บท 23: 23. The Howling Dog Monster: Leader of the Coyotes
"Quiet!!" Trisha snapped suddenly, her voice trembling with frustration and panic. Her face betrayed her growing fear, though she tried to maintain control.
Kairav, sensing something strange, moved closer to Trisha and forced her to spill the truth. "What's going on?! Tell me!" he demanded.
"Miss! You should tell them. Didn't they say they were cryptozoologists? Maybe they know how to deal with that thing!" Juna, the largest man in the group, urged, his voice filled with desperation.
Trisha's panic deepened, her normally cunning demeanor cracking under the pressure. She had no way out, and, with no other options, her ego finally collapsed.
"On our way to the summit, we were ambushed by a pack of coyotes. Among them was a creature with the body of an adult man but the head of a dog, covered in black fur," she explained.
A dark-skinned man named Dion, trembling with fear, chimed in, "Nearly half of our team was devoured by that thing. It ripped open their chests and ate their hearts. Some of us escaped, but our more advanced weapons were destroyed and left behind."
"We don't have any proper defenses left. That creature must have already picked up our scent!" he added, his voice thick with terror.
As soon as Kairav heard the description, a cryptid came to mind. "From the details, it must be the leader of the coyotes, the 'Howling Dog Monster'," he stated confidently. "Right, guys?" he asked, turning to his friends.
Both Baron and Gavin nodded in agreement.
Trisha frowned. "The Howling Dog Monster?"
Kairav nodded again. "Yeah, also known as the Asu Baung. It's a type of cryptid that usually lives in the mountains. As you described, it has the body of a human but the head of a dog, and it leads packs of coyotes."
Hoowll ...
The eerie howl echoed closer, sending a fresh wave of tension through everyone.
Dion, his fear intensifying, rushed over to Kairav. "Do you know how to kill it?!" he asked, hoping for a reassuring answer.
Kairav rubbed his chin, deep in thought. After a moment, he responded, "With the weapons we have, it's unlikely we can kill it." The hope drained from everyone's faces. But then Kairav continued, "However, we do have a chance to escape."
"How?!" Trisha demanded.
"By avoiding the light."
***
The silence gripped them as they ventured deeper into the cave. There were no bats hanging from the ceiling, just the sharp stalactites dripping water, creating a small, clear pool surrounded by stalagmites below.
The beams of their flashlights cut through the still darkness, illuminating the natural beauty of the cave. For a brief moment, the group was captivated by the sight, forgetting their fear and pain.
As the others marveled at the scene, Baron seized the opportunity to whisper to Kairav with a serious tone, "We should leave them and continue on our own. We just need to follow this cave to reach the forest." He pointed to a dark passage on the other side of the pool.
Kairav sighed heavily, clearly frustrated. "It's too risky. Even if we leave, those coyotes will instinctively track us down. If we don't deal with this now, we'll become their next meal," he explained bluntly.
He patted Baron's shoulder, trying to reassure him. "Trust my plan. I've thought it through."
Baron sighed, resigned to the situation. He knew from experience that convincing Kairav, known for his stubbornness, was near impossible.
Kairav turned his attention to the muddy ground beneath their feet, shining his flashlight at the thick puddle. "I think this is the right spot," he said, drawing everyone's attention.
Trisha, frustrated and impatient, approached him. "What are you planning?"
Kairav looked at her and revealed his plan. "Killing that creature isn't easy, but we can escape. Although it's half-human, half-dog, the Howling Dog Monster can't see in the dark, unlike normal dogs."
"It also has poor hearing and smell. That's why it relies heavily on the wild dogs to hunt, especially at night or in dark places," he explained, addressing the group as they hung on his every word.
"So, if we kill the coyotes, we'll disable the Asu Baung's ability to hunt in the dark. That will make us safe, as long as we stay hidden in this cave. Then, we can escape when night falls. We'll leave at night, when the Asu Baung is completely blind and unable to track us in the darkness."
The group stood in silence, weighing Kairav's plan. As they pondered, Trisha pointed out a flaw. "What about its sense of smell? You said it has a poor sense of smell, but it can still track us, right?"
Calmly, Kairav shone his flashlight on the mud beneath them. "We can use this mud. It'll help mask our scent," he answered.
Gavin, busy with his camera, added, "Plus, it's pouring outside. As far as I know, rain can wash away scent particles and cover weaker smells with its own."
Kairav nodded in agreement.
Juna, still unsure, stepped forward. "So, what's your plan? Are you sure you can kill those dogs without attracting the monster's attention?"
Kairav didn't answer Juna. Instead, he turned to Trisha. "You have infrared goggles, right?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"How many do you have left?"
Trisha furrowed her brow, trying to recall. "About ten, I think. We lost some gear when we fled."
Kairav's expression grew serious. "Good. If you agree with my plan, give the infrared goggles and rifles to the best shooters. The others can hide."
Trisha stared at him, deep in thought. She wasn't sure about his plan, but she didn't have a better one to offer.
Hoowll ... Hoowll ...
The howls echoed again, this time reverberating through the cave's entrance, signaling that their doom was drawing near.
Dion hurried to Trisha, pleading with his eyes. "Miss, please, let's follow his plan ..." he begged, panic overwhelming him again.
With no other choice, Trisha nodded at Kairav. "I'm in."
Immediately, Kairav turned to the group. "Cover yourselves in as much mud as you can. Hurry!"
The group frantically scooped up the wet mud, smearing it over their bodies. Some were so paranoid that they rolled in the mud until they were completely covered, looking like they were coated in peanut butter.
Kairav, already covered in mud, quickly approached Trisha, who was still applying it to her skin. "Gather all the infrared goggles and rifles," he ordered.
Trisha and Juna hurried to collect the equipment from their bags. Meanwhile, Kairav and his friends readied their rifles and infrared goggles.
Once they were prepared, the trio found spots to hide and set up their shots. Gavin climbed onto a large rock near the pool and lay flat, while Baron and Kairav crouched behind a tall stalagmite.
From his position, Kairav angrily called out to Trisha, who was still busy organizing her men despite the howls of the approaching creatures echoing closer.
"If you've decided who's going to shoot, then hurry up and get everyone in position!" he snapped.
"I get it!" she shot back, trying to suppress her frustration as she hastily handed rifles and infrared goggles to the nine men she had chosen.
Soon after, she and her group began scrambling to find the best spots to aim at the targets that were nearing.
Meanwhile, those without any assigned tasks were told to hide behind large rocks that could shield them from view.
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