Once we left the fence behind, my eyes adjusted to the dim light within the jungle. The tall leafy trees cast pockets of shadows and the early morning light did not reach the jungle floor. A damp smell lingered in the air, and I wondered about rain. I crept slowly down the trail with Hawk behind me.
Anticipation built in my chest and I found myself smiling, as I kept going. I clutched my knife in one hand and kept my cloak around me. Yet, I wasn’t worried about being spotted. Each footstep was silent as I moved down the trail. I slowed as a new smell reached me. Slightly acidic, and maybe something rotting.
The clearing with the nest loomed ahead, and the break in the trees allowed more light to reach the ground. The large nest sat to the right, with a dark shape still sitting with its head curled under a wing. Bones almost glowed in the limited light around the clearing, maybe more than there should be from only a few days away.
I used Insight.
[Pterosaur, Level 20, Predator.]
Excitement washed over me as its level came into view. Maybe I’d earn a level out of this fight after all. I snuck forward around the nest, keeping toward the trees instead of the center of the clearing. My goal was to attack from the opposite side of Hawk. Then he could attack its back from the tree line.
The light quickly increased as the sun rose behind the mountains and I felt the press of time. The sooner I attacked and damaged its wings, the better. The nest didn’t have a high rim and I crept toward the back of the flier, with as much stealth as I could manage.
My heart pounded as I lengthened my spear and struck. The crystal tip flashed white just before it touched the flier.
A burning smell filled the area at the same time the creature screamed. The sound broke the silence of the clearing, echoing across the trees. The pterosaur’s wings snapped out, one right toward me, but I ducked and sliced at the edge again with my spear, this time cutting through the bone.
It twisted about, its head stabbing down at me, but I rolled backward moving faster than it. The thud of arrows hitting its back made me grin. Go Hawk!
I dodged its beak again as it stepped closer to me, before stabbing toward its leg with my spear, missing. It flapped its wings to try to take flight, but the one I’d damaged didn’t work right. Still, dust rose in the air making my eyes water. The other wing swept out at me and I partially dodged, but the very edge caught my side.
Pain lanced up my ribs but I kept moving. To stop was to die. The flier was big, bigger than I thought, and fast, but I was faster. More arrows slammed into the great flier from Hawk while I kept its attention on me. Whenever it turned in that direction, I drew its attention by attacking with my spear.
The pterosaur’s sharp beak stabbed at me, but the hair on my neck raised just before the strike, warning me. I dodged to the side and farther back around a tree, keeping the sturdy trunk between me and it, just in time. My ears rang as it screamed louder than before. Physical waves of force rushed forth and the ferns between it and me were pulverized. More dust floated in the air making it harder to see.
My head rang and I barely held onto my spear, trying to regain my senses. Something dark darted around the tree and I dropped down to the ground as the flier’s sharp beak barely missed my face.
I scrambled on the ground and stabbed upward, cutting into the side of its neck before it could jerk back. The flier made a choking noise as its head retracted around the tree, and I climbed to my feet, darting around the opposite side. It moved across the clearing toward Hawk, seemingly trying to target the weaker of its foes. Several arrows decorated its back and I leaped in that direction using my skills, spear ready.
For a second in the air I felt like I was flying, before slamming right between the giant wings, spear glowing as it sank deeply into the pterosaur’s back. The flier stumbled and fell, slamming to the ground.
[You have gained bonus experience from combat for surviving against Pterosaur above your level.]
[You have leveled up your class.]
Hawk stared at me with wide eyes before he suddenly started laughing. I climbed off the back of the creature to give him a moment. That jumping move blew my mind each time I used it. I wanted to practice more and learn the boundaries of how much energy it used. As things were, I could feel my muscles tremble a bit and I knew I’d need to eat soon.
I turned back to the beast and the various arrows sticking out of it. “Can you reuse the arrows?” I asked, not knowing much about his skills.
Hawk moved forward around the beast and started yanking them out. “Yeah, I can repair them using my skills. It’s easier than crafting new ones.”
I nodded and pulled the ones out near me, even if they were broken. He put them into the quiver on his back.
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“I plan on cutting this up," I said, looking over the giant creature. "You said the wings can be useful. I have the ones from the other flier as well. Anything else I should focus on?”
“Yeah, now that Denver is back up he can make all sorts of things. He’s a better crafter than I am. The wings for sure, and the beak.”
I nodded and used my knife to cut the closet wing off at the shoulder joint before rolling it up to stick it in my inventory. The thing was heavy. The second wing I’d damaged, but I still got all of it into my inventory crystal. Leaving the wings behind at the compound wouldn’t be a problem, I just wanted to make sure I’d get what I wanted out of this kill.
Hawk helped me roll the creature over, to butcher its legs.
“The legs are good eating at this size,” added Hawk. “I hunt the smaller ones, these will last us a while at the compound.”
“That’s good, though, I do plan on doing a bit more hunting today. I don’t know how long John and I will be gone.” The thought of leaving all the meat behind bothered me, but I'd get more hunting in. My stomach felt empty.
“Not to mention who will stay and who will go,” grumbled Hawk. “This is the highest number of folks who’ve stayed at the compound since the beginning. I know half the miners are gonna leave with y’all. I kinda hope that many do, at least, because we really don’t have that much room.”
I shrugged as I cut into the center mass of the flier. I needed to skin it and cut it into smaller pieces. All I wanted to do was dig for the heart, but I resisted. Finally, I got the skin off, and did my best to stay away from the organs. When Hawk wasn’t looking, the heart ended up in my inventory. The meat I stacked inside my crystal as well.
Even with my Quickness stat as high as it had gotten, it took time to cut the thing up. By the time I figured it was good enough, the clearing smelled like blood. The sun blasted down on us and flies flooded the area, along with other bugs. All of which stayed away from me, even with how much of the sticky blood covered my hands.
[Skill Unlocked: You have unlocked a potential skill: Field Dressing.]
The notification surprised me, though it made sense with how much I’d cut up various dinosaurs at this point. Still, I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep the skill. It'd use up my last skill slot. I closed the notification for now.
“I need to clean up, then I’ll head back to unload the meat,” I said.
Hawk nodded. “I’ll bury this as best as I can to reduce the smell. Otherwise, we’ll need to steer clear of this area until the scavengers take care of it.”
I headed down the trail toward the spring, moving as fast as I could while still keeping my senses open. The sticky blood made me itch, but worse, my stomach growled. As soon as I heard the bubble of water I yanked the heart out and took a giant bite before swallowing. It took several bites before it was gone.
[You have devoured a Pterosaur and gained extra experience.]
I blinked at the notification, confused. No skill or stats, just extra experience this time. At least it was something, though I didn’t receive a notification that I leveled again. Hopefully, level twenty was within easy reach since I already got bonus experience for creatures above my level.
My stomach stopped rumbling as I knelt down next to the stream, but I still ate several hunks of meat until my stomach felt full. I cleaned up my hands, knife, and face in the water. I climbed up the boulders and refilled my canteen before heading back down the trail.
The sound of chirping reached me within a few steps and I quietly made my way back using stealth. On the far side near the trail, Hawk stood in the shadows with his bow out. Between him and me at the butchering sight stood a flock of Compys. I didn’t bother using my Insight since my Prey sense made it clear they were all much lower level than us.
To be honest, this was the best case. They’d clean up the mess pretty dang fast, especially with as many of them as there were.
I glanced back over the nest and tilted my head that way. Hawk caught the nod and motioned he was leaving. I gave him a thumbs up then crept toward the nest to see better. Before we left, Hawk spoke about how it might lay eggs. During the fight, I hadn’t paid attention, but now I wanted to see if I could find any. Last time I’d eaten an egg it had improved my Body Skill, which increased my healing and all of that good stuff.
I wanted more eggs.
In the much brighter sunlight, the blue and green shells stood out more easily between the leaves and branches of the nest. Half of them were crushed, but as I crept forward I counted 5 eggs still intact. It took only seconds to add them to my inventory, before turning toward the trail to leave.
One of the Compys noticed me, but did not approach or even look at me directly. Instead, its head went down, like it wanted me to not notice it.
I ignored it and continued on my way. Like Noseen had said, killing things much lower level than me didn’t do much. Plus, I had plenty of time to go hunting once I got rid of the excess stuff in my inventory.
Hawk waited for me back at the gate but he didn’t latch it.
“Find any eggs?” he asked.
“A few, thankfully everyone will have fresh meat for breakfast," I said, redirecting the conversation. "Not gonna latch the gate?”
“Na, Jimmy is up in the tree already keeping watch. He’s worried about more fliers.”
I paused and glanced around the fenced-in area, spotting several miners out in the open. “Where do you want me to leave everything?”
"Follow me." Hawk headed inside the dropship and I quickly followed. The table inside was clear except for several knives. “Toss the meat here, though Denver wants a moment before you leave.”
Doc stood on one side of the table with several pots and what looked to be a drying rack. Mars was there as well. I quickly piled up the excess meat, but kept two large pieces in my inventory for myself. I also added the various wings I’d gathered over the past couple of days. Doc and Mars both got to work slicing things up. Mars slid things on drying racks, while Doc added meat to one of the pots.
“Where's Denver?” I asked once I’d finished.
Hawk motioned back outside.
I headed into the sunshine, glad to be back out in the open. Hawk motioned around the side of the dropship and I found the soldier on a stump next to what looked like the leather I’d given Hawk from the Carnitor. “You wanted to see me?”
He nodded and motioned for me to come closer. “You need better gear, and I can at least make a few things before you leave tonight.” His eyes studied my form, then he pulled a thin cord out. “I gotta measure your chest.” It took only seconds as he tied knots in each of the ropes, measuring me for a good fit. “At the very least I can make you some chest armor, maybe something for your forearms as well.” He nodded to himself with a focused grin.
“In one day?” I asked.
His head tilted to one side at the question. “That’s what skills are for."