Roots Of Ruin (Monster Hunter Fanfiction)

A breeze swept through the Ancient Forest, rustling the canopy of interwoven branches and stirring the thick, humid air. The chorus of life—chirping insects, distant roars, and the occasional chatter of unseen creatures—created a rhythmic pulse that had existed long before any hunter set foot in these lands. But tonight, something foreign drifted on the wind.A spore.It was minuscule, unseen, no different from the countless pollen grains and fungal seeds that floated through the air every day. But unlike the others, this one carried something new. Something hungry.It descended slowly, weaving through the branches like a wandering mote of dust. A Shepherd Hare, ears twitching at the rustling above, hopped carefully along a moss-covered log, sniffing the air. The scent of damp wood and blooming flora filled its small lungs—along with something else. The spore latched onto the fine fur around its nose, clinging unseen to the delicate strands. The hare sneezed, shaking its head, but the damage was done. As it twitched its whiskers and continued on, the first seed of something monstrous had taken root.Deep within, the spore unfurled microscopic tendrils, threading into the hare's bloodstream, searching, learning. It was not yet strong enough to control—only to observe. It would watch, study, and when the time was right, it would grow.The change began in ways too subtle for the hare to notice. A stiffness in its limbs, like the lingering chill of morning dew clinging to its fur. It hesitated longer than usual before bounding between roots, its movements slightly delayed, as if something inside had to catch up to the command. Its ears flicked, twitching in a pattern that had no rhythm, responding to noises that did not exist.As the infection took hold, the hare's senses dulled, though it did not recognize the loss. The once rich scent of moss and damp soil became muted, overpowered by something foreign, something sweet and cloying. Its small, twitching nose wrinkled at the unfamiliar fragrance, but it had no way to understand what had changed. It tried to groom itself, its tiny paws rubbing over its face and ears, but there was an awkwardness to the motion, a mechanical repetition that lacked the ease of habit.Hours passed, and the infection dug deeper. The stiffness grew into fatigue, weighing down its limbs like sodden fur. It no longer moved with the skittish energy of its kind. Where it once darted at the snap of a twig, now it merely lifted its head, sluggish and uncertain. The vibrancy in its eyes dimmed, its pupils sluggish to react to the shifting light of the canopy.Hunger gnawed at its belly, but when it nibbled at a cluster of soft ferns, the taste was wrong. Bitter. Unfamiliar. It chewed out of instinct, but the act felt hollow, mechanical. As it swallowed, something deep inside responded—not a sensation of nourishment, but recognition, as if the infection itself was tasting alongside the hare, learning, adapting.Time became strange. The hare did not understand how long it had been moving, but its body felt heavier with each step. The world blurred at the edges, its surroundings unfocused, distant. It wandered without purpose now, no longer seeking food or shelter—only moving forward, driven by something it could not name.Then it stopped.Its muscles locked mid-step. A shiver ran through its frail body, not of fear, but something deeper, something unnatural. It stood in place, trembling, every breath shallow. A silent command, unspoken yet absolute, settled within its mind. For the first time in its small existence, the Shepherd Hare was not alone inside itself.Predators lurked in the undergrowth. They always did. And when they came, the infection would spread. The first step had been taken. The hive was beginning.Decided i read enough nonhuman mc books that end up being ruined with a human form so i decided just to make my own. this is a personal project and thought it would be cool if some other people saw it too.... so give some feedback if ya want