Spirit Taming

Chapter 548: Odd Scene

The terrain changing from the rockier terrain that was all around Terra city due to the mountains was not as big of a deal as anyone expected. That was because the group had traveled this area before. But now, they had pushed past the trails that they used when running with Professor Wright.

This slight change would have been small to anyone else, however, the group had begun to notice many different things about it. Specifically Isa, since she was the more familiar with the mercantile trails used.

"You can see that there are some markings here from a few weeks ago. The rain broke up the cart tracks and the foot prints have become just slightly wavy hills. Nothing has come along to disturb it again. Just some small cloud finch landing spots where they might have eaten a bug or a plant seed." This was Jerold's examination that he shared with the group.

The main points that Jerold had been focusing on were the tracks and trails that people and beasts would leave. This was the basics of scouting other than learning how to efficiently move without leaving these traces. Yet, everyone already saw him using such a skill due to his training in Terra City being focused on just that.

"That means we chose the right trail. It's barely used and the merchant that came through most likely was trying to avoid any drama. They were escaping from the storm as the rain came down. We can move through safely." Isa understood why the merchant would have come this way when there was a rain storm pushing toward the cities due to beasts fighting.

"So as long as it's little beasts making tracks, we can handle it all. That's fine." Ralph just figures this was a pointless endeavor. It was better just to charge in and crush whatever opponent. If they were strong then the other beasts would know to avoid them.

"It's more than that. We are trying to follow an older trail. We need people that know where we might be going." Grace tried to reprimand Ralph a little but he just pointed at Clark who had the map. It did make sense that they would just follow Clark since he clearly knew where they were headed anyways.

"Hey, what's this plant?" Ella was more or less ignoring the current conversation about scouting. She had started to use Clark as a walking library for every single plant, herb, or small thing that she didn't know about.

'Spindle root- common

The spindle root plant is an unassuming three leafed plant that grows a single white flower. It has a deeper root that grows in an odd spindle shape making people wonder of it was hand made. However, this is actually a plant that is toxic to humans if eaten. It is enjoyed by the rock joint rabbits as a great food that enhances their natural earth affinity.'

"Oh, thank you." Ella wrote the nite down with the specifics that it was good for the rock joint rabbits. These rabbits were a very speedy earth type beast that only focused on eating plant roots overall. Their joints were called rock joint because they usually covered their vulnerable body parts in tougher rock to help them in using their skills.

"If we manage to capture a rick joint rabbit, it is normal for us to take away the rock armor they make on their body for different forms of crafting. If we run in to an ore joint rabbit, a mutated variant with small metal typing, then we can give those pieces to Ralph." Ella had the knowledge related to the beast already, but she was glad to know of a plant that they would eat often.

It meant that they might be around more than usual.

"I think we could hunt them if we want. They might be fast but we have bait." Clark had a good point. He was thinking about their dinner later and how capturing a rabbit type beast would be for the best.

"You may think that they are plump like other rabbits. However, they are very thin since they are focused on speed and using their natural skills to work as defenses. That's why they are not worth eating. Just capturing and removing their earth or metal skill since they can create it again." This was where having the higher degree of knowledge on a subject was important.

Clark hadn't seen a rock joint rabbit and was in the dark when it came to all this.

"And what does it mean if there is a dead rock joint rabbit ahead of us." Jerold raised the question while Reese and Brad took fighting stances. They had no idea what had caused the death of such a beast but it looked like it had wildly run in to the trail, flailed, and died right there.

"That can't be normal." Maria looked from a distance and couldn't see any bit of injury on the body. The group was very worried since that was beyond the normal events for any wilderness. Beasts didn't just die randomly. They were hunted or injured in territory battles.

"Stay back and let me get a good look. I don't want anyone touching it. What if it was sick?" Clark's reasoning was the same that many tamers learned. Beasts that were sick could easily pass on their illnesses even in death. Avoiding the odd deaths like this was just the smartest move.

'Rock joint rabbit corpse- infested

Due to the infestation of a certain parasite, this beast has perished and become an infested carrier. It is best to avoid this rock joint rabbit body or to burn it before anything happens. It is the utmost importance that it is not touched, eaten, or materials are harvested from it.

There is a high chance that…'

Clark didn't need to read any more at all. "Stay away from this thing and Ralph, have the dragon welp breath some flames on it. There's a parasite in it." The group moved back another five feet worried that they might get too close.

It was a tamer's fear that their beast would get a parasite. This risk was something that certain beasts faced more than others. But more than anything, it was a big deal when it came to certain parasites.

The foreign beasts that parasites were, could cause the tamer's beast to be unable to enter the tamer's taming space at all. Or worse off, it could be able to enter the taming space, then become an infested place for every beast the tamer had. It could kill every beast and the tamer.

What was worse, when the tamer died, the parasites would be all around them as the taming space broke down and exposed the beasts and parasites to the world even more.

There had been histories of battles where tamers were purposely infected with parasites then sent toward the enemy homes as prisoners. That would then infect the enemy and cause the entire village to be wiped out. It was a harmful and cruel method that was quickly banned.

This didn't mean that unsavory organizations hadn't tried to use it. But those people had been dealt with by very powerful individuals in such a way that no one dared to use this method. Yet, that didn't stop wild outbreaks of parasites. This was a natural phenomenon in some ways.

Just not usually documented since they would pop up and die out so quickly without someone or something encouraging it to spread through undesirable methods.

The dragon welp revealed itself, clearly still prideful, but knowing that it already had a bond with Ralph made it calmer. It glanced at Clark with some fear since it knew a stronger, and a real dragon were close by. Ralph could sense this, but since they two hard headed personalities mixed well, he just sent a mental message to show off its flames to everyone.

Just as the flames licked the rock joint rabbit's body, a small red dot appeared on the rabbit's stomach. The brown fur being dyed. "What's that?" Maria stopped Ralph and the group all witnessed the odd way the rabbit had started to bleed.

Before another second had passed, there was a splitting sound as the stomach broke open revealing multiple thin and sharp nosed worms wriggling about. The heat had started to make them more active causing this terrifying scene.

' blood needle parasite- rare

The blood needle parasite is a parasitic worm beast that will use its tough bone needle nose to pierce prey. It will stab in to the body of a beast and slowly feed on the blood within the organs. Eventually, the beast will go mad and run around trying to get away from the pain it suffered before death.

they possess a water and a slight ice affinity. along with a powerful affinity to blood due to selective breeding.

The blood needle worm can move through water or temporarily, the land to find another site where it can lay eggs and breed. They are very dangerous since they can infect a wide array of beasts. They normally will only appear for a short time after the snow melts and dormant eggs are released in to small streams.

However, this beast was bred to be able to withstand the cold. It is a specifically able to better survive outside the bodies of another beast. It does hate the heat and will react violently to heat. This causes it to become hyper active and attack others when the host is burned…'