Welcome to Gaia! ::

You've heard rumors of a local beast that has been causing trouble, always striking and darting away without a trace. Many have tried to capture it, but with no success. Now that fall is settling in, the community is distressed at the trouble being caused and has asked for your help in finding the beast and either relocating or finding away to get rid of it from the community.

[ A creature is terrorizing the community, but what is it and is it really such a problem? Use the fauna thread to pick out a local beast and tell us how your character found and if they remove or relocate it...or maybe even tame it as their own (not all fauna can be tamed). ]

Since landing back on Belrea, Mako had heard the rumors getting more and more extravagant.

'It's like a lizard and just makes a mess in your home.'
'It's as long as an earthling and ran off with my duruf!'
'It's got huge fangs and spits poison if ya get too close!'

Mako had no idea what type of creature the locals were trying to describe, and he was willing to bet that no one else did either. Even those lucky enough to lay eyes on the mysterious beast had no idea what they were looking at. It was both annoying.. and irresistibly intriguing. Mako was ready to find some excitement after a boring week's trip on the ship, and finding this creature was just the thing!

He was going to do it all on his own, too! Hopefully there was not actual poison involved... He was brave though! It would be worth it if he could figure out what it was and help settle the minds of the locals. Maybe they would even give him something in return for a successful mission?

With a small dagger at his hip and sturdy gloves on his hands, the youth crept around the streets in search of his prey. He kept low and to the edges, looking in every nook and cranny that he could find.

Mako was oblivious to those around him as he conducted his search. He probably should have brought a few more tools from the ship than the simple net and his dull carving knife. In his youthful eagerness, he certainly wasn't expecting to need much more! Something to defend himself and something to catch the mystery beast with. Simple!

A low hiss reached his ears as he passed by a stack of crates. He paused quickly and lowered himself even closer to the ground. He'd never heard that kind of sound before! Surely it was from the mystery beast!

Moving like a baby predator learning how to hunt, he crept closer to the crates. One hand moved to his waist to slip the net free of his belt and ready it. The noises were definitely coming from the shadows of the crates. He pursed his lips and cautiously reached forward into one of the crevices. That was a good idea, right?

A soft shuffle came from the shadows and Mako grinned wide. He was going to get it! The creak above his head made him freeze though. He barely had time to raise his eyes before he was suddenly yanked backward. He gave a scream of surprise and flailed his arms. There was a voice.. and then the crate fell right where he had been crouched.

With a sigh of relief, he tipped his head back to see his rescuer. "Yeah. I'm okay." He looked back at the crates with a disappointed groan. "It got away, didn't it. Dang!" He looked back up hopefully. "Did you see which way it went?"

Heat flushed along Mako's cheeks, and he gave a disgruntled grumble. "Just surprised me is all." It was tempting to sit there and pout, but he had work to do. He pushed himself up and brusquely brushed off his pants. "I'm hopin' it's the beast that's been botherin' everyone." He looked up at the adult and pursed his lips with an internal debate. "You can follow along if you want, but I'm gonna be the one to catch it. I've been tracking it all day."

He had to take a moment to move bits of crate to get his net back with a quick inspection to make sure it was still whole.

Mako couldn't help a chuckle while tossing the adult a confident grin. "If I know anything about stories, it's that they get crazier with each person who tells it. Besides, don't need to be big to spit fire and stuff." His shipmates alone were proof of that!

Captain? Naturally, the title bolstered his mood further and he hurried after the shadow that had darted away. "One of the descriptions was that it's like a lizard, so maybe poisonous. Either way, I bet it's not that bad." A few buildings down found them at the entry to another alley. He paused to peer down the dimly lit path. Many shadows for it to hide in. "I bet it's down here now." He dropped down to his previous pose of crouching along the walls and resumed his hunt; nose to the ground and eyes on the shadows. From another stack of crates, he heard the same hiss from earlier and pointed. "You, uh.. first mate! Get on the other side of those boxes so it can't run that way."

Mako shook out the net and squatted, ready to catch whatever came from the shadows. He was practically shaking with anticipation! This time, he would get it!

He squawked out a cry of attack as he pounced toward the quick little form skirting along the ground. "Got it!"

Completely out of its element, the keldari was in a panic. It had been snatched from its home, stuck in a cage, and had escaped into a strange, dry land. Now something was attacking it! It hissed again and struck out at its attacker.

Mako got a quick look at the beast and let out another scream as a mouth of sharp fangs came at his face. He closed his eyes against the impending doom... but felt nothing. He cracked one eye open and let out an explosive sigh of relief. The creature's mouth was caught by the net, preventing it from reaching his face. He quickly snapped a hand to grab near the back of its head to prevent further biting.

What..? He'd seen something like this before, but couldn't remember where. "An eel?" he asked as he held it up in the air for Kaimana to see.

"A keldari? But those live on Yael." Mako's lips pursed contemplatively. That's right! He hadn't been able to explore Yael too much, but he had seen a couple keldari during his time there. "Someone must have brought it over from there."

He relaxed his hold a little as the creature calmed down. "You were scarin' people," he scolded the snake lightly. "Eh. Mom would throw it overboard in two seconds. Probably better if you take it." He held it out, but quickly yanked it back. "Hold on! I was gonna see if I could get a reward for catchin' it!" Those who talked about it spitting fire weren't likely to pay up, but perhaps one of the initial complaints would recognize the creature as it was? "Come on, first mate! I'll share a little with you for your help, and then you can take it to your buddy!" He darted off with the poor keldari dangling in his hand, eager to see if his efforts would be financially worthwhile.