Ren began moving among the sleeping groups with growing confidence.
His eyes had adapted to the gloom, allowing him to distinguish subtle variations in the darkness that others might miss.
Time was of the essence, he risked having the male block the exit sooner than expected if he dawdled.
Each second had to be used efficiently.
He worked methodically, moving from group to group. Every skin was carefully rolled, light but voluminous, requiring careful optimization of his bag space.
‘Fifty… seventy-five…’
The skins piled up in his bag, occupying considerable space despite their negligible weight. Ten kilos of material didn’t sound like much, but the volume was becoming a challenge. Each new addition required careful repositioning of the others.
‘Ninety-one, ninety-two…’
The mushrooms pulsed with renewed urgency. The male would return soon, and if it found him here, surrounded by its sleeping females…
The thought alone made his hands move faster.
‘One hundred.’
Ren contemplated his collection of skins. One hundred perfect sheaths, each obtained with ridiculous ease. But his gaze lingered on one of the newly molted creatures, its fresh skin still gleaming and vulnerable in the dim light.
‘One more thing,’ he thought while extracting the first Weaver silk thread he’d saved.
The knowledge flowed freely: these weren’t simple fibers. Generations of predation by Shadow Stalkers and vice versa had led Weavers to develop special silk specifically designed to counter Shadow Stalkers.
With deliberately slow movements, Ren prepared a slipknot.
The silk gleamed faintly in the darkness as he positioned it near the sleeping creature, each motion calculated to avoid any disturbance.
Ren fought against the nervous tension in his fingers.
One mistake, one sharp squeal at the wrong frequency, and the entire colony would awaken. But the knowledge showed him exactly how to proceed, guiding every movement with precise certainty.
The loop fell silently around the Shadow Stalker’s neck. The creature didn’t even twitch, its metabolism still slowed by sleep and recent molting.
‘Now.’
A quick, precise pull.
The thread tensed perfectly, and in an instant, it was over.
The creature had no time to register what was happening. No sound, no struggle, just a moment of pressure and then, stillness.
Ren worked quickly, selecting one of the largest skins he’d collected. The knowledge showed him how the external skin perfectly blocked absorption, isolating anything wrapped within it completely.
With precise movements and using the thread to avoid directly touching the dead creature’s tentacles, he wrapped it in the skin, using more Weaver silk to seal the package. The isolating skin would contain any energy absorption from the tentacles inside, keeping Ren safe from its lingering abilities.
‘A perfect specimen,’ he thought while securing his prize.
The mushrooms pulsed urgently, it was time to leave. The male wouldn’t be long in returning, and he’d already pushed his luck far enough.
But while packing his bounty, Ren couldn’t suppress a smile. It was time to exit. Somewhere above him, the male would be finishing its chase of the Bark Stalker.
He still had enough time. Only about 20 minutes had passed, and 5 to 10 minutes would be more than sufficient to return before the male.
Or so he thought…
A vibration in the cave’s mana made him instinctively duck. The mushrooms pulsed in warning, something large was approaching through the main tunnel.
‘Too soon,’ he thought while silently backing away. ‘The male shouldn’t…’
The knowledge flowed when a new figure emerged in the gloom. This wasn’t the cave’s guardian…
A rival male.
‘Impossible,’ Ren held his breath while continuing to retreat. ‘It’s not mating season. Territorial fights are rare outside of…’
The mushrooms dimmed completely while Ren backed away quickly and silently.
The invading male advanced with purpose. Its objective was clear, the power crystals that females had accumulated for the dominant male.
Ren pressed himself against the wall, moving as silently as possible. The tunnel was wide, but not wide enough to avoid the monster if it decided to…
The male paused, its attention completely focused on a lateral cavity. The glow of accumulated crystals emanated weakly, drawing its interest.
‘The leader’s crystals are its priority for now,’ the knowledge flowed while Ren evaluated his options. ‘But after…’
A satisfied growl resonated as the invader began absorbing the crystallized energy. But Ren knew it wouldn’t end there.
The knowledge was clear: after stealing the crystals, the male would seek to “mark” some sleeping females. It was part of the domination ritual.
‘And when it does, it’ll reach me…’
Ren looked back.
The hundred skins and specimen in his bag slowed him down, and the main tunnel was the only exit. In moments, the invading male would advance toward the deeper chambers, completely blocking the path.
He was trapped.
♢♢♢♢
The mushrooms in Ren’s hair transmitted information while he evaluated his situation. The invading male continued absorbing the leader’s crystals, each second bringing it closer to its next objective.
‘Think,’ Ren urged himself while the knowledge flowed. The male Shadow Stalkers were different from females. A single touch…
‘I can’t go back,’ Ren studied the main tunnel. ‘And if I stay here…’
The male began to move.
Its vibrations resonated ever closer as it advanced, searching for females to mark. The tunnel seemed to narrow with each passing second.
The knowledge flowed: he needed to hide, and he had exactly what he needed.
With hurried movements, he began extracting some of the black skins. The mana-blocking capability that made them so valuable could also serve as perfect camouflage.
‘Like a second skin,’ he thought while methodically covering himself. Each piece had to overlap with the next, creating a seal that would block his energy presence.
The knowledge flowed frantically: males were territorial, aggressive, but also… ritual-bound.
Each step of their behavior followed a specific pattern.
First the crystals, then the females nearest the entrance, then those at the bottom…
The male moved among the sleeping females, marking its new territory. The invader growled in satisfaction. Its body gleamed with stolen energy as it turned toward the deeper chambers.
Ren held his breath as the beast passed nearby, its senses completely focused on its domination ritual.
The mushrooms sent him a warning sensation, something wasn’t right. The male stopped, its head turning slightly.
A scent had penetrated the skin barrier.
‘The captured female,’ the knowledge flowed urgently. The knot wasn’t perfect, allowing a small leak of the dead creature’s essence…