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As the sun began to set, the liveliness within the Elder’s Recess began to dwindle. As a Bazelgeuse flew off for neighboring regions, a Dodogama buried itself in the dirt for a nap. While Nergigante hunkered down in it’s crystalline nest, Teostra and Lunastra pranced about without a care.
All of this was viewed by a lone Kushala Daora soaring high above the land. The Recess was different from her home across the sea. Having been in this world for so long, there was only a faint memory of the dunes, forests, and wastelands she had once hunted in. The only one that stuck was the occasion she’d flown a bit too close to Schrade.
The Kushala began thinking about fear. She was an apex predator, yet she would not dare stray near the territories of Nergigante or Fatalis. And then there were humans. All of the other Elder Dragons roared and snarled about their sins, how they relentlessly hunted their kind and wore their flesh. It was rumored Fatalis did the same to slain hunters in a cruel act of irony. Perhaps this was one of the reasons he was so feared, well, besides his supposed hatred of everything that breathed. It was no wonder Lao Shan Lung had chosen to brave the hunters over the black dragon.
Settling onto a cliff, Kushala Daora gazed over the plain below. She spied a Deviljho, burning with fury and hunger, stomping towards Nergigante’s nest. It would be an interesting fight, she thought, but she was not keen on being spotted and hunted. Then, as if from nowhere, tiny footsteps sounded. Boots and paw pads.
Speak of the devil. A hunter was running towards her, a palico eagerly following. They were here to kill her. Yet their weapons were not drawn. She gave a warning growl, catching his attention. He wore a brilliant white suit, not appearing to be made from any specific monster. A Deviljho weapon, and the palico wore a golden tuft. Could it have come from Kulve Taroth?
Kushala Daora waited for the hunter to strike. He only stared at her. Minutes upon minutes passed, but neither Elder Dragon nor hunter made an attempt at initiating a fight. She quickly grew bored, lying down and huffing. To her shock he did the same, his palico nestling into his lap.
Accepting that the hunter wasn’t leaving anytime soon, she settled back into her thoughts. They were quickly shattered by commotion deeper within the Recess. Nergigante had flung Deviljho into the field, pouncing and sinking his fangs in. The brute wyvern’s muscles swelled, splitting open old wounds and inciting furious thrashing. Kushala winced at the carnage and glanced back to the hunter. He had shrunk back some and taken to staring back. With how dangerous it was down below, it wasn’t like they had anything better to do.
Kushala found herself taking in the hunter’s features. He was aged, had long grey hair and a slightly unkempt beard. His eyes and pursed lips suggested tension, but curiosity was evident as well. The palico was more laid-back, grooming his fur without much of a care. Orange with spots of grey and brown…
The hunter stood and approached, his companion hissing in protest. He stopped by her foreleg and gazed at the metal scales, almost as if trying to make out his reflection. She was tempted to shuffle away or roar, but he began delicately stroking the scales. How absurd, she thought as she lowered her head. He was supposed to slay her, yet instead patted her as if she were a mere Poogie.
Again the Kushala Daora and hunter regarded each other. A low purr rumbled from her throat as he stroked her nose. Perhaps in a different time, a different place, they would not have to be enemies. If they spoke the same tongue they could discuss the Old World, the mysteries of Fatalis, and the brawl between Nergigante and Deviljho. Of course this would never be, but it was a pleasing thought.
It wasn’t long before the hunter ceased his petting and smiled before turning to trek back the way he came. Before he had a chance to wander off, Kushala bumped his back with her snout. He froze and stared at her with wide eyes. He only broke out of his daze when she gave him a brief lick across the cheek. A parting gifts of sorts, she decided. The hunter stood dumbfounded, yet brought himself to force a chuckle before running off.
Kushala Daora smiled as she watched him leave. As much as she’d enjoyed their short amount of time together, there was still the chance that he or another hunter would return to kill her. Or perhaps her end would be brought on by a turf war with Nergigante. Irrational as it was, she hoped her death would not come soon. There was still so much in this wonderful world to see.