The Hunters Curse
So I really like this silly creature game and wanted to write about my 2 beloved babies. I've never written fanfiction before but I've grown really attached to my OCs and wanted to flesh out the story of them in my head and decided to share for the 8 people that enjoy this kind of thing. I use some of the games lore but i also use my own headcanons that make the most sense to me. I hope you enjoy my creature ramblings.
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The Urzuk had shown up about 2 moons ago. They were rare creatures due to the fact that they were made to stay by the side of their respective warden. This one looked to be building a den of some kind for himself not too far from the watering hole in the midst of the redwood forest. It was strange to see one not beside a warden and even more so to see it doing something for itself. But the golem seemed passive enough staying in its forest and only being seen in the sky, carrying various resources for his den. A little Idrabark had recently awoken to the morning sun in her mossy cave and was looking for something to hunt. She had spotted the tracks of a Prabiki not too far from her home in the swamp and had decided to follow them into the big forest hoping for an easy meal. Her steps not even rustling the leaves on the ground, she tracked the Prabiki through the trees keeping low to stay out of sight. She could see it up ahead now lowering its head to drink from the water hole. The Idrabark crouched down to prepare for the ambush. She had it dead to rights. She clutched her spears tight and readied herself. But just as she was about to pounce and impale the tiny Prabiki, a shadow soared overhead and landed just a few feet away from it, startling it into the undergrowth. It was an Urzuk. She has seen him a few times in the sky but never this close. It had vibrant purple feathers and was blessed with a brightly glowing tail unlike any she had ever seen before. It wore a dark golden mask with luminous purple eyes shining out at her. It also lowered its head to drink and she had all but forgotten the hunt she had been on before it had landed. She stood slightly and the Urzuk suddenly snapped its golden mask in her direction. She froze. Will it try to kill her? Will she be able to fend off a flyer so much faster than herself? She tensed and prepared for whichever it may be and then it spoke, softly and quietly, the sound slightly muffled from the metal mask on its face. “I can see you there, why are you hiding?”
She took a moment to stand to her full height and cocked her head to the side in confusion. “I was hunting. You scared off my prey.” she started, hesitant to speak back to him, but her curiosity compelled her. She stepped cautiously closer to the golem, mindful of keeping an escape route nearby.
“My apologies I could help you get it if you would like?” he offered, the gold bands on his legs glinting in the sun as he spoke.
“It's long gone by now I'm not sure if we could find it.”
He stepped closer to her and she tensed, ready to flee should he be violent but he simply sat down in the packed dirt near the water, flicking his glowing tail this way and that, the eye on the end fixated on her. She was undeniably curious about this creature and he seemed to feel the same about her. She stepped forward, testing the waters and he remained sitting, passive. “Where did you come from?” She inquired.
“I come from the mountains, far away from here to serve my warden”
She looked around, not seeing any wardens influence nearby and asked “where are your wardens now? I don't see them?”
“The wardens reside in realms outside our understanding, I exist to serve their interests here in Sonaria. Does that answer your question?” his voice was almost distorted behind the mask.
“I suppose. Do you stay here in the forest?” she inquired again, wanting to know as much as she could about him.
“You're quite the curious one you know. You haven't even asked me my name.” He stared at her expectantly, violet eyes glowing bright through the holes of the mask. She stepped up to him, close enough now to see the beautiful, swirling patterns on his fur and feathers and asked “what do they call you then?” He tilted his head at her and seemed to almost smile “Paradox. What are you called, little Idrabark?”
She hesitated only for a moment “Sheilo. I come from the swamp.” He leaned closer, having his full attention now he asked “would you like to help me serve the wardens?” She paused, tilting her head once again in confusion. He wanted her to serve the wardens? What exactly did that entail? “What does that mean? I'm no Urzuk and I pray to no gods.”
“There are many ways to serve the wardens both big and small” he countered, not backing down, strangely adamant.
“I'm not sure if I'd like that offer. I'm not made to serve” she came up to kneel near him at the waters edge, reaching in to cup a handful of water and bring it to her mouth. He stood up to walk closer and plop down right beside her, bringing his mask far too close for comfort “I like you. I'm not made to serve either” he looked down, searching for his reflection on the water's surface. “I never had a choice though” he turned back to her, mask glinting in the light and said “would you stay here for a bit? I enjoy your company and I want to know more about you”
“I don't see why not. You're not so scary”
He seemed to smile again under the mask, his eyes crinkling around the edges and squinting a bit “I wouldn't be so sure”
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They sat next to the water hole for a few hours, talking and sharing stories until the sun set over Sonaria and the darkness started to creep though the trees. “You are a good hunter. I would like to go with you sometime” he offered from his place lounging in the moss pile. “We would make a good team”
She smiles at him showing all her teeth “we must find good prey first then we would hunt till dawn” she responded gesturing to the area around her. “Although it is beginning to get quite dark. I should head back to the swamp.”
He stood suddenly, fluffing up his feathers and looking hard at the dark trees behind her, flicking his tail around wildly. She turned around to see what he was looking at yet saw nothing. “ What is it? What do you see?” She inquired but he shushed her and cautiously stepped close. “I see something back there, in the trees. It's watching us.” he whispered to her. She still couldn't see anything but could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand up straight and she started to slowly inch backwards. A branch snapped in front of them, deafening in the silence of their fear. It was less than a moment and a mighty Woodralone was upon them. Paradox immediately took to his wings and Sheilo was on her feet in seconds. She had never seen one of these terrifying creatures so close before and now she was caught out in the dark with one. Her clawed feet sunk into the soft dirt and undergrowth snagged at her flesh but she had to keep running. Suddenly a wave of agony washed over her as a particularly harsh briar bush snagged her ankle, twisting it and sending her falling to the ground. She tried to put out her arms to save herself but she wasn't fast enough. Her head hit the ground with enough force to snap off half of one of her antlers. She screamed in fear and pain and frantically tried to free her ankle from the barbed thorns before the horrid lumbering beast caught up to her. It was too close now and she knew it was going to breathe its awful miasma before it ate her alive. Suddenly she felt a strong gust of wind and then there were claws grabbing at her shoulders and lifting her up off the ground. She grabbed at the paws helping her and they only managed to lift her a few feet off the ground but it was enough to free her and help her keep running. Her head was pounding and she barely avoided the miasma breath the Woodralone polluted the air with and limped along as best as she could. The pain was becoming overwhelming and she was beginning to falter, the Woodralone growing ever louder, its heavy, terrifying steps getting closer and closer when Paradox appeared in her clouded vision flying faster than anything she had ever seen. He swooped down right at the giant beast and ripped off a chunk of wood and flesh with his claws. His luminous tail whipping behind him in the wind. He let out a loud warble, the sound echoing harshly within his mask and flew back up for another strike. The Woodralone roared in response and turned its attention to the flier harassing it, sending its disgusting miasma into the air and she just kept running. She had to make it back to the swamp. It was the only thing she could think about. Everything was becoming so blurry but she had to make it back. She slowed down and a small cave on the edge of the swamp came into view. She collapsed into it and lost consciousness, completely exhausted.
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He smelled the Woodralone before he saw it. He had gotten so caught up in this fascinating little creature that he didn't sense the lifeforce of the monster until it was too late. “What is it? What do you see?” Sheilo asked him and he moved in slow so as not to startle her.
“I see something back there, in the trees. It's watching us.” He didn't want to tell her it was a demon in the shape of a tree. He didn't want her to do something irrational and get hurt. But before he could caution her further the Woodralone exploded from the trees straight towards them and his wings took him to the sky before he could think. Sheilo had ran but the monster was right behind her tearing through fallen branches and vines with barely restrained fury. He flapped up high to keep her in view but the trees made it so hard to keep up with them. They were nearly to the treeline when she fell, tangled in the thick thorns at the edge. It was dangerous to land with the monster so close but he had to help her somehow. He dove straight for her and landed skidding a few feet behind, quickly grabbing her with his front paws and flapping his wings as hard as he could. He wasn't strong enough to carry her and fly but he could lift her through the thorns where she could save herself. Practically throwing her away he soared back up just in time to avoid the gnashing teeth of the beast. Looking back down he could see she was more injured than he originally assumed. Her ankle twisted in an odd direction and one antler broken off at the middle. She wasn't going to make it. Not on her own. It was risky to take a sweep at the giant beast but he had to redirect its attention somehow. If the Woodralone managed to bite him he would be done for. Destroyed forever yet never able to die. Trapped in his crumbling body for all eternity. He closed his wings and began a dive almost straight to the ground and squeezed his eyes shut, calling upon the curse of the hunter. When he sensed the ground just feet away he snapped his wings open with enough force to almost break them and was heading straight for the monster's neck, empowered by the magic of the curse. He sank his claws deep into the creature tearing through its wood armor down to the flesh of its muscular neck. Just barely managing to flap hard and come back up out of its reach. Letting out a screech of challenge to the monster and hovering above it watching the little Idrabark limp away towards the safety of the swamp. With its attention fully on him now it let out a foul stream of miasma at him that stuck to his fur and feathers in disgusting clumps and weighed him down nearly to the ground. Realizing the gravity of the situation he was now in, he decided it better to run the opposite direction as Sheilo and save her while he still could. He dropped to the dirt, wings dragging, and ran hoping his brightly glowing tail would keep this thing's attention on him until he could fly again. He knew he could outrun it but he still felt the fear of being its prey. If he faltered he would die. With the waters edge coming up he decided to lose it by diving under, the monster being too heavy to be able to swim properly. He dove under the cool water and turned around to watch the Woodralone rampage on the shore. The water washed away the globs of gross spit and slime and he swam under for a bit getting some good distance before resurfacing near the edge of the swamp. Dripping wet and miserable he laid down on a nearby patch of grass to regain his strength. The chirping of the insects and the warmth of the breeze lulled him into a sense of comfort soon falling into the clutches of sleep.
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When Sheilo awoke this time it was to a gold mask inches from her face. She screeched and sat up slashing wildly with her vines and attempted to stand.
“It's ok, it's ok you're hurt. I found you.”
It was Paradox. The Urzuk sat down near her in the moss and handed her a few herbs he had gathered nearby. “Your ankle is injured and it will affect your ability to walk, so I brought you here. It's been almost a day and the sun is low in the sky.”
Taking a few deep breaths, she began to calm down a bit and looked around. She wasn't in her own cave den but she seemed to be in somebody else's. There was soft moss underneath her and glowing crystals provided light in the dim space. She could see fruit trees just outside the cave entrance and realized it had been a while since she last ate something. As if on cue Paradox stepped out and plucked a few pieces of fruit and sat them down near her.
“I'm going out to find prey before the sun sets. I will return” and with that he left. She watches him run a few steps before taking off into the sky, the wind from his vibrant wings blowing her hair around. She took the time to look at the damage to her ankle. She had just twisted it but it was swollen and would definitely be hard to walk on for a few days. She reached up to her head and felt the place her antler had snapped off. She gingerly touched the jagged edge and mourned the loss of it. She thought back to last night with the Woodralone and clutched her hands to her chest. How had he survived the encounter? Was he injured too and just hiding it? She had so many questions for him. But right now her curiosity was getting the better of her. She grabbed a nearby stick and stood up to the best of her ability. She took a few shaky steps and decided it was better to observe from a sitting position. Her head was still throbbing and she looked down at the bundle of herbs he had gotten her. They were mostly for minor pain relief and swelling but she ate them anyway. With her mouth tasting like plant matter she decided she wanted a drink. Grabbing her stick again she decided to go the the cave entrance to see if she could smell water nearby. Surprisingly she noticed a small water source right outside and kneeled down to drink. Hearing the flapping of wings she looked up to see Paradox coming in to land. Dropping softly to the ground he held a small Prabiki corpse in his paws.
“I found the creature you were hunting yesterday. I got it for you”
He tilted his head and offered the small corpse to her and she gratefully accepted.
“Why are you helping me? How can I give back to what you are giving to me?” She asked him tearing into the tiny creature. She was ravenously hungry.
“I told you. I like your company and many are afraid to get near me due to the fear of the wardens.” He looked down at her meal “I enjoy providing. It is my function.”
She looked up from her food to stare at him. Why would he want to provide for another and not himself? Isn't it always about survival? She pondered his intentions while she finished and wondered how long he planned on taking care of her.
“Well… thank you. I will repay you somehow”
“Not necessary. I do not require payment. Just enjoy your time and don't tear apart my den. Keep me company and we will have no issues.” He finished and turned away from her to lay down in his own moss bed. “There is fruit outside if you still require sustenance” and with that he flopped over and laid his head down, closing his many eyes. She stared at his shiny mask for a bit before deciding it was probably better for her to rest as well. Laying back down on the moss she slowly drifted off into a nap, feeling safe enough in his den.
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The next morning she was up before Paradox was even awake. She had carefully gotten up from her designated moss pile and sat near the cave entrance to watch the sun rise. She heard him stir after the sun rays invaded the space of the cave and she turned to watch him rise. He sat up and stretched out like a big cat, flexing his wings high above his head and yawning before settling back into a sitting position. “Good morning” he stated. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes I did. Thank you again Paradox.” She responded. Her ankle was still a bit swollen but she could walk slowly. “I would like to go outside, get my bearings. I'm not exactly sure where this den is located.”
“We are within the redwood forest. I built my den here because it is quiet and full of resources.” He said walking up to her now. “I can show you around though. Come here”
He leaned against her, indicating for her to hold on to him to walk. She hesitantly reached up and wrapped her arm around his fluffy neck. His dark fur was soft and she could feel the heat from his body radiating against her. They slowly started to walk out, Sheilo leaning on him heavily for support. He walked her around the area showing her the areas he deemed important. It wasn't the easiest way of walking but it worked well enough “Hmmm… this is difficult for us both. Just climb up on my back and I'll carry you.” He stated lowering himself down for her to climb on.
“I'm.. kind of afraid to fly” she shakily admitted stepping back a bit.
“No silly, I'm just going to carry you. I can't fly with you on my back but you can sit up there while I walk.” He corrected her, mildly condescending. “Just please don't pull on my feathers” She giggled a little. Finding the image of her riding the Urzuk like a battle mount to be funny.
“Ok,ok I'm coming up.” She carefully crawled up between his wings, mindful of her ankle and settled down on his back. Centering her weight he started forwards and she clutched the thick fur on the back of his neck. It was so soft and fluffy. She dug her fingers in and pressed her face into it. He smelled earthy, like rain and grass.
“How is your ankle? Are you still hurting?” He asked out of the blue.
“It doesn't hurt so bad anymore.” She says, voice muffled by his fur. “Your herbs helped a lot” he chuckled softly and turned his head to look at her on his back, his eyes seeming to glow.
“Don't get too comfy back there. We're almost home” he told her. Home. How strange for her to hear. She never really considered her own cave to be ‘home’ but here felt different. Listening to her new friends’ steps crunching the leaves underfoot she realized she never really had a home. Maybe she can learn a few things from this strange, kindly golem.
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