Against All Instinct by Joshua Buller

Author:Joshua Buller
Language: eng
Format: epub

The Fog of Rafflesion

After the encounter with the Formaldehydra, the weeks of Autumn that followed seemed rather dull in comparison to Konta. Peace was something often sought after and rarely found by the tribe, so it was fortuitous that day after day passed with no real threat bearing down on them as they camped underneath the Weeping Willow. With the Ravagers properly preserved, they had no shortage of blood to continue coating the tree with, and the lack of predators attacking the encampment indicated that their efforts were not going to waste. The hunters had managed to secure several great catches on their expeditions, not the least of which was an adult Fruit Bat that would make excellent rations for the grueling Winter that lay just around the corner. Zanzu had even managed to secure an incredible find in a mature Kogyu Cow, whose meat was nutritious enough to last the tribe for a year if conserved properly.

Still, Konta's hunt for the Formaldehydra with Zanzu had changed something inside of him. He began to realize just how little he really knew about the world around him, and seeing Zanzu's incredible feats against the great beast made him understand how far away he was from being a top hunter in the tribe. Konta was frustrated at his ignorance, but so long as the tribe was at peace, he knew there was little reason to fret over such petty problems. There were more important things for him to worry about than his hubris at the moment.

For one thing, Kontala was nearing the time of childbirth. She had swollen so greatly now that she could not do anything other than the most menial of tasks, and had to rest constantly while even performing those. The other women of the tribe seemed to bustle harder with each passing day to carry Kontala's burden, for they knew better than any man in the tribe the strain that came with having a child.

Konta spent what little free time he had available tending to her every need, all the while imagining the type of life he would have once he had a pup to look over. It was a more exciting and terrifying idea than any hunt could be, but what he worried about most was Kontala having to give birth during Winter, when the weather would be at its harshest and the dangers would be greater than any other season.

Even when out on hunts, he found his thoughts constantly drifting back towards his mate and their future progeny. After a close encounter during one hunt where Konta almost fell prey to a Puffer Hippo, a fiercely territorial creature that was so resilient the tribe had yet to hunt one successfully, Murg had apparently noticed how distracted he was and placed him on a rest period. Konta felt thoroughly ashamed of himself, though as he mused over the predicament he wondered if other hunters ever felt these kinds of emotions when they were expecting a child.

It was only a few days' hiatus before Konta was sent back on the hunt again.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.