[h2][color=orange][b][u]The Guardian and The Hunter.[/u][/b][/color][/h2]

[hr]

The scent of the soul led the beast, over the oceans once more and onto the continent of Kalgrun, an unfamiliar land but a land the beast must go. It moved through the night sky, following the scent quickly before it was inevitably led back to the ground, following the path of the thief nearly perfectly. When its massive paws hit the ground, the creature stalked upon the ground, flicking its tail occasionally as it moved through a forest. While it may have once gotten bored and killed a small animal for fun, Ya-Shuur had taught it only to kill when hungry which made the beast ignore many smaller creatures. 

It eventually happened upon a beach of a large lake, the way to Hunter’s Eye, but the water did not stop the creature of Vakk. The water was merely ground and it walked across it with ease, the fragile tension of the water being untouched by it. Soon enough, the scent lead it to the coast of Hunter’s Eye and the being was unaware that it had stepped onto more holy ground. It followed the coast, leaving massive pawprints in the ground as it eventually came to an area where Hermes had stopped. There was a moment of pause with the creature as it began to sniff the air around the spot, attempting to determine which direction the thief had gone. 

The Hunter was not alone.

Across the water, another shape, and a new scent appeared. A colossal wolf with dark black fur. As he approached, Fenris stared at the Hunter and let out a menacing growl. Fenris knew the beast was unfamiliar. It did not even carry Kalmar’s scent, it was not native to this region, and he had not been told to grant it passage. It did not belong here. It had to be driven out.

The Hunter’s head snapped towards the direction of the growl, its tracking halted for the time being. Something dared to challenge the hunter. In response, the beast raised the spikes on its back and unsheathed its claws before letting out a bastard noise of a growl and a hiss. Its fangs were pointed right at Fenris before it slammed the club of its tail on the ground, displaying its own stubborn dominance. 

Fenris was unphased. He was larger, and, he assumed, more powerful. The Guardian of the Hunter’s Eye continued his menacing approach, teeth bared as he continued his low growl. This was his home, and his purpose was to guard it. He would not submit.

Despite the size of Fenris, the Hunter continued its display, backing away as Fenris attempted to come closer. The Hunter let out of bark warning the wolf to back away from interfering with its work. For a singular moment did the beast look away to consider retreating before it let out another bark at Fenris. 

Fenris barked back, even louder. He inclined in a direction away from the lake. The message was clear. He would accept nothing less than the Hunter’s retreat or surrender.

It growled before it dug its feet into the sand, flicking its tail towards the spot the Hermes had fished at. The Hunter did not know if Fenris would be able to smell the trail the thief’s soul had left, but it could not retreat without giving up the hunt. Its loyalty to Vakk’s orders was not going to be questioned and the resolve of the Hunter would not break. A roar was let out in a final attempt to end the conflict before blood would be shed between the two. 

Fenris did not care. In response to the Hunter’s roar, the Guardian charged, surging across the water with immense speed and aggression.

The Hunter took to the air, leaping onto unseen ledges and inclines with great speed as well, yet it was not retreating. It moved towards Fenris, still gaining altitude before eventually allowing itself to free fall towards the massive wolf. 

Fenris leapt up to meet the Hunter. Although it could not defy gravity, the speed from his charge and his powerful legs allowed him to reach the same height, putting the two on a collision course.

Yet, the smaller hunter leapt out of the way of the collision, landing on some invisible ground before it pounced onto the passing Fenris. The Huner’s claws dug into Fenris as teeth began to stab into skin and it away. The attack was nearly insignificant Fenris, but the determined hunter held on for dear life.

As they fell, Fenris rolled in mid-air so that his belly faced the sky. With the Hunter clinging to his back, he intended to ensure that the smaller creature would take the impact first, and then be pinned by his vast weight. 

With a split second of instinctual thought, however, the Hunter saw the water not as something to plunge in to, but as a ground that Fenris would surely shatter it against. It lead to the Hunter disengaging from Fenris and using the beasts back to jump away from being crushed, but a bit too late to slow down as the creature still hit the water with force, though not so crushed by the weight of the wolf. The Hunter let out a loud yelp as it skipped along the water only once before it treated the water like earth once more. 

Fenris too landed as if the water was solid ground, and quickly recovered. Lightning quick, he rolled back onto his feed and began charging toward the Hunter as it was still recovering itself. Which only gave the intruder enough time to get to its feet and attempt to spin, accomplishing nothing for Fenris had been anticipating some sort of clever maneuver.

The wolf stopped short just before it reached the Hunter, and only after the Hunter finished its movement did Fenris strike, jaw opening as he lunged at the beast.
The Hunter could only respond by leaping at Fenris’ face, aiming to attack the wolf’s eyes before the two met with tooth and nail.

Fenris’s jaws closed around the lower half of the Hunter’s body, the long razor sharp teeth biting through the smaller canine’s flesh. It was then that one of his eyes came under assault, as the Hunter desperately scratched and clawed. But Fenris did not relent. The pain only made him bite down even harder. He flailed his head left and right, ripping the Hunter’s flesh even further. 

Then, finally, the pain became too much. With a mighty heave, Fenris flung the mangled Hunter across the lake, sending it soaring, but he did not pursue it further. Half his vision was gone. His right eye was a ruin, crushed and scratched, hanging from a gaping socket. He threw his head back and let out an anguished howl.

The Hunter skipped across the water upon landing, the lower portion of its body bloodied to a rather alarming notion. However, free from the grasp of Fenris it did its best to do a limping run away from the massive wolf as he dealt with his ruined eye. The Hunter knew, at the very least, of what path it must take now, but it knew it would need to heal for some time which would serve to slow its progress. Yet, the time now was to retreat, moving away from the Hunter’s Eye and towards a different area of Kalgrun.

It ran and ran, unknowing if Fenris was still following until it collapsed upon the ground, exhausted and the adrenaline of the fight wearing thin. The Hunter let out a low whine before it looked around for its adversary, who was nowhere to be seen. Vakk’s beast let out a low sigh before it began to lick its own wounds. These wounds would be with it for a good while, but that would not stop it from completing its task.

Its task would be delayed even further.

There was a whistling from above, the sound of something falling from great height, and suddenly the Hunter was struck directly in the head. Its vision darkened, and everything went black. Little did the hunter know: it had not been something, but instead… [i]someone.[/i]

[hr]

Kalmar stood before the unconscious beast, his expression one of puzzlement. He had been wandering Kalgrun when he heard Fenris howl, and he rushed to the wolf’s aid only to find that it was missing an eye and the attacker had fled. Naturally, he tracked the trespasser in the direction it had fled, and was surprised at what he saw. He had not made this. And there was no trace of Phystene on it. Why was it here? Why had it went to the Hunter’s Eye? Why had it fought Fenris? Who sent it?

There was only one way to find out. He pressed a hand against the beast’s forehead. In its unconscious state, any resistance would easily crumble. He began to sift through its memories, most of which had been of a relentless search, until finally he reached the beginning. A memory of a creature… no, a [i]god[/i], the very same god who was said to have attacked Li’Kalla.

Vakk.

It was he who created this monster. But it had not been for the purpose of invading Kalgrun, no, for Kalgrun had merely been one step on its journey.

It was searching for Hermes, who Vakk called a thief.

Before he could even ponder as to why, he heard yet another howl, once again from Fenris. Another intruder?

He hurried back, leaving the beast where it fell.

[hr]

[hider=Summary]
The Hunter continues to follow Hermes’s trail, eventually reaching the Hunter’s Eye - the lake where Kalmar first taught her how to fish.

He sniffs around for some time, but he is not the only beast in the area. Fenris takes notice of his presence and moves to confront him. After an intense staredown, the two beasts fight. During the fight, the Hunter’s lower half is mangled, forcing it into a retreat, but Fenris is unable to pursue because he lost one of his eyes.

The Hunter successfully escapes, and although it is wounded and weakened, it will continue the search.

Then a wild Kalmar appears, jumping the creature and knocking it out. He sifts through its memories to find that it is looking for Hermes. He wonders why, but before he can do anything else, Fenris’s howl calls him back to the Hunter’s Eye.

No MP or FP spent. ONLY BLOOD!
[/hider]

A Lauder & [@Not Fishing] Production