Wrestling with a Viper

By Anonymous

It had been another fine day in paradise...
...if your idea of paradise was frigid, covered in snow, encased in ice and filled to the brim with some of the toughest monsters known throughout the world, that is.
Such is life way out in the Hinterlands.
Thankfully, you just so happen to enjoy it that way.

Earlier in the day, you had gone out on an expedition, escorting a couple researchers from the Third around the Hoarfrost Reach.
Something about searching for specimens that may have been frozen in ice hundreds, possibly even thousands of years ago.
Admittedly, much of what the researchers had to say about it went in one ear and straight out the other.
Your focus was on keeping your eyes and ears tuned to the surroundings, making sure that everyone remained safe.
The expedition was largely uneventful, barring a pack of Wulgs that decided it was a good idea to pester your group.
It wasn't a good idea.

Regardless of that isolated incident, the three of you all returned safe and sound to Seliana.
By this point, it was early in the afternoon, and there wasn't anything official left for you to do. The rest of the day was yours to do with however you pleased.
That's when you began to ponder over some of the finer points in life, like what you eventually wanted to eat for dinner today.
It didn't take long for the ideal meal to show itself in your mind's eye.
However, it would require a little work on your part.

First, a brief stop at your room, in order to swap some equipment around to better suit the task now at hand.
In place of your sturdy armored boots, you slipped on a far more comfortable pair made from flexible, fur-lined hides, which also happened to be waterproof.
Your helmet gave way to a simple hat, also lined with furs that covered the sides and back of your neck, keeping you nice and warm.
As for your trusty greatsword, it was replaced by a... fishing pole.
Perfect.
You're going fishing!

After informing a few people of what you had planned to do, and for how long you expected to be gone, you departed from Seliana once more, wandering back out into the Hoarfrost Reach.
Wading through the snow, you felt unbothered by the lessened protection.
For starters, your destination was barely even a fifteen minute walk away.
And if you really stumbled into a nasty situation? Well, that's nothing your trusty carving knife and a few Flash Pods can't solve.
Though as always, you remained vigilant. Getting too comfortable out here is a quick way to lose your life.
Besides having some wingdrakes get upset and screech as you passed by, the short journey was free of trouble.

Soon enough, you found yourself descending a gentle slope, leading into the network of spacious caverns and smaller, cramped passages that exist just below the surface.
Gradually, the thick blanket of snow began to recede, tapering off the deeper you went, until it was hardly more than a fine dusting covering the ground.
A little further, and even that gave way to soft bare dirt and patches of mud, accompanied by the feeling of warm, humid air upon your face; uncharacteristic of the Reach.
Finally, you found yourself safe and sound at your intended destination, which just so happened to be one of your favorite little spots in the entire region.
In a stark contrast with the icy landscape above, this small section of the caverns always maintained a relatively pleasant temperature.
Thanks in part to its sheltered location, protecting it from most of the wind currents, and more importantly the presence of several small hot spring pools.

This was a special place, a miniature ecological paradise in its own right, filled with a surprising array of plant, fungal, insect and other small forms of life.
As an added bonus, most of the larger monsters present in the area had the tendency to leave this spot alone, perhaps due to it being too small and enclosed of a space for comfort.
Regardless of the reason, it meant that the worst that one usually had to deal with were overzealous Wulgs, or the occasional Vespoid that decided to make itself annoying, as they frequently did.

Taking a moment to look around and scout out the area, you determined that there were no unwanted surprises lurking around today.
Satisfied with that knowledge, your steps at last brought you to the edge of a particular body of water; one you were quite familiar with.
Unlike the surrounding springs that were too hot for fish to survive in, this pond was mostly the accumulated melt of snow and ice trickling in from above.
In addition to that, there was a small flow of hot spring water from depths unknown joining the mix, giving the water a comfortable lukewarm temperature.

This was the largest pond in the area, extending far beyond the rock under the surface, and thanks to its unique temperature situation, boasted a surprising population of large, healthy fish.
A thin layer of steam constantly wafted across the surface of the water, adding a cozy atmosphere.
Eager to get down to business, you set the handle of your fishing pole down on the ground, allowing the rest of it to lean against your body.
Reaching into a small pouch that went with the fishing pole, you proceeded to pull out a particular small, dead insect that fish seem to love, and bait your hook with it.
With the hook set and rod in hand once more, it was time to carefully step out into the water.
There was a shelf of sorts that one could safely stand on, before the water suddenly got deeper.
Once you had waded out to the point that the water was halfway up your calves, you stopped.

Now that everything was in place, you readied yourself, and gave the fishing rod a well-practiced flick, sending your bait into the water with a soft plop.
Staring at the small bobber resting on the surface of the water, you took in a let out a deep breath, settling into position.
It was time to wait.
Though, it didn't take long before your mind began to wander, thinking of what may become of your hopefully soon-to-be catch...
The last time you made this impromptu fishing trip; about a month or so ago, the ol' Grammeowster made a wonderful sort of fish stew out of what you brought back.
What might it be today? Fried fish? Perhaps fish dumplings? Or even another stew? It's always a delicious surprise with that Felyne.
While it's true that Seliana is well-stocked with plenty of good ingredients, in your opinion, nothing beats a fresh catch that hasn't even been out of the water for an hour.

It's a shame that there are so few good fishing opportunities, way out here in the Hinterlands.
At least compared to what you knew back in Astera, that is.
Before the discovery of the Hinterlands, you were out fishing practically every other day.
From the Ancient Forest to the Wildspire Waste, all along the coastline and even off the docks of Astera itself, it was a hobby that you truly enjoyed.
Helped you to unwind after particularly stressful hunts.
It created good opportunities to get to know some of your fellow hunters, too.

You think back to that one time you landed a great big Tuna. That thing had enough meat on it to make a small feast, and that's exactly how it was used.
That day at the Canteen, anyone was free to take a seat and join in; your treat.
You got to swap stories with a few hunters that you didn't know very well.
Most wanted to hear your own firsthand account from when you were on a special team, tasked with hunting Vaal Hazak, an Elder Dragon that called the Rotten Vale of all places its home.
Of course, you were happy to indulge their requests, even though the hunt itself hardly went anywhere.
Probably for the best that it turned out that way.

Come to think of it, you recall one of those hunters who sat next to you that day, somebody by the name of... of...
Uh...
Uh oh. You forgot.
What's-his-name; rumor has it that the Third's been responsible for that very hunter putting in some serious time out in the Vale lately.
Wonder how he's doing out there... You make a mental note to try and catch up with him the next time you find yourself back in Astera, whenever that may be.
Hmm...

Any further thoughts on the matter were interrupted, however, when you could suddenly detect a new sound in the area, different from the norm.
Footsteps, calculated and heavy with purpose. Something large is drawing near.
Snapping back to reality, you quickly turned around, watching and listening carefully to determine if it's time to postpone this little fishing trip for another day.
When the monster finally came into view and revealed itself though, you couldn't help but relax and smile upon realizing just exactly who was gracing you with its presence.

Wandering into this comfortable section of cavern with you, was none other than a Tobi-Kadachi; one of the Viper subspecies to be exact, evident by the orange coloring.
To top things off, you recognized this particular individual. A male, slightly smaller than average, albeit still plenty big to be intimidating if you didn't know any better.
Thankfully, you knew better, as did more or less the entirety of Seliana. This was a very famous Tobi indeed.
And for good reason. You can't recall exactly when it started, but it was not long after the establishment of Seliana that people began to take note of his presence.
The monster seemed unusually tame, and exhibited exceptional friendliness towards the new residents of the land.
For that very reason, the researchers loved him. Many an hour they've spent following the creature, observing his behavior and way of life.

Of course, with the researchers being researchers, by their very nature still somehow managed to get themselves into trouble with such a docile monster.
Sometimes you could swear that the entirety of the Third possessed a hidden talent: Endangering themselves in strange and esoteric ways.
One time, there was a particularly foolish researcher who wouldn't leave the poor thing alone, ignoring the warnings, and got stuck by one of the Viper's toxic spikes as a result.
Thankfully that researcher at least had the forethought to bring an antidote along, otherwise that lapse of judgment would have likely been his last.
That was just a single isolated incident though. To this day, the Tobi has otherwise never shown aggression or purposefully hurt anyone in the Commission.
Really, if anything that incident spoke volumes of the Tobi; anger practically any other monster like that, and they're not going to stop until you're either far from their territory, or one of you is dead.

Such a singular event wouldn't normally be a cause for concern, and it wasn't. The real issue was how those rascals from the Third deepened the friendship with the monster.
They started feeding him jerky.
The Tobi loved it.
Feeding monsters in such a manner is a big no-no among Guild policy, and for good reason.
While such an action appears innocent on the surface, it can easily cause negative behavioral traits to develop in a monster, turning them into a dangerous threat.
And because of that, such a monster would likely need to be hunted. A needless waste of life that could have been avoided entirely.
So for those reasons, feeding wild monsters carried harsh punishments.
Or rather, there should have been harsh punishments...

As it would turn out, many were reprimanded, but nobody was ever punished for feeding the Viper his favorite jerky treats.
Maybe it was the novelty of the situation...
Or maybe it was those lovable amber eyes filled with curiosity, gazing back into your own.
Perhaps even the happy, satisfied noises that the monster makes as it devours the carefully seasoned, dried meat.
And who wouldn't smile when the Tobi would show his appreciation in his own way, giving you a gentle nudge or bump with his nose?
The fact of the matter was, nobody had the heart to not feed the monster, even if we all knew it was wrong to do so. He was just too beloved by all.
Consequently, the practice spread throughout the residents of Seliana, like the snow storms that frequently swept through the land.
You're just as guilty as anyone else.
It was to no ones surprise though, when the monster's behavior did change, somewhat.
At least not in a way anyone expected.

Popo-drawn wagons were the predominant method of transporting goods and materials around the region, thanks in part to their plentiful numbers and easy to handle nature.
They are especially essential for hauling back the results of a hunt, or even live captures.
Most of the time, these wagons went out with a few hunters escorting it, and for good reason, but...
Nobody could ever have imagined that a monster would join the escort teams.

Occasionally, the Viper Tobi will show up and approach a wagon in transit, and after inevitably being bribed with a little jerky, will proceed to follow alongside it with the other hunters.
This phenomenon was always especially interesting, because while Vipers were known to frequently hunt the wild Popo, this one would always leave our Popos alone.
Either way, the unexpected assistance was always welcomed, as the Tobi would certainly do his part to earn his jerky.
Any time the Wulgs dared to approach, he would set off and chase them away, or quickly end the foolish ones that would decide to stand their ground, staining the snow red in a gruesome display.
While he never got into a direct conflict with any, the Tobi's presence appeared to help ward off any unwelcome large monsters as well.

Everyone started coming up with their own nicknames for this special monster.
Buddy, Friend, Sunny, Blaze and Spike to name a few.
Among many of your fellow hunters, you enjoyed referring to the friendly Tobi as "The Palidachi".
You were quite fond of that one.
Not long after this business with the wagons started happening, the halfhearted reprimanding from the higher ups ceased.
We do things a little differently, way out here in the Hinterlands.
The Guild doesn't have to know

And so with many pleasant memories in mind, you watched the Tobi with interest as it moved about.
He had likewise taken note of your own presence the moment you could be seen, occasionally turning his head to look at you while inspecting the other surroundings.
Soon enough, the Tobi drew close, coming to a stop at the water's edge.
What followed was a staring match of sorts, with each of you looking at the other in silence, wondering what the other was doing.
The Viper made the first move. You watched as it alternated between lowering its head close to the water, and raising it back up to look directly at you while cocking his head to the side.

Unsure of what the purpose behind those movements may be, you stepped off to the side a bit, leaving some more open space in the shallows.
After a moment, the Tobi slowly moved forward, stepping out into the water until he was standing right next to you.
His intentions became clear as he lowered his head once more, this time partially submerging it as he drew in a big mouthful of water.
Small rivulets of water trickled down his underbelly as his head rose up, before tilting it back to swallow.
As the first mouthful went down the monster's throat, the Tobi looked back at you before letting out a soft, pleased growling noise, bobbing his head up and down as he did so.

"What?"

The process repeated, with his head going down into the water once more.

"Gettin' something to drink?"

The third time, upon gulping down the tepid liquid, the Tobi returned his gaze upon you, giving another soft growl.

"Yeah?"

There was no point in speaking to the monster, but you enjoyed doing so anyway.
The Tobi then moved his head closer, carefully sniffing at your armor, and especially the different pouches secured along the outside.
Chuckling, you take a hand and gently push the head away from you.

"Sorry, but I didn't bring any with me this time."

A few sharp clicks emanated from the monsters throat as his head was pushed aside, leaving him staring at you once more.
Finally, after nearly half a minute passed, the Tobi began to turn around and move away, letting his gaze linger on you for just a little longer before departing.
You watched him walk away until his form disappeared from around a corner, off to do Viper Tobi things.

Now alone once more, you returned your attention to the bobber that was cast out onto the water, still floating in place.
Reflecting on the special little moment that you just got to share with the friendly monster, the minutes ticked away...
The instant the bobber suddenly went below the surface though, you sprung into action.
After a brief yet enjoyable battle, your fishing expertise reigned supreme as you found yourself standing back on dry land, your catch in hand with the hook removed only moments prior.
Holding the fish up, you took a moment to inspect and admire it. A little on the small side, but it'll do just fine for a special dinner!
You admired it until an orange blur rushed by your side and snapped his jaws shut around it, that is...

In the blink of an eye, the slippery fish was ripped away from your hands as the orange mass retreated.
Turning around, you found your Viper friend standing there behind you, looking very pleased with the fresh fish that you were ever so kind to provide, hanging out of his mouth.

"H-Hey! That wasn't for you!"

Crying out in protest, you stepped in close and grabbed the fish by the gills, followed by pulling on it in a desperate attempt to reclaim your catch.
The Tobi, however, had no intentions of letting go, letting out little grunts and growls as he pulled back, and the two of you found yourselves engaged in a bizarre tug of war with the fish.
Neither of you were going to back down, yet something had to give.

That something came in the form of the fish itself, as after the Tobi strongly flung his head to one side, you were left holding just a fish head.
Dismayed, you could only stand and watch as the Tobi proceeded to happily devour his part of the fish.
Once that disappeared down his gullet, his eyes darted between you and the fish head that you held onto. The monsters desire was clear.
Accepting your loss, you heaved a sigh and carefully held out the fish head, which the Tobi was quick to snatch up.
After the fish head goes down the hatch, the Tobi sits down on his haunches, looking at you expectantly as his powerful tail swung side to side from behind.
Does he expect you to pull up another fish for him?
Not happening. Not today, at least.

Frustrated with this turn of events, you start to ponder the best way to try and get the Tobi to move on.
The smart decision would simply be to call it a day and return to Seliana, but you're feeling stubborn now, and you don't want to go back empty-handed.

"Go, please. Move!"

You spoke out with a raised voice, waving your arms vaguely at the monster, hoping he would get the idea.
Your efforts were rewarded with said monster tilting his head at you, before leaning closer to sniff at you once again.
Sensing the need to escalate your efforts, you stepped close into the Tobi's personal space, laid your hands upon his scaly underside, and tried to gently push him away...
All that did was prompt the monster to push back with equal force, appearing otherwise unbothered by your actions.

"Come on, I just wanna fish in peace... Look, I promise I'll bring you some jerky next time, okay?"

You push harder.
The Viper pushes back.
In the end, your frustrations cloud your thinking, and in an act contrary to your better judgment, shove against the monster's body, really putting your weight into it.
The result was instant.
Upon feeling the slightest bit off-balance, the Viper Tobi let out a surprised cry before jumping backwards, creating some distance between you.
...
Oh no.
At that very moment, the realization that you had just made a terrible mistake washed over you.
The way the Tobi was now presenting his body language; stance widened, head lowered close to the ground, eyes locked onto you, tail whipping back and forth excitedly...
He thinks you want to play with him.

There was hardly any time to think as the monster sprung forward. Your years of experience and trained intuition allowed you to dive out of the way.
The Tobi responded with a playful growl, all while making quick little hops to the left and to the right, stopping to swipe at the air with his foreclaws in a mock attack.
You readied yourself while slowly backing away, mind racing as you wondered how best to handle this predicament that you've gotten yourself into.
Another attempted tackle by the monster, and another dodge from you. However, this is the point where everything went awry.
Could've been a patch of mud, an errant bone on the ground, a stray pile of Wulg shit... Doesn't matter what it was.
You slipped.
It happens to the best of hunters.

Instinctively sensing your moment of weakness, the Viper was instantly upon you. It was all over.
Before you could even process what was happening, you were lying on your back, staring up at the form towering over you.
Two powerful feet were firmly planted on your shoulders, locking the movement of your arms, ensuring that you were thoroughly pinned in place, unable to move.
The Tobi stared down at you, helpless under his forelegs.
If this was any other monster, you would absolutely be terrified right now. This kind of situation is any hunters worst nightmare.
It's true that you trusted this Tobi, but you still couldn't help but struggle to fight back your nerves, as you wondered how this is all going to turn out.
Seeking any kind of reassurance, you looked between your body and the Viper's, and could still clearly see the tail moving around energetically.
The body language was still saying that you were his playmate, not his prey.

After what to you felt like an uncomfortably long amount of time, something finally happened.
Lifting his head high, the Tobi let out a loud, triumphant cry; a sound of victory and success.
When he lowered his head down once more, you were promptly met with the monster's nose affectionately nuzzling against the side of your head, accompanied by a quiet whine.
Immediately, you found yourself calming down, and a smile returned to your face.

"Alright, alright... You got me. Well done. Now would you m-"

Your words were cut off when a disgustingly slimy, fishy tongue began to assault your exposed face, causing you to scrunch it up out of reflex.
From your forehead down to your chin; your lips, nose and even the eyelids... Nothing was spared, not even tossing your head around could save you from the strong muscle, slick with saliva.
Even after the licking stopped, your face remained scrunched, and your eyes firmly shut.
Partly out of sheer disgust, and partly out of expectation that more would be coming.

It was only after the Tobi made a sort of clicking noise that you finally eased up and opened your eyes.
He was simply staring down at you, watching with interest.
Upon seeing your eyes once more, the Tobi yet again brought his head close to your own.
You braced yourself for more attention from his tongue, but instead he was simply content to sniff at your face, much to your relief.
However, once the Tobi caught a whiff of the aroma that he had lovingly slathered you with, something far worse happened...
He sneezed on your face.

Words couldn't even begin to describe how you felt right now.
Lying here on the ground, in this condition... You were utterly defeated. There's no doubt in your mind that you've hit rock-bottom, the absolute low point of your life as a hunter.
Unlike you, this Viper had obtained all the ingredients to success:
A full belly.
Plenty of exercise.
Dominance.

Now, it was time for a nap, evident by how he proceeded to let out a yawn of sorts before unceremoniously laying down on top of you.
You were now a bed, or pillow of sorts. You accepted this new role; though it's not like you had any choice in the matter.
And so you continued to lie there, left to meditate on the chain of events that lead to this moment.
At least your arms were free now, allowing you to wipe your face.
...
Several minutes later, you could start to feel the Tobi's body heat seeping in through your armor.
It felt nice.
Truth be told, you were far from being uncomfortable. Even though he was heavy, your friend laid down in such a way to not place too much pressure on your body.
Maneuvering one of your arms, you hooked it underneath the monster, allowing you to gently rub the side of his head.
The Tobi practically melted at the gesture, responding in kind with soft rumble from deep within as he pressed his own head against your own.
Simple actions that held deep meaning.

After everything you just went through... You could go for a nap right about now yourself.
Taking in a deep breath, you held it for a moment before slowly letting it out, allowing yourself to close your eyes and relax.
Maybe this isn't such a bad thing after all.