Aiakos, Arachne, Acastus and Alcestis set off to hunt another antelope. The fight with the larger lion had taught them that they needed more armour. And the antelope was the best was to gain some.
In the dark they heard the antelope bellow, and storm off. They gave chase, finding its droppings. Aiakos ate some, and felt dizzy.
On they wandered, narrowly missing a stampede of the beasts. They continued their chase and found a plan unlike anything they had seen, for it was made not of faces, but of feet. Aiakos, Arachne and Alcestis moaned in terror. Had they fallen through the world they cried. Would they fall away from the world. But Acastus, new to hunting, looked on confused. He looked for them as they wandered off in their madness.
Aiakos was found singed, having been searching a body of a hunter. Arachne had survived some strange wailing smoke. And, upon finding Alcestis, they survivors realised that she had led them directly to the antelope. They attacked.
In amongst the grasses, Arachne and Acastus fought the antelope, but Acastus was repelled, as the beast knocked them away, and slid on its belly, the belly mouth gibbering.
The antelope galloped back towards them, and Acastus was once more attacking, wounding the beast many times, rending bones and a portion of the beast's stomach.
Aiakos found a swarm of insects and recovered some ants, bagging them to consume later.
The antelope responded to the grievous wounds, consuming acanthus plants and promptly regaining it's stamina.
Arachne attacked, but it leapt backwards, knocking Aiakos and Alcestis flying.
The Acastus took the chance to strike the beast from behind, but again it screamed from its belly mouth. The guttural cries drove Acastus mad and he dropped dead.
Aiakos and Alcestis struck the beast again, using the grasses to hide. More of the beast was carved off.
Alcestis rammed her spear in the antelope's jaw, and pulled, wrenching the mandible free, sending gouts of blood everywhere.
3.... 3 bloody traps in one game!
Arachne circled the beast and struck with her katars. The antelope again screamed from its belly. The troupe fled from the beast, as it slid across the stone faced ground, wailing from the gut.
In hind sight the positioning was not bad, since it was not able to trample anyone that next turn.
The beast was limping and with bleeding heavily as Aiakos and Alcestis finished the beast off.
Returning to the camp the settlement re-enacted the hunt of the Butcher, with Aeolus being venerated for his heroism. Meanwhile the haul of materials and monster organs allowed for a great number of things to be made. The camp learnt how to make beds, and advanced weapons. A great axe was made, and the camp had the first full suit of hide armour. The next hunt should mean they can make a shield, and if they hunt a lion, perhaps a complete a set of armour based upon that creature. And then, then, perhaps they could hunt this strange creature that Areto was fascinated with, and from which a strange feather had fallen.
Serious gear has been made. Now do I fight a level 1 lion, a level 2 lion, or the level 1 phoenix?
Level 2 lion. That Phoenix is no joke!
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