Chapter 1112, The Flock of Six Eyed Red Birds

Translator: Silavin

 

*Whoosh whoosh whoosh…*

 

The Peak Eagle beat its broad wings across the sky, Yan Hua sitting on its back with her goggles on.

 

Bird and rider pressed on toward the depths of the forest, Yan Hua scanning the ground below for something.

 

“Ah Hen, fly a bit lower. Not too high, or the Six Eyed Red Bird won’t be able to keep pace.” Yan Hua patted the Peak Eagle.

 

*Kiiii…*

 

The Peak Eagle called out a few times and began dropping lower, its speed easing off.

 

*Riii… Riii…*

 

The Six Eyed Red Bird was running swiftly across the ground below, calling out in clear, bright bursts as it went.

 

It kept looking up at Yan Hua and the Peak Eagle overhead, clearly afraid of losing them.

 

The reason the Six Eyed Red Bird was calling as it ran was to draw out others of its kind.

 

This was Yan Hua’s idea. She had not ridden on the back of the Six Eyed Red Bird, mainly so as not to arouse suspicion in any others nearby.

 

If she had, then even if the Six Eyed Red Bird’s calls drew others out, those others would not dare approach.

 

Because they would know the Six Eyed Red Bird had already been tamed by a person and would not be so foolish as to come running out to it.

 

“Not going toward the Hunting Ground might make things harder to find. It’s also quite possible we might stray onto another Tribe’s territory.” Yan Hua murmured to herself.

 

She adjusted her goggles and swept her gaze carefully across every part of the forest.

 

Right now, she had to find those Ferocious Beasts and also watch for any people from other Tribes below.

 

The forest held numerous Tribes, and territorial awareness between them was fierce.

 

Being caught trespassing on another Tribe’s ground could bring all sorts of trouble.

 

And the Six Eyed Red Bird was still running along the ground. Yan Hua could easily slip away through the sky, but the Ferocious Beast on the ground had no such option.

 

Yan Hua had no interest in losing everything while trying to gain something. So she took care at every step.

 

Partly it was because she had been told so many times. Before this mission she had been warned over and over: be careful, be careful, and be careful again.

 

Even with Yan Hua’s usual careless attitude, hearing that many reminders made the lesson stick.

 

Besides, she had every intention of breaking through on this trip. That was the thing she was most fixed on right now.

 

“Ah Hen, do you think I’ll manage to break through this time?” Yan Hua turned and spoke to her Ferocious Beast.

 

*Kiiii…*

 

The Peak Eagle gave a few quiet calls, as though answering that yes, of course it would.

 

Yan Hua sat with that thought for a moment and said. “I wonder if you’ll break through too this time. I’ve heard that when your kind breaks through, you get a lot bigger.”

 

Yan Hua began wondering whether, after the Peak Eagle broke through, it might double in size.

 

The Peak Eagle’s back could already hold three or four people. It was already the size of a bus, and that was without its wings fully grown. If it doubled again, that would be quite something.

 

*Kiiii…*

 

The Peak Eagle’s mood lifted at once. The beat of its wings quickened noticeably. It was clearly in high spirits.

 

“All right, all right. But stay calm. Understood? Don’t take after me.” Yan Hua tapped its back lightly.

 

She rolled her eyes without thinking about it. People always said pets resembled their owners. It turned out that was quite true.

 

*Rustle rustle…*

 

Yan Hua heard a faint rustling and went immediately still, her smile gone.

 

She adjusted her goggles and looked toward the source of the sound. The Six Eyed Red Bird was already moving in that direction.

 

“Could it possibly be… could that be its companion?” Yan Hua signalled the Peak Eagle to begin descending slowly.

 

She flipped off its back and landed on a branch, then raised her binoculars and began watching.

 

At this point Yan Hua decided to stay at a distance for now. Better to let them grow accustomed to each other first.

 

The Peak Eagle did not descend with her. Instead, it beat its wings and climbed higher.

 

Its frame was simply too large. If it descended or circled nearby, it would easily unsettle the Ferocious Beasts and break up whatever meeting was happening between the Six Eyed Red Birds.

 

*Riii… Riii…*

 

Yan Hua’s Six Eyed Red Bird called out in a low, steady tone. The sound had the quality of a summons.

 

It stopped moving forward and stayed where it was, spreading its wings and beating them gently. The gesture seemed to say there was no danger here.

 

Yan Hua understood every bit of it. Perhaps it was because the Six Eyed Red Bird had been tamed with a Shaman Bone Tablet, but there was a strange, quiet link between them.

 

It was as though the Six Eyed Red Bird could understand Yan Hua’s words, and she in turn could read its every move.

 

*Rustle rustle…*

 

After a sequence of sounds brushing through the undergrowth, eight Six Eyed Red Birds emerged from the bushes.

 

*Riii… Riii…*

 

Several of the Six Eyed Red Birds began calling to each other. The sounds were peculiar, almost like conversation.

 

The Flame Dragon Tribe’s Six Eyed Red Bird called back a few times, as though answering the flock.

 

Both sides held still for a good few minutes. Then they began turning slow circles on the spot, spreading their wings and fanning them steadily.

 

Yan Hua barely dared to breathe. She watched with complete focus, her palms damp with sweat.

 

She knew what was happening. Those eight Six Eyed Red Birds were in the process of accepting the other one, and this was what it looked like.

 

Six Eyed Red Birds were Collectivistic Ferocious Beasts, after all. Spotting a lone one would naturally call for some caution.

 

What was happening now was an assessment. They were checking whether this newcomer meant any harm, or deciding whether to take it into the flock.

 

The Flame Dragon Tribe’s Six Eyed Red Bird kept its mannerism entirely gentle, without a trace of aggression.

 

Its wings, when spread, did not extend as wide as those of the others. That was intentional. It meant submission.

 

Collectivistic Ferocious Beasts worked this way. One among them was always the leader.

 

The one with its wings fully spread was the head of this small group. It was visibly larger, its feathers more vivid.

 

[I hope it all goes smoothly. If I can bring this group back to the Tribe, we’ll finally have our land-based transportation vehicle sorted.] Yan Hua thought to herself.

 

She was very tense just then. She did not move a muscle, afraid that brushing a nearby branch might make a sound and startle them away.

 

The Flame Dragon Tribe’s Six Eyed Red Bird was equally tense. It had, after all, entirely defected from its own kind. Otherwise, it would not be helping Yan Hua.

 

Fortunately, it had spent relatively little time around Humans, so it did not carry too strong a Human scent.

 

And before setting out, it had deliberately bathed in a muddy patch, to cover what traces of human smell it had.

 

*Riii… Riii…*

 

Then, all at once, several Six Eyed Red Birds called out together.