[Trade] Zataro Hunt - Monoceros, Oremizume, Solfrid

ZATARO HUNT – A NIGHT IN THE DESERT


It was the first time for Monoceros in the desert. She could feel each grain of sand slip between her paws, and she found that very terrain awful.
In the Beneath, the ground was firm and a bit rough. There, everything shifted with even a small movement. Running in on the dunes was terribly difficult, and she had slipped more than once.
She had a guide, a reosean named Oremizume, a local runner.

That pinkish reosean watched amused how she struggled in the sand, but he wasn't that bad: he gave her tips to avoid sinking at each step, and kept reminding her to stay hydrated.
It was like having a parent, something she didn't really miss, but it was useful.

“We should depart soon. The ruins you want to explore are on the other side of the Canyons, which are filled with dangerous foes. You better be ready.”

He said, as they exited the small tavern they had stopped by to eat some dinner.
Oremizume knew that Monoceros couldn't survive in the scorching heat of the day, so they had to travel during the night.
As they were leaving the tavern though, Monoceros bumped in someone.

“Oh, sorry.”

She mumbled, but the reddish-golden vayron just laughed.

“Hah, don't worry. Say, I heard you were going to the Canyons?”

She inquired, quite curious. She knew something, it was clear.

“Yes... Why do you ask?”

“I heard that a Zataro had been spotted there.”

The female answered, and Monoceros frowned. She had seen pictures of different Zataros, and the desert one looked deadly.

“Ugh... That will be difficult to avoid.”

Hissed Oremizume, and the other vayron just waved her paw.

“Then, why don't we kill it? It should be easier, if we work together.”

Oremizume and Monoceros weren't too sure about that, but the runner reassured both of them with a small flame erupting from her mouth: she could use magic, and well even.

“Alright.. Let's go then, if you don't need any equipment.”

“I'm fine with my magic! I'm Solfrid, by the way!”

---

After the runner introduced herself, the trio departed for the ruins.
Solfrid looked relaxed, happy even, as they trekked toward the Canyons.
It was clear that she wasn't worried, and Oremizume was starting to think that they would have to lean on her more than they expected: her magic looked powerful, but probably it was going to be difficult to stand near her when she used it. She was going to fight closer to the Zataro than they were.

After a couple of hours, they finally reached the reddish crests of the Canyon. It was silent, not a single cricket or wisp of wind.
Oremizume frowned, and grabbing his short sword from the scabbard, he stepped forward.

“Follow me. Stay close.”

He whispered, as he walked in the tight path, tall rocks flanking them.
It was a scrape of claws on a hard surface that alerted them of the danger. Solfrid let out a shout, then a plum of fire, as a Pouncing Zataro jumped on them, trying to get a quick kill and an easy meal.
The fire scorched his front left limb, making it scream.

“We can't fight in here, the path is too narrow! Retreat to just out the Canyon!”

Oremizume said, watching as Monoceros turned first, running and gliding away. Solfrid didn't look happy at the thought of leaving her back toward the beast, but she turned too and ran for the open space.
The Zataro, as predicted, followed.

It exited the Canyon with its strong scales scraping the rock of the narrow path, growling and hissing.

“Hoho, it looks mad!”

Growled Solfrid, letting out some more smoke from her maw.
Monoceros hissed, puffing out her tail and flaring her wings, a bit worried. It was bigger than the Zataro she had seen in the forests of Vitalus.

Oremizume charged, tightening his hold on his sword, then ducked when the Zataro tried to swipe at him with its strong, black claws.
The male runner impaled then his weapon in the side of the beast, who snarled and tried to snap his spine with a bite.
Unfortunately for the Zataro, Oremizume had both Monoceros and Solfrid on his side. Monoceros threw her dagger at it, hitting the Zataro in the neck, between the black scales and the yellow fur.

The beast reared back, snarling, and Solfrid used the distraction to sneak behind it and then jumping on its back.
Her claws became golden flaming daggers, digging in the hard scales like a hot butter through butter.
The Zataro screamed and screeched, trying to dislodge the runner from its back, whipping its whiskers toward Solfrid.
But the flaming runner was ready, and while her claws melted scales and flesh, her flaming breath kept the poison stingers away, burning away the fur around them.

As the Zataro snarled and hissed, bucking like a wild horse, Monoceros and Oremizume ran to the sides of the beast, lunging to grab their weapons still embed in the wild creature.
As the sword was back in the mouth of the runner and the claws of Monoceros reached the darkened dagger, the beast was starting to foam at the mouth, the smell of burning flesh overwhelming.

“Now, finish it off!”

Shouted Solfrid, trying to hold on as the creature wobbled dangerously, tired from the pain and the blood loss.
Monoceros dragged her weapon down, cutting some important blood vessels, while Oremizume tore out his sword, the blade digging in the beast's organs before exiting.

The Zataro let out an agonizing scream, and Solfrid jumped on its neck, her fangs closing on the side of its neck.
The beast went down hard, nearly reducing Oremizume to a pulp with its weight.
Solfrid jumped down from its back, shaking her paws to get the blood, fur and incinerated bits out of her claws.

“See? It was far more easy taking it down than running around trying to avoid it!”

She trilled, all happy, standing near the half-burned Zataro.
Monoceros grimaced, looking at the wounds of the beast.

“Remind me to never cross you.”

She whispered, making Solfrid laugh.

***(1026 Words)***