Through the gate

Tib moves down the stairs of Astera as fast as he can until he makes it to the smithy where Mack calls from behind him "don't you want to get some food from the chef? I'll pay" Tib looks back to Mack and across the bridge over to the canteen, Tib never wanted to say but the big palico that cooks the food scares him. "Are you sure we have time to eat buddy? I bet that monster won't be waiting on us" Tib says trying not to show his fear of the chef, Mack makes it to Tib "you haven't eaten anything in a while, and I doubt jerky and tea water could fill you as much as the freash grub here!" Tib looks at his friend, feeling his stomach eating itself, "fine, let's eat" Tib relents. The two walk across the bridge twords the large canteen, Tib leans in to Mack's ear "hey bud I don't know what's good right now, could you order me what you think is good?" Mack looks at Tib "I guess I can, will a meat stew and Mead sound good?" Tib nods "I'll grab a table." Mack turns to the right heading to the chef and asks for two bowls, Tib walks over to an empty table and sits down and looks over the edge at the large ground level of Astera. He looks at the large bone gate that leads to the Ancient Forest, he sees all the hunters walking around, he sees a large hunter with full pukei-pukei armor with a large bone greatsword strapped to his back standing infront of a dead barroth being brought through Astera, there are wyverians around him and the dead monster. A loud thud makes Tib turn, he sees a large bowl of meat and vegetables in a bowl bigger then his head. Mack sits down and starts scarfing the steaming hot stew down without saying a word, Tib picks up the fork and starts to eat just as fast as his friend, the meat is perfectly cooked, juicy and flavorful complemented perfectly by assortment of veggies with it. While Tib was lost in the flavor of his food he didn't realize he had finished it, he was full as he started chugging a large mug of some beer. He slams the mug down and stands letting out a full sigh, Mack stands not long after "are you ready to get to Sasha? I bet she is waiting on us about now" Tib nods his head "she's down by the gate right?" Mack nods, Tib leans in "last one there has to pay for the next meal" Tib says as he shoves his friend and makes a B-line to the stairs. As Tib Runs down the steps two at a time he looks over to see Mack on a small bone hanging from a chain already at the bottom. Tib makes it to the bottom of the stairs and sprints to the gate, it's too late Mack is already standing next to his handler "well Tib looks like your paying next time" Mack chuckles. Tib looks at Mack and asked "where is Tabby? I haven't seen her since I sent her to find help when we fought that jagras" sasha looks up "your palico is out in the forest already, she wanted to track the monster so we could find it faster. We will probably find her once we get into the forest unless she is still looking for the monster" Tib smiles "I'm glad I'll get to see her again, I say we get going so we can get payed sooner!" The other two agree and they step out the gate and into the Ancient Forest.

On the tracks

As the three walk down the forest Tib wispers "hey guys I forget to ask but what are we trying to catch?" Sasha leans in "Mack you didn't tell him yet?" "No, that's your job, I just have to stab the monster" Mack retorts "you really are useless Mack" Sasha turns to Tib "we are hunting a Kulu-Ya-Ka, a bird wyvern" Tib opens his journal to a page with the sketch of a yellow and orange bird, "this one?" Tib asks Sasha nods "yep pretty easy to deal with Mack has had to kill one or two but always sells the loot we get off of it!" She glares at Mack "hey I want to get us a house that isn't hardly standing, you know a real house" Sasha rolls her eyes as they continue to walk. The group reach a large open area with a few large trees and a dead husk of a tree. Behind them a loud meow is let out, Tib turns and yells "TABBY!" he charges his palico, who jumps into his arms. Mack walks up behind the two and says "such a cute reunion! I never expected it to be so heart warming" Sasha steps to the side of Mack and hits him in the back of the head "don't be a jerk, Tabby did you find the monster?" Tabby let's out a meows as sasha listens intently, "I see, the monster is in area six" Tib looks up "you can understand her?" Sasha looks at him "you can't? Did you never learn how to speak there language?" Tib stares at her "we could have learned?" the three sit in silence for a few minutes before Mack breaks the silence "well I guess we should get on with the hunt" the others agree as they start walking through water that floods the ground.

Red and yellow

As the group walks through the mud thick pools the see the opening of area six up ahead. As they walk Tabby suddenly jumps into the back of Tibs head and starts mewing loudly and frantically, Sasha and Mack stare as the palico talks. "What's she saying guy?" Tib says as Tabby jumps off his head and starts climbing the tree, Tib turns "hey Tabby where are you going?" Tib turns to see Sasha and Mack hiding behind a large root that juts out from the ground as they wave at him. "What are you all doing? We're almost there! Do you not want to catch this bird anymore?" Tib points and looks down the path to area six as he sees the large bird crash into the ground infront of him, splashing mud over him. Tib looks past the Kulu-Ya-Ka to see a large red monster with flames falling from it's mouth, Tib dives to the side digging himself into the mud watching as the monster rears its head and bites down on the birds back and and throwing the bird away. The Kulu stands and limps away as the red monster takes a step forward twords Mack and Sasha. The beast slowly starts to bring its head past the root they are hiding behind, Tib can see the terror in there eyes as they watch there death round the corner. Tib thinks hard, he can't let his friends die. In a moment of pure bravery or stupidity Tib loads a rock into his caster and shoots the red monster int the side of the head. The monster let's out a bellowing roar as it steps past Mack and Sasha and leans over the pile of mud Tib is hiding in, the monsters nose comes out and Tib can feel the air coming from it as it smells him Tib can see the rage in the monsters eye as it slowly realizes that Tib isn't mud, Tib holds his breath afraid that the creature would kill him in seconds. Tib looks again as flames grow in the monsters throat as Tib watches the monster preparing to turn him into a vase. Three small scatternuts land on its large extended nose, the monster recoils and slams its head into the wall, two large sails came from it's side above it's legs as it let out a deafening roar as the fire is visible in it's throat, the monster jumps into the ledge and rampages through the Vines and trees. Tabby hops down and let's out a few meows "I don't need to understand what you say to understand that let's get outta here!" Tib yells Sasha and Mack Sprint past as Tabby clings to Tibs armor he starts to run after them. As they run they can hear the thunderous rage of the red monster for minutes after they left the area. As they make it to a large open area that leads to the beach and back to Astera they see it, the Kulu-Ya-Ka sitting on the ground asleep blood pooling around its large wounds from being attacked by the red monster, they could still see it's chest moving up and down as it struggled to breath. Mack holds up a small metal canister "we should catch it. It will die if we leave it here and if we take it the researchers will save it along with paying us." Tib and Sasha watch as Mack aproches the large bird monster holding there breath. Mack places the trap on the ground next to the monster, Mack touches it as it sleeps. He steps back from the monster as Sparks and electricity fly from it, he drops a few tranq pellets that bloom into a pink cloud. "It's down the researchers can get it now, let's go!" Sasha says loudly, Tib leads the way back to Astera with Tabby on his shoulder.