Elder Cultivator

Chapter 778

Trapped in a burrow where he didnt feel the safety it was supposed to provide, Three Squeaks considered the potential reinforcements. They would show up eventually, right? Someone had to come looking for them within the next day or two.

And if that someone happened to be an average meerkat they might be in danger if the lions found them first. Just waiting around might not be the right idea. But the unfortunate part about being able to think more clearly was realizing he couldnt win a battle. And he knew enough to know he couldnt pull out any tactics sufficiently clever to change things.

But there was at least one thing he hadnt tried. He had no way to know it would work, but he felt like he had to try. If he didnt and anyone he knew was caught by the lions, he couldnt excuse his cowardice. Meerkat deaths were part of life, but theyd managed to avoid any recently and he wanted that to continue.

So he crawled close to the surface, poked his head up and called out to the lionesses. Why are you here?

Somewhere inside his heart, Three Squeaks hoped that they simply wanted to be friends. That they came to play. But in his head, he knew the answer even before it was spoken.

The words were a mocking growl. Oh, little morsel. You know what we want. So few creatures have natural energy on the level you meerkats have developed. So will we consume you and gain your power. Dont make us dig you out.

Three Squeaks was confident that they could burrow faster if necessary- not because they could move more dirt, but because they were trained for it and the big lions had to create more area. They were taller and wider which meant a lot more times in the area required to dig a tunnel. So if they ever started, the meerkats could at least burrow deeper or further away in response.

That isnt the only way to grow stronger, you know. And you could feed only on the unintelligent animals.

But wheres the fun in that? answered a different lioness. We would lose both the challenge and the greatest amount of energy. So we will wait here until you are starving and have to leave.

Three Squeaks resolved to die in the hole, if he had to. He could probably expel all of his natural energy so they couldnt even get the remnants if they dug up his body. But he also preferred not to die. If that is the choice you want to make so be it. He ducked back into the hole as just the time the lioness sneaking up behind pounced. Learning to sense all around him at once was a very valuable skill, and he only hoped he could stretch his senses to the horizons like Anton. The horizon was so far away, over five thousand meerkat heights! Or something like a thousand meters.

Three Squeaks resolved to learn more distance and calculations and everything from Anton when he survived. He shook off the fallen dirt as he made his way deeper into the burrow for safety, resolving to survive.

-----

Everyone was hungry. Three Squeaks had missed three sunrises and three sunsets, unable to go outside to cultivate. Their reserves of food had saved them thus far, but how much longer could they wait?

We will wait until dawn, Three Squeaks declared. If no help arrives before then, we shall use the changing sun to distract the lions. And himself. He was going to run faster than everyone else- but rather than being selfish, that was the best option. He would be heading out first, as the primary target. At that point, it was best for him to do his best to survive.

He had hoped that the lionesses might give up. Their hunger should be setting in as well, but it seems they were prepared. They slept in shifts, and occasionally one or two of them seemed to go away- perhaps to eat or drink? Either way, the situation was still bad.

Three Squeaks hadnt noticed any of his fellows up above. In a way, that was good. They hadnt been spotted or chased after by the lions. But maybe they hadnt come at all. Maybe they thought too much of his abilities, and assumed everything was fine even with nobody returning to the main burrow for several days.

Thinking was going to be the death of him, but fortunately something disrupted his thoughts. A tremble in the ground. And then another. These were not the familiar and relatively smaller trembles caused by warthogs. It was something more.

Three Squeaks had barely locked onto it with his energy senses when there was a yowl of pain. A horrific shriek, as one of the mighty lionesses was scooped into a gigantic maw all at once. There was a horrible crunching sound and then nothing.

The meerkat raced for the entrance of the lair. Follow! he declared to the others. Either this was their chance to run or he would join the battle. The others had to be by the entrance to make running an option. We will stake out the entrance!

Several clumps of energy charged towards the big and large one that had snuffed out one of them. A fat head flailed back and forth, knocking away the first two to approach. Three Squeaks reached the entrance.

Stay here, he ordered the others. I will fight.

His bow unslung, he notched his claw into it. He poked his head out onto the surface, picked a target, took aim, and fired. Everything was one smooth motion, a strange calmness coming over him. Perhaps it was the confidence of the giant thing fighting the big cats, or an effect of his tempered head. Either way, the spirit arrow that was his energy and him flew forward, right towards the eye of the lioness that seemed most important.

The disparity in power between Three Squeaks and even the weakest of this pack was clear but the control of natural energy went far in the opposite direction. They used it as a blunt instrument, an explosion of power covering their whole body. And in some ways, that was valuable for them. Even with Three Squeaks concentrating all his power into a single point, he only barely pierced into the eye. He couldnt reach the brain behind it, as the natural defensive barrier of the lioness was too much.

But the yowl of pain told him all he needed to know, and by the time he prepared his second arrow the lionesses were already turning to flee. One was dead, one injured, and any that approached the large individual were tossed about wildly.

Three Squeaks didnt stop with one arrow. He shot after the lionesses, peppering their hindquarters and tails. He managed to dig deep into the muscles of one, slowing her running and trickling blood into her fur. But she was too far to follow up in any significant manner. Besides, Three Squeaks had to deal with this other thing. Specifically, the hippo. He was pretty sure that was what it was, though he rarely actually saw them.

Who are you? Three Squeaks asked. Why are you here?

Mwernf mfew mwooking fmw wus? the hippo replied with its mouth extremely full. It tossed its head back seemingly intent on swallowing the lioness whole.

Was I looking for you? I suppose I was. Um you probably shouldnt eat that.

Mwy wot? the hippos jaws squeezed, cracking bones.

Well, they are sapient after all. And so thats bad. Also diseases or something?

Three Squeaks uncertain reasoning didnt seem to dissuade the hippo. Three Squeaks briefly thought hed been successful, but the hippo only spit out the lioness to get a better grip and begin breaking it down into pieces.

He didnt watch the process.

So, meerkat. You wanted to speak to me? Or any hippopotamus?

Um. Yes. Hello, Im Three Squeaks.

I am Contented Grunt.

Pleased to meet you, Contented Grunt. I am trying to build our alliance. We have diverse allies. Flying eagles, burrowing meerkats, warthogs of the land, and we were hoping to include river hippos? Water allies.

Hippos are better than warthogs and quite capable on land, Contented Grunt said. Despite the bulk of the creature, Three Squeaks thought there was a bit of delicacy? Or femininity. As much as that could present itself in a hippo. But I admit to preferring the water. What was that about not eating the lioness? It didnt make sense. I can be strong this way.

You might get sick, Three Squeaks said. And they are also people.

But they were going to eat you to get stronger. Why not do the same?

Uh I dont quite know. Except, we dont want to encourage that as the norm. Especially since meerkats are generally on the eaten side.

Then be stronger.

I dont think we can just Three Squeaks shook his head. Anyway, were you just coming to say hello?

I also heard there was trouble. An eagle told me, and I was nearby. And peckish.

Isnt it scary to fight multiple lions?

Not when you are strong. Though I will admit that maybe there were too many for just me. I think you hurting one of them spooked them more than me killing the first one. Because they expected fight from me, but not something like you. She paused. I do feel a little sick.

... maybe throw it up?

I will just digest harder, the hippo declared. Three Squeaks wasnt quite sure how that worked but he wasnt going to say it couldnt happen. He did feel some natural energy stuff.

Thank you for rescuing us, by the way. The point is to have you join us so everyone grows stronger.

Are you going to be bait more often? That might be good.

Uh, more like we were going to help you grow various water based foods that you like? It turns out there are ways to make the plants you want happen more.

Interesting, Contented Grunt replied. Well, I would have not shown up if I wasnt a little interested in your ideas. The eagle also babbled something about cultivation? And growing stronger in ways that werent just eating?

Yeah, we can tell you all about that if you join us, Three Squeaks declared.

He was distracted by more rumbling ground- smaller but more plentiful. Snorting yells came from the group, including the loudest among them as their leader Forceful Snort. We will help our friends! That lion seems to be the size of a hippo but we wont let that stop us!

A screeching cry interrupted their charge. Thats because that is a hippo, dummy! I told you I asked one to help before I came to find the rest of you!

Alright men! You know what to do with a hippo! Stoooop! Forceful Snort dug in his heels, screeching to a halt a couple meters away from Contented Grunt. Good day sir or madam. Sorry to interrupt.

Contented Grunt gave a laughing groan. It is good to see you are wise, even if your eyes arent good for much.

Forceful Snort blew air from his nose. Im training them next.

Is that so? How odd.

-----

Anton watched as the situation resolved itself. He was a little bit concerned about the eating of the lioness, but he really couldnt add any more points for why it was wrong besides what Three Squeaks had ultimately managed to say. Killing sapient creatures was wrong, yes. But even he did that, when necessary. At that point, making use of the body to grow stronger, if it wasnt going to spread disease well, Anton didnt think hed ever go down that route. But the cultivators of Akrys could work that out for themselves. Ultimately, they were different enough that he wasnt certain he could declare any universal truths in that area.

He was quite pleased that Three Squeaks hadnt called out for him that hed noticed. Because hed actually missed the first day or so. Figures that everything important happened when he was gone, but he was actually more than pleased with the results. He didnt want to be a source of power, but of knowledge and self empowerment. Or community empowerment. Because every planet was going to have to make their own place in the galactic community- or at least that of the greater lower or upper realms. He couldnt be present at each and every place all the time. Still just one, and with no intentions or methods to change that.

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