Chapter Three
Boongar took his position on the branch, crouched and peering over it at his quarry below. The stag was a large one, and if his kill wasn’t a sure one then Boongar would have to contend with going at it with the animal on the ground.
Hunting from the trees wasn’t something the Ekandel men normally did, however in a tree-ridden region like this, Boongar had to adapt to it. It was also a perfect way for him to kill large game with minimal potential for damage to him. Four years had passed since the boy arrived in the forest, and Boongar bought himself a brown vest with green stripes to better hide him amongst the trees, along with armbands for his daggers and a belt for her spear and knife. Years of bearing the wilderness had honed Boongar’s muscles into a lean frame. He’d trimmed the sides ad back of his head and let the top grow into a short ponytail. Gishky had many a times said he was trying to look pretty for the women, but Boongar just wanted less hair to bother him.
Boongar’s eyes caught something to his right below, a flicking light in the bushes. He frowned, thinking and hoping his companion didn’t ruin the hunt. And with that, Boongar’s muscle fibers rippled as he went into action. He took the spear from off his back and rose, balancing with years of practice. He used his left hand to create a scope of sorts that he positioned over the deer, and raised the hand with the spear like a scorpion’s tail poising back. Once the animal was stationary, Boongar threw the spear.
The head plunged right between the shoulder blades of the deer, instantly the animal reared and fell, only making a small bleating sound. Boongar quickly climbed down the tree, a bit of a longer process than ascending it.
Just as Boongar’s feet touched the ground he took his knife out to finish the job. The deer’s feet were still kicking, and Boongar sought to end the creature’s misery as quickly as he could. The other presence in the bushes made itself aware and leaped out to watch. It was an electite, a female, one Boongar was familiar with and didn’t paid heed as he knelt over the animal and plunge the knife into its heart. Seconds later the deer went quiet.
“Ooo,” she said, giddily bouncing on her toes with her small breasts bouncing. “Nice…nice…”
Boongar stood and wiped the knife in a cloth. “It’s a big one too,” Brack said. “It should be enough for Gishky and you…” Brack turned to the electite, smiling at her.
The female took Boongar’s hand into hers, and Boongar could feel a slight static emanating from her. “Boongar, nice to Ki’zap.”
Boongar ruffled her head. The female was just four feet, easy for Boongar to see over her head—at what had been stalking them the whole time. Boongar saw the huge shape, grabbed Ki’zap under her arm and lifted her, retreating as the predator rushed them.
Boongar let Ki’zap go once they were a good distance away, and she shrieked and hopped behind him. A strange breed of canine, snarled and stood over the deer. The dog resembled and hyena, but larger. Its small ears poised back, its long tail erected and curled, and its blunt snout opened with a guttural growl and menacing canines. Curayogs made good pets if raised from captivity. Wild ones like this one were something to be feared.
The curayog sunk its fangs into the deer and started dragging it, and seeing this, Ki’zap said, “It’s taking our food!”
Boongar realized the spear was still stuck in the deer, and the monster before him was twice his size. But that wasn’t going to stop Boongar from going home with a prize. He didn’t have teeth or claws, but he had something else.
“Stay back” he said as he reached into his pocket.
Ki’zap retreated and Boongar ran forward. He took out two pocketbombs and tossed them at the curayog. The explosions made the animal leap in surprise, giving Boongar the chance to reach for the spear. As his hand grasped it, Boongar continued his momentum into a roll and yanked out the weapon. Boongar stood and snarled, stabbing at the predator. The curayog swiped at the spear but Boongar made sure to always pull back after each attempted. Each lunge the curayog attempted was halted by the spear. The weapon was perfect for getting distance between Boongar and the larger foes and he used it to its full advantage.
The curayog attempted to sidestep and attack, which Boongar was waiting on and did a sidestep of his own, then jabbed the curayog in the side. The predator made a high-pitched snarl and leaped away. Boongar took a few steps forwards and yelled, jabbing with the spear. The wound wasn’t fatal, but the burn from it had the curayog unsettled, and finally realizing the risk was too much, the animal retreated. Boongar kept on yelling until the curayog was far away, before he lowered his spear and got his breathing under control.
Ki’zap ran out and stood before Boongar, spewing sparks and shouting. “Run! Big dummy!”
Boongar said, “That would’ve been useful a few seconds ago.”
Ki’zap turned to him with an innocent smile. “Ki’zap not want to ruing Boongar’s kill…”
Boongar frowned. “You little…” Boongar sighed and relaxed. “Just help me cut this up before that curayog comes back.”
Like Gishky taught him, Boongar skinned the deer, gutted it and used an axe to hack its body to pieces. They both wrapped up their respective meat parts and walked away from the head Boongar had perched against a tree trunk as a marker.
During their walk back home, Boongar said, “Does your clan know you’re always out here?”
Ki’zap said, “We always try to find food everywhere—in all different places.” She hefted her bag. “You help Ki’zap get meat for everyone.”
Boongar said, “You should learn to hunt, so you can help me in case we meet monsters.”
Ki’zap made a displeased face. “Ki’zap too small. You are human and will get bigger.”
“It’s not about your strength, but where you apply it,” said Boongar. He lifted his arm and showed her his muscle. “You can get as strong as me if you train.”
Ki’zap touched his arm said, “Small muscle.”
Boongar said, “Stop lying.”
Ki’zap laughed. “Tiny muscle! Tiny muscle Boongar!”
Their conversation ended was Boongar neared the path to his home. They two stopped and embraced each other.
“Stay safe, Ki’zap,” he said.
Ki’zap said, “I will. When will Ki’zap see you again?”
Boongar said uncertainly, “In about two days. I have a special event planned soon.”
Ki’zap said, “Very well. Good bye, Boongar.”
Ki’zap ran between the bushes. Boongar watched her bouncing bottom go until she was gone, and he finally sighed. Boongar looked down on his trousers and saw the bulge he had been trying his best to hold back. Within puberty came facial hair, more muscle and strong urges he had to fight to control. These were more complicated than handling animals. Even a while ago he had Ki’zap bend over to pack up her portion of the kill, just to have a look at her backside.
Boongar realized how troublesome his hormones could be, and decided he had to keep himself occupied with more productive things—such as hunting. And pretty soon, he would be partaking in a more serious and productive endeavor.
Coming down the path to his home, Boongar saw Donkek and Gishky having a conversation at the gate. Boongar would’ve once been hesitant to approach a setting like that, but over the year’s he’d gotten more accustomed to dealing with it.
Gishky saw Boongar, his presence stealing her from the conversation with Donkek. “Boon. How was your hunt?”
“I got some food,” Boongar said. He stopped at the gate, and looked at Donkek’s sour face. “Hi Donkek.”
“Boy,” he said, stepping away from the gate so Boongar could enter. Gishky opened it and Boongar walked inside, kissing her on her cheek. Donkek’s mouth puckered before he got rid of it. “So, are you joining the game tonight?”
Gishky turned to him. “Oh, yes.” She touched his hand. “I have to go start dinner—I’ll see you later.”
Donkek watched as Boongar and Gishky walked into the house, and deciding he wouldn’t be looking like a scavenger he quickly walked away from the gate.
Inside, Boongar laid the meat out on a tarp on the table, leaving it for Gishky to inspect as he took off his gear and shirt. Over the years with her new income, Gishky was able to make some adjustments to her living condition. The walls were torn down one by one, and the cottage was rebuilt with bricks. Now she and Boongar had separate sleeping spaces divided by a sheet of wood. A shelve was built that housed their equipment on one side of the room, with another across from it housing foods. However, they still needed money to buy a proper refrigerator, and also to install electricity inside the house. But progress was progress, no matter how slow it was.
As Gishky examined the meat she said, “This isn’t all of it, is it?”
Boongar took up a book and was reading it, “I gave the rest Ki’zap.”
Gishky felt a vein throb in her head, but she controlled it. It couldn’t be denied that Boongar was at the age where women would be on his mind, and the little female running around with her ass and tits out was bound to be too much for him to resist.
Gishky said, “So do you plan on giving her all of your kills?”
Boongar said, “Of course not. I told her I’ll see her in a few days, but I’m actually going hunting again tomorrow. I don’t want to tell her off though. She’s the only friend I have out here besides you.”
Gishky went over to the kitchen sink and washed the debris off the deer parts. “To think you two would progress from trying to kill each other in my yard to companions.”
Gishky’s remarks stirred Boongar’s memories of he and Ki’zap’s first encounter, and he smiled. The day their companionship began was when he was when he discovered her following him and he deliberately left behind pieces of his kill for her to scavenge, until ultimately, he confronted Ki’zap and the two decided to be friends.
Gishky watched Boongar as he lost himself in the book, and approached him and said, “Are you ready?”
Boongar knew the heavy tenor in her voice mean she was serious, and he lowered the book and looked at her. “I’ve always been…”
Gishky came and sat next to him and peered into the book. There was the image of an armored knight fighting off a mass of clawed tentacles rising out of a body of water. “You know, you can take up monster hunting as a career. There are plenty of people getting into the business nowadays.”
Boongar skipped to the page. “That comes later. I have to become champion of the arena first before I can consider that. The monsters I’m seeing here are really big.”
Gishky ruffled his hair. “Just remember this isn’t a game; that people die in that place.”
Boongar showed her his knife. “As long as this is still sharp, I’ll be fine.”
Gishky and Boongar arrived in the market the following day. They brought with them no food to sell besides what they needed for lunch. The rest of their load was weapons.
Gishky approached to the gate of the stadium with an uncertainty, something she never experienced during all her time coming here. Boongar, however, walk with vigor and a bright smile on his face, holstering the spear against his shoulder like a cadet marching with a rifle. Gishky informed the men of their desire to participate in the fights, and after a scrutinizing look at Boongar, they were directed to a gate around the back.
Here the entrance was much large. Gishky guessing to permit the massive monsters through and their handlers space to run. The entire area resembled a barn of iron posts and thick wooden walls, framed in metal. Three massive bulbs ran the entire length of the boney looking ceiling that stood seven meters off the ground. Boongar was saved the surprised of the monsters, smelling and hearing them from their metal cages. Boongar’s eyes caught the sight of faded brown stains on the scratched floor, imaging how many times the monsters had gotten away and caused havoc.
Gishky walked by a cage where she saw Akjah perched on a wooden crossbeam, leisurely munching on a piece of meat with feces in a pan in one corner and bones and water in another. On Boongar’s side he saw a ferran holding a torch to a snarling monster, keeping it at bay while another attendant filled its pail with fresh water.
Gishky saw Boongar hooked on the scenes, and said, “Are you afraid yet?”
Boongar said, “I’m not bleeding yet. So no.”
Gishky chuckled. “Since when did you start active so tough?”
“Being around you, did,” replied Boongar.
There was an avian ferran giving orders and taking down notes who the two approached. She looked at Gishky, then at Boongar, holding her gaze on him for a while before saying to his ferran friend. “Civilians aren’t allowed around here. Are you looking to register a monster?”
“Not a monster.” Gishky wrapped her arm around Boongar. “Unless you really don’t like humans.”
The woman gawked at Boongar, and turned to Gishky with a scowl. “Him? A boy?”
“I’m a very skilled hunter,” said Boongar.
“Have you ever killed a C-Class monster?” the woman asked bluntly.
“…Huh?” was Boongar’s reply.
The woman said, “I’m in charge of examining the monsters and determining their strength. That allows me to match monsters with similar levels of endurance and strength so they can put on a good fight.” She pointed at Boongar with her pen. “I don’t know where I can fit in a child in a place with these kinds of creatures.”
Gishky patted Boongar and he knowingly stepped back. Gishky crossed her arms and said, “Listen, I’m a regular here, so I know the monsters here aren’t any joke. I’m very aware that he can die in here, and he is too. There must be monsters here that he can match up with—what about wranglers and knuckdents? They’re about the same size as he is.”
The woman deliberated before saying, “And what about that human’s parents? Where are they in this?”
Gishky said, “He’s an orphan. I found him roaming the jungles. He’s been surviving on his own. He’s built for this.”
Boongar went along with it, hefting his spear. “This spear has killed many curayogs. A wrangler will be nothing to overcome.”
“Is that so?” The woman slowly nodded, then reached into her pocket for a card. She signed it and gave it to Gishky. “Go through that door and up the stairs. It will take you to the boss’ office.”
Gishky nodded at the woman. “Thank you—come Boongar.” Gishky made her way to a smaller door to the wall and opened it. They took a set of stairs to the second floors, and found a corridor with two doors. Reading the signs on each, Gishky chose the one and knocked on it.
“Who is it?” a gruff voice said.
“I’m a candidate,” said Gishky.
“…Come in.”
They opened the door to a lavish room; a fine sheep skin mat stood before a desk and numerous sculptures were on the table. Behind it was hairy man with horns counting money and binding each stack with rubber. Across from him was wide window permitting him a view of the arena. However, Gishky’s and Boongar’s more immediate concern was a curayog rising on its feet next to the man. It let out a snarl that filled the room.
Gishky stretched her arm before Boongar and kept him. “What the hell?”
“Sit!” the man said. He patted the hound and it ceased his intimidating display and laid on the floor.
The man put away his money and looked at Gishky and Boongar. “I just got a call from my attendant. I didn’t believe it when she said it—but here it is. A human trying to enter my arena.”
“So what’s it gonna be boss man?” Gishky said. “Will you let us enter?”
The man looked out the window, then at Boongar. The young warrior saw features resembling a hamster looking back at him, but Boongar didn’t lower his eyes, and stared back at the man with a smile.
The ferran got up and walked around the table. He approached them, slid his hand behind him and whipped it around. A knife flew from his fingers towards Boongar’s head, but the boy bent his head out of the way, letting it stick into the door.
Gishky quickly reached for her gun. “What the fuck was that?” she snapped.
The ferran smiled, and raised his hands. “Just checking his reflexes.”
The curayog rose, growling at Gishky. Boongar pointed his spear at the hound to keep it at bay.
“Down, boy!” the man said. The hound heeded its master’s order and returned to its seated position. The boss folded his arms, a gesture he had no more tricks up his sleeves. “You did good to dodge that knife, boy. You have the reflexes of a cat.”
“…Thanks,” said Boongar.
Gishky said, “Okay. You’ve had your fun. Now get to the matter at hand. Are we in or not?”
“Tell you both what,” he said. “We have a match coming up in a few minutes. We can have your fighter here take the place of one of the contestants.”
“R-Really?” said Gishky.
The boss pointed to the knife in the door. “I’m a man of action, sweetie. If you can perform for us in the arena then I’ll make you a regular. But just so you know, this is a death match. Don’t expect any compensation if he dies.”
Gishky knew that very well, but turned to Boongar to make sure he understood. The boy nodded back at her, and Gishky said, “Okay, we’re in.”
The boss smiled. “So it’s settled then.” He made his way back around the desk. “Go down to the operator. I’ll phone her of your agreement and she’ll set up the match.”
Gishky ushered Boongar outside and closed the door behind her. When they returned to the holding bay of the monsters, they saw the coordinator on the phone, nodding and agreeing with the orders being issues over the phone. She hung up the phone and told the other attendants to remain on standby.
She approached Gishky and said, “Three minutes until you’re up, boy?”
Boongar shed all unnecessary equipment, stripping down to just his armored vest, shorts, spear and knife. He said to the woman, “Are pocketbombs and spicedust allowed?”
“Not in a fight like this,” she said. “Your opponent just has teeth and claws. Nothing too complicated.”
Gishky turned to Brack and gave a him a slap.
The boy recoiled and touched his cheek. “Ow! What was that for?”
“Just getting your blood pumping,” Grishky said.
The microphone crackled and hissed, followed by someone’s voice saying, “Okay ladies and gentlemen, please return to your seats to see the next match.”
Boongar felt his heart racing and tried to get it under control. Much of his anxiety was due to having to perform in front of so many people. He would be dealing with a nearly a thousand ferrans looking at him; a crowd of noisy inhuman souls.
But Boongar couldn’t let it get to him, knowing it meant his end if he let them besmirch his fighting rhythm.
The announcer said, “For this match, we’ll be doing something different. Instead of a beast-on-beast brawl, we’ll have a beast-on-human match up.”
There was a pause within the audience, followed by surprised chatter and murmurs that buzzed around the stadium. The announcer continued, “Our first contestant, from the forest, a budding fighter. Boongar!”
The gates rose, and Boongar walked into the sunlight. His entry was met with minimal applause and more jeers of displeasure. Boongar drowned them out, looking at his surroundings at the blotches of damp dirt. The smell of blood still lingered in the air. Boongar felt something under his foot and shifted it, revealing a piece of bone sticking out. He looked back at Gishky, who gave him a thumbs up.
Boongar turned his attention to the other gate, when he heard the announcer say, “And now, our second contestant. A monster known for snatching the arms, legs and dicks of those who dare to tread its forests. A clawhopper!”
The other gate opened, and in the dark of its inside fire could be seen, the work of the attendants. And fleeing from the heat was Boongar’s opponent. The clawhopper had an anthropomorphic body encased in a green exoskeleton with a lightener chest and abdomen. Its legs were long, and the thighs and claves thick. It had two pairs of arms with the uppermost being bigger with a large, sharp claws on each. Its face was long, with its mouthparts moving incisively as if it was chewing the very scent of Boongar in the air, which was its new interest.
Boongar raised his spear. He’d interacted with prinjika before, but they weren’t mindless animals like his adversary. Predicating its movements would be tough. The clawhopper did a slight crouch and leaped, clearing almost seven meters. It startled Boongar and his feet shifted him back. The clawhopper was almost six feet tall, but crouch and licked its claws, trying to circle the boy. Boongar made a few feints with the insect, getting it to flinch a few times. Then Boongar stepped forward and thrusted. The clawhopper pulled its torso back, rebounding with a wide sweep of its right claws. Boongar made a startled sound as he felt the air before his face and retreated. The clawhopper lunged with another strike and Boongar swatted its hand away with the spear.
Now in the audience, Gishky’s foot tapped restlessly and her sweaty hands were folded into fists, watching with the nightmarish images of Boongar being ripped apart. But it was an image she fought to obscure. “Come on, Boon…”
Boongar and the clawhopper kept circling each other, probing with jabs and swing for on opening. Boongar realized the creatures wasn’t so stupid, and might have even fought a human before. Then Boongar realized that he was the one with the reach advantage, and jabbed until he poked the creature on its arm. The clawhopper made a high-pitched snarl and skipped around. It struck, but Boongar blocked with his spear. Confident now he knew the speed of the clawhopper, Boongar lunged. And just then the clawhopper’s leg extended with lightning speed, pasting Boongar in the chest and plopping him onto his bottom. Boongar quickly got up, staggering away as the clawhopper ran in. Cheers grew for the monster to finish Boongar off, and the human franticly swung the spear to fend off the monster. Boongar saw the clawhopper lunged with its claws and stabbed with the spear, only for the clawhopper to grab it.
The crowd cheered, but Gishky sat up with a stifled breath. Boongar tugged for the spear, realizing too late he was close to the clawhopper, and the monster struck with its powerful leg once more, ripping in Boongar’s vest and opening his flesh. Boongar winced and backpaddled before losing his balance and falling. The clawhopper pounced. Boongar grabbed its arms to keep it wrists at bay. The clawhopper bit into his shoulder, its mouthparts going to work.
Gishky got up out of the noisy crowd, making her way to the erected fence. It was an easy climb, and with a well-placed shot she could kill the clawhopper. She knew it would result in her being permanently banned, but she rather had Boongar confined to just hunting and heavy lifting around her house than dead.
However, Boongar had other plans for his future, and secured it with a solid chomped onto the clawhopper’s large, vulnerable eye. Boongar sank his teeth in and viscous, salty fluids splurged into his mouth. The clawhopper relinquished its hold on him, reeled and shrieked. The crowd became confused until they saw the creature staggering around holding a hand to its eye.
Gishky stopped, took her hand off the gun and peered through the fence.
Boongar got up and ran for the spear, just as the clawhopper looked round for him, angling its head awkwardly with its one working eye. Boongar whacked it across the head and the clawhopper spun and fell. Boongar, feeling the sting in his scratched and bitten muscles, ran over to the monster, leaped, and plunged the spear into its back, right into its heart. The clawhopper made a stiff, slow movements before it gave into the embrace of death.
Boongar, breathing heavily, crouched and supported himself with the spear, only to flinch upon hearing the microphone; “And with a surprising turn of events, the victor of this match in the young warrior, Boongar!”
There was a slow, rising cheer from the crowd. Gishky leaped onto the fence, shaking it. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
Boongar stood, looking for where Gishky would’ve been sitting. He found the woman going on inside on the fence, and raised the spear above his head.
At the end of the battle, Boongar was given immediate medical attention in a makeshift infirmary where his wounds were disinfected and bandaged. Upon his and Gishky’s return outside, the boss was there to meet them. Gishky took her payment, seven thousand galasi, and Gishky thanked the man and took ger leave with Boongar.
It was midday as they walked back into the market. Much of the damage Boongar received was on his torso, which was hidden under his shirt. Gishky did a slow pace to match Boongar, however she had on a huge smile on her face.
Boongar said, “Hey Gishky, seeing as how I did the fighting, don’t I get a bigger share?”
Gishky said, “Actually, Boongar, I was the one who had to organize this and make it possible. So it’s going to be split fifty-fifty. Still, I would like to put a portion of it to renovating the house.”
Boongar pouted. “Use yours, I want mine for other stuff.”
They were walking through the market now, where the crowd was thinning as the end of the day approached. Gishky said, “What would you do with money?”
Boongar said, “Like you said, I will soon have to go alone. I will need the money for my journey.”
Gishky frowned. Little shit, she thought. I shouldn’t have been so honest—or had you reading books. Gishky said, “Okay. Fifty-fifty is it. Just make sure you can fight whenever the time comes.”
Boongar laughed, satisfied his bargain was met. “Yes. I will always be ready to fight.”
The pair boarded a small truck that brought them back to the entrance of the forest. Upon returning home Gishky immediately started the stove and put the food they made earlier to warm, while Boongar took off his clothes and counted his share of the money. As he did, Gishky came and sat next to him. “Don’t go spending all that money on trash now…”
Boongar said, “I’m going to buy better equipment for my hunting trips. I might need different weapons. Fighting monsters with just a spear isn’t going to work, especially the skinning one’s who’re a smaller target. Hmmm…” Boongar thoughtfully rubbed his chin.
Gishky felt a trigger go off in her head. For Boongar to have realized so quickly the utility of different weapons, at his age, it was something to be acknowledged. Gishky said, “Your spear might need a larger head. Like a halberd.”
Boongar turned to her with a smile. “You’re right. I’ll need to test different monsters and animals and see how their fighting tactics are. Oh! That means I’ll need a bigger note book.”
Maybe he really will improve for the next fight, Gishky thought. She got up and said, “Well, I’m going to let the others know about our victory. Who knows, maybe someone might hire you to kill monsters for them.”
“Okay,” said Boongar.
Gishky went outside and took a bath, returning minutes later with the towel draped up to her breasts. She got dressed in her room, stepping out in a flamboyant dress. She left the house, and Boongar got up and looked through the window to make sure she was down the street. Once she was far enough, Boongar got naked and went outside. He walked around the yard, only hearing the night critters about. He took a bath as best as he could, trying not to upset his injuries. He listened out to hear if Ki’zap would be out tonight, be he got no hint of her.
When he was finished, Boongar went inside and proceeded to his task. Still fearing her wrath, Boongar went to the windows to see if Gishky was still around. His paranoia finally at ease, Boongar went into Gishky’s room and searched her clothes basket. They had a light musty smell, which Boongar didn’t all too mind. He found one of her underwear, stained in sweat, and carried it back to his room. While Gishky could use her images and imagination, Boongar needed a more substantial fuel in order to masturbate. Lying naked, Boongar put her panties to his nose and inhaled the scent while he stroked himself to an erecting. As he filled his lungs with her smell, Boongar imaged himself and Ki’zap having a wonderful time together; her riding him while he thrusted into her. Reaching his climax, Boongar’s body stiffened and he blew his seed into the air. It splashed onto his chest, and Boongar slightly shuddered from the warm wetness. He hadn’t gotten quite use to it yet.
Boongar laid in the bed and relaxed for a while after wiping himself off. The thoughts of Ki’zap’s ass leaving his mind, Boongar focused on other important matters. He was officially apart of the battle arena, required to fight against a whole slew of monsters. But after narrowly escape death from a scrawny clawhopper, he wondered what his fate would be against stronger beasts. The boss made it clear that the stronger the monsters he fought, the more money he could make. But even something like the flaybeast would be too much for Boongar at his current skillset.
But when Gishky returned the two had a brief conversation about the next match, deciding to give Boongar a week of rest before he tried another match. But Boongar didn’t plan on staying inside the whole time doing nothing. His first life-and-death match brought an animalistic urge for action out in him, and the next morning Boongar, after sweeping t