3: Hunt

We woke up the next morning to the sound of stone cracking. I lazily watched the others rise, play, and in the case of the green-scaled sibling, bring crabs from a small pile to the new hatchling. They were considerably smaller than us, eyes looking more innocent

"Did we hatch as small adults?" I thought, seeing the verdant duo loop-de-loop. I had little time to ponder my question as my black-scaled sibling made a hollow roar, catching our attention like a fishhook. As I recognized that roar as a Skill, something in my mind clicked-- list of available Skills no doubt growing longer.

[Nameless Phyllopteryx Hatchling (I) has invited you to join his party. Accept?]

[Yes][No]

I tapped yes, and felt a sense of connection to my leader and two allies. I looked back to see the source of the connection, observing the armored red and bitey green. They swam towards him, while the others seemed to receive no such invitation. With orange, yellow, blue, purple, and white left behind as nest guards and entertainers for the hatchling, the four of us swam out.

I followed my allies and looked back at the nest, seeing the quick swimmers sift through sand for scavenge material while we hunted more important prey. This nameless leader had obviously chosen combat-focused mutations, but what did he see in me?

Quick healing only mattered if you survived the hit, and I didn't convey much intelligence, so I left my guess to be mere initiative. Even if I didn't have a mutation, my entire mind could comprehend and desire growing in strength.

We swam out over the spires, keeping close to one for cover. A crevasse gave me pause, my underwater wingflap stuttering. As soon as it did, a set of long squid-arms shot from the rock. They grasped around the green one, fear gripping me as arms gripped my verdant sibling. Red and black turned as one, red rushing straight ahead while black narrowed his eyes. A set of tentacles intercepted a red, large beak slipping out to catch him by the time I recovered my wits and ran forward to [bite] the squid arm. It pulled back, but not fast enough as my teeth sunk in. Inky blood emerged, tentacles whipping about and knocking us away from the crevasse

I thought we had repelled it, but the large squid had other ideas. Two large eyes made up the center of the crevasse, pushing themselves out before a cluster of limbs followed. Ten in all, the two longest ones easily capable of grabbing us. One locked onto me, the wounded one missed my green sibling- who saw the chance to return favor and charge for the tentacle about to grab me. They bit down, and in the morning light I thought I saw something inject from my sibling's fangs into the squid's vein. The squid advanced upon us, lashing out with its arms like stinging whips. I parried one with my tail, getting spun in a double backflip I never wanted. Both arms coiled around both chromatic siblings, And my stomach dropped. I thought we were done for.

Until I saw something move

Like a black dart, my sharp brother barreled into the squid's head. His horns glowed purple, dialing up the squid's pained reaction from serious to near-comical. Wasting no time I activated my [Frenzy], racing towards the squid's eye and thrashing.

[Skill: Bite has risen to level 2]

[Your party has slain: Tunnel squid. You have risen to level 4. Skill point gained. Mind +1. Your party leader has risen to level 3. Your allies have risen to levels 4 and 3.]

A small burst of power shone from all of us, lighting up the mottled brown squid. First my dark-scaled brother, then the rest of us got under the squid and pushed, gills pumping air into the atmosphere. We swam and struggled, roaring in victory as we placed it onto the shelf.

The dark brother swam towards home, leaving me to wait around with red and green. I curled up just beside our prize, ready to pick a new Skill.

Another had joined my list, so integral to both my preferences as a sapient being and hunting style as a predator.

[Poison synthesis. Turns stamina into poison. Poison works most effectively when injected or swallowed.]

I was venomous now, and irrationally happy with that fact. A small celebratory loop later, I tested the Skill. I felt my stamina drain, terrible-tasting orb welling up in my mouth and quickly spat out. A purple ink bled into the water before quickly thinning, diluted to almost nothingness like car exhaust.

While I was distracted by my new toy, something in the side of my vision stirred. Whipping my head around, my eyes focused on a shadow move across the water. Four wings and a sharp beak crashed down through the surface tension in a smokebomb of bubbles, and I felt something barrel towards me. A long thick beak grabbed at the squid, ripping off a massive chunk and flying away.

My frustration began to boil. I lacked a way to slow that dirty scavenger down, catch up to it, or follow it into the sky.

My brother led a handful of hatchlings back to the torn kill. They were lighter in colour, smaller, and looked more innocent, back-mounted fins comedically small.

As soon as the leader approached the fallen squid, a look of anger crossed his face. I had no way to communicate the recent happening, backing away in an attempt to convey a lack of antagonism.

[Leader has disbanded the party.]

A snarl sent my green sibling running and my red one into a fighting stance, flaring up their wings.

"Was this simply a difference in stat?" I pondered "Or due to having enough armor to tank a horn stab?"

The wordless argument was flashy. The duo swam higher and higher, horns and fangs flashing with mana, while the frozen hatchlings watched.

I swam in front of the five, catching their attention, and slipped back down. I bit from the torn squid, watching them all as they converged on it, small but sharp sets of teeth starting to work away. To scrape meat from bone.

I looked back, saw my green sibling was watching the hatchlings like a hawk. I left for the shallows, stomach growling, intent on practicing against weaker foes.

I found one, in the form of a ridged seal of around my size. I hung back to watch, but having nothing to hide behind, could do little to stop it from seeing me. The seal's ridges bristled as it turned to me, fangs bared in an attempt at intimidation.

This hunt just upgraded itself into a brawl.

I made the first move, drawing oxygen to my lungs and cautiously swimming in a wide arc. The seal predictably charged, blubbery form slowing it down just enough to predict. I shot out of the way, preserving just enough distance to drag a tailblade across its side.

What I didn't expect was the blade to get stuck, and seal to take me with it. I curled around to no avail, and played the strongest card in my hand.

[Frenzy]- I tried, realizing it failed. The seal's blubber had stopped any blood from entering the water, and no blood meant no frenzy. I curled myself forward, lacking the raw strength to make any impact, so settled for downwards.

And spread my wings.

The sudden slowing strained at my membranes, but the seal's trajectory changed dramatically. Its head slammed the ground, getting an eyeful of sand, and my chance made itself clear. Using the same protective blubber as a foothold (or tailhold), I curled forward, biting for the neck. I twisted my form and tucked in my wings to avoid a stray ridge, feeling one dig into my long side.

The seal howled in pain, sound assailing my hearing, but I pressed on. I was no dumb animal, far harder to drive away with pain or fear. Instead, my jaw merely clenched in fear.

The effect faded, and my mind unlocked. I took my new Skill, and pressed as hard as I could. Bracing for the terrible taste, I let the venom conjure into nothing. It covered the seal's neck, impossible to compress and spreading fast.

My stamina dropped to nothing, my grip slipping. I fell backwards, trying to catch my breath

[Skill: Poison synthesis has risen to level 2. You have slain: Crag Seal. Experience gained.]

I swam towards it and dug in, filling my stomach with soft meat and discarding useless bone ridges. I curled up beside my grizzly trophy, feeling my meal digest and staring at the sky in preparation for predators.

With the meal lighter and my ability to lift heavier, I took the half-seal in my mouth and lifted. My wings pumped. My gills cycled air. My mouth kept its grip on the bones, as I carried them back to my home cave.

[Skill: Breath has risen to level 4]

[Skill: Bite has risen to level 3]

I dropped the kill over the rim of the cave, heroically rising over the lip of the cave mouth. Hatchlings swarmed the remainder, and my black-scaled sibling gave me a respectful nod.

I practiced more with [Poison Synthesis] that evening, careful to do it outside my home cave. The level up to two earned me more control, giving me some choice over where to conjure the poison. A teardrop's worth cost me a notable chunk of stamina to create in my mouth, and a bit more to coat over one fang. I was certain my green sibling could deliver it more efficiently. I'd have to watch them and learn.

This practice was punctuated by interruptions. The monsters in the area seemed agitated, aggressive. A small octopus, a nest bit, and a shimmering blue otter antagonized me while practicing, the same poison I was practicing making these unprepared creatures barely a problem. Poison synthesis jumped to level 3 from practice, but a much better message greeted me.

[You have slain: Slip otter. You have risen to level 5. Skill point gained. Quickness +1]

[Valerie, Phyllopteryx Hatchling can now advance to another form. Available Options: Phyllopteryx]

I stared agape at the option. The singular option. Knowing I was missing something, I looked at my character sheet again.

[Level: 5/10]

I knew exactly what to do. Keep fighting, level up, make use of Skill Points, figure out Fundamental Power, and-

I yawned, fatigue of level grinding getting to me. Spreading my wings for the last time today, I vaulted over the cave lip and into my much more lively home.