Argo stood up, brushed the dust off himself, and looked around, only to spot a pathway that led higher into the mountains. When he started walking up it, Athena took off and scouted ahead as Artemis stayed close. They traveled up the path, running into a cavern covered with vines and other vegetation.
''I wonder where the Storm Moths nest,'' he muttered, gazing into the distance as black clouds rolled in.
A grin flashed across his face, a telltale sign the creature was near; he knew they surfaced in foul weather. Moments later, Argo bolted behind a nearby boulder, shielding himself from the outside world, with Artemis at his heels, crouching low. He peered out, spotting a pack of Night Dogs circling the carcass of a fallen Forest Lord.
The massive bovine lay defeated, its body torn apart by the feral Dholes, who ripped chunks of flesh from the corpse, tossing scraps to the pups trailing at the pack's rear. He watched this and turned to Artemis. ''Scare them away, girl.''
Moments later, the leopard nodded at his words, then unleashed a deep growl that echoed across the clearing. The Night Dogs, startled by the sound, scattered into the shadows, abandoning the carcass. Argo chuckled, rising from behind the boulder, only to freeze as a whirring noise cut through the air, just as rain began to pour in heavy sheets.
High above, a moth burst from the canopy, its wings thrumming as it abandoned its nest in a nearby tree, giving him a clear path to approach. Argo's eyes widened when he saw the creature, as it was the size of a large dog and looked vicious, but he knew they weren't dangerous unless provoked.
Argo crept toward the tree, its gnarled form revealing an ancient oak with branches sprawling in every direction. As he examined it, his eyes caught a massive cocoon, twice the size of the Storm Moth, nestled there. A smile appeared as he snuck toward it as Artemis followed behind.
Athena watched from a nearby branch, keeping an eye out as her voice rang in his mind. 'Careful, Arg. The Moths are angry creatures who will attack on sight if they see you.'
'Shh woman,' he replied, chuckling.
He jumped out of his skin when she suddenly spoke. 'Don't distract me.'
Following that, he crept up to the tree only to jump into a bush when a Moth passed over him as the swarm headed toward the clouds in the distance. While lying there, Athena spoke, glancing around. 'They've gone, you can climb now.'
Without hesitation, he sprang into action as he leapt toward the lowest branch. He scaled the tree, navigating the sprawling limbs until he reached the massive cocoon nestled high. Looking inside, he spotted a cluster of eggs, their surfaces faintly glowing in the dim light filtering through the storm-soaked leaves.
He dismissed them, his focus fixed on a greater prize. Drawing his dagger, he set to work, his blade flashing as he carefully sliced long strips of silk from the cocoon's structure. The material was unlike anything he'd encountered, tough yet flexible, woven by the Storm Moth to endure the harshest storms.
Argo knew the shimmering silk was the key to crafting his new sling, its strength unmatched for the weapon he imagined, and it would be much stronger than his old one. With fast hands, he continued slicing strips from the cocoon, wrapping the sticky strands around him like rope, each loop clinging tightly to his skin.
The material was heavier than expected, coiling securely as he gathered far more than needed, determined to ensure his sling would be flawless. Sometime later, Athena's panicked voice cut through the rain. 'Move, Arg! The beast is returning!'
At the owl's warning, Argo whipped around, his heart pounding as the moth's massive form loomed closer, its wings slicing through the rain-soaked air toward its home. Without a second thought, he leapt from the branch, the silk still clinging to him as he descended, navigating the tangled maze of limbs.
He landed hard in a bush below, its wet leaves swallowing him whole, concealing him from the creature's wrath. Above, the Storm Moth let out a piercing shriek, its fury echoing through the clearing as it hovered over its ravaged nest, wings thrumming with rage at the sight of the torn cocoon.
Argo stayed concealed until the beast entered its nest, allowing him to sneak off without being seen. By the time he reached a nearby trail, Artemis appeared beside him, sniffing the Skysilk Thread. 'What is this stuff? It smells of nothing?' she inquired.
''This will make the cord for my new sling,'' he revealed. ''Stronger than the wolf sinew mothers one was made of.''
'So it will be better?' Athena asked, landing on his shoulder.
Argo nodded. ''Yes, she showed me how to craft all my weapons and clothes, it's the reason we're out here. The sling will help me gather the remaining resources I need to make a knife, spear, pouches, and other things I'll need to travel to the north,'' he answered.
'Can it be used for other things?' the Grey Owl continued questioning.
''Yes!'' he replied and continued down the trail. ''Can be used for weapon grips, climbing gear, traps, and snares. It's why I grabbed so much of it.''
Following that, Argo, Artemis, and Athena went in search of the Cave Bats as the Grey Owl flew ahead. Scouting for the giant cave-dwelling beasts. After a few hours, Athena returned, breathing heavy as she informed him. 'Arg. The bats are angry and temperamental; we need to be careful moving forward.'
''Alright, go rest in the Beast Realm,'' he replied, rubbing her head.
In a sudden burst of feathers and mist, the owl vanished, leaving Argo alone with Artemis, the cave leopard, her eyes gleaming with predatory readiness. He led her up the rugged mountainside, their steps silent against the wind-swept stone, until they reached a jagged cliff overlooking a cavern's shadowed maw.
From its depths, a massive, man-sized bat erupted, its leathery wings slicing the air, while others returned, dragging lifeless beasts to feed deep within their lair. His eyes narrowed, his mind sharpening as he assessed the scene. He turned to Artemis, her muscles taut with anticipation.
''Girl, I'll lure one down the path toward me. When I pass you, strike,'' he whispered.
He watched as Artemis bolted down the path, her sleek form melting into the shadows with predatory grace. He steeled his nerves, his pulse quickening as he muttered to himself, 'Time to get to work.'
Leaping from the shadows, he let out a sharp whistle that cut through the howling wind. One of the bats froze, its eyes locking onto him, giving Argo a clear view of it. Its black fur bristled under the afternoon, sharp talons glinting at the ends of its clawed feet, and its wings, spanning as long as he was tall, quivered as it was ready to launch its attack.
Argo started running down the path, heading toward Artemis, and he sensed her in the shadows when he reached a safer place for her to attack. The Cave Bat flew into the cavern just as the Nightclaw pounced. She flew through the air, crashing into the flying beast and biting down on its neck, snapping the creature's spine.
A loud snap echoed out as the body crashed to the ground, but he noticed it was still alive as the leopard jumped off its back, speaking. 'Athena told me not to kill them and let you do it, Ar.'
''Oh, right, thanks,'' he said, taking his dagger out.
Argo crouched down and drove it into the beast's skull, forcing it to stop moving as a notification popped up.
[Experience Gained: 10]
[Beast Points: 1]
When feeling the experience pouring into his body, he closed his eyes and shook his head before turning to Artemis. ''Can you drag this with us, please?''
The leopard nodded, and the duo began walking down the path and entering the cavern where they found a cave. When arriving there, Artemis guarded the entrance as he crouched over the body and began cutting off the stretchy membranes of its wings, storing them in his pack.
Once Argo was done, he stood up and looked at the big cat. 'Do you want the body?' he asked.
'No, thank you,' Artemis replied. 'I'll eat when we camp, the Grassfang filled me up.'
''Alright,'' he said, brushing himself off and continuing. ''Now we need to look for an Ironthorn tree, which will be at the base of the mountain where it meets the sea.''
Following that, they continued, but this time, Athena appeared from the Beast realm and took to the sky, looking for the tree he was searching for as Argo wrapped up the Skysilk, storing it in a leaf he had in his pack. Once that was done, the Grey Owls voice echoed in his mind.
'Found them but there's a Bloodfang lurking nearby, hunting Mountain Goats,' she informed him.
Argo's eyes narrowed as he replied. 'Hopefully it wanders off, I don't want to be fighting that thing.'