Chapter 12

New Acquaintance

After a refreshing nap, I went back out to hunt and forage. And maybe converse with the stronger ones among my new neighbors.

The first two went by without a problem, the third though . . leaves a lot to be desired.

BASH! BASH!

Fox) 'Are you done?'

Bear) "GRROOOAAARRR!!!"

The stoned bear raises up to her full 12+ feet (4 meter) height, intending to smash her claws against my defensive Barrier once more. But with a wave of my paw, a boxing glove shaped Barrier slams into her sternum. Knocking her on her back. And with another wave, a choker shaped Barrier forms on her neck to keep her down.

F) 'We don't have to be friends, but I'd rather not be enemies.'

B) "GRWWRR" (tighten the choker a bit) "Grrunng"

Then I use a fox-Barrier to climb the nearest good-size tree, Nar*to-style. So that I stand upside-down against the underside of a branch and glare a bit.

Then release her choker. She wobbles to her feet and soon trudges off to the west. Not so much dazed by the haymaker, but oxygen deprived from the chokehold. Especially from how much she struggled.

F) 'So this is the last time I'll let you off. Next time I won't hold back.'

I turn my gaze toward the north. 'And what about you?'

After a pause, the foliage parts as a tiger stalks forward. 'How long did you know?'

F) 'The whole time. I saw you come from the east right before it started.'

Tiger) 'And now that you're here in my forest, what do you want?'

F) 'The forest is quite large, I've been here my whole life without being in a part you knew or cared about.'

F) 'And I want . . conversation mostly. I've been alone ever since those human poachers tried to capture me as a (spit) pet. Most of the beasts were too afraid to approach, the rest too belligerent to talk. Like her.'

T) 'But what if I'm belligerent?'

F) 'You talk too much for that.'

T) "HMHMHMM" he let out a deep-voiced chuckle. 'And what if I wanted to fight you?'

F) 'Well, that depends. If you mean a friendly sparring like among cubs, I'm in. Or if you mean to kill me I would either try everything in my power to kill you first, or . . ' finally letting go of the tree, I swing myself around rightside up. Then hover-Barrier my way around him a couple of times. 'Flee with all my might.'

F) 'Might I ask why are your stripes so shiny?'

T) 'You might.'

. . .

F) (sigh) 'Why are your stripes so shiny?'

T) 'I'm a Steel Tiger. Much better than a regular tiger. My fur and bones are stronger than steel and I can lengthen my claws at will. It also speeds up my cultivation a bit.'

T) 'So how did a new Tier 1 fox like you beat a high Tier 1 Stone Bear, especially in making it so easy.'

F) 'Well, I'm not yet Tier 1.' The tiger's eyes widen to resemble saucers. 'I'm at the bottleneck before breaking into it. As for beating her, I used some Special skill I was born with.'

T) 'A UNIQUE ABILITY?!?'

F) 'Is that what it's called? Yeah, I used one of my Unique Abilities to block her attacks as well as attack her directly.'

T) ' . . one of' the Steel Tiger starts twitching his cheek and elbow, soon falling on his side.

F) 'Are you alright?'

. . .

F) 'Hey!' (poke)

T) (blink) 'If you're not a Tier 1 yet, then how do you mindspeak?'

F) 'I dunno, I could since I was, hm. How many levels are there in a Tier?'

T) '9 Levels.'

F) 'Then since I was level 3.'

T) 'You could already mindspeak all these years, yet there was no news or gossip?'

F) ' . . I'm 10 months old.'

At this point, the King of the forest, the powerful and majestic Steel Tiger, simply rolled his eyes and fainted dead away.