the resources you have consumed
(0/31) units of food
Don was only slightly relieved to discover that his Demonic nature was to blame for his lapse. It meant that there wasn't some unknown, inherently ravenous side to himself. It also meant that he would need to learn how to control this new, monstrous aspect. More worryingly though, it meant that Cel wasn't lying about everything. At least this screen corroborated with the other one. Considering that he hadn't seen the fairy in a while, it probably wasn't one of her tricks. Hopefully, he was rid of her for good.
She lost any trust Don had in her when he discovered she was giving out orders without proper authorization. Unfortunately, there was just no way to tell what parts of her story were true. His battered state in the crypt and treatment by the guards seemed to support her story that Don was a criminal, but the point was more or less moot by now. After following her illicit instructions, Don would never be welcomed back by the Arbiter even if he was innocent before.
He willed his 'character sheet' into existence again.
Name: Donovan Shepard
Race: Demon
Title: -
Pet: Fairy (Soul Bound)
Level: 0 (0/100 EXP)
STR: 10 CON: 18 INT: 10 AGI: 10 END: 11 --> 12 WIS: 10 --> 11
A couple of the values at the bottom changed, but it still listed him as a Demon. He couldn't deny that some of what she revealed to Don had been truthful but he knew she was lying about the nature of their Soul Bond.
She claimed that she couldn't go far from don but she was nowhere to be seen. That was probably for the best. All of her plans and advice had led Don down the wrong path, increasing his misery at every turn. He put the fairy out of his mind. Hopefully, he was rid of her for good.
As Don continued reading the information provided by the mysterious screen he felt a resurgence of guilt so strong he nearly lost some of the food he had just eaten. He felt an uncomfortable pressure in his chest. An echoing burp relieved some of it but it only ratcheted up his guilt as he tasted a little rabbit again. Rabbit meant for the monsters who were apparently called the ColoColo.
The muscular ColoColo who bullied Don just before the frenzy began was right. He was worried Don would eat more than his fair share and not leave enough for the rest. Don had never felt like a bully before and he didn't like the sickening sensation it produced. He felt a new resolve growing. He would master this demonic side of himself and he would replace all the food he ate. It didn't matter that he had no idea where he could find food. It didn't matter that this screen may not have the authority to give Don instructions. Don was certainly outlawed by now anyway. This was something he was going to do because it was right. Something deep in his bones resonated with his decision. Don felt the beginnings of a rare kind of confidence. It went beyond validation, for the first time, Don was self-assured, and he liked the feeling.
Don looked closer at his quest and wondered what 'Reputation' was all about.
Reputation:
Ascendant Empire (Neutral) -10,000 Reviled ColoColo Refuge (Evil) 50 Stranger
Modifiers:
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Demonic:
-10,000 starting reputation with "Neutral" and "Good" aligned settlements
+10,000 starting reputation with "Evil" aligned settlements
Thank you screens. Don thought to himself. Though it didn't tell him what Reputation meant it provided another confirmation that he was Demonic now.
I guess the teeth, claws, and horns aren't exactly human traits. He thought. He was a little alarmed to see that the ColoColo were considered "Evil" but they had been nice to Don so far. It was also a fitting community for a criminal like himself.
"That was a rather impressive display but I doubt you will make many friends behaving like that." Grey Squeaked, Bringing Don's attention back to the present while confirming the core of the quest notification.
"I'm sorry, I, I lost control." Don admitted into the darkness. The darkness responded with hoarse, huffing laughter.
"I could see that. You don't have to apologize. You were nearly starved when you arrived and healing all those wounds only made the matter worse. I don't think you would have lasted until feeding time if I hadn't sedated you through the day and night." Grey sighed before continuing. "Besides, I'm used to being outnumbered by nearly-feral hatchlings. Still, it seems like I underestimated your appetite. We will not be able to provide for you much longer."
Don didn't exactly love these caves but it was relatively safe and the only other community he knew about "reviled" him. He didn't know specifically what that meant but he could guess he wouldn't be very welcome.
"You're going to exile me?" He asked with a sense of dread.
"No, no, I wouldn't do that to one who radiates such a noble aura. It's the children you have to worry about. It will only be so long before their hunger overcomes their fear. I can't control them so you had better find a way to feed yourself, or you had better leave before they decide you are more valuable as their dinner than as their nest-mate."
Don gulped. Of course, he would find himself in a society where the leader can't even control an unruly mob of children. It was almost unthinkable but memories of the feeding frenzy were all the proof he needed. No matter how unstable their command structure was though, Don was indebted to the ColoColo.
"I want to provide food, not just eat it. I don't know where to find any though. Can you teach me?"
"Not tonight, the sun is already rising and it is too dangerous to go out during the light. It is time for us to sleep." Grey explained. Sure enough, Don's eyes had adjusted to the darkness and cracks in the dome were painted with a pale, ghostly light. Don continued, determined to find some use for himself.
"I have slept plenty, and eaten more than enough, I want to help the ColoColo." There was an uncomfortably long pause. Don was beginning to suspect the old ColoColo had fallen asleep.
"How did you learn that name?" She asked
"What, ColoColo? I thought that's what you and your children are called." There was another pause, this one even longer than the last.
"No, what you see here is not the ColoColo. We are all that is left of that tribe. We have lost much and I fear we will soon be nothing more than a nest of feral monsters. But maybe..." Grey lapsed into a pensive silence.
"There is one thing, maybe you can do it. Would you like to try?" Grey asked.
"Yes!" Don leaped at the opportunity. He felt a burning desire to be useful after his shameful display and if Grey had an idea of how he could accomplish that, he would take it. Grey let out a shrill squeak that echoed off the walls. Moments later, something scampered into the Dome.
"You called Grey?" squeaked a familiar voice. It was the one who led Don through the tunnels to this dome before.
"Our guest wants to help the nest. Take him to Sik and see if he has any talent for alchemy."
"Yes Grey!" It squeaked. Don was glad to see there were some orderly ColoColo among the children. Don listened as the critter scampered back out of the Dome and then returned to wave its glowing tail at him.
"This way!" It instructed. Don only hesitated for a moment before complying. He was beyond worrying about authorization. He had already decided to follow Grey now and this critter was obviously one of her agents. When he began slowly crawling through the narrow tunnels once again. He decided he should get to know his guide.
"Thank you for showing me around. I'd be totally lost without you." Don started. The monster didn't respond so he tried again.
"My name is Don, who are you?" This got a response but it wasn't the one he expected.
"You have no name. You are a hatchling, I am Kat, Level 3 finder!" It seemed awfully proud of its own name. Don decided to correct the ColoColo.
"I do have a name, my character sheet says It's Donovan Shepard."
"Hatchlings have no name. You will get a name if you reach Level 1" Kat insisted. Don was starting to get a little irritated.
"Look, Kat, It says my name right here." Don summoned his 'character sheet' and pointed at his name.
"What are you pointing at?" Kat asked "I do not have time for games, It was a long night and I am tired. Just be quiet and follow so I can go to sleep."
Don decided to take his advice and stopped trying to start a conversation with the grumpy guide. He didn't have much breath to spare anyways. He still felt oddly heavy and the passages were still uncomfortably cramped. They crawled along in silence, stopping frequently for Don to rest. During one of these breaks, Don started to pick out scrabbling around him. The darkness hid them well enough that it was hard to guess how many monsters there were, or what direction they were in. He remembered Grey's warning about her feral children and started tensing up, but it didn't matter. They kept their distance. Only one of them was brave enough to start throwing choice insults at Don.
"Hey big stupid! Fat big stupid! Go away!"
"Leave me alone," Don thought it was a reasonable request. The insulting monster didn't think the same.
"Fat big stupid, thinks he boss? Big stupid be careful or I juice him, leave for fox to eat!" Apparently emboldened by the first heckler's success, others joined in.
"Fat big stupid! Fat big stupid!" echoed around Don in a gleeful squeaking chorus. This went on until Kat spoke up, but not in Don's defense.
"Move Gaz, Grey wants this hatchling to see Sik." The chanting ceased. A baited silence took its place. The monster called Gaz ignored Kat.
"Why you with fat big stupid? You want to get ate? Is just too stupid."
"He's not going to eat anyone, Grey said so. Please move" Kat sounded calm but Don could see his tension in the way his tail stopped its incessant swishing from side to side.
"Why you with fat big stupid?" Gaz insisted, louder than before. A chirping chorus of 'why?' sounded off around them.
A low hiss filled the cave and the questions stopped.
"Grey says he doesn't see well, he needs a guide, Grey chose me." Kat explained. He let pride slip into his voice again when he shared how he alone was trusted with the task.
"Fat big stupid does no see? Too much useless for one hatchling!" Huffing laughter surrounded Don. He had just about enough. He wasn't bothered by 'big', he was easily 5 or 6 times their size. 'Stupid' was easily brushed off too when it came from someone who could barely string a few words together. Fat, well that was justified after his gluttonous performance, but making fun of him for being blind in these dark caverns? Something in him snapped at the idiocy of the whole situation.
"GO!" Don roared. When the resulting echoes faded, there was no more jeering. He also lost his guide. After a few seconds of chiding himself for losing control again, Don heard Kat return.
"Sorry about them. Gaz is dumb as a rock but he's a pain. He will be back to bother you more now though. You can probably expect him to add 'loud' to his list of insults too. You really shouldn't make so much noise in the nest. It is only safe because it is well hidden. Come on, we've wasted too much time, I want to go to sleep."
Don once again let himself be led through the dark tunnels.