Chapter 81 Training; The Art Of Tracking [2]

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You have killed a Wild Greyhound: Grade E

You have gained 2,300 Experience Points

…

You have killed a Wild Greyhound: Grade E

You have gained 2,300 Experience Points

…

You have killed a Might Hound: Grade D

You have gained 8000 Experience Points

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The wild greyhounds were just like the domestic greyhounds used for hunting, the only difference was that these guys were better, wilder, and deadlier.

They had an insatiable bloodlust and could track their prey across kilometers.

Despite Legolas's master tracking skills, the leader of this small pack, the Might Hound discovered him first from miles away. The 3 hounds were the ones who went after him first with the intent to kill him.

Legolas did not back down from the challenge, he decided to make this Might Hound the first Grade D victim of his newly found powers.

After transforming into his beast integrated state, he soloed all 3 powerful hounds before bringing their lives to an untimely end.

After the battle, Legolas sat down on a rock to rest, it was already evening.

"By now, Christensen should be tired of reading that book already. Though he's a genius and is actually intelligent, he's just not the book type".

"I think it's time to teach him some tracking skills".

With that, Legolas sent Predator back to the beast plane and after resting, he brought that day's hunting session to an end and returned to their hideout. On returning to the open field, he was shocked to see Christensen still reading.

Seated on top a rock, Christensen had a fearsome frown on his face, testament of his dislike for reading but he forced himself to continue reading.

Legolas sighed. "He really does want to overtake me".

"At this rate, I can't afford to rest either, what a pain…".

Thud!

Legolas threw his hunting bag down, startling Christensen.

"Ahh…, master you almost gave me a heart attack".

"That's ok for today, keep the book". Legolas said as he sat down on the floor. "Come sit beside me, it's time to commence your next lesson".

"Hell yeah!" Christensen jumped up excitedly with boundless energy radiating all over him, then he sat beside Legolas on the floor.

"What do you understand by tracking?"

"Uhh…" Christensen scratched his head. "I think tracking, if it's a beast you're tracking, it involves finding tracks left by a beast to locate it".

"You're partially right". Legolas smiled. "But…, tracking an animal doesn't just start when you find the first track, a big part of it all depends on the sharp instincts learned and honed from pre-existing knowledge".

"The more you can know about an animal in advance of tracking it, the more you'll accurately predict and make sense of what you find while tracking it".

"Before tracking, have a good idea of what you want to track".

"Ask yourself questions like where does the beast live, what kind of landscape, habitat, what does it eat, does it hibernate? Questions like this help".

"Like in Leo's case, I had pre-existing knowledge about Frost Wolves. I knew that Frost Wolves love cold regions and highlands so since there was no mountain around, I simply went for the high planes where dangerous beasts roam".

"It made things a lot easier for me".

Legolas raised his hand up. "The 2nd step to tracking is know what other animals exist in the ecosystem of your target beast".

"Nature is a big interconnected system, it's never just one animal in isolation. Animals interact and influence each other's movement, diet, and behavior".

"A big part of knowing how to track comes from being able to read the ecosystem of interactions between different types of wildlife".

"Umm…" Christensen scratched his head embarrassingly. "Sorry but this is getting a bit complicated, I can't keep up".

Legolas sighed exasperatedly. "Just listen, I'll also demonstrate it for you".

"Oh, ok".

"The 3rd step is track finding, it's the most important step". Legolas raised his hand again. "Tracks are a special piece of history that connects you in space and time to the animal who made them, you have to be sensitive to sense them".

"Clear prints aren't always easy to find but there are places in almost any landscape where they can be found".

"Look for clear prints in mud puddles, snow, areas of disturbed dirt, snapped twigs, or even in the forest leaf litter if there is especially in the case of hard hoofed animals like deer or moose".

"To confidently identify tracks, you need practice and critical thinking".

"That's why I tell you to read". Legolas sighed. "A summoner needs to read".

"If you can put in all these steps that I've listed together, then you're good to go which will lead you to the last step, following fresh animal trails".

"First, you need to identify if a trail is fresh".

"Fresh tracks will have a crisper and more textured look to them. As they age, the edges erode and smooth out, scat becomes dried as it ages".

"A personal strategy is looking at differences in color compared to the landscape, you almost always notice the difference if you pay attention enough".

"After noticing a fresh trail, tracking it is culmination of all the other steps that I listed. If you can execute them all, you'll surely get your catch".

"Now, let's get over with the boring talk and all, let's get to business".

Legolas stood up. "Follow me, we're going tracking".

"Yeah man!" Christensen jumped up in excitement.

…

As the receding glow of the sun started casting a shadow over the forest in the island, a pair of master and student moved quietly through the forest.

It did not take too long before Legolas found his first trail.

He patted Christensen. "See that?"

"A muddy depression?"

"Yes, that's the trail left by a Wild Hog". He whispered to him.

"Since they don't have functional sweat glands, they create muddy depressions to coat their skin with mud which aids thermoregulation".

"Ahh…, thermo what?"

"…" Legolas was left speechless, he sighed. "Thermoregulation is the maintenance or regulation of the temperature of a living body".

"Oh…, I understand now".

Legolas continued. "You see that tree 2 meters away".

"Yes, it's coated by mud".

"You're observant". Legolas did not miss the opportunity to complement his student. "After leaving the mud, in the case of excess mud on their body, they rub the excess off through trees".

"The Wild Hog went that way, let's follow it".

Just about a minute later, Legolas discovered another track, this one a clearer one. "That's the paw print of the Wild Hog".

Christensen was excited. "You don't know master but I'm living my dream".

For the next 8 minutes, they continued tracking the Wild Hog while Legolas explained any trails to Christensen.

Through other tracks like the Hog's droppings, rooting and overturned soil which were notorious of Wild Hog's rough feeding, after 15 minutes, they finally located the Wild Hog.

The wild beast stood before a puddle of mud as it overturned the wet soil with its dirty snout in search of food, Christensen was excited at the discovery.

"Do you want to do it or should I…?

"I will". Christensen answered before Legolas could finish.

He brought out his bow and arrow then he aimed as silently as he could. With his marksmanship passive ability, he was confident in his aim and when the angle opened up, he unleashed the arrow.

Whoosh!

The Wild Hog growled aggressively in pain as soon as the arrow got it.

It turned and was about to charge at the enemy, but Christensen already nocked his bow for the 2nd time as he aimed before releasing the shot.

The Wild Hog finally died.

"Yeah!" Christensen was excited.

"Congratulations, your aim has improved".

"Thanks master, you taught me".

That was the only tracking practical that Legolas had for Christensen, the prince would have to update his knowledge of beasts and complete the rest of the learning process himself.

As they returned back to their hideout, it was already getting dark and Christensen was silent as he replayed the tracking lesson in his head.

Through the past 2 weeks, he discovered that he learned faster by replaying scenes in his head than reading or any other form.

As he replayed it in his head, he started understanding every action that Legolas took even to the little details. All of a sudden, he seemed to get it all.

"I understand now". He mumbled.

"Huh?"

Christensen turned to face Legolas. "Master, did you miss the tracks?

"Which tracks?"

"I discovered new tracks as we came back, it was a snapped twig at first".

"At first, I thought it was another beast but I understand your thought process now. The twig was deliberately snapped by the culprit to make it look like it was done by a Wild beast but the precision was too good for a beast".

"For some reason, I also discovered other tracks that were deliberately erased. I know they've been erased but I can still find them".

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"I'm not sure but it seems I awakened an ability related to tracking".

Legolas was surprised as Christensen said all these, he was glad but his eyes narrowed. "If the tracks were not left by beasts, then who left them?"

Christensen scratched his head. "I saw a footprint…"

"I think…, humans?"

"…"