Thulak the minotaur had never seen a lamia. Or even heard of one. Supposedly they were half-woman half-snake, which sounded completely preposterous to him. Though upon further consideration he felt that was somewhat ironic given that he was a creature that shared traits of both man and bull.
Regardless, he had defeated many a great beast in the past, but never something that fit that particular description. And the problem with hunting something new was that it was almost always a more challenging experience. There were simply too many unknown variables, and Thulak did not like unpredictability.
Still, he wasn't about to dismiss the bounty given to him by his mercenary company's leader. A job was a job, and he prided himself in always getting them done, one way or another. He would find this so-called 'lamia' and kill it, collect the payment, and return to camp.
The earthen ground practically thundered beneath the hooves of Thulak as he took slow strides through the forest. He left behind large hoofprints embedded in the dirt and did not show any particular concern for moving stealthily or covering these tracks. After all, he was in his element. He had yet to meet something that frightened him, and a part of the minotaur even hoped that some poor misguided creature would dare try and attack him just so he would have an excuse to use his trusty battle axe.
Thulak was a prime example of a minotaur who looked like they meant business. Thick, ebon black fur covered a heavily built body showcasing broad shoulders and limbs, defined muscles that seemed to surround other defined muscles, and a puffed-out chest exuding a sense of pride.
His face shared much in common with that of a strong bovine, one that wouldn't hesitate to gore a threat with the two curved, tawny horns jutting from his head. He had a bull's muzzle, dark beady eyes, and a thick brow that almost always seemed to be perpetually tightened with irritability.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
One hoof led the way into another, slowly carrying his hulking form forward to his destination. He had no need to rush, so long as he could reach the spot described by his leader before nightfall. It was said to be the ruins of an ancient temple, tucked into the wall of the mountain and long forgotten about. But clearly, it contained some semblance of value if his company of mercs had been hired to rid it of the lamia settled there.
Apparently, the lamia had killed four of the group of six men who had gone to investigate the ruins, and was described as being 'very fast and deadly'. But Thulak had little regard for the combat prowess of a handful of weak humans... no doubt their idea of a tough fight was akin to the likes of hunting a wild boar for dinner. Whatever this lamia was, he felt confident that he could dispose of it and be back at his mercenary camp in time for tomorrow's lunch.
Lunch?
Thulak realized at that moment just how hungry this long trek had made him. Slipping a hand into the hefty backpack over his shoulders, he rifled it through his provisions. A chunk of dried meat was pulled out, and he raised it to his mouth before biting a sizeable chunk off it. The sound of noisy chewing filled the air as he continued walking while constantly glancing about for signs of anything that might want to pick a fight with him.
The remainder of the salty snack vanished inside his mouth quickly, and his bovine tongue ran over his wide lip for the final remnant of its taste.
A few minutes of walking later, a clearing had appeared before Thulak, just beyond a thick row of verdant shrubs. He shoved past them and was presented with what he determined had to be his destination.
Just beyond the grassy clearing, a long set of timeworn stone stairs led up to the remains of a partially-crumbled entranceway with an archaic door. It had huge pieces broken off from it, leaving the interior of the temple unguarded from the outside elements. What was once a grand structure embedded into the mountain had been reduced to a tan mass of ancient rock collecting moss and dust.
Thulak had found the supposed lair of the lamia... and right before nightfall, as he had predicted. The grey sky above was drifting into darkness, and he didn't have long before the natural light wouldn't be there to assist his endeavors.
It was his first order of business to take a quick peek inside the temple and get a sense of what to expect. Striding up the stairs, the stone clacked under the weight of each of his hefty hooves. At the same time, his hand reached back to pull the mighty battle axe resting in its shoulder-slung holder. His head remained facing forward to scan the area for approaching danger.
Thulak always gained a certain sense of comfort from holding the weighty haft of this particular axe. It had been used to slay so many of his foes that it often felt like a natural extension of his arms.
The distance closed between Thulak and the entrance. He poked his head beyond the stony archway and gave a sniff, eyes darting about. The place smelt musty and wet... a natural scent that was not entirely unpleasant, but not exactly alluring either.
A darkened interior looked just as dilapidated as the outside would suggest, though it certainly looked larger on the inside. There was a narrow, very tall hallway ahead of him, and its tan walls were laced with the same green moss on the outside. Breaking the darkness at the end of the hall -- a lengthy distance away -- there was a faint flicker of orange light, one that was very much like that of an open flame.
Thulak was intrigued, gazing down this hall. He felt a slight urge to press onward toward the light, and maybe even be so bold as to attempt to finish the bounty early. But that, he determined, would be a reckless move given his current state. Walking through the forest for most of the day had been a tiring affair, and he knew that a good night's rest was invaluable to any warrior heading into battle. The last thing he wanted was to be strained by fatigue during the upcoming fight. Especially against an unknown foe.
His eyes scanned the interior one more time for any sign of immediate life, but other than a diminutive spider... there was none. So without further delay, he spun back and retraced his path down the long stairs.
Head shifting left then right, he deliberated on the best spot to make camp. Ultimately, there weren't any remarkable locations to use nearby. The tall trees blanketing the area offered a decent amount of cover but weren't ideal for providing a spot to sleep. Though one flat area -- a few dozen feet away from the stairs -- was partially obscured by a huge boulder, and looked like a fair enough place for him to rest tonight.
Setting up an area for the night's rest was always a painless task for Thulak. He was quite used to sleeping on very hard surfaces, which most often was a grassy floor beneath an open sky. Even back at the mercenary encampment he called home, he slept upon a wide, stiff cot that barely fit him, and he had no qualms with doing so.
He slung his robust backpack from his shoulder onto the ground and set his axe down next to it. His huge hands came down to root through the pack for the two essential pieces for his makeshift camp. The first was his bedroll: an ugly linen mat that could only partially accommodate the minotaur's sheer size.
The second thing was an old canvas sheet wrapped in rope. This would serve to keep any potential rain from immediately drenching him. More of a precaution than anything, since he usually had a good sense of when rain was coming and the conditions today did not seem appropriate for it.
Thulak had no issue with tying the canvas to a tree branch hanging over the boulder and angling it so any rain would be diverted from his sleeping form. He had done this simple setup dozens of times before throughout his many solo expeditions. Doing it himself was the way he liked it.
There had been one previous instance where he had been partnered with another mercenary named Lila, who had tried to set up the canvas on her own... only to fail spectacularly. The rope hadn't been properly secured which led to the entire thing collapsing upon them both in the middle of the night. Since then, Thulak had demanded to the company leader that he complete all future assignments alone.
With the canvas in place, he draped the bedroll across the grass beneath it and sprawled himself along its length, hooves sticking out from the end of the cloth. He gave a deep exhale of relief at the sensation of finally relaxing after the day's hike. Though Thulak was seldom truly 'relaxed' in the wilds. Many a dangerous foe lurked beyond civilization, and they were prone to preying on those that let their guard down.
His trusty axe was within arms reach though, and he was hidden enough behind the boulder that any predator making their approach would be easy to detect. Overall the camping spot wasn't bad in terms of its natural defensive qualities.
