NOVEL NEXT Chapter 69: Greatest Threat
Although this was his first time as the lead male in a buffalo hunt, Leo suspected that the time it took him to suffocate the buffalo was longer than it would have been Before. He’d hunted buffalo with his birth pride, rarely, though his sire had been the one to leap on its back and bring it down with his weight. Leo himself had been with the lionesses, providing the distraction to allow his father the necessary opening.
Still, perhaps it was unsurprising that even if he’d grown in strength and power, the buffalo had too. That it had probably grown more defensively than it had offensively was almost to be expected from this dangerous prey.
‘I wonder whether it might have gained an ability for its horns,’ mused Leo’s brother. Leo had been aware of Dominic’s distraction during the fight, but fortunately it hadn’t meant that Leo had been distracted too. The former-human still had a lot to learn about concentrating in the moment. Just as much as Leo perhaps had to learn about lateral thinking.
‘Perhaps,’ was all Leo would say to that, as the notification flashed up in front of him, its nonsensical squiggles irritating.
‘Hmm, these herbivores really aren’t given enough credit,’ his brother complained.
‘Why do you say that?’
‘We only earned a measly five Prey Points from that.’
‘Only five?’ Leo was startled. Though he wasn’t as fixated on constantly gaining more Prey Points as his companion seemed to be, he did recognise their use – and their implication. ‘That’s less than even the boxing animals offered on the first day.’
‘The kangaroos, yes. I mean, the buffalo actually was worth nineteen points, but we only got five of them. I guess we split the rest of the points with the three lionesses who were part of the fight.’ Leo looked around at the three who were already tearing into the carcass hungrily.
His instinct was to chase them off and take his rightful due, but his brother’s influence made him hesitate. Perhaps he didn’t actually have to chase them away. He wasn’t that hungry, and would easily be able to take what he needed from the carcass, even shared with three females.
Actually, what had happened with the other hunt? He twisted around to see, able to watch the final moments of the other fight.
The six females had taken down the buffalo they’d attacked, even without his help. It was not too surprising: four adults and two sub-adults on a single beast was almost overkill for anything except an elephant or rhino, and those they’d only hunt when prey was scarce due to the danger. Or if they encountered one which was injured and vulnerable, of course.
Satisfied that they were not suddenly going to become inundated with other lions wanting to grab their own share, Leo turned his attention back to the carcass. No real need to chase the females off, then, but what if not doing it this time meant they then refused to cede him the space at another time when he was more in need?
This was his first time taking over a pride, and he hadn’t seen either his sire doing it or the new males who had overtaken his birth pride. He didn’t know what was normal, just what his instincts told him.
‘Just chase them off at that point, then,’ his brother chimed in. ‘They did the work, and they seem hungrier than we are. Just eat with them for now. And then swap with me – I’m getting antsy here.’
Leo supposed he ought to be grateful that his brother was willing to wait for Leo to enjoy eating the fruit of his hunt. Then again, he supposed it could be to do with how distasteful the former-human seemed to consider tearing at raw meat. Leo really didn’t understand that bit, but he wouldn’t question it when it worked to his advantage.
Moving closer to the carcass, he started to eat. The bloody taste of the meat filled his mouth, his sharp teeth and strong neck muscles easily able to tear off strips. Chewing them a bit on his back teeth, he then gulped them down, enjoying the weight of meat in his belly.
One of the lionesses growled at him as he reached for a choice organ. Leo snarled back at her, his fur bristling. He might be willing to share the carcass with her, but if she started trying to deny him access to the best bits, he had no compunctions about driving her off – and her sisters with her.
Perhaps his body-language sufficiently communicated his intentions as she backed off a moment later, shifting to another part of the carcass. As Leo ate, he found himself musing over what had just happened.
He’d never experienced a disconnect between his thoughts and his ability to communicate them. In fact, Before, he hadn’t really had thoughts.
He’d had reactions. Danger – run away or face it with his teeth. Aggression from one of the females in his pride or his sire – submission, or return aggression once he got big enough. Hunger – hunt and then eat after he’d got too old to seek out his mother’s belly for milk.
His body language hadn’t really been under his conscious control. He’d felt something, wanted something, and his body had reacted. Around the lions and other animals he had been raised with, that hadn’t been a problem. He’d understood the body language of others in the pride perfectly, and them him.
As for other predators and prey, little understanding was really involved. He’d learned what it looked like when he was about to be attacked or when his prey was about to take off. Beyond that, knowing exactly what they were communicating was unnecessary.
Now, though, he had words. And an understanding of concepts which were impossible to communicate with the body language he’d known.
He wanted to be able to tell the two mothers that he wasn’t going to kill their cubs, so they’d stop being so defensive with him, but he couldn’t. He wanted to tell them about the System, about the dungeon he’d visited. About Dominic and everything he’d learned from the former-human. But he couldn’t. Body language just wasn’t that complex.
‘Maybe they’ll gain sapience as their level increases,’ his brother suggested tentatively, seemingly having tuned into his increasingly morose mood.
‘Perhaps. But then will that not just leave them trapped in their own heads, as we are trapped in mine?’ Leo considered the carcass in front of him and his sudden lack of hunger. ‘We can switch back now,’ he said abruptly, focussing on switching places with his brother.
*****
‘Alright,’ Dominic said, a little taken aback. Leo had been enjoying the meal so much, he wasn’t expecting to be able to take back control until the lion had eaten his fill. But suddenly the thoughts about the lionesses’ lack of sapience, or ability to communicate with them, had changed Leo’s entire mood.
A balloon-sliding sensation later and they had switched places, the transition even faster this time than before. I don’t think it will be that long before we’ll be able to do that in battle, Dominic thought to himself. Though they’d probably have to practise it a bit before then: though the transition was faster, there was still an element of disorientation each time.
Dominic didn’t really feel like tearing at the carcass in front of him, and Leo had succeeded in refilling his hunger meter before he asked to switch back. He therefore started licking at his paws and using them to clean his muzzle. Carefully not thinking too much about what he was doing, he just enjoyed the feeling of safety it gave him.
When he noticed one of the lionesses doing the same next to him, he wasn’t sure if that made him feel better or worse about grooming himself.
By this point, the other lionesses were tucking in hungrily into their carcass too. They must have had enough time to go back and get the cubs as there were small forms darting in and grabbing mouthfuls as well. Every so often, they had to avoid an irritated snarl or stray blow that came from the lioness whose space they’d just invaded.
When he shifted away from the carcass, one of the other females – the pregnant one – came over warily to chew some bits off the body which was less in demand.
Dominic was feeling antsy. The herd of buffalo, in contrast to the other prey animals he’d hunted, hadn’t gone anywhere. They were still milling around, eating the grass. The closest members to the lions were wary, and kept a sharp eye on the pride, but evidently they’d understood that once a pride had made a kill, they weren’t nearly as dangerous.
At least, that used to be the case. Because now, Dominic was eyeing them less for their meat and more for their Prey Points.
Hunting as a group definitely improved the chances of making the kill and surviving to tell the tale, but it also had a deleterious effect on how many Prey Points he earned. He’d already had to share the meagre nineteen Prey Points with three lionesses; what would happen if they’d attacked as a full pride? Even the scrin would have only offered around eight points to each of them.
Dominic knew that Leo wanted to pursue normal lion objectives – eat, sleep, mate, repeat – but that would mean his progress slowed to a crawl. And Dominic wasn’t keen for that to happen. He’d gained an advantage from going into the dungeon – the fact that he hadn’t yet come across any other creature which was Evolved apart from in the dungeon itself was evidence of that. But how long would that continue?
If group animals only earned a paltry few Prey Points per kill because they shared it with the rest of those they’d hunted it with, then solitary hunters would soon outstrip them in levels. Which would then mean that group animals would soon be restricted to only hunting in groups. Great for the solitary hunter who came across a lonesome pack-member; not so great for the pack-member.
Dominic wasn’t willing to let that unfortunate pack-member be him. Especially since his greatest threat, even if he purely considered living as a lion, were rival males coming in to take over the pride. Rival males who, incidentally, had been hunting solo or in a small group of other males. Who, therefore, would likely be stronger than the male who’d been living a cushy life in the pride.
‘You have a point. I hadn’t considered that,’ Leo’s voice broke into Dominic’s thoughts. It was just typical that he only paid attention when his position in the pride was threatened.
‘So you agree that we need to actively chase levels so as to continue growing and improving?’ Dominic asked him warily. So far, Leo had very much been against hunting purely for the Prey Points. There had always had to be another objective.
‘I…admit that you’re probably right regarding other males slowly becoming more powerful over time. The life of a nomad is not easy, and this new world is likely to make it even harder, but the few who survive will be far more powerful than could ever have been dreamed of Before. If we are not ready for that, we will soon be driven out of this pride – or killed.’
‘So…?’ asked Dominic leadingly as the lion hadn’t yet answered his question.
‘So, I think that, though we should not actively put ourself in undue danger merely for Prey Points…maybe we should be a little more proactive than I was intending. And I think that we might have an opportunity here.’ Dominic frowned mentally.
‘What do you mean?’ He could swear the lion was grinning at him.
‘Look around.’ Dominic did so, and something which had been in the corner of his eye suddenly came fully into focus. He too felt the urge to grin savagely, his lips drawing back from his teeth. Hello, my old friends.
