ALL NOVEL Chapter 7: Grinding Spot
Author's note: Just to let everyone know that I will be releasing this story on Royal Road next week. I'm planning for the 18th, but will put a link here once it's launched for anyone here who prefers to read there.
*****
As Dominic leaped, the kangaroo leant forwards once more. About to fly over the ‘roo’s head rather than catching it in the neck, Dominic panicked and his paws reacted automatically. Clamping together, his claws caught the marsupial’s skull.
Bolting upright in panic, the kangaroo even half-turned to run, but it was too late.
Dominic’s weight dragged the kangaroo’s head down and to the side.
As he landed heavily, there was a snapping sound and the large marsupial went limp.
For a moment, Dominic was confused, then looking at the results of his action, he realised what had happened. When it had moved, the kangaroo had spelled its own demise. Dominic might not have gained the 400 or more pounds in weight of an adult male lion yet, but his 200 or 300 pounds were still more than the kangaroo’s neck could handle, especially wrenched sideways.
If it hadn’t reacted instinctively, it would still be alive since he’d have simply tumbled heavily over its head. Still, a kill is a kill. The message flashing up in front of him just confirmed it.
<You have killed Red Kangaroo>
<You have earned 10 PP>
Dominic couldn’t help but be disappointed at the low number of PP. Still, he supposed that quantity could stand in for quality. Gazing at the other kangaroos, he saw that they seemed disturbed, uncertain.
Those which had been grazing were now banding together; those which had been lying down were standing up and doing the same. Their heads were in the air, most watching Dominic intently; the others watching the area in other directions.
They seemed unsure as to how to respond. Dominic could only guess that it was because they’d never encountered a lion before. Unfortunately, their actions meant that there were no more easy targets.
I’ll give them some time to relax and then come back, he concluded. Maybe I could use it as a grinding spot. In the meantime, no point in wasting a good kill. While keeping an eye on the milling kangaroos, he touched his nose to the corpse lying next to him.
<Would like to consume this body for resources?>
Yes. As before, the corpse disintegrated into dust and flew towards him. This time, he didn’t flinch, knowing what was coming from previous experience.
Licking up the Beast Core which was left behind, he quickly trotted away, making sure that the kangaroos could see him go. Once a short distance away, he blended in with the long grasses and ‘disappeared’ to their eyes.
In reality, he lowered himself to his belly and crept around to the side, circling the kangaroos. Crawling closer, he paused where he could see the kangaroos clearly and then relaxed a little, his golden eyes fixed on the group of marsupials.
He was downwind, so they shouldn’t catch any of his scent. If they would even recognise it, that is. He’d been downwind of the main group even though he’d been detected by the lone kangaroo that he’d killed so they couldn’t have already learnt the odor of a lion.
Like that, he waited patiently for the kangaroos to let down their guard again. Although he’d never been particularly patient before, he wasn’t particularly impatient either. Plus, Leo was clearly used to needing to wait for the right moment when on a hunt.
Still, by the time the kangaroos had relaxed enough for him to make another attempt, he was definitely getting antsy. He still waited until the marsupials had spread out a bit again, some of them returning to lying down, most of them grazing. They’d moved a bit, wandering away from the stand of eucalyptus trees.
Naturally, Dominic had followed, putting his stalking to good use in order to move while undetected. However, not all of the kangaroos moved at the same pace, and he found himself rather close to what looked like a good target.
It was a bit bigger than the one he had tackled earlier. Perhaps that meant it would be worth more PP? I might as well give it a go, he decided. Setting himself up, he managed to get almost as close to the ‘roo, but not quite.
Still obviously slightly on the alert, his target detected his presence sooner, showing signs of unease. Dominic realised that he wasn’t likely to get any closer without spooking the ‘roo, so decided to be the one to call the shots here.
When the kangaroo turned slightly away from him to look back at the group, even taking a couple of lolloping leaps towards them, Dominic struck.
Propelling himself from the grass concealing him, he charged towards the kangaroo.
Hearing the sound of his approach, the kangaroo immediately started leaping towards its group with urgency.
To no avail: Dominic had too much of a head-start on it. He crashed into the kangaroo, sending it tumbling forwards.
Unlike the previous, this wasn’t such an easy kill: in the ensuing scramble, the kangaroo got in a couple of good kicks.
<You have taken 25 damage (Crushing)>
<You have taken 19 damage (Crushing)>
It still came out the loser, Dominic managing to get his jaws around its throat and bite down. Although unable to bite straight through as he had with the Trodil’s spines, he didn’t need to. Within a couple of minutes, the kangaroo had suffocated, its crushed throat hampering its ability to breathe.
<You have killed Red Kangaroo>
<You have earned 10 PP>
Unfortunately no more PP than the previous, he thought to himself grumpily. Still, he was more than a quarter of the way to the next level, so it was still progress.
Absorbing the body and chewing the Beast Core, he repeated his previous actions, checking his status when he was once more concealed from the alert kangaroos.
Status of Dominic Martin Cole / Leo
Species: Lion (body) / human (mind), Two-Souled
Level: Basic Beast Level 1 (Path of Evolution)
Progress to Evolution: 28/105PP
Hunger level: 35%
Thirst level: 21%
Quests: A Noble Endeavour; Regain what is Lost
Acquired Abilities:
Quick Strike level 1 (29%)
Powerful Kick level 1 (6%)
Defensive abilities:
- Fur level 2 (2-4 Slicing damage reduction, 1-2 Piercing damage reduction, 3-4 Crushing damage reduction)
Offensive abilities:
- Claws level 1 (5-10 slicing damage, 4-7 tearing damage, 1-2 piercing damage)
- Bite level 1 (32-50 crushing damage, 27-50 tearing damage, 25-35 piercing damage)
General abilities:
- Muscular Body level 2 (max sprint speed 20mps; max sprint duration 12s) (57/60 SP)
- Carnivore Constitution level 1 (266/300 HP)
Although the kangaroo had caused some damage, absorbing its body had replenished some of his HP, fortunately. It had also replenished some of his SP as well as reducing his hunger and thirst levels. Dominic didn’t understand how absorbing some dust could make him less hungry or thirsty, but he wasn’t going to complain.
He’d also started working towards a new skill – Powerful Kick. Unfortunately, despite the Trodils’ Cores earning him 5% each, and then another 1% or 2% from absorbing its body, these kangaroos only earned him 2% per Core and 1% per body, it seemed. Still, there were plenty of kangaroos.
Another advantage facing him was the setting sun. While he’d been hunting in the daytime so far, he knew that lions tended to be most active at night. The kangaroos had no idea what was coming.
*****
Hunting in the dark was a bit different from hunting in the light, Dominic decided. Although his eyesight was good, even in low-light conditions, he found he was having to rely more on other senses like hearing and smell.
Interestingly, the kangaroos were more active after night had fallen too, though this didn’t save them. One by one, they were picked off, many without even getting a blow in.
While kangaroos might be dangerous for a human, they didn’t stand much chance against the King of the Jungle. Actually, why do we say that? Dominic wondered idly at one moment while waiting for the kangaroos to calm down after his previous kill. Lions don’t live in jungles. In the end he just mentally shrugged and concentrated again on his hunt.
The marsupials didn’t know what to do about the threat facing them. They tried sticking more closely together, but Dominic just picked off the stragglers or waited patiently until one ventured just far enough away from the mob to strike.
They tried moving away, but Dominic just followed them. He didn’t bother attempting to keep up when they moved at full-speed; he just followed the traces of their presence at his own speed until they slowed down again.
The biggest adults even tried to attack him, but he just circled and then struck at one of the smaller kangaroos, absorbed it, and then went to ground. The savannah around them changed bit by bit from open plains to rocky kopjes. Trees were sparser, bushes becoming more frequent.
The kangaroos seemed even more nervous in this area: although the grass was shorter, there were too many rocks and shadowy dips in the ground which offered easy concealment for a lion. Never having encountered a lion before, the Australian residents soon discovered what it was to fear one.
Dominic, on the other hand, was happy as Larry. His PP were mounting and he already had one level-up in the bag. He’d spotted some gazelle around, travelling with a group of zebra, their white and black stripes easy to spot even in the moonlight. He’d even seen some wildebeest along with a few shapes he couldn’t identify. He’d ignored them all.
Sure, potentially the other creatures could offer him more PP, but they would probably offer more challenge. The animals originating from Africa already knew of lions and had strategies to deal with them, whether speed, sharp horns, or sharp feet. As for the shapes he couldn’t identify, he wasn’t going to risk them being something he couldn’t deal with.
No, I’ve found a good grinding spot, so I’ll work it for all it’s worth, Dominic decided, following the kangaroos doggedly. Unfortunately, it seemed like he wasn’t the only one to see the kangaroos as easy prey.
As he was lining up for his fifteenth kill of the night, Dominic suddenly heard a sound that made him tense. A cacophony of whoops and growls suddenly broke out to the side of the kangaroos. The marsupials raised their heads from where they were grazing, but didn’t seem too alarmed. Dominic knew that was only because they had no idea of what the sound meant.
Hyenas. A group of them. It put Dominic in a bit of a quandary. Hyenas and lions did not get along. Even if he hadn’t known that before, the disgust and dislike that emanated from his leonine passenger would have told him. Hyenas weren’t as individually powerful as a lion, and a pride could easily see even a reasonably-sized group off. A collections of hyenas against a solitary lion, though? It was the Trodils again, but with the opponents being equipped with bone-crushing bites.
This isn’t something I can win, Dominic decided, disappointed. His health was already down to almost half, the odd kick his prey getting in slowly eating away at it. Yes, he replenished some health each time he absorbed a body, but not necessarily enough to counteract the damage he’d been dealt. He could also replenish his health upon levelling up, but he didn’t want to do that in the middle of combat.
Deciding to sneak away and hope that there were some kangaroos around after the hyenas had had their fun, Dominic started shifting backwards. A moment later, he froze.
Although most of the hyenas had already started to attack the hapless kangaroos, not all of them had. A group of four were staring at him, the moonlight gleaming off their eyes and sharp teeth.
Oh hell!