Rayman and the Hunter Ch.3

Rayman and the Hunter Ch.3

“Wakey-wakey, Rayman. It’s time to go out,” Betilla whispered into her creation’s ears, trying to slowly and gently pull him from his sleep. The Hero of light let out a groan and turned over, pulling a large leaf over his head. The Hero of Light had slipped outside only a few hours ago to get some rest on the coziest moss in the Glade, and it was already time to wake up? Rayman was disappointed.

“Nngh..already…?” the sleepy limbless murmured, rubbing his eyes. “But I…just fell asleep…”

Betilla let out a small chuckle and shook her head.

“No, silly. You’ve been asleep for hours! Razoff is getting all ready to go out,” Betilla murmured with a nod. “So you should be getting up now.”

Letting out a sleepy yawn, Rayman finally sat up and stretched, scratching the back of his head a bit before finally opening his eyes. Pulling himself up onto his feet, he stretched out his back, and then began making his way towards Betilla’s house once again.

Pulling open the door, the Hero of Light’s eyes widened slightly to see Razoff sitting at Betilla’s table, helping himself to a bit of fruit. Rayman wasn’t sure if he liked the fact that Razoff was in the house, but if Betilla had allowed it, he couldn’t say anything against it.

“Oh-hoh, the beastie has finally awoken,” the hunter murmured, his eyes slightly narrowed, and a crafty smile on his lips. Razoff almost immediately earned a huff from the limbless.

“Listen, I’m not going to argue with you right now, so don’t even try it,” Rayman spat, rubbing his sleepy eyes once again.

“Oh, I’m just giving you a hard time,” Razoff chuckled, his expression completely unchanged. “Since you gave me a hard time earlier, it’s only proper that I return the favor, now isn’t it?”

Rayman simply ignored the swamp creature and went about poking around in the fruit dish on the table. Oddly enough, Rayman couldn’t find the one thing that he actually wanted; a mango. He furrowed his eyebrows. He could have sworn that there had been plenty of those in the dish before he had taken his nap. Where were they all now?

“Looking for these, are you?”

Rayman turned his head to see Razoff balancing five of the fruits in one of is large webbed hands. The limbless was absolutely confused about how Razoff had known absolutely anything about his taste preferences. It was extremely odd considering that Rayman had only met him one single other time in his life.

“How in the heck-?”

“Ah, now there is much more to hunting than merely killing, silly creature,” Razoff murmured under his breath, a chuckle vibrating in his chest. “You must understand the biology of the creatures; what they like, and what they do not.”

“Y-yeah, but how’d you know exactly what I wanted? You’ve met me once. When you tried to blow my head off the first time,” Rayman murmured, a confused expression blanketing his face.

Razoff let the fruit fall from his hand, back into the bowl.

“You’re a mammal of sorts. Hot bloods such as yourself like sweet things. The mango was merely a test of my knowledge in deciphering you.”

Razoff kept a sly smirk on his face. Rayman could tell that the other creature was trying to confuse him. And unfortunately, it was actually working. Rayman shook his head and snatched one of the mangos before Razoff could pick them up and start more hunting mumbo jumbo.

“Oh, Rayman, before you two leave,” Betilla quickly said as she flew in through the door,” take this; it’s the smoothie I owed you.”

Rayman immediately took it from her as soon as it was offered to him. Taking a sip, he could feel his tongue dance along the sweet, smooth liquid. It was truly delicious. After thanking her, Rayman and Razoff finally headed out the door of the house.

Rayman kept his eyes on the tall, slightly reptilian hunter as he walked. He was sure that the creature was going to try and pull something, and he wanted to be ready to spring the moment it happened. However, Razoff didn’t do anything suspicious as they walked.

Stopping, Razoff lifted his head and sniffed the air slightly as he straightened his velvet hat atop his head.

“Ah, the air smells like that of a hunt. Perfect weather,” Razoff murmured with a chuckle. “Too bad I don’t have my good gun. Ah, well. I suppose that this one is going to have to do for now, right pipsqueak?” He piped up, turning to look at Rayman, who was glaring up at him.

Rayman didn’t trust the slimy fiend. Ever. Especially if he had a gun.

Razoff took the time to load the gun before putting it back on his back with the strap. However, in doing that, the large creature swung slightly, knocking into Rayman. In response, the limbless stumbled, almost falling on his rear. Razoff cackled as Rayman regained his balance.

“Listen, this isn’t funny,” Rayman murmured. “People in the Glade are actually in trouble, and you’re just taking your grand old time trying to knock me over. Cut it out.”

Razoff let out a huff.

“A bit crabby, are we, Raymanskin rug?” The hunter let out yet another cackle.

However, the moment the hunter had finished laughing, his eyes widened. His head twisted and snapped in one direction.

“I heard something,” he hissed. “Over there.”

Before Rayman even knew what was happening, Razoff had bolted, all four of his hands and feet clawing at the dirt. Rayman had never seen Razoff run like that before. When the limbless had originally had to face him in his mansion, Razoff had ran slowly on his two stubby legs. However, not this time.

Razoff was as quiet as the wind as his long arms propelled him forward, his hat staying perfectly balanced on top of his head. In all honesty, he was moving almost like a snake; every movement graceful and smooth. Sneaky.

Rayman could barely keep up with the swamp creature as he ran on all fours. It was as if Razoff had become one with the forest; one person merged directly into the heat of the hunt. When Rayman finally caught up with him, Razoff had his back against a tree, and was tucked behind a bush, his gun sticking out of the leaves as if it were merely a stray tree branch.

Good Polokus, he’s fast, he thought to himself, hiding behind another tree.

However, when Rayman actually realized what the hunter was aiming at, he sprung straight up onto his feet.

“Razoff, no!!” he yelped, throwing himself forward. The Hero of Light tumbled onto the ground as the gun fired, protecting the other small creature with his own body.

Rayman clenched his teeth as he waited for blood to spill down his side, but nothing happened. He sat up slightly, staring at the terrified creature underneath him. It was one of Globox’s children.

“Razoff, are you mad?!” Rayman cried, holding the baby frog against himself. “What were you thinking?!”

“Oh, blast! I missed it!” Razoff snarled as he put his gun back on its strap. “I wasn’t shooting at the frog, you incompetent fool. There was something far bigger behind it!”

Before Razoff could say anything else, a croaking woman’s voice could be heard crying out into the night air. Rayman could almost immediately recognize Uglette crying out for her child.

Rayman turned and pointed a finger at Razoff.

“Stay there,” he commanded. “I have to bring this kid somewhere safe. Don’t move. And don’t ever shoot at someone like that!”

“Silly fool. I have more of a keen aim than you can imagine. I wouldn’t make such a ridiculously inaccurate misfire,” Razoff muttered, spreading out his webbed fingers, acting like he was trying to look over his nonexistent fingernails.

Rayman rolled his eyes. He couldn’t believe that the hunter would do something so dangerous. Rayman knew that he was dangerous, but he never expected him to fire his gun in the range of a child. The Hero of Light, however, swallowed down his anger briefly to console the tiny, frog-like child in his hands.

If there was one thing that Rayman was, it was compassionate to any creature in the Glade. It was his job to protect every single one of them, and he didn’t take that position lightly.

“Don’t worry. Everything’s okay,” he quietly murmured to the child. “I’ll get you back to Uglette in just a few minutes, okay?”

When Rayman finally found her, Uglette was ecstatic to get her child back. She immediately smothered it in kisses and hugs as if it had been gone for years. After repeatedly being thanked, Rayman turned back, looking to find Razoff once again.

Just as expected, the tall creature was still standing where he had been earlier, his hands fussing with the collar of his coat.

“Alright, let’s go,” Rayman murmured.

“Yes, mother dearest,” Razoff responded in a smart tone.

Rayman let out a huff and resisted the urge to stamp one of his feet in irritation. He had been in a foul mood ever since he had come in contact with Razoff, and was already getting tired of it. Turning he back, he set his smoothie down before walking towards a few thickets.

“Ahem, just where do you think you’re going?” Razoff called. “I thought we were going to keep heading out. Or are you chickening out, young fool?”

Rayman’s head snapped around, his eyes narrowed. “I was just going to use the bathroom. Geez,” he spat.

“Hah, just like an inexperienced hunter. Leaving any sort of scent means an unsuccessful hunt, short imbecile. You truly don’t know anything, now do you?” Razoff piped up, that crafty smile still on his lips.

Rayman knew that Razoff was doing anything and everything to irritate him to the point of being steaming angry. He simply shrugged it off and completely ignored the count for the time being as he secluded himself.

However, when Rayman shortly returned to where he had set his smoothie and picked it up off of the ground, Razoff was nowhere in sight.

“Ugh, I knew this was going to happen!” Rayman growled. “I knew Betilla couldn’t count on that slimy snake!”

Letting out a sigh, Rayman simply decided to cool his temper and finish off his smoothie, which ultimately made him feel a little better. Having a full tummy always put him in a better mood.

Alright, well I’m sure that he didn’t go too far. I still have his gun, and I’m sure he won’t leave without that.

The Hero of Light slowly tried to make his way back to Betilla’s house in a path bathed in nothing except moonlight. However, Rayman found his vision blurring, which was making things quite hard for him. It was as if he had lost all sense of his direction as he wandered about, his head growing heavy.

“Nngh…w-what’s wrong with me?” he couldn’t help but ask himself. In moments, he had plopped himself onto the ground as his head only went heavier into the haze. In all truth, Rayman was feeling disappointed, ill, and exhausted.

In moments, he couldn’t move, or keep himself sitting up any longer.

After just a few short minutes, the small guardian of the forest was rendered completely unconscious on the forest floor, the light from the twin moons spilling over him through the trees like a celestial wave.