Watching that Tigrex sniff left and right, stepping closer and closer, the hunters' nerves were strained to the absolute limit.
From the Tigrex's reaction, they had not been completely exposed yet.
They had followed the scent of blood earlier, which meant they were downwind; the Tigrex shouldn't have been able to catch their scent at all.
Who could have expected a sudden crosswind...
At the moment, the crosswind had vanished. If they continued to lie still in the grass, the Tigrex might lose the scent trail and turn away, or it might continue to approach. If it did the latter, the distance would be even shorter when they were eventually forced to flee.
Similarly, standing up to run now would certainly draw the Tigrex's attention, turning a danger they might have avoided into an inevitable pursuit.
No matter which option they chose, they had to shoulder immense risk, and as the Tigrex drew nearer, the danger continued to stack.
Both of them knew they couldn't hesitate any longer. Just as they were about to make a decision, Sajji suddenly raised his head.
"I'll go lure it away, meow!"
Having said that, without waiting for a response from Altaïr or the others, Sajji leapt up from the grass where they were hiding. He let out two jumps and a couple of meows, then picked a direction and dashed out.
The Tigrex's gaze was drawn to him. With a thunderous roar, it flattened its wing-claws against the ground, its four limbs churning the earth as it gave chase to the rapidly sprinting Felyne.
Altaïr instinctively started to stand up, but was held down by Isis.
Palicos were small in stature, agile, and adept at burrowing. It was virtually impossible for a Tigrex to catch one. If Altaïr rushed out now, not only would he be unable to help, he would likely just cause more trouble.
Altaïr understood this, of course; it was simply an instinctive reaction to seeing his partner in danger.
Once Sajji had lured the Tigrex a certain distance away, Isis gave a low shout: "Go!" Altaïr grit his teeth, and the two of them pushed off the ground, sprinting in the opposite direction.
In the other direction, the distance between the Tigrex and the Felyne was shrinking rapidly.
Both were running on four legs, and though Sajji was agile, the Tigrex's stride was more than ten times his own. Furthermore, on this vast steppe, there was no suitable cover or concealment; the Tigrex could utilize its explosive power to the fullest advantage.
Seeing that he was about to be overtaken, Sajji tossed the portable turret from his back to the side and dove headfirst into the earth.
The soil of the steppe was soft and free of stones, making for a quick burrow. Just before the Tigrex could trample him, Sajji successfully ducked underground.
The Tigrex skidded to a halt and turned simultaneously, the inertia of its massive body causing its limbs to plow several deep furrows into the grassland.
Like a manic madman, it snapped its jaws at the hole Sajji had just dug, then followed up by raking with its wing-claws, tearing away large clumps of turf and soil.
Fortunately, Sajji hadn't relaxed after entering the ground, instead continuing to dig deeper, which saved him from being bitten.
Tigrex possess no innate ability to dig or burrow. After pawing around and finding it couldn't bite the tiny thing that had suddenly appeared, it let out a few huffs and turned to leave.
It hadn't chased Sajji for food; for a monster of the Tigrex's size, small Lynians like Felynes were too small to have any predatory value.
There were plenty of fresh Aptonoth carcasses waiting for it to enjoy over there; it would never exert such great effort for a morsel of meat that wouldn't even get stuck between its teeth.
The reason it had given chase was purely out of instinct.
The Tigrex is a monster with extremely strong territorial instincts and aggression; for another creature to creep near while it was feeding was an undeniable provocation.
Whether the target was a Felyne, a human, a Kelbi, or an ecological peer like a Rathalos, it would charge in without hesitation for a round of frenzied biting and chasing.
On its way back to the "dinner table," the Tigrex's pace faltered as it passed a patch of tall grass.
It lowered its head, nostrils twitching as it sniffed carefully.
The scent that the wind had just brought was different from the furry little thing it had just chased...
The Tigrex continued to sniff the ground. Compared to returning to finish its meal, hunting down the unknown creatures that had intruded upon its hunting grounds interested it much more.
From between blood-stained teeth came a series of muffled, low growls. Within its yellow-green slit pupils, the scent trail left by the targets seemed to be reflected. It struck out with its four limbs, beginning a new hunt.
By this time, Altaïr and Isis had already run more than a kilometer.
The two didn't dare slow their pace. Altaïr looked back from time to time, hoping to see Sajji catching up.
Although incidents of a Palico being killed by a monster weren't common, certainly far rarer than hunters losing their lives, this was a Tigrex after all. To say he wasn't worried would definitely be a lie.
Moreover, he didn't believe the two of them were in a safe position either.
Because of his childhood experiences, he was particularly concerned about monsters like the Tigrex. He had researched a great deal of information and asked many people.
Among them was Madam Marydan, who had earned the title "Brute Tigrex" after hunting countless Tigrex in her life.
Fearing he might do something reckless, Marydan hadn't told him much regarding Tigrex hunting techniques, but she had warned him of the Tigrex's nature for relentless pursuit and its incredible sense of smell, which far surpassed that of an Felyne.
If they didn't find a way to mask their scent, that Tigrex would almost certainly track them down.
Altaïr scanned the surroundings and noticed a fair amount of dung left by herbivores. He detached the Flash Pod from his Slinger and said: "Isis, load your Flash Pod."
Isis nodded, but her expression quickly turned to one of horror as she saw Altaïr fire his Clutch Claw to grab a large chunk of fresh dung from a distance and load it into his Slinger.
He then pulled the trigger, scattering the dung over the ground they had stepped on behind them. As he ran forward, he periodically fired the Clutch Claw to grab fresh dung and repeated the action, hoping to mask their scent in this way.
During this process, it was inevitable that his Slinger and armor would be stained, but Altaïr didn't care. It was disgusting, yes, but when it came to a matter of life and death, he couldn't afford to worry about being revolted.
This response was somewhat effective, but unfortunately, it came a little late.
"ROAARR–!"
A terrifying roar erupted from behind, causing the young hunters mid-run to stumble.
A blood-spattered, violent figure vaulted over a hill, charging toward them with frantic speed.
Trouble!
Altaïr cursed inwardly. This steppe was too flat and open, almost no different from level ground. In this kind of terrain, it was very difficult for a hunter to compete with a Tigrex in speed.
He could manage to keep pace if he activated Demon Mode, but the problem was that his stamina wasn't enough to sustain Demon Mode for long, and he couldn't possibly abandon Isis to run away alone.
Was there any terrain nearby they could use? A network of streams? No, although Tigrex can't swim, there were no large lakes here that a Tigrex couldn't traverse; it could cross those small creeks and rivers in a single stride.
Use the herds on the steppe to distract it? That wouldn't work either; the Tigrex had slaughtered a wave of them earlier, and the nearby herds had long since fled.
"Go to the Fissure over there!" Isis shouted while running. "That Fissure is very narrow! The Tigrex shouldn't be able to fit inside!"
Altaïr's spirits rose at the words. This was undoubtedly the best, and only, way forward.
"Prepare to fire Flash Pods! Fire as soon as it's in range! It should buy us a little time!" As Altaïr spoke, he fired his Clutch Claw again, grabbing a chunk from a passing dung pile.
This time, it wasn't to mask their scent, but to use the stuff as a Dung Bomb.
The so-called Dung Bomb was a special item made from monster excrement.
Specially treated Dung Bombs had a scent far more pungent than ordinary dung and were very effective against monsters with a keen sense of smell; with a bit of luck, they could force a monster to retreat immediately.
They hadn't brought Dung Bombs on this mission, and while ordinary dung might not be as effective, he hoped it would be of some use.
Seeing its prey in sight and running away with their backs turned, the Tigrex's ferocity was fully triggered. Its sharp claws ripped up the turf, and amidst flying clumps of earth and grass, it drew closer and closer to the hunters.
Isis kept looking back, confirming the distance. The instant the Tigrex entered the Slinger's maximum range, she turned and raised her arm, firing a Flash Pod.
Altaïr simultaneously fired his "improvised Dung Bomb."
Both had good aim. As the blinding light flashed before the Tigrex's eyes, the mass of filth landed squarely on its face.
"ROAARRRR–!"
A roar of pure fury echoed across the steppe.
Altaïr moved quickly, pulling a Paintball from his pouch and firing it, while Isis, in perfect sync, pulled out an SOS Flare and fired the distress signal high into the sky.
Taking advantage of the moment while the Tigrex was still reeling from the disorientation of the Flash Pod, the two took off with all their might toward the Fissure.
(Translated by yourtl.app)
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TL NOTES: LORE SECTION
Some terms and creatures referenced in this story may be unfamiliar to readers new to the Monster Hunter universe. The following entries provide additional context.
ITEMS & EQUIPMENT
Slinger — A compact wrist-mounted launcher introduced in Monster Hunter: World, capable of firing a variety of ammunition including stones, pods, and materials gathered from the environment. A standard piece of equipment for hunters operating in the field.
Clutch Claw — A grappling attachment to the Slinger that lets hunters latch onto monsters or retrieve objects from a distance. Introduced in the Iceborne expansion, it became a core tool for repositioning mid-combat and interacting with the environment on the fly.
Flash Pod — Slinger ammunition that detonates in a burst of blinding light on impact, temporarily disorienting monsters and interrupting attacks. Particularly effective at forcing airborne creatures to the ground. A staple in any hunter's kit.
Dung Bomb — A throwable item crafted from monster dung, producing an overwhelmingly pungent odor that can drive monsters out of an area or deter territorial invasions by apex predators. Less effective once a monster has already locked onto a target.
SKILLS
Demon Mode — A technique exclusive to Dual Blades users, activating it drains stamina continuously in exchange for enhanced attack speed, movement, and access to stronger combo strings. Requires careful stamina management; a hunter running out mid-activation is left momentarily vulnerable.