I had stayed up through most of the night, however exhaustion gripped my mind late in the eve, causing me to drift off into a new world. But with the morning, the sounds of stopping rumbled the drums of my ears. It deafened me and shook my body. I had shot up to see the flock before me stomping their feet, they roared as a bird would. To me it sounded like a beautiful song, yet what I could understand was that today they would hunt. They screamed with all their hearts. I could see the chest of my mother filling with air one last time before a monstrous screech filled the air. The rest of the flock silenced within a second. The screech had caused my ears to ring, it weighed me down with a physical fear I thought could kill me at any moment.
I wanted to fear my own mother, her strength obviously stood above all the others. They had bowed their heads, the feather crowns on some flattening to their necks. It was a sight to behold. My mother and her roar, it simply could not be matched. The leader, the one who stands above. As the crowd settled down, my mother began to caw, her words were direct and elegant. "Today, we hunt, for the chicks."
To my shock, my mother's words were clearer than ever. I wanted to gasp in awe but my mouth simply hung agape. 'My mother was the smartest one of us all. I could feel that. We were intelligent and smart. Our flock would use trick and cunning, rather than strength and force,' my mind was filled with words of pride. I wanted to run up towards my mother and hug her with my arms.
The Flock began to screech and caw, purrs mixed with hisses filled the air. It made me want to jump around. My brothers and sisters looked at me, I was the only one still standing. Many of the other chicks had fallen onto your backs or sides. And here I stood, my plume standing straight. I felt my body rush with energy the longer the flock sang their horrid war cry. It was a cacophony of sound, and yet it was the most fun I had ever felt in this brief life of mine.
My head twisted towards my mother, she was walking slowly near me, her body held that same gentle grace she had before, but now her steps were stronger. Pride seemed to glow from her eyes as she looked down on me, and she cawed softly, "Today, prove yourself worthy. Earn a name." A clear invitation was given to me, to join the flock on their run, to kill and maul. I had only just taken my first life yesterday and yet only knowing the bare basics of running and biting, I was being told to partake in a hunt. If I live, I shall grow quickly, if I don't I shall die.
I wanted to protest, yell my objections to this decision. I did not know what was out in the forest. I had only seen my flock and rats. What other monsters could be out there, wolves, lions? I was but a small chick. As I thought diligently, I hadn't noticed my mother picking me up by my nape, her jaw gripping gently. It was kinda fun, however when I noticed her begin to run towards the unknown. I swung my body around in protest. My legs, shaking and kicking from side to side. Trees seemed to blur past us, the wind howling past my ears. It was cold and unforgiving.
Then, my mother reached a dense part of the forest. Trees close enough to intertwine with each other. Roots breaking through dirt and rock all the same. My mother crowed, her voice hushed, "Live, return home." She licked my face just under my cheek, showing she still had cared for me. However this action made me think otherwise. To throw your two day old child into a forest where beasts of unknown strength rule and hope they come back is simply absurd. I wanted to huddle down, I wanted to go back and be with my flock, my brothers and sisters. Their warmth from the piles of feathers was something I wished to just run back too. My head sunk towards the floor, my sulking visible by my mother who was turning around, one eye still staring me down. Then before the silence had nearly deafened me, I saw my mother sprint off, the wind seeming to splint around her slightly.
What felt like an eternity of seeing my mother run off without me in tow nearly crushed my heart. I did not know why I had loved my mother so much, but I couldn't deny that I think of someone amazing. She had left me so easily. She had run off to our home, leaving me here to fend for myself.
I continued to sulk and immerse myself in these negative thoughts, then I heard a hiss. A snake showed itself from under the dying brush. Its body coiled back and with out any warning shot at me with speed. I had to react.
SNAP!
My mouth clamped down on the snaked body, its mouth latching to my side. We had found each other with our own medicines. The wound burned and made my body seize up. Poison or pain, I simply had to keep moving. I thrashed my head from all angles. My brain was shaking along with it. It hurt, it ached. I wanted to die. Why must I suffer like this? The adrenaline ran through my body, time felt as though it slowed down ever so slightly. It burned, it ached. Yet, with one final movement, I ripped the snake from my body, its fangs splitting from its skull. My flesh had stuck with me.
I cried and screamed, my roar weak and quiet due to my exhaustion. But then, the system blessed me.
—---
Host has gained 46 EXP, Opponent has fainted due to injuries. Killing the Opponent shall not grant any further experience.
—---
I hadn't levelled up, I had no strength, all I could do now, unable to get to the next level was to at least eat this snake and pray that I would wake up to see tomorrow. Checking my status once again. It had barely changed. Except for two things.
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Name: ------
Race: Lesser Feathered Raptor
Age: 2 Days
Level: 2 (57/100)
Class: ------
Weight: 4.6kg/10kg
Condition: Poisoned(Minor)
Status:
Strength: 7
Dexterity: 10
Defence: 5
Constitution: 8
Wisdom: 6
Intelligence: 6
Magic Power: 10
Charisma: 4
Luck: 6
Skills:
[Level 1 Claw] [Level 2 Bite] [Level 1 Quick Step]
Unique Skills:
[Level 1 Memories of a Lost Past] [Humanoid Polymorph](Locked)
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What was a kg? I could only tell how much I weighed. But what did it mean? I was also poisoned. It was minor, but poison is still poison, I could easily die from this, right? All that was left now, was the sweet hope of not suffering a pointless death. The snake before me laid unconscious. Its body coiled up to save something. So, I granted it the mercy I could. My jaw snapping down on its head crushing it with the force. Its blood oozed into my mouth, the taste of iron and dirt was no different than that time when I killed the rat. It was still my dinner. I had to begin eating its body unless I wished to starve.
So, I followed my thoughts. I wanted to live, so I had to do things in order to live. Including eating the body of the monster that I just killed. Even if it was repulsive. What has my life come to?