The small troop of seven Masters of the Goo went directly to the camp of the Spleen Busters. A loud argument began, shouts heard, threatening weapons were brandished. Then the tensions calmed down and peace was back.
"Let's go!" shouted the hunter Fai-Cu Len.
Under the attentive and discreetly admiring gaze of the bandits, the Masters of the Goo resolutely approached the mound close to the camp of the bandits and began killing the kitins living there one by one. The leader of the bandits then smiled a satisfied smile and welcomed Fai-Cu Len with open arms into his camp like an old friend.
Indifferent to this sudden change of humor, the hunter, assisted by his journeymen, began to unload the contents of the wagon into the long narrow passage located just behind the camp. There the Masters of the Goo erected high barriers, built a large enclosure across the entire width of the passage, its entrance turned away from the camp. Finally, a wide net of coarse fiber was spread on the ground inside the fence.
The hunter contemplated the work for one moment, apparently satisfied.
"This is much farther than the usual place, are you sure you can manage to attract the prey that far?" began one Masters of Goo.
"And the enclosure is less discreet than the natural dead-end off the hidden lake" added another.
A glaring look from the hunter made them regret their remarks.
"Be ready, I'll go get it."
Obeying without a word, the six Masters of the Goo left the passage using the entrance opposite the bandit's camp and divided up on both sides of the wall, crouching hidden behind a latticework of boughs.
Time passed.
Suddenly, the ambushing homins finally saw Fai-Cu Len running back to them, constantly taunting an enraged kipesta that was furiously chasing him. They waited until both had entered the narrow passage then sprang from their hiding places to block the entrance with their bodies.
Seeing the way blocked in front of him by an unexpected obstacle, the kipesta sensed the trap and abruptly turned back, only to discover the entrance was blocked by six homins. Furious, he prepared to force the passage and send flying the bipeds who dared to attack him. But the homin barrier was already moving slowly, continuously casting well adjusted fear spells. Frantic, losing all sense, the unfortunate prey obeyed its instincts and fled those visions of terror, rushing straight ahead into the trap.
As soon as the kipesta had entered the enclosure, Fai-Cu Len stepped deftly out of it and closed the door, attaching it solidly to its post.
"Now, quickly!" he roared.
Then, before the kipesta could manage to escape, the fear spells changed to stun spells, then to sleep spells. Soon the prey collapsed on the ground, incapable of resisting the flood of magic any longer.
The small troop opened then the hatch and entered the fence. Catching the edges of the coarse net spread on the ground, they carefully bundled up their prey before the magic wore off.
"That's good work -- Bo-Qung Fao will be satisfied. Transfer it to the cage on the wagon and let's go back home!"
* * *
A few hours later, the pen in the camp of Masters of the Goo was again holding a kipesta. This one did not yet show sinister shades of purple, but no forager nearby doubted that it was only a question of days...
"Let's go!" shouted the hunter Fai-Cu Len.
Under the attentive and discreetly admiring gaze of the bandits, the Masters of the Goo resolutely approached the mound close to the camp of the bandits and began killing the kitins living there one by one. The leader of the bandits then smiled a satisfied smile and welcomed Fai-Cu Len with open arms into his camp like an old friend.
Indifferent to this sudden change of humor, the hunter, assisted by his journeymen, began to unload the contents of the wagon into the long narrow passage located just behind the camp. There the Masters of the Goo erected high barriers, built a large enclosure across the entire width of the passage, its entrance turned away from the camp. Finally, a wide net of coarse fiber was spread on the ground inside the fence.
The hunter contemplated the work for one moment, apparently satisfied.
"This is much farther than the usual place, are you sure you can manage to attract the prey that far?" began one Masters of Goo.
"And the enclosure is less discreet than the natural dead-end off the hidden lake" added another.
A glaring look from the hunter made them regret their remarks.
"Be ready, I'll go get it."
Obeying without a word, the six Masters of the Goo left the passage using the entrance opposite the bandit's camp and divided up on both sides of the wall, crouching hidden behind a latticework of boughs.
Time passed.
Suddenly, the ambushing homins finally saw Fai-Cu Len running back to them, constantly taunting an enraged kipesta that was furiously chasing him. They waited until both had entered the narrow passage then sprang from their hiding places to block the entrance with their bodies.
Seeing the way blocked in front of him by an unexpected obstacle, the kipesta sensed the trap and abruptly turned back, only to discover the entrance was blocked by six homins. Furious, he prepared to force the passage and send flying the bipeds who dared to attack him. But the homin barrier was already moving slowly, continuously casting well adjusted fear spells. Frantic, losing all sense, the unfortunate prey obeyed its instincts and fled those visions of terror, rushing straight ahead into the trap.
As soon as the kipesta had entered the enclosure, Fai-Cu Len stepped deftly out of it and closed the door, attaching it solidly to its post.
"Now, quickly!" he roared.
Then, before the kipesta could manage to escape, the fear spells changed to stun spells, then to sleep spells. Soon the prey collapsed on the ground, incapable of resisting the flood of magic any longer.
The small troop opened then the hatch and entered the fence. Catching the edges of the coarse net spread on the ground, they carefully bundled up their prey before the magic wore off.
"That's good work -- Bo-Qung Fao will be satisfied. Transfer it to the cage on the wagon and let's go back home!"
* * *
A few hours later, the pen in the camp of Masters of the Goo was again holding a kipesta. This one did not yet show sinister shades of purple, but no forager nearby doubted that it was only a question of days...