{You have collected the essence of a Lv. 5 Mesmer Deer. You have gained +4 intelligence.}
'Nice. Now we can have a nice lunch and then grind some levels.'
Looking towards the others he chuckled and went to grab the doe.
"It seems she gave y'all a run for your money. The plan worked out though so good job on that front," Vars said to the both of them.
"Fuck off. Those decoys had real weight to them. They felt more like clones than decoys," BB retorted.
Just as Vars picked the doe up a white, sparkling stone fell from her body. Vars hurriedly grabbed it with excitement.
{Essence Shard: Mesmer Deer- Dazzler
This Essence Shard allows the wielder to produce a Dazzling Shard. The Dazzling Shard is capable of 2 different functions.
1. Produce a profound burst of light to blind enemies. The longer the burst is charged and the higher the user's level compared to the opponent the better the effect.
2. Warp the light around the user making them virtually invisible.}
Vars quickly thought of how this was a great utility shard and crushed it in his hands. With the ability to conceal himself, it would increase his chances in many different situations.
Sadly, the doe didn't drop a talent but that's okay. Before the group carried the prey back towards the den Vars quickly made a gord with the bark on his back to get some water. Not surprisingly they got back quicker seeing as they weren't being cautious to look for prey.
Settling inside the den, Vars crafted a knife using his roots that was sharper than he expected. He expertly skinned the doe and cut it up splitting the meat evenly between him and Bloodbag.
Wormwood didn't need the meat as much as she needed the bones. He then made a fire and cooked their meal. After, eating a whole deer Vars was surprised that he and Bloodbag were still hungry.
"Ahh damn. It's not enough, I'm still hungry. Let's rest a little bit before heading out again. It's still the middle of the day so we should be good to rest for a bit," Vars said as he tried to figure out a way to get comfortable.
The group took an hour's nap before waking up recharged and ready to hunt again. Vars was clearly energized and excited when he woke up the others.
The prospect of growing stronger makes him as giddy as a kid on Christmas Eve. He stepped outside the den and stretched shaking off the last bits of drowsiness.
"It's time to officially start staking our claim around here. Wormwood use your nose to see if you can smell anything strong nearby. We should start clearing out the competition before they get too strong while at the same time, we're getting good levels," Vars said as scratched the bark on his back.
The sapling on his back grew about an inch after he added some of the doe blood onto it. It was barely an increase but every little bit counts.
Wormwood sat and closed her eyes to focus on her sense of smell. She could see the multiple trails of CE in the air. Most of them were as thin as a pencil while the thickest were about the width of a soda can.
"There are 3 distinct scents that a thicker than most that I can smell Father. One is located in the direction of the watering hole, another is in the opposite direction, and the last one is north in the direction behind the den. Of the 3 the one heading north is the thickest," Wormwood spoke as she continued to sniff around.
"Also, I figured you would ask so from understanding the strongest of the 3 is the one to the north," Wormwood added after she finished tracking the scents.
Hearing this information Vars started to contemplate which direction should he take. 'We have no idea how strong our prey is, their abilities, or how far away they really are. The best choice would be to go for the weakest and work our way around to the others, but...'
"Let's head north. It's risky but I'm sure we can hunt and gain a level or two on the way. Wormwood lead the way and be on the lookout for other prey we may come across," Vars declared.
Wormwood was an obedient child so she instantly sniffed the air and began heading north.
"Uhh before we head out, Vars I would also like to find a new body soon. I don't know if you noticed but we are all sort of weak to fire and that is a weakness we can't have in this new age. As soon as I see something that I think is a ga useful fit I will take it. Do we kill Snow or keep her alive?" Bloodbag asked with real concern for Vars' feelings.
"Kill her. She'd be dead weight and I could use her essence for my talent. It's best that way now let's go," Vars replied quickly. Clearly, he didn't want to talk about it for too long but he knew one day it had to be done.
Wormwood began tracking the scent behind the den leading the pack with BB in the middle and Vars in the rear.
Vars knew the area well considering he was raised here. This direction was heading towards the absolute center of the forest. It was a lake about 300 feet wide and 400 feet long. Vars had no clue how deep it was as he never tested his luck to get in.
Most of the creatures that stayed in this part of the forest were pretty docile. Although there were also predators, this vast lake was controlled with an iron fist by one mean old beaver, Mr. Claps.