I sigh. “I’ve had to ration my money for a long time.”
She nods, seemingly accepting my explanation.
“We didn’t grow up wealthy either. Although we’ve had periods where we had more money than others, I can understand wanting to have enough coin to ensure your independence,” she says, deep in thought.
“We’ll have plenty of items to sell, so we should be rich when we get back.”
“We?”
“Of course. It’sourmoney because it’sourcombined effort”
She stifles a smile. “All right. Let’s keep going.”
I nod my head.
“Due to the invulnerability of the adult Raffia, all harvesting efforts are focused exclusively on the eggs prior to hatching. This process is highly dangerous, as the parent remains in close proximity and exhibits extreme territorial aggression.Successful extraction typically requires stealth, precise timing, and minimal disturbance to the surrounding environment. Hunters often wait for brief intervals when the Raffia leaves the nest to forage or patrol. Breaching the shell of the egg presents an additional challenge, as it must be done without destroying the valuable contents within. Specialized tools or techniques are therefore employed to pierce or fracture the outer layer with controlled force.”
“Specialized tools?”
“If you had read this beforehand, you would have known.”
“Doesn’t it saywhattype of tools?”
“No. That’s all the information they give on this bird.”
“Damn it!”
“Although…”
“What?”
“I have an idea. But it would mean losing a lot of money,” she says with uncertainty.
“Go ahead.”
She purses her lips. “The Wilka is attracted to sources of high energy. The embryo of the Raffia is itself a source of energy.”
“You want to use the embryo to attract the Wilka?”
“Yes.”
“By the Seven! That’s brilliant!” I burst out. “That way we don’t have to betoocareful when breaking the shell.”
“We extract the blood first, then we wait for the Wilka to come.”
“The Raffia mother will try to fight the Wilka,” I continue.
“And when the Wilka is defeated, we swoop in and get the spoils,” Moe concludes.
Unable to help myself, I pull her into a tight hug.
“Brilliant,” I keep whispering. “Youare brilliant!”
34
The forest teems with life just as the light of the two moons bathes the land. Well-rested and well-fed after a hearty breakfast, we start our trek into the Horan forest.
I keep Moe close to my side as I maintain my vigilance. As we head deeper into the forest, it’s possible to come across all sorts of wild beasts. I’d wanted to consume a vial of Zantrax before starting on our journey, but Moe had suggested I wait. After all, we don’t know how perilous the battle with the mythical beasts will be and I will likely need to use all the resources at my disposal.
