Hunter was happy. Their stomach was full. They attained Level 2, and with it a second skill point. They had another four biomass to use. They learned. There wasn't much biomass left once Hunter and the two kin finished eating, but there was some. They carried it home together, held in claws, traveling away from the wet air near water. This water was important. Why was not known. The why needed to be learned.

After Hunter presented biomass to the Noble, and was again commanded to hunt and return with more, it was time to think on skills and body enhancements.

Eyes and claws would be brought to +1. That part of the thinking was easy. They could improve for one biomass, while other upgrades would cost two. There would be two biomass left then, with all body parts at +1. Which should be improved to +2? This part of the thinking was very hard. Three kin became biomass during the first two hunts. This was fine, but for Hunter to become biomass would be bad, bad, bad. Bad. Exoskeleton and antennae enhancements would both help to not become biomass. Good. But one did not kill with exoskeleton or antennae. Bad. Stinger kills, and is thus good. But does it help one not die? After intense thought, Hunter decided that it did. If their stinger killed prey faster, then prey would turn to biomass and could not bite them into two parts, or crush their head or body segments. Biomass could do none of those things. The decision was made.

Next Hunter thought on skills. Piercing Snap was not the one, because a stinger kills better than claws do. Stealth, Tail Strike, and Dodge all seemed good though. All would help to kill as well as to not die. Which to choose? Hunter remembered the emerald monitor. It had been injured, and was still more powerful than any one of the kin, even the strong one. There could be monsters more dangerous than a healthy emerald monitor. There probably were. Above was very large. It would be best not to fight such things at all. Then there was what Hunter had learned on good and bad ways to kill. It was bad to try to claw or sting the front of a monster that bit. But if the biting monster knew where one was, they would turn their bodies so that it was hard to claw or sting in a better place, such as in the side where a leg met body. If prey did not know one was there, things would be easier. Stealth then.

Spend skill points.

Hunter confirmed the decision, and was again gripped with ecstasy as their body parts were reshaped and empowered and new knowledge filled their mind. And again, it was over much too quickly. That feeling was even better than killing or eating. And both of those were very, very good.

Better eyesight was interesting. Eyes tracked more quickly now, and could pick out finer detail. Hunter still didn't think highly of eyes compared to antennae or Tomosvary organs, but perhaps with enough biomass invested they could be made more useful. It would be interesting to find out.

On the other leg, strengthened claws were good. Somehow they made all of Hunter feel stronger and more capable. One kin had used claws to grab hold of the underside of a cricket that was prey. In this position, the cricket's strong bite could not reach them to hurt. Strong claws could also cut biomass faster and carry more of it. They could do many things. That was still not as important as the one thing a stinger did, but claws still felt quite worthwhile. It would be good to strengthen them further.

Hunter's improved antennae, upgraded after the first hunt, informed them that the strong kin was near and moving quickly. It was good to hunt with the strong kin, because that one killed well. The young monster had just painstakingly established that turning prey to biomass more quickly made a hunt safer, and was pleased to be able to apply that conclusion again so soon. They rushed to join the hunt. This time Hunter was one of eight who followed the strong one out and above.

It set a fast pace as it lead them all through the fungal forest, unlike the first hunt where it had moved more deliberately and taken time to scent carefully for prey. Soon the taste of biomass wafted through the air to Hunter's antennae. Hunger and excitement filled their heart. Then the air carried a taste that was both prey and danger. Moments later, the biomass and the prey that was danger came into view. There were two types of biomass. One type of prey, who were five, ate it. Much of the biomass had been kin. The rest had been of the same type as the prey. Those had bodies round like a mushroom cap, with gray fur, strong back legs that ended in a hard blunt claw, long sharp teeth, and baleful red eyes that lifted up from the biomass and stared at Hunter and the kin. The taste in the air of two prey said they were injured.

Prey attacked.

Kin attacked.

Hunter hid and watched.

[Survival Instinct has reached level 2]

Strong kin used the same technique they had against the monitor. They dodged a bite, then snapped prey's throat with claws. This time they grabbed hold of prey's body with all of their legs and stung. Prey kicked at them, but was not in the right position, and their blunt claw glanced off dark exoskeleton. That part of the hunt was good. One of the prey could not move their left back leg, and had not reached the fight yet. That too was good. Two kin who were not as quick as the strong one had tried the same method and become biomass. Bad. But kin who still lived had all grabbed tight hold on the bodies of prey, who kicked and bit as kin clawed and stung. Hunter was very sure it was bad to get bitten by this prey. It was not good to get kicked, but much worse to be bitten.

Hunter decided to sprint in and sting the prey fighting strong kin in its back part. This would be wrong if it could kick, but prey's legs were tangled up with and grabbed by kin's.

[Sting has reached level 4]

It would be good if that prey finished dying so the strong one could help the other kin. But the injured prey was almost to the fight, and if it bit kin who were grabbing hold of other prey with all their legs, that would be bad. The injured one seemed unable to move fast, but no sense said their mouth or sharp teeth were damaged. Hunter moved toward it with caution, tested how quickly it could bite at them from a moderate distance. It tried, but was clumsy with only one back leg that worked, and stumbled. Hunter sprinted forward and stung where the mushroom body met the strong leg. Then they sprinted a short distance away and watched. Venom worked quickly, and neither of prey's back legs moved right.

Hunter stung again, then left prey that could not move in order to help kin.

[You have defeated a level 2 Dens Sanguinem Leporis]

[You have gained experience]

Good. It was best now to go back and take a bite of the biomass that had been prey, because that was a way to learn about the prey that was not biomass yet.

[You have consumed a new source of Biomass, Dens Sanguinem Leporis. One Biomass awarded]

[Basic Profile of Dens Sanguinem Leporis unlocked]

[Dens Sanguinem Leporis, Blood Tooth Rabbit. This monster is known for its affinity to shadow and powerful fangs capable of draining health from the victims of its bites]

[You have gained one Biomass]

Good. Also good things to learn. Hunter was right; it was bad to let one of these bite.

The closest prey smelled hurt, but so did the two kin fighting it. The air's taste said all of prey and most of kin were injured. This was a hard hunt. This prey's legs still worked. There was need to be quite careful. Hunter was. With prey weak and busy hurting kin, they crept up from behind and to one side, then stung.

[Stealth has reached level 2]

Prey kicked hard in retaliation. Hunter dodged, but was not fast enough to avoid the blow fully. Exoskeleton cracked, and they knew pain. Pain was bad. They retreated a safe distance back and checked their status to evaluate the damage.

[HP 29/35]

All of their body parts still worked, but instinct insisted that they not allow further damage where their exoskeleton was cracked.

Hunter knew anger. Instinct said to stay careful, but it was very hard to listen. It felt almost as if their Noble commanded them to kill the prey who hurt them. They fought anger. It was hard, like it was to fight prey, but in a different way.

[Survival Instinct has reached level 3]

That made it easier to fight anger. Hunter thought. Anger would make them fight worse against that prey, because they could not think right about how to fight that one. So they would sting other prey.

Strong one was done killing their first prey, and soon the next prey they fought would become biomass too. It smelled badly hurt by venom. Two more kin had died, and the taste in the air of so much biomass made Hunter very hungry. Hungry and angry was an interesting way to feel.

The last prey, who was not the one strong kin fought or the one who hurt Hunter, was almost biomass, but so were the two kin killing it. Since those kin would die, it would be bad for experience from the kill to be wasted on them. Hunter sprinted over and stung, then stung again.

[You have defeated a level 1 Blood Tooth Rabbit]

[You have gained experience]

[You have achieved level 3, one skill pointed awarded]

Two more kin and one more prey became biomass, and now only the prey who hurt Hunter was. Strong one and the last other kin who lived fought it.

Anger said to join that fight.

Instinct said it was better to eat biomass. Their venom gland was empty and they hurt.

Hunter listened to instinct.