Chapter 14: Looking For Small Prey And Finding Big Prey Instead
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At last! Time to hunt.
I really could not deny that I was rather nervous.
I have not walked out of the cave other than a few meters to grab some grass, so I have become rather accustomed to my little cave home.
I guess my shut-in nature was kicking in there, even in my previous life I really didn't like to go out that much.
Well, and when I finally went out after a month of staying at home, I was buried in an avalanche.
Maybe I was right all along? I should have stayed in my home!
Ugh.
Well, that is the past.
I may come back here whenever I get some food, so I am not saying farewell or something.
Alright, time to get going.
I slowly walk out of the cave, my paws gently touch the snow, as I begin to stealthily walk around.
By using Camouflage (which costs 1 Mana every minute), I can camouflage in the snow a bit, but I am sure that a monster with enough perception (such as a freaking wolf) might detect me anyways, so I have to be extra cautious.
My Mana regeneration is pretty good, I regenerate 10 Mana every minute, so I can keep up the camouflage skill indefinitely, but it is not like I become completely invisible through it, it only gives me a slight help in being less discernible while walking through snow.
I make sure to lower my head and thank the gods that I am small, so it is even harder to see my figure.
After a few minutes of sniffing around and trying to find something, I reach the pine tree forest.
This place…
I really do not want to get in.
I am sure as hell that there are wolves here and bears too, I hear both of these creatures roar through the days I spent in the cave.
If I meet one… I do not know what can happen, I am not sure of the power of a wolf nor a bear, but I am sure that I could escape (or maybe win) against one wolf, but not against a pack of them.
And a bear… no, I am definitely dead, I would have to escape for my life with everything I have.
Maybe I should surround it instead.
…Yes, this is safer.
I begin to walk around the forest, but it seems that I will not be able to surround it so easily, it's a giant forest, surrounded by the peaks of these enormous mountains.
I think I was born in the biggest one there, and from a cliff is where I fell here.
To cross this "hole" as I call it, I have to either surround the forest (which will take way longer) or cross it directly (where I risk my life a lot).
Both options are bad, but I prefer the one where I could die out of starvation than dying by being eaten alive, thank you very much.
…Well, it is not as if I am completely safe by surrounding the forest and walking around it.
The forest seems to be surrounded by the mountains, so it is enclosed with three natural walls.
I was in the cave at the back of the forest, and now I am walking to the left, surrounding this giant forest.
The snow is fluffy, and it barely makes a sound when I touch it, also, it seems that due to being quite light, I do not leave any footprint, which is good.
I use my senses which I enhance a tiny bit with Mana, as I begin to sniff around.
Only the smell of the pine trees and grass, which I munch around as I go.
At least, this can give me some calories, but it is almost nothing, I need a sizable and meaty (if possible) meal.
But this grass is also incredibly bitter, ugh.
Well, whatever.
Hm?
Suddenly, I sense the smell of something.
Something kind of stinky, like the fur of a wild animal.
A rabbit, maybe?
Or a rat?
I quickly move my head upwards, as I begin to analyze everywhere.
Hmm I see…
Eh?!
I quickly find between the trees I have been evading that a wounded Ice Rabbit is running away while being chased by a Wolf!
An Ice Wolf, to be specific.
This thing is… huge.
Well, I think it has the same size as an adult wolf on Earth.
Maybe a bit bigger.
It is fur is completely blue, and it has two ice horns poking out of its head.
I also had long, sabretooth-like fangs made of ice poking out of its upper jaw.
It is eyes are aquamarine, and it seems concentrated on hunting this rabbit.
I quickly Analyze it while it runs away.
…
Name: Nameless.
Race: Ice Wolf (Female)
Mana Core Cultivation: Rank 1 (Initial Stage).
Status: Tired, Hungry.
Average Estimated Vitality: 131/152
Average Estimated Mana: 32/50
Average Estimated Strength: 74
Average Estimated Dexterity: 62
Average Estimated Magic: 22
Abilities:
[Pounce]
[Slash]
[Strong Bite]
[Ice Wind]
…
Even though this world does not have a System, I can see the information of anything within my sight as if it were a game character.
This way, I can easily estimate how strong they are compared to me.
This one is a female wolf.
It seems tired, to the point that her HP had decreased by running so much, and she seems to be using her Mana too to enhance her speed.
I glance at the rabbit stats and it does not seem to be as tired, as it is not Hungry.
She seems to also be able to use Icy Winds as some sort of magic, but her magic stats and mana are very low.
Should I try to attack her while she is hunting and get two meals?
I silently move in their direction, entering the pine tree forest.
Suddenly, the wolf manages to catch the rabbit, biting its neck and crushing it with enormous strength.
It does not begin to immediately eat it, and it sits in the snow gasping for air.
Ugh, maybe she is a mother and hunted for her cubs?
Now I do not know if I should kill her…
What if those cubs…
No, no, no.
I cannot put myself in the place of a monster.
Even though I am a monster too…
I have to survive.
I am hungry too, I might die if I do not eat in the next hours.
I cannot… think of her as someone I should pity.
In the wild, it is either eating or being eaten.
I know it but…
Ngh.
I gnash my teeth as I approach her, she seems to not notice me yet due to being so tired.
There is the chance…
I enhance my entire body with mana and jump towards her back, aiming at her neck with my jaws!
The wolf notices me and evades.
However, surprise, surprise!
Ice Knife!
I quickly conjure three Ice Knives right in front of the startled wolf, as the knives quickly cut through her flesh, her neck, back, and even her left eye!
"AWOOOO…!"
The beast roars in pain, I will not give it a break!
I quickly generate more Knives, showering the wolf with them!
"Graaawwr!"
The beast enraged pounces towards me while taking all the attacks!
I cannot move, I have to concentrate and conjure more attacks!
I have to kill her before she reaches me, but she is taking all these knives like nothing!
What?!
However, just a few seconds before biting my head, she stops and falls…
Phew…
The damage is too much and the blood loss as well, she died almost instantly.
…Sorry, but I have to survive as well.
Without wasting any other minute, I devour the Rabbit in a few minutes and then carry the wolf with my jaw.
Ugh, it is very heavy.
I spent a shitload of Mana too, I am almost completely emptied of it, I cannot fight any longer, I have to retreat back to the cave, quickly!
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