"Fuk… I just wanna… find… a home…" Oz licked his cracked lips.

He waddled forward lethargically, resembling a moving corpse about to drop from sheer exhaustion.

He gazed out towards the dry grassland.

Without the shade of the lush tree leaves, the unforgiving heat beamed down on him unrelentingly.

Oz gazed up to the clear blue sky that now contained a trace of red yet even more strangely, without a ball of light in sight.

The moving zombie mumbled out in annoyance, "Where the fuk is this heat coming from?"

He had found a few more prey, none as unique as the 'WeedCur' encounter, though nonetheless, enough to finally propel his level upwards.

"Sigh, did I make the right choice?" Oz silently mused to himself.

RUSTLE!

He snapped to focus and immediately ducked down into the tall grass.

This was new territory, and if his last encounter taught him anything, things are never as they seem.

Oz Licked his lips in anticipation as he slowly peered his head through the head-high, bushy greenery.

His targets had never noticed him so far using this strategy and thus he continued to do so, using the carpeted landscape as cover.

He peered out towards his newest targets and the source of the sound.

His eyes widened in shock at what he saw.

A group of 5 emerald, green gazelles with streaks of mustard yellow on their sides.

It was odd seeing a different color than just green or brown and something was telling Oz there was a theme with it…

Regardless, Oz continued watching as the gazelles bounced around, dancing around the fields in harmony with one another.

There were 3 youngins' and the 2 parents.

The father gazelle's presence was daunting and its zigzaggy horns faintly zapped with every grand and proud step it took.

Yet, among its children, one could feel that this majestic and proud creature was truly happy to be with its family.

The regal aura it gave off was tempered by a more playful one as it gave into its children's antics alongside his dearly beloved, and mother to his children.

Even from just its presence, Oz could feel the gap between them, just looking in its direction was hard, and something was telling Oz not to gaze directly into the creature's eyes, lest he regrets it.

However, Oz was intrigued by the electric element these creatures seemed to harness and oozed at the prospect of devouring their slim and athletic muscles, 'I wonder what they'll taste like.'

As saliva nearly dripped from the gluttonous boy's mouth; he calmed himself and prepared.

One mistake could be fatal, so he needed to be patient.

The family of majestic gazelles continued playing and prancing in the fields, none the wiser to a predator lurking for the chance to pounce.

As the family continued dancing around, one of the youngest unknowingly started to drift closer and closer to Oz's hiding spot.

An impish smirk spread across his face as he was ready to harvest the fruits of his labor and the reward for his patience.

Time slowly dripped by, and Oz's lower back was becoming sore as his knees began crying in agony from this prolonged deep squat.

However, he knew it would soon all be worth it.

Oz relaxed his hands and prepared to grab at the creature and dash off with it for 'deer life'.

BUMP

BUMP...

'Strange', Oz pondered, 'Why do I hear my heartbeat?'

BUMP

BUMP

An icy shawl enshrouded the entire field, and an ominous shadow gripped Oz's heart, planting him still like a bamboo was stuck through him. This feeling-

WOOSH!

Black was all he saw, it was for an eternity that he saw black, yet in an instant, there was nothing.

No shadow.

No gazelles.

The icy shawl had dissipated as if evaporated away by the heat from the sky.

Oz's forehead glistened with sweat, he wasn't sure whether from the frigid cold or the blistering heat, but he was even more spiteful of his own accursed weakness.

Yet, he chose to remain still, unsure of whether the creature that could wipe out such a powerful existence nearly instantly was still lurking nearby…

He grit his teeth in anger and slowly raised his right hand to his cheek, feeling at his cut that remained…

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{Meanwhile... Back in the Forest}

WOOOSH!!

Five figures breezed through the dim, ominous forest.

The wildlife had fully awoken, and the caws of birds and roars of beasts were fully prevalent and filled the air with a cacophonic buzz.

As the group dashed through the forest that was heavily shaded by the soaring, lush trees, the lean skeletal figure at the front of the group called out, "Halt!"

WOOOSH!

Five cloaked figures stopped in front of a clearing.

Low dust clouds tumbled in the air.

Up ahead was a large hedge stretching up to at least 15ft(4.6m) high that stretched near endlessly to both sides.

The lanky figure at the front of the group calmed his breathing and slowly crept forward.

The gentle crunch of leaves erupted from under his feet with soft snaps and crackles.

As he inched forward, he glanced toward the corner of his eyes, and to his surprise, he saw his men meekly watching their 'mini-boss' in fear.

The boisterous confidence they so proudly displayed was now utterly devoured by whatever lurked beyond this hedge.

One of the group members fearfully asked, "U-um b-bo, I mean mini-boss…"

The lanky figure stopped in his tracks.

An annoyed exhale was let out from his nostrils like steam, the day was aging, and his patience was thin.

That much was displayed by the cold light his green eyes beamed onto this "family member" of his that stopped him.

"U-uhh…", the member's mind was blank, trying his hardest to surpass the knot in his throat and belt out his concerns, all while keeping his tone as respectful as possible someone scared $hitless can.

"Th-that's out of the border r-right boss?"

The rest of the group members all watched, unable to release the knots in their throats yet eagerly encouraging their brave member in their hearts as he continued.

"I… I dunno if we'll be safe there?"

The other men all inwardly shook their heads, nervously sweating as they awaited their mini-boss's reply.

Their leader turned around, fully facing them.

A cold, green light oozed onto them, examining every inch of them as if they were butt-naked in front of his ever-increasingly bloodshot eyes.

The men braced themselves for the pure rage they were expecting to endure.

The mini-boss parted his mouth, his tongue on the cusp of his lips as he processed his thoughts before speaking.

"I see you all like family."

The shadowy figures' eyes' all widened in shock, their shocked gaze being the only apparent reaction from their fully cloaked bodies.

The mini-boss continued, "We all know HIS appetite and temper. if we return empty-handed…"

It could go without saying who their mini-boss was referring to.

"Plus", a dangerous glint shone in his eyes, "I need to avenge one of our own, I don't believe that kid coulda done it, but I need answers."

The group all stood around awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.

The one who had hesitated before spoke up again, "Sigh, after all ya done for us, and all we been through…"

A nervous grin spread on his face, concealed by his cloak and barely noticeable only by his eye creasing, "This'll just be another adventure to brag about when we're back, huh mini-boss."

The tension eased as the men aside him all nodded their heads with resolve, they were all in the same boat, and surely the lil' newb couldn't have gone too far.

The lanky man smiled at them and gave an assuring nod before turning back around, creeping forward as his group was right beside him this time.

Finally, the mini-boss parted the hedge with his hands revealing the wide open fields that stretched out for nearly an eternity.

His group's mouth hung agape in shock, for there to be something inside this treacherous forest that they didn't know of when they prided themselves on knowing it like the back of their hands.

They felt like frogs in a well.

"Time to go!", the lanky man called out snapping the group out of their daze.

"Yes!", as they all leaped off, leaving the silent croaks and groans of the forest.

The hedge closed behind them, not a single trace of their presence left.

With the group now gone off into the fields and unsure of what surprises they'll find…

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[Sometime later...]

The group of men dashed through the field, the scorching sky beaming down on the cloaked figures.

The lanky figure's blistering green eyes surveyed the fields as they progressed forward.

"Halt!" the mini-boss called out as the group all stopped in the front.

The figure's hands were in the air, a sign for his men to wait.

They all crouched down, waiting for further instructions.

Their mini-boss stepped forward, parting the grass to reveal a corpse.

"Gasp!", he couldn't help but audibly let out in surprise.

His men at the sound of their leader's surprise all rushed forward as they too exclaimed in shock.

In front of them a 3ft green dog, which looked to resemble the mix of a StoneWolf and EarthCat was lying in front of them.

Its corpse fully-intact.

One of the cloaked men spoke up, "B-boss, is this what I think it is?"

All around they could only stare in awe.

"Aye, it is, a Weedcur, and if my eyes ain't decievin' me…"

He crouched down, rubbing his hands against the creature's incredibly soft fur.

"The newb killed it", his eyes creased, examining the corpse as the cold green light from his eyes washed over it.

One of the men interjected, "That ain't possible! We all know how hard this thing is to kill!"

A small frown spread across their boss's face as he kept his eyes on the beast, "Are we hard to kill?

His men shot him a puzzled look, "What?"

"Are we… hard to kill?" His cold, calculating eyes rolled over the deceased Weedcur as he thoroughly felt at and examined its corpse.

Another one of the men responded, "W-well of course mini-boss, we're the strongest in the Dung Den."

The lanky man just nodded slowly, an indicator for his men to continue.

"I mean, who else would the Big Boss send?", the man confidently spoke with a cross of his arms.

The lanky man softly replied, "Hmph, don't forget there used to be 6 of us."

CRACK.

The men's vision nearly cracked at the reply, though their boss continued nonetheless, "Though he was the weakest of us, he was still one of our own."

The lanky man stood up from examining the creature, his eyes still glued to it.

"We'll get to the bottom of that boy's sudden rise in power; however, for now, it seems he left us a present" A devious smile spread across the lanky man's face.

Another one of his men questioned, "And uhh, what would that be mini-boss?"

He turned his head, gazing at them with his bloodshot green eyes, "The boy didn't take its Spirit."

At the news they all gasped, bowing down and shouting in unison, "Congratulations Mini-boss!"

The lanky man gleefully smiled at the display of respect with his hands crossed behind his back.

They knew the prestige of this creature, especially the ability it gave its user.

His eyes screamed in anticipation as he turned back around to face the creature.

"Secure the area, we're close to the kid but I'll just have to finish this real quick!"

"Roger!", the men all shouted as they dispersed leaving not even prints in their wake.

The lanky man turned back and smiled at the creature, greed plastered across his face, "Good, now… maybe things can change."

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