Post by Shinku Kodoku on Jul 25, 2017 4:25:12 GMT -5
Shinku hated hunting at night.
Sure, there were things about the night that were very advantageous, like the fact that her pets were harder to spot visually and they could use the shadows for cover, giving them more chances to make the strike. But the same could be said for the enemy, and she had only lost any of her pets at night because she wasn’t able to detect the enemy before it struck the members of her Brood down. Individually she knew that they were not strong in any way, and that their numbers were where they drew their strength, so she ensured that she kept as many as she could muster. If they died, she would simply use her ability to make more, but she saw their deaths as significant; regardless of the fact that they were easily replaced, she would never waste their lives. Would she spend them to ensure her survival? Most certainly, but never waste them in any way. Accepting that risk, she was hunting tonight with two separate packs roaming through the outskirts of town, mostly in the areas that had become deserted. But for the past day and well into this night, her hunts have been fruitless.
Hollow had been appearing, of course, but there was always a Shinigami, Quincy or other empowered soul who got there first, dispatching it entirely, and leaving her nothing to eat. She didn’t relish hunting like this, but knew it was necessary; she had to eat, or she would lose her mind again like when she first became a Hollow, and she couldn’t deal with losing herself like that. The last pack of her Aka Gundan (Red Legion) stayed with her in reserve, able to quickly reinforce either of the two packs out and about and providing security for Shinku herself. They were sticking to the shadows, observing, and trying to find a Hollow that had freshly landed that the others were not aware of yet, which was tricky work. The only thing working in her favor was that they were more concerned about the population centers and protecting innocent souls from being attacked, which was on the other end of town. It was a calculated move to reduce the amount of risk posed by hunting of her being discovered by someone who posed a threat.
Finally a Hollow landed in range of one of the packs, and while she sensed someone that was moving in the same direction, it didn’t seem like they were coming after her prey. Regardless, she couldn’t risk it, so instead of assessing the target and forming a plan, she needed to do this quick and quiet, and sent the order to the pack. Consume him quickly and return. The Aka Okami rushed in low and fast, leaping onto the creature and tearing into anything they could sink their claws and teeth into, and the leader of the pack, the Aka Hanta slithered its way from the alley. Not exactly slow itself, it was not fast either, and it lowered its two scythe-like claws and reared its head towards the creature. A compartment near the top of the head opened up, revealing rows of vicious looking spines, and it launched one that stabbed the Hollow through the mask. It fired these spines several more times and the Hollow fell backwards, and the Okami tore into the beast with a fervor not typically seen even in Hollow.
It was a mere minute before the large Hollow was gone, a single large bloody stain the only evidence that it was ever there in the first place.
Her pack was making their way back towards the Hive, Shinku’s large underground lair just outside of town, a network of tunnels and paths that stretched a good ways around the entrance where the Brood Mother waited to see her creatures returning. The other pack had already returned, already been given the order to come back when the first pack had found suitable prey. But that wasn’t the problem… she sensed something following them, which was something that had been an increasing problem lately. It seemed every time she went hunting lately she had someone discover them and follow them back. She just was fortunate in the way that she had avoided an outright fight so far; Shinku knew that there were far stronger individuals out there than herself, and it only took one for all the effort and time she went into staying hidden to be wasted. They would kill her and all her pets, and that was not something she could let happen. It was why she was so careful about attracting attention, and why it was so concerning that she was continuously being discovered as of late.
Part of her wondered if it was because she was approaching the next phase… she was very close to evolving, she can feel it in her bones… Perhaps the strength she was gaining made her pets stronger, and more easily detected…
833
Sure, there were things about the night that were very advantageous, like the fact that her pets were harder to spot visually and they could use the shadows for cover, giving them more chances to make the strike. But the same could be said for the enemy, and she had only lost any of her pets at night because she wasn’t able to detect the enemy before it struck the members of her Brood down. Individually she knew that they were not strong in any way, and that their numbers were where they drew their strength, so she ensured that she kept as many as she could muster. If they died, she would simply use her ability to make more, but she saw their deaths as significant; regardless of the fact that they were easily replaced, she would never waste their lives. Would she spend them to ensure her survival? Most certainly, but never waste them in any way. Accepting that risk, she was hunting tonight with two separate packs roaming through the outskirts of town, mostly in the areas that had become deserted. But for the past day and well into this night, her hunts have been fruitless.
Hollow had been appearing, of course, but there was always a Shinigami, Quincy or other empowered soul who got there first, dispatching it entirely, and leaving her nothing to eat. She didn’t relish hunting like this, but knew it was necessary; she had to eat, or she would lose her mind again like when she first became a Hollow, and she couldn’t deal with losing herself like that. The last pack of her Aka Gundan (Red Legion) stayed with her in reserve, able to quickly reinforce either of the two packs out and about and providing security for Shinku herself. They were sticking to the shadows, observing, and trying to find a Hollow that had freshly landed that the others were not aware of yet, which was tricky work. The only thing working in her favor was that they were more concerned about the population centers and protecting innocent souls from being attacked, which was on the other end of town. It was a calculated move to reduce the amount of risk posed by hunting of her being discovered by someone who posed a threat.
Finally a Hollow landed in range of one of the packs, and while she sensed someone that was moving in the same direction, it didn’t seem like they were coming after her prey. Regardless, she couldn’t risk it, so instead of assessing the target and forming a plan, she needed to do this quick and quiet, and sent the order to the pack. Consume him quickly and return. The Aka Okami rushed in low and fast, leaping onto the creature and tearing into anything they could sink their claws and teeth into, and the leader of the pack, the Aka Hanta slithered its way from the alley. Not exactly slow itself, it was not fast either, and it lowered its two scythe-like claws and reared its head towards the creature. A compartment near the top of the head opened up, revealing rows of vicious looking spines, and it launched one that stabbed the Hollow through the mask. It fired these spines several more times and the Hollow fell backwards, and the Okami tore into the beast with a fervor not typically seen even in Hollow.
It was a mere minute before the large Hollow was gone, a single large bloody stain the only evidence that it was ever there in the first place.
Her pack was making their way back towards the Hive, Shinku’s large underground lair just outside of town, a network of tunnels and paths that stretched a good ways around the entrance where the Brood Mother waited to see her creatures returning. The other pack had already returned, already been given the order to come back when the first pack had found suitable prey. But that wasn’t the problem… she sensed something following them, which was something that had been an increasing problem lately. It seemed every time she went hunting lately she had someone discover them and follow them back. She just was fortunate in the way that she had avoided an outright fight so far; Shinku knew that there were far stronger individuals out there than herself, and it only took one for all the effort and time she went into staying hidden to be wasted. They would kill her and all her pets, and that was not something she could let happen. It was why she was so careful about attracting attention, and why it was so concerning that she was continuously being discovered as of late.
Part of her wondered if it was because she was approaching the next phase… she was very close to evolving, she can feel it in her bones… Perhaps the strength she was gaining made her pets stronger, and more easily detected…
833
