Deep, red blood ran down Eodum's body-formed spike. Blood poured from the hawk's corpse, reflecting the surroundings with a crimson shine. It contrasted Eodum's inky flesh as it dripped off of the rat and onto the forest floor.
Retracting the spike, Eodum winced as it felt the cracks in the weapon it made. The speed the hawk flew at was akin to a bullet, and the rat could still feel the shock reverberating through its entire body.
Shakily, it walked to the hawk's bloody corpse and ate it. The rich blood soaked its throat with a pleasant salty flavor. A memory struck Eodum then as it recalled the species of the monster it had just disposed of.
It was called a sea hawk; hawk-like bird monsters that usually live around the sea. They were unique as they weren't native to this region as the countries around the Forest of Kraude were all landlocked. Hell, the city of Seelf was doubly landlocked. Eodum didn't know what being "landlocked" meant, but it did know that there weren't any large bodies of water nearby.
Eodum also recalled one of the Royals of Kraude, Eniram, the sea hawk. Apparently, this giant monster flew into Kraude, devastating kingdoms and ecosystems in its path. All of the sea hawks originated from it, and over the years, the Forest of Kraude just adapted to their presence.
Life in this world is always changing. With evolutions, skills, level ups, and stats, existing, every creature was unique and could grow rapidly in power. This was just a law of the universe in this world.
Eodum finished eating the hawk and began walking away once more, but then, a screech sounded through the woods. The rat froze in place as the shrill was extremely similar to the sea hawk it had just eaten. The screech came again, but this time, it was followed by a chorus of other sea hawk squawks.
Then, the flapping came. The sound of hundreds of wings all beating against the air, all while more and more screeches began joining the already growing cacophony of sounds. It was at this point that Eodum realized it might be in danger as the sound of wings against air came closer and closer.
Eodum was about to turn around until it remembered how fast its previous opponent was. Mind racing a mile a minute in only a second, Eodum recalled its past hunting strategy. Blending into the shadows with the power of the void all while making its presence as small and unnoticeable as it could, Eodum practically melted into the darkness. Even the lights across its body were being covered up with darker, shapeshifted flesh.
Eodum quickly hopped away, using the shadows to get into an optimal position to either run away, attack, or defend. It ended up posted against the shadowy side of the trunk of a large, dark-barked tree. Eodum carefully watched the skies and little dots of blue, yellow, and white started filling in the gaps between leaves.
Dirt started being shifted, lifted and moved across the forest floor by the wind from flapping wings. One by one, sea hawks of varying sizes, shapes, and evolutions flocked around, perching upon anything they could. Strangely enough, they created a wide circle, but Eodum's confusion was soon resolved, much to its displeasure.
A huge sea hawk the size of a house stood in the middle of its army. The bird had the same color scheme as its children, but each color stood out and was more prominent. Interlaced with its other feathers, golden plumes weaved around creating beautiful patterns. A ring of the golden quills emphasized the bird's deep blue eyes. Another set of the shining feathers also stood up on the hawk's head. The crest looked like a crown, and it fit the bird quite well.
Opening its mouth, the beak was composed of three black parts that widened to reveal a maw full of teeth. One long tongue wiggled back and forth before stilling. Then, it released a shriek that almost knocked Eodum unconscious. After shrieking, it looked around, scanning the woods before its eyes landed on Eodum. The rat held still, holding its breath so it wouldn't be caught. The two watched each other for a while longer before looking away and continuing to look around. Eodum was relieved until the bird started waddling over to where Eodum clung.
Shifting its mass, it flattened itself against the tree it held onto, so it wouldn't stick out as much—literally and figuratively. Once the hawk eventually reached Eodum, it bent down and stared intensely upon where Eodum hid.
After what felt like an eternity, Eniram left with its entourage. Now, Eodum was only left with its thoughts and its fear as it unshifted back its rat form. It then collapsed as the tension left its body, leaving a small puddle near its legs. Eodem was terrified. Ksilisab was dangerous, but Eodum battled with it after it had already fought with Nomed.
In addition, it had the assistance of Henry, Sheila, and Kali, all of whom were quite powerful in their own right. Here, Eodum was unsure if it could currently take on any of the Rulers of Kraude on its own or even with Henry and Sheila if they were there.
Eodum slowly got up and snuck its way through the brush, keeping its eyes on the sky and its ears out for the sound of flapping wings. As Eodum weaved its way through the trees, sticking to the shadows, Eodum spotted one of the hawks on a tree. It was perched there, looking out for anything that might be around.
Eodum now had two choices, attack or hide. If it attacked, it could take out a future problem, but it could alert the rest of the flock as well. If Eodum chose to hide, things would stay the same, and Eodum could try and find a different solution. Go for a risk and reward or go for stay with what was working?