Chapter 5 – The Swamp's Blossom
by Scott S. Combs
"Hoo..."
A gentle call flows amongst leafless branches; a solemn lullaby pouring from the twilight mists...
"Hoo... Hoo..."
A single weed stalk shifts, signaling an inaudible flight. Descending slowly, the owl looked down on the unsuspecting mouse coldly. Her talons pivoting forward to collect her meal...
A jarring cough broke the silence. The mouse fled; the owl fell. Unable to move, unable to even cry out; the poison allowed the owl but two courtesies, the sight of the Ioprey skulking towards her, and a body too numb to feel the strike.
The fortunate mouse blitzed along a mudded path, finally leaping from a strange rubbery rock into its warren.
Hitome Wrenburg only smiled, glad that her boot could help. Crouched down among a thistle of herbs and decaying mulch, she had observed the Ioprey's hunt. Now fed, she hoped that it would return to the nest, and to her quarry, an Iodrome...
But it just stood there, casually glancing side to side. Almost like it was waiting...
Then, in what seemed to be an accident, the Ioprey glanced towards Hitome and their eyes met. It knew!
No sooner than Hitome began to gasp, a familiar cough came from her hard left. Years of training and honed muscle memory overrode her surprise as she launched off her right foot, pivoting on her left...
The noxious spittle connected against her now drawn shield. Training her focus forward, she quickly sighted the closing distance. It had already lunged...
A second cough at her flank.
Hitome rotated at the hip, slicing her axe vertically while swinging her shield arm back at head level. Each arm met resistance. The left found an unprotected throat; the right, a cancerous spray of venom.
Still turning and now able to see the second Ioprey, she felt her blade free itself of the skull and continued the arc overhead, then released the haft. The first monster's momentum brought its limp body into Hitome's shield as she spun, diverting it to her left. Her sailing axe met the now lunging Ioprey in mid-flight, burrowing deep into its head crest; its body falling in a heap before the hunter.
To Hitome's left she tracked the third Ioprey, the bait for this ambush; it was charging...
The sun's final rays grasped out over the swamp, and with their passing, the swamp awoke. Insects chirped, reptiles surfaced, Teradax took wing, all followed suit by a wyvern's distant roar...
"Sounded like Rathian, nya... " A Felyne meowed, slowly stroking the neck of the Aptonoth she was sitting on.
"It's moving the other direction, towards the sea," Hitome commented, emerging from the growing night, a large pack slung over shoulder; blood slowly dripping from a crimson pool at its base, "probably hunting Velociprey to feed her young."
"There's Lady Hitome, nya! Shyster was getting antsy."
"Awe, poor guy." Hitome cooed at the dinosaur, "He was probably just getting bored. Did you play with him any, Noerru?"
"No way nya!" Noerru squeaked, crossing her paws over her chest, "Shyster'd squish me, nya."
Hitome just giggled before setting the bloodstained sack on their cart; then without warning, promptly kicked Shyster's back right thigh.
He reared up, throwing Noerru hissing from her perch. The Felyne landed just as Shyster spun to meet Hitome, his tail spikes just grazing the fur atop her ears...
"Who's my smart boy?" Hitome cooed sarcastically, rubbing the top of Shyster's head, his tongue hanging lazily from his mouth.
He replied with a guttural bellow and pushed forward against Hitome's hand, his tail waving frantically.
"Good boy..." She smiled. "Let's go home."