Monster Hunter: This Dragon's Built Different

The intertwined trunks of the Ancient Tree formed natural hollow corridors that spread out in every direction like a maze.

The two Grimalkynes navigated these passages with ease, familiar with every turn, until they finally reached a hidden part of the outer canopy.

This area was wrapped in thick, ancient branches, with only thin gaps allowing sunlight to filter through. These branches not only concealed the space but also shielded it from the gaze of flying wyverns. Even if a Rathalos was fighting outside, the resulting shockwaves wouldn't penetrate the dense network of wood.

The encircling branches created a semi-enclosed Eden above the trees, while within, layers of finer twigs made the terrain even more intricate.

Vines and leaves formed clusters of small platforms—though 'small' only in comparison to giant monsters. For Grimalkynes, they were perfectly adequate.

Some of these platforms were topped with leaf-built huts. Others held campfires, meat-drying racks, or water urns. But what they all shared was the presence of the Grimalkyne tribe's totemic emblems carved or painted around them.

The two Grimalkynes darted along the branches and quickly reached the largest platform. The moment they set down the slabs of meat in their mouths, two other Grimalkynes rushed over and took the food away.

"Hmmrrow~"

A raspy, aged voice echoed from within a large tent ahead. Moments later, an elderly Grimalkyne emerged, his form hunched and his whiskers streaked with white. He leaned on a long staff carved from wyvern bone.

Atop the staff was the skull of a Tobi-Kadachi—though cracked in many places from the passage of time.

As the chief of this Grimalkyne tribe, he had once cooperated with the tribe's warriors and, with help from traps and a group of Jagras, taken down a juvenile Tobi-Kadachi. That kill had earned them this skull, now a symbol of the tribe's honor and pride.

"You're back late this time. Did something happen again with the Jagras?" the elder sighed.

Grimalkynes possessed the ability to communicate with Jagras. As two of the smaller species living in the Ancient Forest, they had always coexisted in harmony.

The Jagras made up for the Grimalkynes' lack of combat strength, while the Grimalkynes, in turn, used coordination and traps to enhance the Jagras' hunting efficiency. Together, they'd carved out a good life in this forest.

Ever since a particularly powerful Great Jagras appeared among the Jagras pack near the Ancient Tree, many Jagras had followed it away from the tree's base, heading off to other regions to expand their territory.

Even the Jagras that had ties to them—those that could be summoned by horn—had left with the group. This didn't just disrupt the Grimalkynes' hunting activities, it also made venturing away from their home significantly more dangerous.

As small creatures, the giant monsters usually didn't consider Grimalkynes a threat. As long as they didn't wander too close, there typically wouldn't be a problem. After all—if we're being blunt—there wasn't even enough meat on a Grimalkyne to get stuck between a wyvern's teeth.

The real danger for Grimalkynes often came from those omnivorous or carnivorous beasts about two or three meters in size—and unfortunately, these creatures were numerous in the Ancient Forest.

Among these mid-sized creatures, Jagras stood firmly at the top of the food chain. As such, Grimalkyne tribes in the Ancient Forest usually maintained ties with at least one or two friendly Jagras packs that could be summoned by horn for protection.

Hearing the chief's question, the two Grimalkynes exchanged a glance, nodded, and began meowing back and forth in conversation.

"So you're telling me that all the Jagras packs we had ties with have left—and that on top of that, a pair of Rathalos has chosen to build a nest right on the only path we use to leave the tree?"

The elder was stunned by the news.

If misfortunes truly never come alone, then this was exactly that!

Without the familiar Jagras packs, their warriors would have a much harder time going out to hunt. And forming bonds with new Jagras wouldn't be easy either.

But the real headache was Logan and Aki nesting on that platform.

This Grimalkyne tribe was one of the largest in the entire Ancient Forest—and the only reason they had grown so numerous was because their residence was exceptionally secure.

There was only a single entrance and exit to their living area, and the passage was complex and layered. Outside, thick branches wrapped around the entire zone, making it both hidden and safe.

And since the upper reaches of the Ancient Tree were the Rathalos' domain, the wyverns that posed the greatest threat to Grimalkynes didn't dare come near. In such an absolutely safe place, they didn't have to constantly relocate like other tribes, which allowed their numbers to grow steadily.

But now… a pair of Rathalos had made a nest practically at their doorstep—and that changed everything.

Sure, Rathalos didn't typically attack Grimalkynes—but what if they started constantly running around right under their noses?

And inside their nesting grounds, no less!

Even the most prideful Rathalos might tolerate it for a while, but what about when they started laying eggs and raising young?

No Rathalos would ever ignore potential threats near its offspring.

That left the Grimalkyne chief with only two options.

Option one: evacuate the entire tribe.

While there was still time—before Logan and Aki took any real notice—they could relocate everyone.

Option two: attempt to communicate and submit, trying to establish a symbiotic relationship with the pair of Rathalos.

But in most cases, these giant monsters were cold and arrogant. Grimalkynes didn't have any bargaining chips—barely even qualified as emergency rations.

As for the idea of chasing the Rathalos away?

Heh…!

He wasn't insane!

Yes, there were beast tribes that had successfully hunted large monsters before—but the prey in those cases weren't even close in ecological rank to a Rathalos. And even if they tried—do they know what kind of cost such a hunt would involve?

And this wasn't just one—it was a pair of Rathalos, capable of coordinated, simultaneous attacks.

They could throw the entire tribe at them and still come up short.

What about asking for help from the other Grimalkyne tribes in the Ancient Tree?

That wasn't realistic either. There were indeed other Grimalkyne tribes in the tree—but most lived in harsher environments. Taking in this whole tribe would be a huge burden.

The Grimalkyne chief crouched low and walked to the edge of the platform, gazing down at the scene below. His clansfolk bustled about, each tending to their own duties. The young ones followed their elders, helping with chores—or leaping and tumbling in playful mischief.

This harmony they enjoyed was entirely thanks to their dwelling place.

So choosing to leave it—wasn't just something the chief personally couldn't bear. For the tribe, it would be a disaster.

"So communication is the only option left?"

The Grimalkyne chief shook his head and crouched at the edge of the platform, deep in thought.

In the end, no better plan came to mind. He could only gather the tribe, explain the situation once again, and prepare for both possibilities.

He would personally lead a group to attempt communication with the Rathalos. The rest would begin preparations to evacuate.

If the talks failed, staying would mean a slow death—starvation, eventually.

But if the talks succeeded, perhaps their lives could improve even more.

Still, the chances were very slim. After all, these were Rathalos. If communication with them were so easy, the other tribes wouldn't be living such hard lives.

Logan knew nothing about any of this.

When he was jolted awake by the noise, he saw three furry figures standing at the nest's entrance. One of them—a very old-looking wildcat—was dragging a meager chunk of meat over to them, all while braving Aki's deathly glare.

Then it started meowing loudly.

And the most shocking thing was—Logan actually understood it!

Well… not understood exactly, but he could more or less grasp the intent behind it.

Tribe, submission, warning, protection... What the hell?

By now, Logan was fully awake. He quickly recognized that the three wildcats before him were Grimalkynes.

But what he couldn't understand was—since when did Grimalkynes ever initiate contact with large monsters?

Weren't they supposed to keep to their own lanes?

You ignore me, I avoid you—that kind of relationship, right?

He didn't get it. Not at all.

The Grimalkyne chief had been meowing for a while, but the two dragons showed no reaction. The fierce-looking female Rathalos even seemed vaguely irritated.

His heart sank.

He lowered his head and began retreating step by step, intending to leave quickly before Logan or Aki lost their temper.

Just as he turned, disappointed and ready to go back and prepare for relocation—Logan suddenly stood up.

His massive body leaned forward with an overwhelming sense of pressure, looming directly over the Grimalkyne chief. The other two Grimalkynes behind him instinctively gripped their bone spears tight, ready to fight to the death.

The chief's whole body tensed—yet Logan made no other move. He was simply staring at him closely, studying him.

Aki could sense that Logan meant no harm, but she still rose up beside him, her gaze sharp and fixed on the three tiny creatures in front of her, wondering whether a single burst of flame might solve the problem.

"Roar~"

A few low growls rumbled out from Logan's throat.

The Grimalkyne chief listened intently—and his round eyes lit up instantly. He understood.

The male Rathalos was expressing confusion—he wanted an explanation.

A response! That was good. What they feared most was no response at all.

A response meant there was a chance for dialogue. Cold indifference—or worse, immediate expulsion—meant there was no chance at all.

So, the Grimalkyne chief immediately launched into an explanation, laying everything out in full.

Although the two species didn't share a common language, through gestures and expressive body language, Logan was able to get the general idea.

He'd unknowingly built his nest right next to their tribe.

And in order to ensure the survival of the tribe, the Grimalkyne was expressing a desire to submit.

Then came a rundown of their value—the tribe could act as an early warning system and as guards, capable of blocking or even driving away pests like Kulu-Ya-Ku, those pesky thieves.

And in exchange, all Logan had to do was turn a blind eye to their presence—give them room to live.

Of course, if he was willing to toss them any unwanted leftovers after a hunt, that would be even better.

After all, Rathalos were famous for being picky eaters. When food was abundant, they'd often only eat the most succulent, flavorful parts of the prey. The less tasty bits, or anything with hard shells or rough hide, were simply discarded.

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