Task Details:

The cold air bit at Enlil's face. The wind had died down, but now he was in the shadow of one of Minion Island's famous hills, and despite being high noon, was no warmer than night. He could see an old, stone building, collapsed under the weight of decades of snow with no upkeep. His eyes were drawn to a child-like figure slipping out of the ruins and hopping along on three limbs, a fourth holding what appeared to be...

What is that, a stick?

Enlil lowered himself onto his stomach, ignoring the cold as he crawled swiftly and silently towards the stone building. By the time he reached it, the child-like figure was nowhere to be found. After a few minutes of swearing to himself while scanning the landscape, Enlil wondered if he has just imagined the whole thing.

Well, I'm cold for no reason, and I look like an idiot, but there has to be something near here anyway. Those were definitely footprints earlier.

He started to ease himself up, dust-

WHAM

Enlil lost his footing from the sudden blow, and landed on his ass. He looked up to see his first real-life Bozaru.

Field Guide to Fantastic Beasts That Will Kill You - Excerpt on Bozaru:

The Bozaru stood about two feet tall, and gripped a knobbly, wooden cylinder in his hands.

Definitely a branch. Fuck, that hurt.

Enlil put his hands up and slowly met the eyes of his attacker. According to the zoology books, Bozaru are relentless in their assaults, and only pause to size up an enemy. Enlil had no wish to harm the creature, so was preparing to shift forms to run away when he felt a trickle of blood slide through his hair onto his forehead. He resisted the urge to wipe it away while maintaining eye contact.

Quickly glancing at the blood, the Bozaru raised his hand to his mouth and spit into it. He reached up to the half-sitting, half-sprawled revolutionary and wiped his spittle into the source of the bleeding.

Enlil remained motionless and silent as the small animal then ran away.

Field Guide to Fantastic Beasts That Will Kill You - Excerpt on Bozaru pt. 2:

Enlil was used to camping in uncomfortable places, and at least in the snow you can dig a pit and pack the walls tight, providing insulation from the cold air. A thick, waterproof sleeping bag makes the ground almost unnoticeable. With a proper chimney, and a nice fire, winter islands are easy to make feel at home.

In the three days since his first encounter with the Bozaru, Enlil managed to note the creatures daily routine. A few hours after dawn, the beast would run out into the wilderness alone, returning some time in the afternoon, often with new wounds.

Field Guide to Fantastic Beasts That Will Kill You - Excerpt on Bozaru pt. 3::

After three days of observation, Enlil decided it was time to attempt contact  again. He carefully cut into his finger with a knife, allowing a cut just big enough to cover his digit in blood. He left his hidden snow den, making the short walk to the Bozaru's shelter. He made sure to make enough noise to let his arrival be known, while clutching his bleeding finger in front of him.

"Hey, there. I uh...seemed to have hurt my finger. Any chance you have more of those leaves?" Enlil usually talked to animals, and would swear they just like the sound of his voice. In any case, it gave animals a chance to grow accustomed to his voice. The Bozaru tilted his head and looked an Enlil intently.

"Well, that's a good sign. You're not instantly clobbering me over the head with bits of tree." Enlil worked his jaw, miming a chewing motion while pointing at his injured hand. The monkey perked his head, catching on. In one fluid motion, he slipped into the ruined building and returned with a single leaf. Enlil took the leaf and stuffed it in his mouth. He stood in under his new friend's scrutiny as he finished applying the herbal remedy to his cut. Once the Bozaru was satisfied Enlil had properly dressed his wound and wasn't going to attack him, he came closer to sniff and examine the human.

"Now that we're getting familiar, you'll need a name. Not going to lie, I've thought about it, and I think 'Cong Wu' would make a bitchin' name. What do you think?" Of course, Cong Wu ignored him, continuing his examination of the beast tamer. "My name is Enlil, by the way."

Field Guide to Fantastic Beasts That Will Kill You - Excerpt on Bozaru pt. 4::

The next day, instead of going on his usual trek alone, Cong allowed Enlil to walk with him. Cong would stop to pick up various sticks, chattering away while turning them over in his hands for Enlil to inspect. Enlil would occasionally pick up a stick to offer his new friend, only for the bozaru to shake its head and point out imperfections and toss it away.

Around midday, chattering and hooting could be heard echoing through the small patch of frozen forest where the current leg of the Great Stick Hunt was taking place. A trio of bozaru sauntered out from the trees, snarling and waving their sticks at Cong Wu and Enlil.

The largest, standing at nearly three feet tall seemed to be the ringleader. The other two were smaller than Cong, and seemed to be hiding behind their leader. They jeered and kicked up snow as the larger bozaru "Bozo-saru" stood over Cong and pointed his staff at Enlil. Cong stood his ground and clutched his new stick, a thick, flexible branch that Enlil cut down for him.

Bozo-saru kept chattering at the silent Cong Wu, as the larger bozaru pointed back and forth between the human, and Things 1 and 2. Enlil figured Cong Wu was seen as acting disgracefully, meandering with a human. It seemed the expectation was for Cong to fall in line behind the other two smaller bozaru.

Point at Things 1 and 2. Chatter. Point at Enlil. Snarl. Point at Cong. Kick up snow and point back to the other bozaru. Point at Things 1 and 2. Get hit in head with staff.

Enlil, predicting a fight, kept his eyes on the two smaller animals. They appeared flabbergasted, as did Bozo-saru, whose head spilled blood from a fresh gash above his eye. Cong stared down his opponent, edging slightly to keep the other two in view. Once the three bullies caught up to current events, the largest bellowed, swinging his staff at Cong Wu. Things 1 and 2 took this as a signal to also attack, but Enlil was too quick. Shifting into Dash Mode, he launched himself past the two main combatants and slammed into Thing 1 as he was mid-leap. Pinning him down, Enlil turned his head to grab the leg of Thing 2, holding him in place.

Cong Wu weaved around Bozo-saru's attacks, looking almost as lazy as a martial artist monkey could. After ducking a wild swing, Cong retaliated with another powerful blow, this time to the upper right thigh. The skin split almost immediately, causing the bully leader to howl, drop his staff, and fall to the ground. Cong struck again, choosing to whack the knuckles of his target. A faint crack suggested at least one broken knuckle.

Things 1 and 2 went limp, soiling themselves after watching their leader get so easily handled, and with a large fox hindering their movement. Enlil watched silently as Cong Wu plucked a leaf from a nearby shrub, chewed it in his mouth, and began to apply the newly-made paste to Bozo-saru's fresh cuts.


Things 1 and 2 went ballistic. Enlil had to clamp down on Thing 2's leg to prevent him from tearing away, and Thing 1 struggled to no avail to tear himself from under the fox. Their leader shoved Cong away, and made as if to start up their fight again. Before he could fully get himself off the ground, Cong Wu's staff was at his neck. The larger bozaru had no choice but to back down, and limped away. As he passed Enlil, the human-gone-fox released the two bozaru. Chattering softly and kicking up snow, the three departed.

Field Guide to Fantastic Beasts That Will Kill You - Excerpt on Bozaru pt. 5::

After the tense moment, Cong Wu finally realized there was something unusual about his new friend. Being mildly amused at the bozaru's initial curiosity mixed with fear, Enlil showed him all of his forms. As they were starting to make a game out of Enlil's transformations, their cavorting was cut short by bozaru screaming and chattering once again.

In his fox form, Enlil could hear human voices mixed in with the animal cries.

"Get a hold of the net, you idiot. Stop getting his leg all twisted up like that. He's already hurt, bleeding all over the place. They pay less for that."

Enlil looked at his primate friend. He knew what he himself planned on doing, but he was curious if Cong's attempts to take care of others was indeed intended as an insult, or if he was the rare compassionate one of his species. His answer was met in short form, as his companion took off in the direction of the cries, hearing the distress in Bozo-sarus chattering. Enlil chased after him, dodging between trees.

They would have found the poachers pretty quickly, as there was plenty of noise to follow. As they stumbled into a small clearing, the four men stopped. It must have looked odd. A large fennec fox and a staff-wielding monkey coming out of the trees together. After a few seconds of stunned silence, Enlil decided to break the silence by shifting into Claw Mode and striking up conversation.

"So, uh...Poaching. Not a fan."

The color drained from what Enlil assumed was the leader's face.

"We uh...Are you like a guardian spirit? Are we...How fucked are we?"

Cong Wu answered by springing on the three men clutching the nets containing the three bozaru bullies.

"Pissed off monkey. Pissed off Foxman," Enlil shrugged. He glanced towards Cong, who was knocking the three men around with his stick. He grinned as me marveled the bozaru's fighting prowess. His ears twitched as he heard metal on leather. The sound of a blade drawing from a cheap scabbard. As the dead debris on the forest floor rustled behind him, Enlil shifted his weight, sliding and turning at the same time. As he turned, he brought his knee directly into the midsection of the poacher leader, who dropped his unsheathed blade.

"Turned away for a second, and you try and stab me," Enlil complained as the man fell to the ground, gasping for air. In a fluid motion, Enlil dropped his foot onto the poacher's head, knocking him out cold.

Apparently, the three minion poachers were a damn shame, as Cong Wu was already wrapping up. Various cuts and welts marked the faces of his fallen enemies. The Foxman and bozaru worked to free the captives from the net.

Enlil watched as for once the bully trio was silent. No kicking up snow, no chattering, no pointing. The three tensed up as Cong Wu approached Bozo-saru and raised his clenched fist to his face. As everyone currently conscious watched, Cong dramatically paused before opening his hand, allowing a handful of antiseptic leaves to scatter downward in front of Bozo's eyes.

Enlil had to chuckle.

End