Spirit Taming

Chapter 423: Unique Prey

While the frozen forest had begun to appear quieter and quieter by the second, the group kept their movements up. Brad was at the ready to block anything he could if it charged out of the growing shadows. This was good since Isa was starting to move much more carefully as well. She and her winter witch could sense the changes in the forest as the night approached.

What caught Clark even more was that he was sure that things would not be this easy. The changes in the forest were much more clear than what he had accepted. He didn't even see or hear the small ice type birds that would be moving around as much as they would through the trees. This just proved that the night would be more dangerous than he thought.

The others also acted more carefully. Everyone had the feeling that something could jump out at any time. Not that they knew what could hop out and attack them. It was just the instinctual feeling that anyone would have. The slight prickle on the spine as the hairs were pushed up by a shiver.

Things didn't help when it came to the cold either. As the sun started to set, the cold was growing more and more. It was a slow and calm change. Nature was like that. Instead of the vicious winds and cold of a storm, the night was a slow and creeping increase in cold. Temperature that would eat away at someone causing frostbite and numbness.

Realizing this was the first step in keeping themselves safe. As Maria noticed that she could feel the tips of her fingers tingling, she started to pass out the extra clothing she had. Adding layers to themselves would keep them safer. She had mostly held the extra sets of clothing since she might be able to use it while healing. That would be the replacement for damaged clothing items during battle.

Now it proved just as useful.

'Quest- cold in the night

Requirement: the beasts in the night have picked up your scent. Survive the pursuit of any beasts that might want to attack you and the powerful ice type beast in your group.

Reward: 1 item gotcha ticket'

The quest was enough for Clark to halt their movements and the entire group to wonder what was going on. "We have something tracking us. I think I heard something." Clark could lie his way out of his sudden stop but it was the best way for him to give everyone the same warning that the system quest had given him.

"That doesn't fill me with any sort of happy feelings." Ralph cracked his knuckles before pulling out his second one handed ax. He was sure that he would need it if he had to battle. Especially if they were being hunted by something.

"What do you think might be following?" Ella wanted more information but she saw that Calkr did not have it. Therefore, she changed her approach. "We should increase the pace and ensure that we have prepared coverage.

Isa should fuse with her flame sprite to cause a large bright light of fire if needed." This was a very wise plan since they could blind a predator that preferred the darkness of the night.

"I have some of the best vision so let me take the lead. If things get tough I can handle whatever comes at us while you all attack or retreat." Clark's statement was very true. Because of his bonds with Devi, Shy, and Crim, he had the best night vision. The shadow energy was made to be part of darkness in a way.

Just that influence alone was enough to help Calkr train his night vision without even thinking about it.

"That's fine but we should stay closer together. And Jerold should run invisibly.'' Maria countered Clark and they all started moving. Just as they did though, the slight crack of a stick behind them was enough to prove that Calkr had actually heard something. It in turn, made Clark wonder what the system might be warning him of. But he couldn't spot anything.

That was the most worrying. He couldn't see a single thing at all. There wasn't any proof that a beast was there. No matter where he looked, Clark could only make out the trees and the ice and snow. Small piles that had fallen around the trees and trail. This wasn't a good sign.

It meant the beast was hiding very well, could camouflage and remain hidden from his sight, or was still far away and the sound of its quiet movement was still very loud. All worrying.

"We should start to push ahead faster." Grace called to her frost finch to use its wind elemental energy. The small burst of air around them did not help with the cold. However, the sudden feeling of lightness that they all had shocked the group for a moment. They had not expected that this was possible. "I was trying things earlier when I was tired.

My first finch can make me move faster to keep up with you all. So why can't it help you?"

The minor halt in their movement was just due to their surprise. None of them, including Clark and his analysis, had expected that Grace and her beast could boost them like this. The wind boost was an amazing buff to discover without even realizing how great it was. Furthermore, this sped up the movement toward their goal which made Ella even more dedicated to pushing ahead.

Since this was the case, Grace ignored the slightly higher energy cost of this boost and let her frost finch rest on her shoulder to help maintain their pace. It was the most useful she had felt in some time since she believed she was watching everyone else get further ahead of them.

Unsurprisingly, the moment that the group began to speed up was the moment that they started to hear more of a ruckus behind them. The sudden fleeing of prey would make any predator forget their sneaky stalking approach. Instead, they would normally make a large move. But this was because it was a singular predator.

It also caused Clark to glance behind and get a good look at a shadowy figure. He was able to get the system to analyze it right then and there showing him exactly what was hunting them. Exactly what was after the ice witch and the their group as a whole.

' winter puma- rare

A relative of the frozen mane lion, the winter puma is a cat like beast that hunts through the frozen forest specifically. They will often sleep for weeks at a time and emerge to hunt large powerful prey. They will specifically hunt unique ice type beasts that can nourish it and allow it to grow powerful enough to have children or to find a powerful mate.

They will hunt in silence due to the snow walk skill and be able to see at night very well since they prefer to hunt during the coldest hours of the day. They have powerful jaws that are enhanced by tougher ice.

The winter puma will become more active the more it can feel the unique ice energy of prey. When it makes the decision to hunt something it can spend weeks chasing it. Normally, the winter puma can only be scared away due to other more powerful beasts or for it to be led in to another territory that it has not explored. They will rarely risk themselves entering unknown lands.'

None of what Clark read made him feel good. He understood that this was a powerful beast that fed on the particular ice energy that a winter witch might have. It was also related somewhat in the fact that it had winter in its name. Clark had a feeling that this just spoke to the strength of the ice typing it had. Not just that, but he could feel his instincts yelling at him to avoid this beast.

The further warnings from Devi, Crim, and Shy that a powerful beast was around made him understand the level of strength he was dealing with. Devi knew that his bite couldn't break through the winter puma's skin. Crim had already taken the armored form to protect Clark, and Shy was holding on to his shoulder while making sure to have a few shadow threads at the ready.

Even if she couldn't harm the beast attacking them.

"Let's go!" Isa gave a shout and snapped them out of their slightly slowed pace. The group could move fairly fast. Even with the winter puma's speed, it was larger and slower compared to their smaller and more agile bodies. They were also following a human made path. This was not the normal terrain the winter puma traveled. It usually hunted sneakily for a reason.

Professor Wright watched as this unfolded. She kept her assassin beetle at the ready but keep her distance. This was the lesson she wanted them to learn. The lesson she was letting the children she guarded understand about the wilderness. Not that she expected them to react in this way. They were much calmer than she had imagined.