Matt the Radar Tech
ꜰɪxɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ʀᴀᴅᴀʀs ᴀɴᴅ sᴛᴜꜰꜰ
Inner Rim.
Japrael Sector, Japrael System;
Dxun.
It was the silence.That was the indication of danger. When everything around went quiet, leaving the dense jungle feeling like an oppressive weight on oneself, barely a sound beyond the groaning trunks or twisting vines. The wildlife of Dxun had adapted to the ever present dangers of the predators of the moon, aware when hunters were passing through, senses keen and searching for the next meal. Many of the terrible beasts renown for being on Dxun were sinister things, some twisted by the dark side, while others were simply a result of nature; yet, of all the creatures that hunted in the vast jungles, one was truly fearsome - the Zakkeg.
The large quadruped lumbered through the dense undergrowth, crashing foliage and logs in its path. The armored creature was big, just over four meters in length, and almost as tall. Its spiked scales were scarred from dozens of battles, some for defense, some for hunting and others from territory disputes with other male Zakkeg. The alpha predator was hunting now, seeking prey it had caught scent of, its primitive - but not unintelligent - brain recognizing the smell from the past; it was hunting humanoid, specifically a small one made of soft flesh... and in that same moment, a flock of birds stirred ahead, telling the predator of movement. With quickened strides, the Zakkeg lumbered onward, jaws awash with saliva at the thought of the meal to come.
Elsewhere, in the cover of numerous vines and branches, a pair of human eyes peered out of deep shadow. They watched, observing, following the armored creature's passage as it approached along the covered jungle floor, following the scent of the individual presently hiding from it. Some might think not covering a scent was a foolish thing to do, and they would be right; that was, if you planned on not being tracked.
Below, the Zakkeg let out a bellow, snuffing as it scented prey nearby. It knew it was close, which the little human was depending on. The large predator scratched at logs, crushing others, trying to determine the flesh's location, its breathing growing louder and louder with more exertion. So far, the Zakkeg had been chasing its prey for several miles, crashing through undergrowth and across difficult terrain, carried along on short-powerful legs; but even now, as the predator sought the morsel that was so close, the scent so strong, those legs were beginning to fail, struggling to stomp and stamp after such a long chase.
Above, a skinny arm slowly reached out, curved bone-knife held between equally thin fingers... and with a quick, silent swipe, a taunt vine was severed with a twang.
Suddenly, a huge tree trunk came crashing, as a series of powerful vines intertwined into a more powerful netting came apart and ceased supporting it. Below, the Zakkeg strained to look up, head locked by the scales on its back and neck, even as it remained oblivious to the danger above. And as the thick trunk reached full force, it slammed into the armored predator below, impacting with a mighty crash that saw both reptile and object crumple in equal measure - the Zakkeg was forced to the ground, legs giving out, but armor holding strong, while the trunk cracked and splintered around the impact area, but remained whole beyond that, maintaining its giant weight.
"Raaaaghhh!" Came the shout, as a lithe form jumped from concealment, grasping several vines firmly in hand, before descending with speed to the scene below.
A thin teenager landed on the ground with a thump, crouched as a pair of curved bone-knives appeared in either hand. His body was covered in scars, his hair a mass of tangled locks, and his eyes showing a deadly intensity, locked onto the creature that had - up until now - been the hunter, but was now the hunted. Moving forward with a speed and agility borne of years living in the jungles of Dxun, the short savage closed the distance with the struggling Zakkeg rapidly; and as the creature saw movement, it tried to twist, snapping mighty jaws as it remained pinned beneath the trunk on its back, its spiked armor ironically working against it by embedding the object in place. Beady yellow eyes focused on the soft flesh, but without its powerful legs to push, the creature was trapped - and then were was a flash of bone blade, a brief moment of pain, and then nothing...
Stepping back from his kill, Graal removed the bone-knife from the eye socket of the Zakkeg. For all their armor, every creature had a weakness, and given the small size of the head and skull, this particular creature was vulnerable to having a curved blade twisted up into the brain. Wiping the blood from the blade, the little savage wiped at his nose, grinning to himself with satisfaction. It had been a long day, resulting in an equally long game of baiting, to lead the Zakkeg to the ambush of the tree... but now it was done, and the meat the creature would provide was enough to see Graal through for several weeks. Not to mention more armor plating for his home, to ward off the other beasts that often came sniffing around his territory.
"Futsak!" The boy called, hands cupped around his mouth.
And in response, there was a huge looming shadow that broke through the canopy, as a fully grown Drexl landed atop the dead Zakkeg with a crash of branches and snap of vines. The pair regarded one another, before the boy grinned again and ran over the kill, clambering up the flying beast's neck, and sat in position on a crudely made saddle on the base of the skull; and with a whoop and slap to the Drexl's head, the mighty creature tore the tree trunk free, before latching sharp claws into the dead thing beneath; and with several mighty beats of large wings, the pair were soaring above the jungle with the kill claimed, headed back to their lair...
So it was that, with the thrill of a successful hunt and the wind whipping at his face and hair, did Graal notice a shining object in the distance. It moved through the sky, glimmering, at a speed considerably faster than any Drexl, even Futsak. With furrowed brow, the boy growled and wondered what was approaching his home, his territory, where even the beasts of the jungle usually stayed away... this shining bird was headed straight for the abandoned Mandalorian Outpost that Graal had claimed as his own.
"Ra-choo daa!" He called, spurring the mighty winged creature on, as the pair now made for the Outpost with due haste. "Kaa-ja!"
None would claim Graal's home. Not while he had strength to kill them and keep it...
[member="Kaine Australis"]
