Page 46 of Saving the Alien Chieftain

“Her tracks end here,” the square faced black-haired one says unemotionally. He looks to the river before speaking again. “She must be using the water to mask her tracks.”

The bulkier green-haired warrior chimes in, pointing towards the river. “Come, let’s mutate her so we can feel again.” His dispassionate voice is at complete odds with the chilling meaning of his words. The other two nod in agreement before they wade into the shallow edges of the river, heading back the way they came.

I resist the urge to throw up what little I have in my stomach. I can’t believe how close I came to being discovered by these murderous lunatics. That bastard Zyraxis clearly sent them to kill me.How can I complete the Proving while also being hunted by trained Klendathian killers?Should I go back and explain the situation to the other Elder and start over?No, they would say I’ve failed the Proving even if I could somehow convince him.

In a moment of weakness, I consider heading back home in defeat, but I savagely repress the thought.I will not abandon Krogoth!I knew what I was getting myself in for, that I would likely perish on this journey. Nothing has changed… other than my chances of success.

What about the fourth Prospect, the one with blonde hair?Is he also on my trail too?He’s maybe lying in wait nearby, hoping to ambush me. The endless possibilities swarm in my head, but I decide to remain hidden, so the three youths have enough time to move away in the opposite direction.

I wait, for what seems like hours, unflinching, hardly daring to breathe, not wanting to risk running into those murderous monsters. I barely notice the sun crossing the sky until I see the longer shadows cast among the enormous trees of Draxxi and the many red colored vegetation beneath. Cautiously, I emerge from the bush like a baby rabbit leaving its warren. My muscles ache in protest, being forced to hunch for so long.

The sounds of wildlife suggest the area is safe again. So, slowly, I stalk along the path, keeping an even further distance away from the river now, just in case the Prospects are still searching for me there. For hours, I continue along the path, my confidence slowly returning with each step from where I was nearly discovered. It feels reassuring being back on familiar ground that Xandor and I had trod dozens of times before.

I’m making good time, despite losing a couple of hours hiding in the shrubs. My exoenhancer armor makes me feel as light as a feather, with almost no fatigue. My legs move with inhuman speed as they propel me forward, even with little effort. I had never worn the armor on field hunts before; the contrast is unbelievable. It feels as though it’s my secret weapon on this suicide mission, and I plan to take full advantage of it.

As I walk, I notice the river concludes its path in the distance, and my breath catches in amazement. This is uncharted territory for me, the farthest I’ve ever reached. According to Xandor, the hunter’s border is a short distance away. The thought of being somewhere unfamiliar, pushing into uncharted territory, fills me with unease, but that is tomorrow’s problem. For now, withthe daylight fading, it’s a good time to rest in relative safety for the night.

Looking towards the twilight lit sky, I narrow my eyes, struggling to spy Ecneius’ tear sparkling brightly among the alien stars. Taking out my compass from the backpack, I align the bright star with the device’s red arrow showing north. A smile crosses my lips, noticing it’s a near perfect match.At least I know what direction I’m heading in.

I head north more cautiously with the fading light and unfamiliar territory. Up ahead, as far as I can see, are more impossibly large trees as wide and as tall as New York skyscrapers. I marvel at them as they loom over me like titans. I cast my eyes around, looking for a tree that would be a suitable shelter for the night. Xandor recommended I sleep in the trees for safety. We even practiced climbing some, picking ones with plenty of lower branches to help me ascend until I reached a distance high enough but also had limbs wide enough to lie on comfortably.

With my eyes glancing high amongst the trees in the very far distance, I make out the silhouette of someone standing perched atop a massive branch. My stomach tightens with panic thinking it might be one Prospect waiting to ambush me until I notice the outline of his warvisor on his visage.It must be one of the border hunters.My shoulders relax, the tension easing.

Before long, I spot a suitable tree. Carefully, I ascend it. I never thought I would be so glad now that I practiced for many hours with Rylar and Xandor on the climbing walls and trees. And now enhanced with my armor, I pounce from branch to branch, as nimble and graceful as a cat. Finally, I stand atop the long and wide branch that will be my quarters for the night. Reaching deep into my bag, removing the tarp material, I frown, thinking about what the best way to assemble it is. Unfurling the dark red-colored thing, I notice a button that I can’t resist pressing.

I nearly fall backwards off the branch in shock as the tarp springs to life. The once flat material has now formed rigid framing along the edges, creating a solid tent like structure. Waiting for my nerves to settle, I climb through the small opening inside and I’m surprised to see the floor of the tent is extremely soft and warm, like a quilted mattress.Xandor may be a pain in the ass sometimes, but this was amazing.

I take the rope from the bag and tie it around my waist before feeding it around the narrow part of the branch, tying off that end too, hoping if I somehow fall off the tree in my sleep, I’ll not plummet to my death at least.I’ll just be hanging there waiting for the Prospects instead. Grinning, I return to the tent, settling onto the comfortable floor, resting my weary head for the night.

I wake from my fitful night’s sleep, brushing the sleep from my crusty, tired eyes. Nightmares filled with horrors chased me relentlessly all night. If it wasn’t the nightmares disturbing my sleep, it was the roars and howls of strange beasts echoing in the distance. A dread fills my stomach. Soon, I will have to confront them.

Outside, I can hear the heavy rain batter my tent, and I know I’m going to need plenty of energy to compensate for my shitty night’s sleep. I rummage through my satchel for food and water; I pull out one canteen and a strange bar wrapped in cloth. The last thing I feel like doing now is eating food, but I know I need to keep my strength up.

I flip the cap off the oversized canteen, looking forward to a refreshing drink of water, and take a long swig. My eyes widen in shock as the creamy refreshing liquid hits my tongue.

Boracks milk!

A smile touches my lips, musing at how the Klendathians seem to drink it any chance they get. I eagerly gulp more of the creamy, invigorating milk before forcing myself to save some for later.

Next, I unwrap the bar and a cream-colored block emerges from the cloth. It feels surprisingly large and dense in my hand. I sniff it with suspicion and take a tentative bite. Immediately, I realize this is no ordinary ration bar. It’s so incredibly hard and dense that my teeth struggle to bite through it. It’s like trying to chew a slab of solid rock. But the taste! It’s far from the bland, flavorless jellied-rations I’d eaten on Krogoth’s ship. There’s a hint of sweetness mingled with the earthy taste of nuts and grains. I can almost detect a trace of something fruity. It’s as if someone condensed an entire meal into this single block.

Struggling to make progress with my teeth, I use my knife to cut off small pieces. It’s still tough, but the smaller portions make it more manageable. I let the flavors linger on my tongue as, bit by bit, I finish the stubborn bar. Feeling full from the milk and bar, I pack what I need to and take a deep breath to prepare myself for the day ahead.

I emerge from the tent, feeling the heavy rain pelting off my coat as I stretch my full body after being in the cramped space for so long. Observing the rivers of water and pooling puddles dotted around the forest floor, I realize the painful reality that the rain will make it more dangerous to traverse this unknown territory.

I untie the safety rope from the tree and myself, and examine the self-erecting tent, hoping that it works in the reverse. Tentatively, I push the button and jump back as the rigidframing of the tent suddenly turns limp. The structure collapses into a formless tarp material once again. I hastily squeeze everything back into my leather satchel.

I look down at the massive tree and take a deep breath. Today is the day I first push past the hunter’s borders.This is where the real challenge begins, Roxy.I carefully descend the tree easily, leaping from branch to branch, being extra cautious not to slip on the soaking wet surfaces.

It’s so early in the morning, the purple sun is struggling to emerge from the horizon, so there’s only a faint light across the vast forest. Despite the dimness, I fumble for the small compass in my pocket, trying to shield it from the relentless rain pelting down. Its red needle points northward, the direction to the temple of Sunaisor, the salvation of Krogoth and me.

The surrounding forest is starting to wake up now as well. I can hear a cacophony of haunting howls and menacing growls reverberating through the air. These sounds, coming from unseen beasts, are at least in the distance, but the sounds still send shivers down my spine. With no other choice, I trudge onward, following the guidance of the compass, my boots sinking into the muddy ground, each step accompanied by a squelching sound. The forest seemed to close in around me, the colossal trees creating a claustrophobic atmosphere despite their tremendous height.

After a short time, I notice the hunter with the warvisor I spotted yesterday on a high branch of a tree in front of me. He has his back turned to me, standing like a sentinel, watching the north for any intrusion into the protected zone within Draxxi.I’m just glad he’s on my side.

“Hail, Rocks!” the hunter upon the tree calls out to me as I pass, his words echoing distantly from his great height amongst the top branches.

I look up to see him waving his hand while his other hand holds a huge vicious looking spear. I tentatively wave back at him, hoping the other Prospects are not within hearing distance. “May the Gods bless your Proving!” he shouts as I push further ahead.I’ll need all the blessings of every single god in the universe and their distance relations if I’m going to survive this.

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