Not long after Kael and Ya Ji fell into deep sleep, a fluffy little head with a pair of long, pointed ears cautiously poked out from the narrow opening of the nest.
The moment it saw the two sleeping Rathalos, it was so startled that it nearly scared itself half to death.
These were the native beastfolk of the New World, known as the Deter. Because of their similar appearance and social habits to Palicoes, they were also called Mountain Lynx.
"Meow?"
(Why did you stop? Hurry up and climb up!)
The urging voice from behind almost made the little Deter's heart explode. It gently kicked the companion below, then quietly shrank back.
Before long, two Deters tiptoed onto the platform.
The black paw-shaped patterns within the white fur on their bellies trembled slightly with nervousness, revealing their fear.
Their large eyes were fixed on the sleeping wyverns. Every movement was cautious to the extreme. Even their breathing was deliberately softened as they slowly and silently moved forward, carefully dragging their prey to the other end of the platform.
Then, they swiftly climbed up the vines, reached a hidden crack in midair, dropped onto all fours, and sprinted inside.
On the platform, the sleeping Rathian slightly opened one eye.
After watching the two Deters disappear into the crack, she closed it again.
Years of surviving alone had made Ya Ji extremely vigilant. Any unfamiliar scent or strange sound would catch her attention. Even while asleep, she maintained this awareness.
This long-formed habit remained even after Kael arrived.
Those two "tiny" mountain lynx were judged as completely harmless by Ya Ji. After confirming they had truly left, she leaned closer to Kael, feeling the warm body heat of her little Rathalos, and fell back into deep sleep.
Inside the Ancient Tree, countless hollow corridors formed by intertwined trunks crisscrossed like a natural maze.
The two Deters moved through passage after passage with practiced ease, eventually reaching a highly concealed area in the outer canopy.
This region was surrounded by thick branches, leaving only narrow gaps for sunlight to pass through. These branches not only hid the area well but also blocked the view of flying wyverns. Even if Rathalos fought outside, the shockwaves couldn't penetrate so many layers.
The outer ring of branches formed a semi-enclosed paradise, while inside, layers of smaller branches made the terrain even more complex.
Vines and leaves formed small platforms.
On these platforms were leaf huts, campfires, drying racks, and water containers. The one thing they all shared was the tribe's totem mark nearby.
The two Deters ran across the branches and soon reached the largest platform. As soon as they set down the meat, two others rushed over to carry it away.
"Mmuu…"
An aged voice came from a large tent ahead.
Soon after, an elderly Deter with graying whiskers emerged, holding a dragonbone staff.
At the top of the staff was the skull of a Tobi-Kadachi, now cracked in many places by time.
As the leader of this Deter tribe, that skull was a symbol of glory. In his youth, he had led warriors to trap and kill a sub-adult Tobi-Kadachi with traps and Jagras assistance.
"Why are you back so late this time? Did something happen to the Jagras again?" the old leader sighed.
The Deters could communicate with Jagras. As small creatures of the forest, the two groups had always cooperated well.
Jagras compensated for the Deters' lack of combat power, while the Deters enhanced Jagras hunting through tactics and traps. Together, they lived comfortably.
However, since a powerful Great Jagras appeared near the Ancient Tree, many Jagras followed it away to expand territory.
Many allied Jagras that could be summoned by horn calls also left.
This greatly affected Deter hunting and sharply increased their danger outside their home.
To giant monsters, Deters were usually insignificant. As long as they didn't act recklessly, they were ignored. Frankly speaking, a Deter wasn't even enough to fill a giant's teeth.
Their real threats were medium and small omnivores and carnivores, which were abundant here.
Jagras stood at the top among such creatures. That was why Deter tribes usually maintained alliances with one or two Jagras groups.
Hearing the leader's question, the two Deters looked at each other, then nodded and began chattering.
"So… all the allied Jagras groups have left, and a pair of Rathalos has built a nest on our main route?"
The leader was stunned.
This was truly misfortune upon misfortune.
Without familiar Jagras, hunting would become extremely difficult. Building relations with new groups wasn't easy.
Worse, Kael and Ya Ji had settled right near their home.
Their tribe was one of the largest in the forest because their location was incredibly safe.
Only one entrance. A complex passage. Layers of branches. Hidden and secure.
And since it lay in Rathalos territory, Wyverns avoided it.
In such a safe place, they rarely had to move. So their population grew steadily.
But now, a pair of Rathalos lived right at their doorstep.
Sure, Rathalos usually ignored Deters. But could they keep wandering under their noses forever?
Especially inside their own nest?
And what about when they laid eggs?
No Rathalos would tolerate potential threats nearby then.
The leader now had only two options.
First: migrate.
Leave before drawing too much attention.
Second: submit and seek symbiosis.
But giant wyverns were cold and arrogant. The Deters had no bargaining power.
They weren't even good emergency rations.
Chase them away?
Ridiculous.
Even if some beast tribes had hunted large monsters before, the cost was unimaginable.
And this was a pair of coordinated Rathalos.
Even sacrificing the whole tribe wouldn't work.
Ask other Deter tribes for help?
Unrealistic. Others already struggled to survive.
The leader walked to the platform edge and looked down.
Tribe members were busy. Children followed elders or played.
All this harmony came from this home.
Leaving would be disastrous.
"So… only negotiation remains?"
He sighed.
After gathering everyone and explaining the situation, he prepared for both outcomes.
He would negotiate personally.
The rest would prepare to evacuate.
If negotiations failed, staying meant slow death.
If they succeeded, life might improve.
Though the odds were slim.
After all, they were Rathalos.
Kael knew nothing about this.
When he woke, he saw three fluffy creatures at the entrance.
One elderly mountain lynx, under Ya Ji's death glare, dared to drag a tiny piece of meat forward.
Then it began chattering.
And somehow, Kael understood.
Not clearly. But roughly.
Tribe. Submission. Warning. Guarding…
What?
He was fully awake now.
He recognized them as Deters.
But when did Deters ever approach giants?
Wasn't it always mutual avoidance?
Confused. Completely confused.
After calling for a while with no response, the leader saw Ya Ji's impatience.
His heart sank.
He bowed and slowly retreated.
Just as he prepared to leave, Kael stood up.
The massive body leaned close, radiating pressure.
The two guards behind the leader gripped their bone spears.
The leader tensed, but Kael only examined him.
Ya Ji sensed no hostility but still rose, eyes sharp, thinking a fireball would solve it.
"Roar~"
Several low growls sounded.
The leader froze, then his eyes lit up.
He understood.
The Rathalos was asking for an explanation.
Response meant hope.
So he hurriedly explained everything.
Through gestures and sounds, Kael gradually understood.
Their nests were neighbors.
For survival, they wished to submit.
They would act as scouts and guards.
They would drive off thieves like Kulu-Ya-Ku.
All Kael needed to do was ignore them and let them live.
And maybe, occasionally leave scraps.
After all, Rathalos were famously picky eaters.
When food was abundant, they only ate the best parts, discarding the rest.
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