Monster Hunter, The Stinking Start - RPLOG
Participants
Date
16/9/477
Log
The wind blows through the long grass of the Green Valley, not a soul in sight. Not usually anyway. Today a small, horse drawn cart winds its careful way down a faint trail in the treacherous grass.
"This is the spot," the cart driver says, pulling his horse to a stop. "Can't see why you wanted to come out here on your lonesome," the big buffalo driver says, hopping down from his perch and holding out a hand to help Kalt descend, "I hear there's some kinda monster out here that's even worse than the razor grass!"
Kalt perks up from the back of the cart with a slight yawn, the vixen hopping out with the driver's aid as she stretches before handing him a small sack of crown to pay for the transport. "Aw, that's why m'here! Can't go havin' no monster runnin' round rippin' stuff on up, an' m'gonna go an' put an' end to it!" The Vixen grinning widely as she pulls both of her Klaws over her hands, stretching her fingers to get a good feel for the limits now upon them. "But uh, you go hearin' anythin' else 'bout this monster 'sides from it just bein' round here?"
The Buffalo shrugs and eyes Kalt's weapons warily. "Not much," he says, "'cept that it's s'posed to be big." He waves a thick hand vaguely. "An' I guess that the grass leaves it alone fer some reason," he says, "Probably the smell. Most folks say they can smell it coming a mile off, so ain't nobody's seen the thing up close. But it comes round here outside the dome all the time, they say." The bovine nods his shaggy head and mounts back up. "I'll be by again this evening," he says, "If yer here, I'll take you back to Firmament. Luck!"
Kalt nods the to buffalo as she gives a big grin. "Aw I'll be here, an' I'll be havin' somethin' to go showin' for it! But yes'sir, I'll be waitin' for you!" The Vixen giving a polite bow before she adjusts her maneback cloak, and turns, taking in the scenery around her. "Guessin' first thing first, is to go goin' where the grass ain't then..." Nodding gently to herself as she begins to scout out for a path that doesn't contain Razorgrass near it to take.
The area near the dome seems razorgrass free. Though with the wind blowing, identifying razor grass is a little more difficult than usual. But from off to the east, where the wind is blowing from, comes the faintest scent of. . . Creators! That is awful! Like a burning pile of silage! Is this the smell that the driver had mentioned?
Kalt screws her face up and coughs slightly when she catches that scent, before taking a moment to adjust to it. "Shit is worse than workin' with manuer... Guessin' that's where m'goin!" A grin spread on her face then as she begins to march forward, humming gently to herself as her tail flicks. Her eyes carefully watching the ground ahead of her for any sign of the violent grass as she gently clicks the metallic klaws together.
The smell grows stronger and stronger as Kalt tops the ridge, finding herself looking down into a small, rocky dip. An anomaly in the Green Valley, this area seems to be yellowed and wilted, and large patches are bare dirt! Off in the middle of this patch of desolation is the source of the eyewatering smell.
It is large! Not so big as some of the beasts that Kalt has seen, but much bigger than your run of the mill beastie. It looks rather like the pangolins of the Ashbreath Desert, but hairier. Dull black plates line its back, but thick tufts of greasy black fur sprout between them and its long, pointed snout seems to be full of sharp teeth! It is currently chowing down on some sort of antelope.
A low whistle comes from the Vixen as she looks over the creature, Kalt moving then to hop down into the rocky dip, her left klaw reaching behind her to help slow her descent and give her limited steering as she's move on down to try to get on the beasties level! "OI BIG FELLA! Ain'tcha a smelly bastard an' all eh? Come on over an' give me a chance to go clearin' you of all that stank!"
The stink beast jerks away from its meal at Kalt's challenge and drops to four clawed feet. It opens its surprisingly large jaws wide in a hissing roar and charges at the vixen with a lumbering, Ursine gait!
Kalt can't hide her grin as she creature charges, the vixen crouching low before jumping straight up! Attempting to land on the beast's back to disorient it for the moment. "Aw come on you ugly an' stanky git! You can go tryin' harder than that!" Her klaws flexing for a moment as she tries to stick the landing!
The stinkbeast rears its head back and stomps about wildly as Kalt's Klaws dig into the hard plates on its back. But it is not stupid and soon realizes that the vixen is not falling, so it changes tactics, rolling onto its back in an attempt to crush its unwanted rider!
Kalt yelps slightly as the creature rolls over, finding herself caught below it with a groan, a quick check and she's more than slightly certain she didn't break anything! "F-Fair nuff you ugly arse!" Her Klaws flexing then as she tries to jam them between the scales, where the hairs are protruding from to dig in as deep as they can hopefully, as she tries to see if she can use a grip, to free herself!
The beast squeals in pain and rolls away, swaying back to its feet and turning to face Kalt. More wary this time, it opens its jaws wide in another hissing roar, the stink of its breath almost like a physical blow!
Kalt is caught full blast by that stink and--- oh gods above that's possibly the single most vile smell she's ever had the missfortune of smelling... The stink could even be almost tasted on her tongue for the love of all that's good! Through that, she couldn't keep her snack in, and hunches for a moment, dislodging today's meal onto the ground with a complete lack of grace, before she coughs and tries to stand to face the beast.
Seeing its chance, the stinkbeast lunges forward to swat at Kalt with its massive claws!
Kalt catches the movement from the corner of her eye as she finds her way to her feet, merely tucking into a backwards roll to skirt just beyond those claws, though she's caught in the side for a glancing blow, ripping into the bottom of her jacket! Coming up just beyond it's reach then she lets out a loud shout, light gathering around her for just a second, before exploding out in a dazzling flash intended to temporarilly blind her opponent!
The monster screams and staggers backward, shaking its shaggy head, trying to clear away the spots before its eyes. The beast seems a bit disoriented and it turns away from Kalt, beginning to lift its thick, wide tail. That could be bad news!
"Shit!" The Vixen clammers, running forward to close the distance to put her near the base of the tail, before she ducks low and goes to slide underneath before it can go down hopefully! Her Klaws moving to try and rip into those stretched and hopefully vulnerable muscles under and near the tail's base!
Again, the monster squeals in pain and rolls away, red blood dripping from a deep gash in its belly. It hisses again and takes another leap at Kalt!
