"So, you got ambushed by the very rare poisonous snakes we talked about searching all of the Glorian Islands for, and instead of being bitten…. Cause you were asleep in a jungle unprotected… you were saved by this?"
"His name is Ren." Claude replied to Ursula, though it sounded more like "hsh…. naeee…. Ish Ren." Due to Goren's hands being lodged in his mouth.
Suddenly a loud rip resonated through the medical wing of the jungle and Claude was yowling with the other bedridden students.
Goren stood in front of him with one of his serpent fangs in his hand. Freshly ripped out. Blood dripped on the ground.
Beside him, Ren stood up and took a combative stance. Black wiry fur bristling to bladed points, suddenly doubling the creatures already impressive size. His growl sounded like something caught between a wolf, Lion and raccoon. Deep, guttural and vicious. The sound of his clattering teeth could freeze blood.
"Stop it." Claude said to the newborn.
Ren snapped out of it, reassuming his seated stance. At the same time he raised one of his large razor clawed paws and slammed it on the corpse of one of the snakes. He held the other between his jaws calmly as blood dripped.
"He's sort of…. regal, isn't he?" Goren asked.
"It's in his dna to lead. So it makes sense. A better ability to reason. Action prone. Physically imposing. Confident." Claude nodded as if everything checked out.
"What about the other stuff?" Ursula asked from beside him.
Claude regarded his newest ally. In the books he had back home, the artistic depictions of both red-backs and crown-mellivora's were quite a bit different. They just looked like massive ferocious badgers. White or brown fur and thick snouts. They were round— completely unlike canines. Less built for speed and more built for burrowing and brawling.
Ren was….. a mutant of sorts. Since he was already a variant species, he was a double mutant in a sense. A mutant king.
The creatures shape was off. Still built for digging. Still dense and shielded by fat and muscle. But he was larger. The size of a mastiff with ears like a Doberman.
His fur was black as midnight. His nose was pink, starting from there a thick strip of white trailed up his snout, cupping his eyes like a facemask before rising up to a crown-like tuft of white hair. He watched Claude with forest green eyes. A color not found in any other red-backs. Not to mention his dark purple claws. They smelled like berry poison. But only sometimes….
"I'm going to have to read up on that Dryad Essence ability. It changed him…" Claude surmised fairly easily.
"I'm not sure." Claude lied to Ursula about his dryad essence affect on the creature. But only because Goren was present and he didn't know the healer well enough for anything beyond ripping teeth out.
"Well, either way. He's shown his usefulness." Goren said and nodded to the mutant red-back.
Ren nodded back.
Everyone looked at eachother in discomfort.
"So, how long to make this antidote?" Claude asked as he sat up, rubbing his jawline on the side where he lost his tooth and venom sack.
"Thankfully, I understand venomology magics. I can be a catalyst for antibody production in our immunizing donor's and from there I can extract a few antidotes every hour from their bloodstream." Goren smiled.
"Who the hell is they?" Ursula asked, stepping aside as Emma screamed, writhing at the pain of her purple lesions running up her neck.
"The immunizing donors." Goren replied. Then he pointed out to the jungle.
Ren snarled and the boar foraging in the distance took off.
"Most herbivores and beasts of burden have very strong immune systems. If I give them small doses of poison over a couple days, they'll produce the required antibodies pretty quickly. I'll take blood samples and use it as a base for an antidote. Since you came back so fast, I think most of them will survive." Goren smiled.
It was better than seeing him cry. Even if he looked terribly sleep deprived and unwashed.
"Sounds great." Claude replied.
"It is great. But I still have one question." Goren said.
"What?"
"Why are you being targeted by snakes now? On the boat they went after the injured students— like they were looking for an easy kill….. I don't think snakes are that intelligent. At least not these ones. But this time, they had a whole jungle of boars, deer, river fish and birds…. And they went after the boy surrounded by wolves. Is that not weird?"
***
"It's not weird. It's straight up horrifying." Ursula said as they left Goren's healing wing of the jungle.
"Yea…. So why are we still IN THE JUNGLE." Warren threw his hands in the air.
"Shhhh you'll wake the snakes." Marion teased.
"I can't stand you, dude." Warren hid behind Ursula's bulk.
"This is why you can't banter with archers. They're as frail as their arrows." Marion cartwheeled over a felled tree in their flowery path.
"Said the assassin." Ursula commented.
"I walked into that." Marion relented, "But what does the beast-tamer say?"
Everyone looked at Claude.
Claude was busy licking the gum where his canines were regrowing. He had to swim a mile out into the ocean to borrow the glacial shark teeth regrowing trait to make it happen. He still shivered.
"What do I say about what?" Claude finally said.
"About anything. Our plate is full and you usually have the utensils."
"Right. Hm…. We need a plan for this Night of the Wraiths. Now that we have the means to help our poisoned members we can put all our focus in that. Let's have a meeting tommorow." Claude replied.
"Snakes?" Warren questioned.
"They're targeting me. So you guys are good." Claude said.
"Meaning they're targeting me too. I'm gonna use baldy as a matress tonight as part of our new security detail." Ursula crossed her massive arms and smiled.
"Oh…. That's gonna be interesting." Marion itched his neck.
"Why?" Ursula asked.
"Because baldy already has a sleeping partner." A boy hung upside down from a jungle tree branch ahead.
"AH! hairless monkey beast!" Warren drew his bow.
Claude put his arrow down as he sniffed. The scent was familiar. He was one of the newest students. A sixth waver. The boy who charged Samuel brazenly. Before anyone else.
"You're stalking me?"
"No. I'm a hunter. The best hunters listen to their enviroment. It communicates. You two and all your smooching and cuddling interrupt my conversations with the green."
Warren raised his eyebrows in disbeleif. "There's no way you kissed a girl before me."
Claude didn't have a reply for Warren and continued to look at the student hanging from the trees. "You're hunting at night? You don't smell like a beast-tamer."
"I'm not. But yes, I'm hunting."
"For what?"
"For the scaly pests that poisoned my friend."
"You're hunting the snakes?" Claude asked.
"Yes, and I'm quite successful when there's peace and quiet." He dug in his pocket and pulled out six dead snakes.
"Woah." Marion mumbled.
"Where have you been the last few days???" Ursula questioned.
"I got lost. But I was finding more snakes."
Claude ignored the guilt he felt at keeping the injured a secret then, "Whats your name again?"
"Chase Lightwood, of the Lightwood family. We make great hunters if you ignore that we're shit hunters."
"Right." Claude nodded, "So where did you find those snakes?"
Chase blinked with irritation, though it looked like rage due to the blood rushing to his face, "Did I not just say I got lost!!!??"
"Could you retract your steps?"
"I have to anyway. There could be more snakes. And as world renown snake-slayer huntsman it's my duty to snake slay and hunt, man." Chase nodded as if satisfied with his long winded slogan.
"Ok, well here." Marion stepped forward and handed Chase a horn made from boar tusk. "Blow this when you make it back to the general area where you found the most snakes. One of us will be there soon."
Chase' eyes lit up, literally glowing like two yellow lightning bugs on his face.
"A mission awaits! I'm honored. Tell the sick that help is on the way! This hunt will be legendary! Then maybe the horse-man with horns will return to my dreams and give me more power! See ya!" He flipped back up into the canopy and took off.
"Did he just casually tell us he's one of the Chosen?" Ursula asked.
"I remember reading New Gloria's having a Chosen influx over the last few years…." Marion commented.
"Really?" Warren asked.
Marion shrugged, "It only makes sense. We're not the pampered Americans of the old world. We're Glorians. The transfer of power might finally be tipping back in our direction."
Claude was taken aback by Marion's words. He remembered Anubis saying something similar….
He continued thinking about gods, monsters and snakes— all at once even, as he made his way back to his treehouse. Thoughts of some vengeful world serpent being to blame for the snakes left him frozen for a moment as he made it to his destination.
"Hello?" Ursula yelled.
"What's up?"
"Meeting tommorow at mid day. Hunting at sun rise, group training immediately after." Ursula said, "Got it?"
Claude nodded.
"I'm gonna sleep out here." Ursula pointed to a hollow tree, "You know I'm no stranger to this now…" She joked.
"I'm sure Finn will find his way inside too." Claude joked, "Seriously though, no. I got lucky with the snake attack. You might not."
"I don't need to get lucky. Snakes are warm-blooded aren't they?" Ursula held a hand out and froze the moisture in the air.
"Not these ones. They're different."
"Well so am I. Go to bed." Ursula pushed him towards the wooden ladder leading up to his room.
Claude turned around after stumbling forward a few steps. He brought his fingers to his lips and whistled.
A symphony of canine yips and howls echoed in the evening jungle, growing closer and closer. Eventually, the three Island-Dogs came bursting out of the foliage. Long bodies slick with ocean water. Their dark blue fur melded with the shadows almost too well.
"They're not Finn, but they are friends." Claude nodded to the dogs. Rivera ran up to Ren and licked his nose. He snorted aggressively before trying to regain his composure.
"Now go lay with your princess." Ursula waved him off as she sat in her hollowed out tree.
"I know you don't like her. I don't know why, but I think if we all hung out more you'd see she's exactly what you said we wouldn't find here." Claude said. "She's the reason I was able to save you."
Ursula didn't seem convinced but nodded in understanding anyway.
Claude headed up to his sleeping quarters. Twenty feet in the air, hidden in the jungle canopy. He could smell Naz's berry desert flower perfume on each step.
Once at the top, he rolled through the twine and leather curtains.
At the same time, Naz came in through the back window wearing black cloth and a mask.
Claude only recognized her by smell, her trademark scythe and clunky leather waist bag.
Not to mention she couldn't really hide her wild mane of dreadlocks.
"Naz….. where were you?" Claude asked.
"I did a perimeter run. You seemed tied up."
"Oh shoot— I completely forgot. Stella didn't cover it? She usually is the nocturnal runner."
Naz shrugged, "I did not see her out tonight. People are still adjusting to life back here. These things are fine. I needed to run."
"I know the feeling." Claude replied.
Naz pulled off her half mask and overcoat. Her hazel eyes fastened on something beside Claude.
"So the crown-mellivora has hatched?" Naz eyes lit up momentarily. "This does not look like the depictions found in my books back home."
"Right. He's a mutant." Claude explained. "I don't really know the details. I have to read up once we're actually in the University."
"Hm. Why not just read his stats and do a family tree scan?" Naz questioned.
Claude raised an eyebrow in surprise, "How do you know what that is?"
"I have had to take classes on every System Class since I was old enough to count. Knowing your power is half the battle my teacher always said." Naz explained.
"I like that. I should probably learn to follow that." Claude said in a whisper before sitting on his bed.
Naz joined him.
Ren sat opposite him on the floor.
Claude opened his System Screen. The semitransparent green layout bloomed, outlined by designs of vines, paw prints and fangs. It had grown so familiar since he was first Reborn.
***
System Stats (1)
Tamed Creatures (1)
Family Tree Scans (0)
Breeding/Evolution Options (3)
***
Naz watched Claude's reaction, "Something different I assume?"
Claude nodded and focused on the family tree scan option.
Suddenly Ren stepped forward, as if he understood what came next. His long sharp ears laid flat, hidden in his white crown of fur. Not in a territorial or aggressive sense, but one of calm.
His system screen went blank. Lines like veins or roots glowed. A scanning wave traveled from the screen, running across Ren's body repeatedly.
The monstrous— newborn, carnivorous badger took pride in not flinching as the lights flashed.
[Scanning….10%…..30%….]
DING
[Unique Magical Signatures Recognized…]
[Scanning….80%….]
[Family Tree Scan Complete]
The screen changed again.
***
Ren Family Tree (Limited by Level and Tangent World Deviation)
[Male Grandparent: Level 12 Red-back]
[Female Grandparent: Level 7 Red-Back]
[Male Parent: Level 10 Red-Back]
[Female Parent: Level 8 Red-Back]
[Male Mana-Gene Donor: Level 8 Beast-Tamer Human (Defect)/Level 25 Hermephrodite Blooming Oak-Dryad Warrior]
***
"ERHM— uhhh, next screen. That's not what I'm looking for." Claude panicked and swapped screens before he fully exposed himself to Naz.
But when he looked at her, she was only watching him, seemingly just opening her eyes.
"Our Systems are a private thing. Reflections of our soul. I will look once you tell me to. Otherwise I will trace your eyebrows with my eyes." Naz said confidently.
Claude sighed.
With the sudden crisis averted, he took a moment to consider what the family tree scan meant. It was quite obvious.
"Ren was changed the moment my dryad essence slipped into his egg. Like I said before. He's a mutant. Twice over. And because of the two types of magic, it's considering me and the dryad that saved me as magical parents in a sense. Which would explain the green eyes and dark hair. Ren literally is related to me….. and a dead dryad. Wait a minute….. he has evolution and breeding options."
Claude switched screens, opening up the portion that would read off just that.
***
Breeding Options:
Ren's Breeding Statistics: Sexually viable male with matching species of mellivora. Age: 5hrs Old. Height: 6 ft/1.82 m/182 cm. Weight: 400lbs/181kgs. Bodyfat percentage: 40%-5%... etc etc
•99% Breeding Success with Female Crown-mellivora
•62% Breeding Success with Male Crown-mellivora
•70% Breeding Success with Primal Canine Breeds sharing a common ancestor of >30k Years.
•+30% Fusion Success with Dryadic/Nature Nymphoid Species
Evolution Options:
(Base) (Verdant-Mellivora)—> (EVO2) (Verdant Mazatherium)
(Base) (Verdant-Mellivora)—-> (EVO2) (Digger-Wolf)
(Base) (Verdant-Mellivora)—-> (EVO2) (Beast-Nymph)
***
"Naz, look."
Naz turned her head head and looked on in surprise. "This is an incredibly array of options. So unique. Dryads? Canines? I assume your nature element and canid affinity are uniquely influencing this blend."
"Yea…. I uhhh… I cut my hand and my blood got in the egg. Stuff went left since." Claude fumbled the lie.
Naz nodded in agreement anyway, "I supposed each evolution is dictated by how you work with Ren."
Claude nodded, "And I'm sure they all have specific fight styles and tamer synchronizations. I can't wait to get back to a library or my books."
Naz turned back to him, "What if I could get you a book right n—"
A horn blew into the night.
"Chase!" Claude realized as he burst to his feet. "He found the snakes again."
"What is it?" Naz said.
"We have a lead." Claude and Ren burst out of the treehouse, landing on the jungle floor in a roll.
Claude was met by Ursula and his dogs below.
"You heard it too?"
"Yep."
It came again, cutting through the night and sending tropical birds flying from their nests.
Claude took off.
Naz, Ursula and Warren followed. Soon enough, Marion joined them.
Every now and then, the horn came again, giving them an audial trail to follow.
They cut through small clearings and jumped across deep rivers until they made their way to dense jungle with taller trees built like nappy hair. Claw marks and fur collected there where the rancid smells of cat piss didn't.
Claude eyeballed the treehouse. He didn't need to look inside to know who's it was as the snakes collected there like loyal servants to their beast-taming master.
"This is Stella's house…."