Completed Loconut Crabs

[Xen]

516 A.V. 18th of Winter

“ ”

Xen trekked through the sand, hunting for prey that so harshly evaded him. He looked at the soil, placing it under intense scrutiny, yet could not find any familiar animal tracks amongst the abundance of sand. He figured this was due to the ever changing nature of his environment that consistently pushed sand inland and covered what could not move away from the shoreline. Xen sighed at his poor tracking skills and timing but stubbornly continued in his pursuit of prey despite not having a clear image of the creature he wanted to eat.

All Xen knew was that something needed to die so he could continue living. Preferably, something slow and ignorant of the dangers around it; something he did not need to fight after it turns to defend itself from predation and impending death. However, Xen knew his fickle luck and the mischievous powers of fate too well to think positive while hunting. These things were always up to no good and made him very aware of the need to be vigilant and patient.

“ Still nothing. The world feels desolate when you are hungry. ” Xen sulked as he walked along the beach and by a coconut tree that swayed in the gentle sea breeze. His hunger loomed over him, invisible and without form like a vengeful spirit but he could still keenly feel it urging him to find, kill and devour the unsuspecting. Xen ignored his hunger and kept looking until something lands on the ground behind him.

“ Welp, there goes one-hundred years of my life, ” The thing that fell from the coconut tree made Xen's heart skip a few beats—if not stop entirely—after its sudden, unexpected appearance. Afterward, Xen sighed and smiled, he couldn't believe he let something as small as a tree branch surprise him. He should have been ashamed to call himself a hunter.

[Xen]

516 A.V. 18th of Winter

“ ”

That which he assumed was a branch began to move. Xen turned and faced the fallen branch and realized its form had a few problems. Normally, branches did not have pincers, six legs, and a soft body encased in a solid shell with eyes sensitive to movement. But Xen was of quick wit and understood the true nature of his prey: an unfortunate coconut crab.

Xen unsheathed his katana and started to encircle the godsend. Of course, he made sure there was space in between him and the crustacean. Xen was weary of its pincers and the crustaceans capabilities because he'd never seen a creature like it before. Naturally, Xen knew the world was too vast for him to know all the creatures, beings and entities that dwelled within it. But he was still surprised and curious of the crab despite him foolishly believing he'd seen it all.

Xen fixed himself into a doable fighting stance and then performed a brutish, downward cut toward coconut crab. The goal was to sever the limbs of the colossal crustacean; weaken it and follow up with a quick, killing blow. Xen's katana struck above the coconut crab's left pincer and haphazardly mashed through the soft supporting joint as well, thus detaching the pincer and leaving the crustacean without a limb.

There was no response from the creature: not a single indication that it was in pain or enraged by Xen's hastiness or belligerence. The crustacean remained motionless and inert as its black, beady eyes gazed soullessly in Xen's eyes and seemingly into his very being. Xen slowly backed away from the crustacean and began to repeat his tactic. He got around crustacean this time and aimed for the back of the coconut crab. Xen attacked quickly like before; he raised his katana highly into the air with both hands and performed a vertical stroke meant to severe another claw. However, his technique and accuracy lacked poise and this time two right legs were cut, freeing the coconut of the burden of moving them and their weight.

But again there was no response or sign of any life within the body of shell and meat, prompting Xen to jab it in the head with his katana. “ It's petching dead, you idiot, ” Xen facepalmed and slowly moved his hand down his face to seemingly wipe away his own idiocy. Xen couldn't believe he hadn't noticed that the crustacean had died some time ago and assumed the fall probably killed it before his sword did but it never occurred to him to consider that beforehand.

“ It isn't enough to feed everyone. I guess I'll just eat, rest a bit and then continue hunting for some food. ” Xen said as he lifted the battered coconut crab and began walking along the beach. He was somewhat satisfied now that he found some food, yet he still felt unfulfilled. And the need to find something substantial to eat combined with captain Mathias request to find treasure fueled this irascibility.

So slowly, Xen traversed the beach in search of prey and predator alike, hoping to find something that was as hungry as he was.

[Xen]

516 A.V. 18th of Winter

“ ”

A series of chimes passed before Xen decided to retire from his quest for food. At the moment, the desolate beach offered nothing worthy of his time and skill which wasn't too great but enough to slay lesser beasts. So he turned to the jungle and its depths filled with monsters and creatures a step higher in Falyndar's food chain than he was. But he did not feel compelled to wander the jungle just yet; he was wise enough to remember that he'd walked the beach for a while before he encountered the crab and knew the complications that ensued overexerting the body.


“ I'd better take this time to rest before entering the jungle. Passing out from exhaustion while being chased is tantamount to suicide. ” Xen uttered to himself and the solitude that surrounded him.


Xen sat down in the shadow of the tall palm tree and buried the coconut crab in hot sand to protect it from inquisitive flies and scavengers; his sword rested on his lap as he reclined on the tree behind him and allowed the pleasant sea breeze to kiss his sand coated and somewhat dry skin. Afterward, Xen lazily watched the waves move to and fro till he counted the bits of sand—which oddly resembled gold—being pushed by the wind.

Xen tried to grasp the beautiful sand, but the delicate particles of earth and silicone passed in-between his fingers and were taken by the wind. Allegories to his current circumstances and lot; another of life's fleeting moments he couldn't grasp tightly enough to keep secure like his first love and his children and parents. Xen tossed the sand out of sadness: it reminded him of his inability to protect and keep hold of the things that he cherished or liked. And he hated it and how the world always seemed to deem it necessary to remind him of his woes.


“ In the beginning, I never wanted this listlessness and saudade; friends, family and the skill and fortune to protect them is all I desired. Now I have nothing but my failures and obsessions. I'am alone among dark thoughts and weapons, ” After he spoke, Xen hunched over and grasped his face with his hands to stifle the misery and despair... and madness...trying to erupt from his body like projectile vomit.

He managed to hold back the negative emotions, but their influence remained and festered, manifesting in his eyes as a glaze and within his mind as infantile mania. Slowly, Xen composed himself as he rested his back on the palm tree; he was completely unaware of how much time had passed during his small and slightly crazed fit. The morning had turned to evening, and the shadows of the jungle lingered closely. Danger tended to be abundant at this hour, beckoning creatures too lazy for the dawn of day to lurk in the brush and shadows when their prey prepared for the long night to come.

[Xen]

516 A.V. 18th of Winter

“ ”

The sky had darkened, and stars replaced the clouds; it was then that Xen realized he'd stayed away from Syka for too long. Shortly, he contemplated journeying across the soon-to-be blackened beach but reconsidered after he glanced at the dark and ominous jungle behind him.

Xen learned from personal experience what happened to those who tempted fate and the jungle and refused to make the same mistake again while seasoned with the world's cruel wisdom. Xen stood up and dusted off the sand that clung to his clothing and sword which he firmly gripped in the presence of the—yet to be seen—nocturnal dangers. He then walked to the coconut crab he buried in the sand and removed the still warm particles of earth and silicone from over it. To Xen's surprise, a slightly cooked crab welcomed him with steam and a powerful scent.


“ Now I know why the crab hid in the tree. ” Xen liked the idea of hunting crabs; they were slow and died quickly, and not too difficult to find. But one thing concerned him the most and that was the properties of the coconut crabs body; he didn't know if it was similar to the red crabs of Zinrah or strangely toxic like a salamander. Xen's mind wanted to be conservative and avoid potential danger, yet his body desired if not demanded sustenance in the form of ravenous hunger. Thus internal struggled ensued before Xen made a decision: he was going to save the coconut crab for later. So he reburied the coconut crab and moved on to prepare for a night at the beach.

Xen carefully gathered as many fallen palm tree branches as he could and tossed them next to the palm he reclined on, he then placed his sword onto the branches and proceeded to dig into the sand with his hands. He scooped bundles of sand from the bottom of the palm tree and pushed them aside to create a small wall of sand. Shortly afterward, Xen removed more sand and placed some on his left to ensure that there were two mounds of sand near him, and a hole his serpent form could be somewhat housed in. However, he wanted to be certain he could fit the entire length of his body inside the hole, so he dug deeper until he was satisfied.

Finally, Xen completed the "shelter" by placing the palm tree branches he gathered over the hole and then putting sand on them. Next Xen stripped off his clothing and shifted into his serpent form in order to slither into his makeshift "home".

[Madeira Dusk]

Grades Awarded!

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Xen

Skills

• Tracking: 1XP
• Hunting: 2XP
• Observation: 3XP
• Weapon- Katana: 1XP
• Tactics: 1XP
• Wilderness Survival: 2XP

Lores

• Lore of Coconut Crabs
• Hunting: crab dismemberment
• Observation: trying to kill something thats already dead
• Wilderness Survival: burying food for later
• Wilderness Survival: crude dugout shelter

Awards & Retribution
Coconut Crab- a hardy and horrific meal, slightly cooked. Will keep for four days.

Notes
This prompted me to looked up what exactly a coconut crab was. What I saw will give me nightmares forever. Thanks.

This was a nice little hunting thread, peppered with angst to keep it spicy. Great read. gives us a nice inkling of the madness boiling below the surface. I also find it endlessly amusing that Xen talks to himself when he's alone like a total loon.

If you have any question/concerns give me a shout!