Kellenas led a small pack of Ferals through Olavin-Faa, he gained permission from Ether on the same day they left. Time felt like a memory beneath the ocean of green leaves.
However, every time they heard distant screeching, they knew it meant a Glyker was coming through. They hid low along the bushes beneath tree trunks, however this barely did anything.
Every Glyker was mostly blind, being able to see only a few steps ahead of them but with very little visibility. But their ability to screech and hear, then make a map in their brains was unrivaled.
With time, each Feral adapted small traits from their Scaler cousins. Such as the ability to detect these screeches and estimate where they would be coming from.
It was the seventh day in Olavin-Faa, Ferals chirped and stood guard over the drowsy ones. Being their temperory sentinels while they slept beneath the thick tree roots.
"Our step has covered most of the forest by now, probably," one of the elder Ferals commented while chirping. "Perhaps it is time we settle somewhere?"
Kellenas tilted his head up, listening closely for any screeches. When he felt secure, he bowed his head low, until the scar on his face was touching his knee.
"No, not yet," he turned to face the direction of the elder. "If you are getting weary, do not be afraid to settle with a small group. Being your age must not be easy."
The elder unsheathed her claws, pinning them against the tree. "I do not have much time left in this world. Whenever the day I die, I want my offspring to celebrate a Tonumki in my honor."
"If they won't do it, I will," Kellenas firm voice replied.
Four scouts felt their way through their resting spaces, climbing out of roots and greenery. They stepped cautiously in the darkness, keeping their rumbling throats quiet.
Each step they took, they felt more naked to something out of sight. One of them stumbled through some sort of sticky material. It lingered on his body for a moment, before disappearing.
He blushed a bright red - bright enough to faintly highlight his cheeks. Catching the attention of the other three Ferals, who stopped in their tracks to listen closely.
Nothing, only emptiness. There was no noise, everything was unusually quiet. No distant screeches, thumping, or breathing. Only discomfort in the air.
Until they heard a sudden thump, they went still. Everything was frozen around them, including their distant allies who hid not too far from there.
The elder stood still beside Kellenas, both intently listening. After thirty minutes, they heard another thump. Whatever was stalking them was determined to get the drop on them.
"It does not come from around, it is above..." one of the scouts whispered, fear tightened her throat.
Sticky liquids slowly poured onto them like a waterfall, which burned their skins. It was acidic and smelled like decaying corpses.
Kellenas growled, keeping broad shoulders ready for anything to spring out. Then it all stopped. The liquid ceased its flow, whatever caused both thumps retreated from the ground.
And the presence of a predator was reduced to nothingness. Which eased their spirits, except for the realization that whatever was there with them did not leave.
One of the scouts yelped like an injured animal, trying to free themselves from the death grip they unexpectedly stumbled into.
With that, all other scouts sprung into action. Roaring out and scaling trees with relative ease, towards whatever was attacking them.
Something sharp dug itself into the spine of the attacked scout, paralyzing them on the spot. Their world went numb, no matter what they tried, they could not escape.
All they could do was weep as they faintly saw sixteen eyes glare into their only two. Feeling four massive fangs spread acid over their body.
As the creature ate, it experienced the first of many attacks. A female drove her claws into one of its legs, then she began to violently tear her arm out and back in. RIpping out chunks of its exoskeleton.
The creature lowly cackled, lifting up its leg. Kellenas noticed a tree move, shaking around as if it was protesting against something else.
His shoulders loosened up, inviting him to scale it. And he did. Up above him, he could sense there was something out of place. It was one of the creature's legs.
Fury engulfed his state of mind, prompting Kellenas to roar out courage. Boosting the spirits of his Ferals, and discouraging whatever was attacking. But it did nothing.
The creature still cackled, feeling a bit annoyed. So many Ferals were attacking it, digging into its exoskeleton and ripping out pieces of itself.
Despite it being busy between swipes of its fangs. By now, the Feral it caught had most of their skin melted away. So the creature brought out its tongue, then began to slurp up all the melted pieces.
Kellenas heard his Feral weep, hoping it was not the end for it. But the sad truth was, they were unlucky. One of the greatest stalkers Koroth has made lurked around that area.
Right as Kellenas went in for a bite, the creature flicked him and all other Ferals off itself. It climbed from tree to tree, silently repositioning itself to safely consume its meals.
"It took one of our scouts!"
Hearing that enraged Kellenas, his eyes narrowed down to find a target that did not exist within his vision. Going after whatever hunted them would be foolish.
"We have to move," Kellenas gritted his teeth. "Someday we will find the outskirts of this forest. But we will never see that 'someday' if we stay here."
The elder's stomach rumbled, yearning for food. "Perhaps we stop to find something we can eat? Yonie, maybe. Or Yomie."
Kellenas growled at nothingness. "We will not eat Thresher, they are our cousins. Just like the Scalers."
"Do we die, then?" the elder asked, placing her hand against her stomach. "Should they not die for us, as well?"
Silence filled Kellenas' lungs, he had endured his first loss of the journey. He lamented stopping here the night before, it would have been safer to push forward or remain back.
He questioned his leadership, was his judgement right or wrong? Who would die next? Would he die with them? He did not know.
"On my march."