Leave it to FA to die so I can't post such an important piece...

A little something I drew symbolizing how  mitchkenzo and I have known one another for one year now. Here's to you Mitch, provider of the tastiest vore conversations, fellow asexual, and best RP partner in the world. We think so similarly, it's creepy. With us, the sky's the limit!

More Monster Hunter fanart! I have come to the conclusion I still really can't draw lions, but at least he doesn't look like a rat anymore. It must be a hyena thing. :P The shoulderpads on Avereth came out a little too big, but it's not like I don't see things that oversized in World of Warcraft on a daily basis anyway. Ave's in his usual Monoblos set, while Mitch is wearing the Gravios set. Ave has his Siegmund next to him, while Mitch has propped his Diablos Hammer on the bar as well. I referenced the movie in-game entitled "Hall of Heroes" for the architecture of the tavern, from the masonry and woodwork to the bar itself, the candle stand, and especially the view outside the window. I also took the idea of a posting board of available work to Hunters. I'd have killed for a ruler to do this with, except it was the middle of the night and I wasn't waking up anyone finding one, but I can at least pretend the bricks line up. All in all, more proof that anyone can draw if they grit their teeth and put the pencil to the paper.

Now, because most of you watchers probably aren't looking for my bad art, I'll write a little something up to go with it. Not as complicated as a full story, mind you, but a little more than the usual. I'll end it without being too descriptive, because we have needed an excuse to RP this setting sometime anyway.

Mitch is ©  Mitchkenzo
Monster Hunter is © Capcom

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The two arrived at a large city that evening, and decided to look around for a while. It wasn't often one came across such in a rough world like this, when such gatherings were likely to attract the larger wyverns, or, horror of horrors, a fabled dragon. For it to be so prosperous, there were surely powerful guardians who were ever vigilant of the skies, ready to pit their skill against the sheer strength and brutality of their foe. Avereth gazed up at the twin mountains of rock at the far end of the city. The townsfolk had even managed to incorperate those into the structure of the city, tunneling within and building loading spars all over, and even structures atop both. It took a lot to impress him, but this was nothing like he'd ever seen before. He imagined the prospect of looking down from one of the jutting edifices and shivered. He looked over, and saw Mitch was looking at them too.

"You know, I might be willing to go up if we drink enough tonight." he said, drawing the grey lion's attention as well as a chuckle from within the craggy white helm. The two certainly created a stir as they wandered the diverse streets. It was clear by their gearing that they were no petty scrub Hunters. No, these were of the Elite few, men and women who feared almost nothing and could singlehandedly slay creatures that could raze and devour an entire village. They were already being looked up to as heroes, and they hadn't even done anything here yet. It was such a good feeling, and made every impact against a hard object when wyverns sent him flying worth it.

Mitch replied after a few moments. "Yes, we tend to do interesting things after a few drinks, don't we?" He rapped an armored paw gauntlet on the metal part of the hyena's horned helm. "I don't doubt you'd fall off somehow, either. Probably laughing in that mad way you do the whole way, too! Knowing you, I'm not sure you would get more than bruises doing it."

Avereth put an arm around the lion's shoulder and leaned on him. "You know you'd be compelled to do it too though, I'd never let you forget if you didn't! 'Course, your armor is practically made of rocks, so you might reach the bottom before I did. You'd be a hard rock to land on, but then again I'm covered in horns, which would probably be worse. It couldn't hurt as much as having a Gravios roll over dead on you though, I wasn't sure if I'd ever unflatten after that one!"

The two stopped their friendly banter as they noticed what appeared to be an Elite Gunner heading towards them from the opposite direction. They gave a nod of recognition to a fellow Elite, but he stopped as if suddenly noticing them. "Haven't seen you two around here before, welcome to Twin Mesa. We don't see other Elites here much, except for one another. I'm one of the Mesa Guard. We're all Elite Gunners. We can knock a wyvern out of the sky from atop the mesas long before it ever has a chance to grab anyone. Unfortunately, that means we also can't afford to go off on adventures into the surrounding terrain."

"We could use two like you, since you wouldn't be any good to us up there anyway." He nodded towards the two towering mesas in the distance the two had been looking at earlier. There's always need for wyvern fangs and bone fragments, as well as explosives for our most effective shot stock. And if you kill a few big ones before they get here, you won't hear us complaining much! There's a tavern reserved for us nearby, but other Elites are welcome as well. The food's cheap and the drink cheaper, long as you're willing to put yourself to use. The other Gunners should still be there, but we'll be heading out soon to replace the current shift up there, so you can find out the latest rumors and information while you're at it."

It was a short while later the two found themselves inside of a fairly well-kept and sturdy tavern. As mentioned, it was indeed filled with only the Elite of the Gunners. Largely absent was the raucous noise and shouting of most taverns. This lot had discipline, even off duty. Avereth and Mitch mentally scratched off getting good and drunk, it wasn't happening here, at least not until they could find some time to themselves. They were treated respectfully, and spent a long time exchanging tips on wyverns, and speaking of past hunts. They even let the Gunners heft their weapons and get a feel for them, in exchange letting Mitch and Avereth try out their Bowguns and Arbalests, with some weak, inexpensive shot of course. Both parties enjoyed themselves greatly, laughing at one another's ineptness at the other's weapon style. The Gunners stumbled and tripped, unused to the weight and momentum of the heavy melee weapons, and Avereth and Mitch took a while to even manage to load the Bowguns, lurched violently with every shot, and couldn't even get close to hitting the targets. They finally parted agreeing they should probably stick to their own specialties, and then the two found themselves alone, except for the keeper of the tavern.

Mitch reached up finally and removed his bone white helm, sighing and shaking his mane loose. "Aaaahhhh...it feels good to get out of that once in a while, eh Ave?"

Avereth nodded. "Indeed, and I suppose now there isn't a risk of causing any commotion. It gets annoying when guards seperate us assuming we're going to try to kill one another." This earned an odd look from the tavernkeep, and he was no doubt wondering why something like removing your helm would cause something like that. The answer became clear as Avereth's own helm unlatched and came free, exposing his own mane. The mane of not a lion, but a grey colored hyena. He proceeded to smooth his mane out, trying to fix the helmet-hair.

The tavermkeep blinked a few times in surprise before laughing to himself. He set his hands on the bar. "Well I'll be damned! Now I've seen everything! A lion and a hyena, hunting together rather than hunting one another! There's gotta be a story behind this, and information's valuable sometimes in this city. Tell ya what, a free mug of ale to each of you for that story, the biggest mugs I've got! Avereth and Mitch exchanged a look before nodding to him. The Tavernkeep filled two massive mugs to the brim and set them down-just out of reach. "The ale has been poured, but the tale has not yet been told." He smiled.

Avereth was the first to say something. "I guess I should tell it, I always remember details you forget Mitch." Mitch scratched at his mane in nonchalance at the remark. "I guess it happened...he looked at the calendar behind the bar that was updated with little wooden squares with different numbers and months on it. "A year ago... Mitch! It's been a year!"

Mitch suddenly perked up. "It has...hasn't it? Who would have thought we would be where we are today a year ago!"

Avereth slapped the bar with his gauntlet. "Indeed! We were trying to kill each other! I would rather have fought a Gravios than you wearing its hide."

The lion laughed at this. "Hah! The horns of a Monoblos on your shoulders were more dangerous than when they were still attached to their owners! I cannot imagine the looks on the faces of my village if they were to see us together!"

"You make a good huntmate, who cares what our villages think." replied Avereth.

"Yes...some things are more important than race..." Mitch responded.

"Perhaps someday they will see that."

"We'll do it somehow."

A cough from the tavernkeep got their attention, and he tapped his wrist indicating he didn't have all night to wait.

Avereth and Mitch just laughed. "Sorry, we were having a moment there, where was I before I went off track. Oh yes, a year ago..."

They both came upon the wyvern at the same time. It was a Gypceros. Nothing overly dangerous, but it was causing trouble in the area. It resembled a large bird more than a wyvern, having a huge, oversized beak designed for crushing bones, and the ability to emit a brief burst of light that would temporarily blind its victim. Avereth saw the other Hunter was a Blademaster as well, bearing armor that looked to be fashioned from a Gravios, and a massively heavy hammer that used the deadly tail of a Diablos to crush his foes. They nodded to one another, understanding they would be working together for this one. The two of them would make short work of this nuisance.

They both charged at it, though the charge faltered for a bit as the wyvern noticed them and emitted a deafening screech that stunned them for a moment. Then it charged at Avereth, who sheltered by bracing behind the broad side of Siegmund. The creature rushed over him and stumbled as it hit the blade. He saw the other Hunter rush past him. The Gypceros was still recovering from its charge and subsequent stumble, and had no way to avoid the hammer as it came down on a leg. The blunt weapon severely crushed the muscles of the leg, though it failed to shatter the bone. The animal shrieked in anger, and charged the retreating form of the other Hunter. Avereth watched and then called out "Lunge to the side! NOW!"

The retreating Hunter listened, and narrowly missed being grabbed by the massive beak. The hobbling wyvern went past and turned itself around, making an angry noise. It started to rear its head and Avereth realized what it was about to do, holding Siegmund before him and blocking his eyes with it, clenching them tightly. There was a sharp sound and he felt the intensity of the light emitted from the crystal on its head as the attack happened. He lowered his blade as the blinding glow wavered away. The hammer-wielding Hunter had had no way to avoid the attack, and was stumbling blindly. The Gypceros saw this too, and prepared to charge him. Avereth knew he was in trouble if he didn't distract it.

The Gypceros shrieked and charged, its beak gaping open eagerly for prey. Had it not been for its crushed leg, Avereth might not have made it in time. The wyvern's head came down, lunging towards the incapacitated figure, reaching... It was but inches away when Avereth's sword slammed down onto its neck. The momentum caused the wyvern to fall to the ground, the bottom hinge of its beak being forced shut as it ground across the dirt. The cut had been severe, but its spine, though exposed, had endured and prevented any major damage. Though he kept the other Hunter from going into its maw, the Gypceros' momentum still sent him flying when it slid into him. He went rolling, mostly unhurt.

Avereth hefted his sword and stepped back as the enraged wyvern got up, jumping up and down in anger. Before it could gather itself to try to blind him he ran forward and sent his sword in a broad arc, aiming for the already damaged leg. The blade hit, severing muscles and effectively hamstringing the animal. It shrieked in agony and fell onto its side writhing in pain. A wing came around and slapped Avereth. His view of the world changed as he went up into the air and landed in some bushes roughly fifteen feet away. As he climbed to his feet he saw the hammer wielding Hunter had recovered from his blindness and was charging the wyvern. He began charging over too, intending to help before it could attempt to fly off and escape.

The mighty hammer came down in a carefully aimed strike, and slammed into the Gypceros' beak. There was a sickening crack as it shattered under the force of the blow. There was another pained shriek, this one filled with fear, from the wounded wyvern. Avereth winced, the beak was valued as a Bowgun part, but it was unsalvagable now. He made it over and put all of his strength into hitting it in the neck on the same spot again. This time the bones gave, and his blade went deep into the neck, though not far enough to sever the arteries. The wyvern fell still, unable to voluntarily move any part of its body, it eyes whirling madly. Avereth struck again, and this time the blade went all the way through. A rush of blood spurted from the cut and sprayed him, and then the great beast shuddered and finally fell still.

The two both felt it-the predatory high that rushed through their veins from killing this creature. Both tilted their heads back and released feral cries into the sky, though both also cut off suddenly upon realizing just what the other was from those same calls. They immediately squared off in defensive postures, glaring at one another. Before, there had been no time to really get a look at one another, but it was obvious now. That they had worked together to overcome the wyvern didn't matter right now. There was only one thing a hyena and a lion did, and that was kill one another.

They charged at the same time, crying out the names of their tribes. Hammer met sword. Hammer and sword nearly wrenched themselves free of their owner's grasps. The lion recovered slightly faster and swung again, aiming to break the hyena's extended arm. Avereth in turn moved Siegmund faster than its size seemed to indicate and moved the broad side to intercept. The hammer could not change course mid-swing, and slammed the blade instead of the hyena. Avereth had no way to get in an attack before the hammer was ready again, so he instead tackled the lion, trying to gore him with the horns adorning his shoulders and head. His head was blocked by the haft of the hammer, a heavy clang resounding through his head as the haft vibrated, but he twisted mid-tackle and managed to get one shoulder horn past. The lion went flying, though his armor took the brunt of it. The horn hadn't hardly scratched the armor, but in close quarters combat the hyena felt at an advantage. He hefted his sword. He had the advantage in reach there too.

The lion went with the momentum and managed to land on his feet, weapon at ready. It suddenly held the hammer head over its shoulder, and seemed to be bracing. Perhaps he had hurt it more than he thought. He did not think this long, however, as the lion growled deeply and he saw enegy focusing into the hammer. It built until the excess suddenly blasted off of the hammer with a loud sound, and then it was charging at him again, hammer in an aura of energy. Avereth waited until the last moment and then blocked again. He wasn't taking the risk of dodging and getting hit from behind by an attack like that. He heard a roar and then had the sensation of being hit by a mountain. Avereth flew through the air, seeing his feet trailing behind him and the lion growing more and more distant. Everything went black as he slammed into a cliff face, leaving an impression in the rocks.

He opened his eyes in a daze, tasting blood in his mouth. He finally got enough focus to see beyond his own faceguard and noticed the lion charging towards him, hammer again glowing and ready. "Move..." he urged himself. "Move...gonna die...". He still couldn't get his trembling limbs to respond. "Arrrgghh! Won't lose...to a LION!" He forced his anger into his limbs, forced them to respond. He wasn't going to end his days splattered and crushed into a rock face by a hated lion! He rose unsteadily to his feet. The lion was almost on him... NOW! Avereth used his own impact crater to dive to the side, going from looking disoriented and defenseless to gone in an instant. The hammer came down on where had been, and a portion of the cliff face literally exploded. Avereth landed and got to his feet a little slower than usual. Of the lion there was no sign, inside that cloud of dust.

He could hear it coughing though, and intended on making use of its potentially deadly mistake. His sensitive ears guided him through the dust as he rushed and swung Siegmund from low to the ground in an upward arc. His aim was true, and he felt the bulk of the lion over his blade, and put his shoulder into it. He could tell that by chance the hammer haft had kept him from cutting into the leg or groin of his foe. His opponent went sailing through the air, as well as crashing through several smaller trees before a bigger one managed to partially withstand his bulk. Avereth felt himself beginning to sweat beneath his armor, already having exerted himself as if he was fighing a real tough wyvern like a Rathalos. Rathalos...he looked down at the knife-sharp metal tips on his Rathalos Boots... A well aimed kick from those in close combat and his opponent might bleed out. His opponent's boots were heavy with stony material though, and would have a similar effect to the hammer aimed right.

So far both he and his opponent had kept the vulnerable backs of their legs as well as groins covered though. What really counted was getting a good weapon hit in. Avereth charged the lion, intending on trying to get him before he managed to get back up, just as it had tried to do to him earlier. But he was too late-it was already up before he got to it. Regardless, he swung wide. The lion ducked and Avereth found his blade wedged into the wood of the tree instead of the lion as he had intended. There was no way to avoid the hammer, but he jumped up as it came around, making it hit his torso where the armor was strongest instead of his arm. He barreled into his sword, and made sure to keep his grip as it tore free of the tree and grated along his side. That had hurt, and he was getting angry at taking hits from a lion.

He rolled with the momentum, digging his heels in and stopping himself. The lion was there a moment later, swinging. Avereth dodged narrowly and swung his sword, only to be blocked by the hammer's haft. The lion started to raise it to swing again, but was forced to block as Avereth carried his original swing through and the blade came around from another angle. Swing. Parry. Swing. Parry. Avereth's arms burned, sweat was matting his fur down as he perspired profusely. The lion was doing no better than him, forced to hold up the hammer and absorb swing after swing, its arms were trembling with effort. Avereth's attacks were predictable though, and the lion suddenly lunged with the head of its hammer, ramming the hyena with it and sending him sliding backward onto the ground.

Avereth managed to shakily get to his feet. The hit hadn't hardly even hurt, but he was getting exhausted. It was becoming hard to even hold his weapon. He had expected the lion to already be coming, but it was watching him for an attack too, trying to rest its arms. A sudden idea struck him, it was risky...but surprise would be on his side! Avereth dropped his weapon, howled, and charged the lion unarmed. The shedded weight made his fatigue easier to ignore, with so many less pounds of weight of sheer bone and metal to lift. His opponent visibly stiffened in surprise and started to try to lift the hammer. Now came the risky part...if he was wrong this might be the end of him... Avereth closed the distance, and the lion suddenly dropped the hammer, realizing there was no way to get it up in time, let alone hope to swing it in his condition. He braced and took the shock of the hyena's booted foot hitting him flat on the chest.

He managed to grab its ankle, and found the hyena much easier to swing then the hammer. Avereth went flying. He had a rough landing as he had not expected the lion to actually throw him. It was supposed to be on the ground where he could stab it with his boots. He looked up to see it running at him, hammer abandoned. One of the heavily booted feet raised as it leaped, aiming for his groin. Avereth was not planning on having that part of his anatomy ruined and raised both feet. The lion could not change its trajectory, and thus it was a simple matter to knock the outstretched boot aside and then use the other leg to kick it in the belly. He pushed with all his might and the lion went flying over him to land nearby. Both were back up quickly, raggedly breathing, barely able to stand anymore. Their very armor was wearing them down now as their weapons had earlier. No wyvern would have taken this much effort to kill. But wyverns, for all their size and ferocity, were stupid and predictable, and much slower in combat.

Neither had the energy for leaping attacks anymore, so they instead ran at one another, and proceeded to punch at each other. Neither was giving the other any opening to vulnerable spots, and the attacks were hardly even a danger to the heavy shells of armor adorning both. The fought on regardless, intent on exhausting the other and then finishing him. Slower and slower the punches came, the lion and hyena forced to the limits of their endurance. Finally even that was too hard, and they locked arms, trying to push the other over. Back and forth they went, gasping for air, out of energy. Any beginner could have bested both of them together, so tired out were they. They ended up halfway using one another for support, too spent to do anything else as they stared at one another, faces inches apart. Both were thinking along the same lines. "I'm exhausted and battered, but I have nothing left in me to use against my opponent. And neither does he. What do we do now?"

Avereth finally asked the obvious question in between gasps. "Why...are we...doing this?"

Mitch started, really looking the hyena in the face, rather than like an enemy. "Because...they..." What? They told him hyenas were enemies to be killed? But why? Why couldn't they tell him why that was? He got in trouble if he ever asked why, and all of the others believed it without question.

"They...told you so...right? And were they...ever able to tell you why either?" Avereth replied.

"...No. They...there was no asking why. I was not ever supposed to ask why." said Mitch.

Avereth nodded. "So then...why are we doing this? Because they told us to? Is that really enough? Will killing one another really do anything, lion?"

He couldn't believe it, but what the hyena was saying made so much sense... And he found himself agreeing. "I...I don't know..."

The hyena couldn't believe where this conversation was going, or even that they were having one. But what else was there to do? "Earlier, we fought side by side against that wyvern. We helped one another, and worked together. Had either of us not been a lion or a hyena, we would have split the kill, and gone on our ways, or even joined as huntmates for the good of both of our tribes. Are we really so different that we cannot do such a thing?"

Mitch realized they were treading dangerous ground here, but the alternative was resuming trying to kill one another. And now he was questioning why they had to do that anyway. If they had never been able to tell him why lions must kill hyenas...maybe there was no reason, or it was something so long ago no one knew anymore. It didn't have to be that way, did it? "You're right... I...don't understand why I was taught that I must fight hyenas. We're both strong Hunters...if one of us were to kill the other it would be a terrible loss. My tribe would say I had done a great deed, weakening the hyena tribes to wyvern attacks, but what honor is there in endangering another tribe's young?"

Avereth smiled through his faceguard. "Yes, that is how I am beginning to feel, as well. I don't have a wish to die, and I am sure you don't either, lion. Can we put aside our differences, if there are any at all, and forget what others have told us we are supposed to do?"

This was it, Mitch knew his tribe would never forgive him for this. But could they ever really not need him, their greatest Hunter? Surely this was worth the risk. "I do not know what my village will do if they find out about this, but I feel your words have great truth to them. I will not raise my hammer against you if you will not raise your sword against me. Let us share this kill honorably." The two finally untangled one another's arms and got a little more space between them.

Avereth continued. If he had already gone this far... "Before we continue, my name is Avereth, and I would like to know yours, lion. I trust you enough to give my name. Do you trust me enough to give me yours as well?"

Mitch gave his name without hesitation, feeling sure he was doing the right thing now. "My name is Mitch. I am pleased to have come to this understanding with you Avereth." They shook gauntlets then, both feeling like a great event had just happened.

"Mitch, I think our races need to come to this same understanding someday, don't you? Perhaps...perhaps we should hunt together for a time, to learn more about one another's kind? I would be honored to hunt with you, for you are my equal as a Hunter. I would also be honored to partake in the meat of the kill with you as well. They say the effects of the fresh meat of a wyvern break down barriers between individuals, and what better way to build trust between us. I have never shared it with another before. Trust is not an easy thing sometimes, and takes much time, but I think this would speed the process. Who knows, perhaps we could even become friends someday."

The lion was silent for a few moments, stunned at the hyena's words. But why not? He wasn't going to let the other's race stop this partnership. "I...accept your proposal, Avereth. I think that might be...nice." The two went back over to the slain Gypceros, leaving their weapons behind for now. Both worked on peeling and shedding off the various pieces of their armor, no longer needing it. It would be much cooler out of it and they would be able to dry off finally. Symbolically they were lowering their defenses against one another, and there was a slight amount of tension. It was one thing to pledge things to one another about trust while in armor, but another to remove that armor. The last pieces came off, and the two were clad only in their own fur, looking one another over curiously. Each noted that the other was well-muscled and lean, tempered by a life of fighting. They both also looked in terrible condition right now, with sweat-plastered fur, matted manes, and spots where blood had clotted in the fur.

It would soon look much worse though, as they tore into the wyvern's flesh. The chemicals in it only lasted a short while once it was dead, but they always induced a euphoric feeling in the consumer, and barriers between individuals really did become thinner. Both gorged themselves to bursting on the flesh, their coats becoming covered in red blood. Afterwards they settled down against some trees to digest and let the meat's effects kick in. Their bloated guts bulged out heavily to their limits, forcing both to sit with their legs parted widely as they contentedly rubbed their stomachs. Then the substance in the meat began to absorb through the muscles into their bloodstreams, and they started to feel its effects. Avereth and Mitch shared a nervous grin, knowing there was no going back now, and let it carry them away. They did many things together that night and bonded their bugeoning friendship strongly. By morning, they awoke curled close to one another for warmth, and their trust in one another was complete. The two decided then and there they would always hunt together, and try to end the hate between their races once and for all by being shining examples of why old feuds just didn't matter anymore.

Avereth finished his tale with "And between that and now is just lots of traveling and hunting things, same as you'd hear from any other Hunter. So that's how we ended up together, by trying to kill one another first!"

"Well damn! That's quite a tale, I can't hardly even believe it! Thank you muchly for that story, here's your ale, on the house as promised!" The tavernkeep shoved it over.

A few minutes later, Avereth and Mitch were looking over the hunts posted on a board inside of the tavern. As they looked the tavernkeep brought out some food for them, and Avereth found an interesting looking hunt slightly before Mitch. As Mitch came over, he pointed at the hunt he had found. "Hey, look at this one Mitch!" The lion said nothing, merely raising a gauntleted paw that held a rolled up parchment that was his own find from the board. Together they looked over the two hunt notices, deciding which one they would hand to the tavernkeep before turning in for the night. Tomorrow was going to be interesting...they were sure of it!