Rise of the Last Dragon Rider - Chapter 028 - Hunting griffons (Patreon)

They camped near some trees away from the dwarven border, and Kaen found himself eating another meal of dried meat.  He was tired from a long day in the air, and even though Pammon had offered to find food for him, it was far easier just to chew what was on hand and rest.  Tomorrow was a big day.  He had an idea of where to look for their prey, but they would still have to fly and search through a lot of the mountain areas and hope to get lucky.  If they traveled the wrong way, they would have to backtrack and search again.  There was also no guarantee they would be flying today.

Herb had mentioned that in their studies of griffons, they sometimes stayed in caves for weeks at a time.

Quit being so depressing.  You are making me not enjoy my dinner.

Kaen chuckled even though no one was around to hear him.

I’m sorry, but I feel like time is running short.  Seeing what the dwarves have done really upsets me.  I dreamed of being an adventurer all my life, and now I see that kingdoms are petty.  Men, dwarves, elves, it doesn’t matter.  They all seem to only care for themselves and are willing to allow others to suffer.

He felt Pammon grumble as he swallowed whatever it was he had caught.

Listen, we are the same way.  You will protect me first and then those closest to you.  If need be, you would sacrifice others to save Hess, Callie, and Suldenda, right?

Well, yeah, of course, I would, their family.

And every other group looks at it the same way.  They will sacrifice friends to save their families.  How much easier is it to sacrifice another kingdom?  We haven’t even talked about those who desire power over anything else.  You saw firsthand what Havannath was willing to do.  Why do you still doubt it?

Frustrated, Kaen tossed a rock into the woods, listening to it bounce a few times.

It’s… it’s just hard to sit back and watch others suffer.  You know how I am.

I do, which is what I find most frustrating and admirable about you.  You care because of how you were hurt.  I care because of what I was given.  Together, we can only do so much.  Stop worrying about what you cannot do now and focus on what you can.

Taking a few deep breaths, Kaen let them out slowly.

Is it too late to ask for you to bring me something fresh to eat?

He felt the laughter from Pammon and the joy of that request.

I’ll gladly find something for the both of us to share.

The next morning, they went east, avoiding the main area of the dwarven kingdom, and flew over the multi-colored mountains that were their domain.  Some mountains were higher than the ones that surrounded Ebonmount, never escaping clouds and having snow on them year round.  Frosted peaks could be seen, and the dark rocks that promised ore and metal ran for miles upon miles in every direction.

The map he had was worthless at this point.  Everything they crossed and covered were new areas.  The moisture in the air required him to keep things sealed up tight, and now both of them were fully armed and prepared for battle.  His new shield was equipped, and his bow was on his back.  Every piece of equipment he owned was worn, as he had no clue what these creatures they would face would be like.

Simple Status Check

*****

Kaen Marshell - Adolescent

Age - 19

HP - 1225/1225 (25%)

MP - 400/400 (25%)

STR - 40 (25%)+8

CON - 41 (25%)+13

DEX - 44 (25%)+36

INT - 31 (25%)+6

WIS - 26 (25%)+6

Blessings:

Dragonbound Complete - 25% current bonus to all stats

Dragon Shield - +5 to All Stats

Hunters Tunic - + 3 to Str / Con / Dex

Blessed Vambrace - + 1 to Dex / Int

Blessed Vambrace - + 1 to Dex / Wis

Bonded Bow of Archer - + 5 to dex + 3 to archery *Locked*

King’s Belt - +2 Dex

Eagle Pendant - +2 to Dex

Blood Ring - + 5 to Con

Silver Ring - +1 Dex

Dexterity Ring - +2 Dex

Dexterity Ring - +2 Dex

Dexterity Ring - +2 Dex

Dexterity Ring - +2 Dex

Dexterity Ring - +2 Dex

Dexterity Ring - +2 Dex

*****

Kaen marveled at the realization he had an eighty in his dexterity.  He was well beyond what he and Hess had considered possible, but there had been no major change since he hit sixty.  Perhaps one could only push so far with items before they lost the advantage they gave.  Maybe he could test some things out with Hess or someone else he might be able to trust with his items.

Stop comparing numbers and focus! Pammon snapped as they flew over another mountain range. This is the third zig zag we have done, and nothing has been spotted in the area they said it might be.

Do you think we are too high?  Perhaps we need to fly along the mountains so they see you as a threat and attack.

Why don’t we tie a rope around you and dangle you underneath me?  Perhaps then they will think you are a treat I am delivering.

Chuckling, Kaen ignored the joke as Pammon began to fly lower toward the cliffs.  They had seen a few caves, but nothing flew out, and no creatures wanted to risk getting pursued by Pammon.  He had found no real game besides the occasional mountain goat or even a rare mountain leopard.

Hours passed, and boredom took hold as they continued crossing miles and miles of rocks and cliffs, trying to find something that was believed to be there.

Halfway through the day, they stopped and took a break on one of the mountain peaks that was not covered in snow.  The rocks they sat on had been pounded by rain, wind, and ice, leaving no shrubs on their surface.

Using Pammon as a windbreak, Kaen glanced at his map.

He was scanning the area they had traversed while Pammon was keeping watch around them.

“I have no clue where we should look,”  Kaen informed Pammon as he glanced out over the landscape.

Herb’s information hasn’t turned anything up yet, and there was so much mountain area to cover.  It could take weeks to search all of it.

“How about if you handle the searching?  Where would you live if you were a giant griffon that ate animals and people dumb enough to enter your domain?”

Pammon thrummed as he glanced down at Kaen and back over the area they had covered.

If I am honest, I think Herb and his information is wrong.  There is nothing to eat here.  The small goats are not worth the time as they are scrawny.  How old was that information he was using?

Pulling out a stack of papers that Herb had given him, Kaen began scanning them.

Groaning Kaen found the date and realized that the information was over a hundred years old in regards to where they were believed to live.  It had been ten years since the last sighting.

“So yeah, none of this information is going to help us.  Other than there have been griffons, where they are, who knows.”

Pammon sniffed the air, then looked to the south momentarily.

Climb on, and let me see if I’m the better hunter.

Laughing, Kaen shrugged as he put the papers back in their tube and slid them into his pack.

Lead on, oh mighty hunter.

Pammon had been flying low along the first ridge of the mountains between the woods and the massive cliffs for a solid hour, taking his time and letting the current help him as he glided as much as possible.

Kaen continued marking his map as he watched Pammon scout their area.  It was at least a half day of flying from where he had originally been told they would be.

What are you looking for?

Think like a predator.  If you are a flyer and want food but also to stay near your home, you need somewhere that animals are going to be.  There is no water, no real habitat for game.  I have seen very few deer or even hogs out here.  I cannot see a creature you described living near here.  Perhaps before the dwarves did what they did to the land near their home, there was game to keep them here.  Now… they have had to move elsewhere if they are still alive.

Glancing at the forest below them and how it looked, Kaen realized Pammon was right.  There would be no way for Pammon to survive out here without moving constantly.  They would need a place where a creature they were hunting could thrive.

So lead on.  I’m glad you figured it out; otherwise, we would still be searching the mountains.

Pammon thrummed as he gained a little bit more altitude and kept going east.

Trees and rocks passed beneath them, winding like a snake for countless miles.  Pammon occasionally would circle slowly over an area before continuing his path to the east.

We are getting closer, I think, to a possibility.  There has been more game, and that stream that was south of here has been winding in the same direction for a while.  There might be something coming from the mountain ahead that feeds into it.

The sun was beginning to set by the time Pammon reached a spring that was coming out of the mountain they had been following.  Up ahead, a small oasis sprung up with a small lake that branched out and turned into streams of water leading south from its base.

This is where we will need to hunt.  If I were one of them, I would call this place home, but not on this side of the mountain.  That would be a bit pretentious.

Do you think they are that smart?

Pammon didn’t speak for a moment as he beat his wings and gained more altitude, rising higher in the sky.

Maybe, but they wouldn’t be stupid either.  I’m not sure how intelligent they are, but if they have survived for all this time, they understand the nature of…

Pammon suddenly dropped both wings and dove straight to the ground, sending Kaen’s pencil he had been holding up into the air.  He found himself pressed against Pammon’s back, and before he could cry out why Pammon had done that, he saw reason.

We are in trouble! Fire at them!

Fighting the force of the decent, Kaen used all the strength he had in his core and leaned forward as Pammon twisted and weaved.

Four griffons, each a quarter the size of Pammon, were behind them by only about forty yards, coming at them from different angles.  They had obviously approached from behind and higher in the sky, using the setting sun to hunt the very creature that did not expect to be hunted.

Finding his bow, Kaen pulled it to his hand and reached for one of the arrows in the special quiver Elies had shown him.  They were held tight, compressed in with padding to keep them from falling out accidentally

You need to get them off my tail before we reach the ground, or things will go bad!

Kaen knew what Pammon was talking about.  Elies and Tharnok had shown them this maneuver, and being under the attacker put them in a world of hurt, especially against four attackers.

Kaen drew back the arrow and let one go, surprised when the griffon he had shot at spun mid-air and dodged it with ease, not losing the distance it had on him.

Twenty seconds tops!

Pulling two arrows, Kaen cursed and called on his lifestone, surprised that it took so long when he needed it to answer his request the most.

[ Twin Shot Activated ]

Two arrows sped toward their target, both at the one above them.

“Hairy dwarf…”

Now! We don’t have time!

Kaen felt the fear and frustration in Pammon’s call for help.  It had never been this bad before.

He only had one thing he could think of left to try.