Prolouge
Flames danced around the Hunter. He stood in the center of an abandoned fort, calm in the hurricane that raged around him. The black dragon, Fatalis, hissed. The Hunter had wounded him greatly, but hadn't killed him. The dragon's body lay near a cliff. He struggled to get up, to kill this annoying man. The Hunter walked forward, unsheathing his Bone Katana. Fatalis roared defiantly, and let loose a weak stream of fire. The Hunter calmly rolled out of the way, and began to run forward. There was a sound of rock breaking, and the cliff began to crack under the dragon's weight. The Hunter's eyes widened, and he began to turn.
Fatalis lashed out, grabbing ahold of the Hunter's leg. The cliff began to tumble into the abyss. The black dragon was dragging the Hunter with it. The Hunter screamed in pain as the talons sunk through is flesh. His fingers tore through the ground, reaching for his sword, and trying to remain ahold of the gound at the same time. He was at the edge of the cliff, with his fingers slipping. "I...I'll miss you Shayle." The Hunter whispered as he let go. Hundreds of miles away, in a small village, a young girl with white hair woke up screaming for her father.
10 Years Pass...
Shayle fidgeted impatiently as she waited for the lone Velociprey to take a bite of the meat. Hurry up, I want to be back in the village before it reaches noon. The Velociprey hissed, and looked around for a moment. It bent down, and began to tear into the meat. Shayle unsheathed her sword, and rushed the small raptor from behind. Before it had time to react, she had tore into it twice, leaving deep gashes on its flank. The Velociprey dropped the meat, and turned around, snarling in pain and anger. It jumped backwards, snapping its jaws in anger. She again rushed it, swinging her blade in an arc, slicing into it's side. The raptor screamed, and swung it's claws, slicing into the shoulder of her armor. She grimaced for a moment in pain, then drove her blade into it's throat. The Velociprey gurgled, then fell to it's side, dead. Shayle drew a small carving knife, and sliced a few scales off, then ripped a fang out. She tilted her head towards a small cliff, listening intently. Silence, then a rumble that shook her bones slowly climbed through the air. He's up...damn...I wanted to get a few more things. A large red Rathalos leered down at her from his perch. She backed away from the Velociprey, never taking her eyes off of the wyvren. It watched her untill she disappeared into a small tunnel, then soared down, swallowing the Velociprey whole.
Shayle put the scales and fang into her small pouch, and walked back to the village, turning slightly so she could get paid at the Hunter's Guild. An old man, with a large pipe that emmited green smoke, turned at her approach. He smiled politely, and took the pipe out of his mouth. "Well now lassie, did ye git it???" He asked. "Aye, but a Rathalos got the rest of the carcass." She responded. "Ahaha, aye, he'll git yer kills if ye doesn't carve 'em fast enuff." He smirked slightly. Shayle glared slightly at him. "You've been drinking too much again, haven't you?" She said. He laughed. "Aye, lassie, that I've been." He reached down, and put a small brown bag on the table. Something metallic clinked inside.
"There ye go, yer payment lassie." He said, then put his pipe back in his mouth, and turned away. She took the small bag, opened it for a moment, then closed it. She turned away, and walked down a small worn path. A large number of huts dotted along the path, hidden and seen amongst the tree's and bushes. She walked untill she reached the third hut on the right. She walked to it, and opened the door, tossing her payment and equiptment pouch ontop of a large trunk. Home...She sighed, and went inside, closing the door tightly behind her. She took off her armor sluggishly, noting the rip in her shoulder armor and the wound. I'll get it fixed later...With her armor off, and just her regular clothes on, she stretched slightly, yawning. She lay down in her small cot, and closed her eyes.
Rath quietly watched her return, his eyes noting the tear in her armor and shoulder over the brim of his mug. He sighed...she needed to upgrade her armor more often. Then she wouldn't come back from hunts bruised and cut. He closed his eyes, and set down 15z, paying for his drink. He got up, beginning to follow her to reprimand her for her armor. She didn't notice him following her, she never did. She entered her hut, and slammed the door in his face. He waited for a few moments, then knocked softly. She didn't respond. He opened the door slowly, ready to cover his eyes and run if the situation called for it. It didn't, she was asleep. He backed out slowly, knowing she would beat him if she woke up while he was there. He closed the door, pausing to grab the top of her armor, and left.
Rath jogged to the armory. A wrinkled old man, only reaching the top of Rath's waist, turned away from the Bowgun he was repairing. "Rath!!! Long time no chat! What'cha got there?? It seems to be a bit small for ya." He said, eyeing the leather armor. Rath tilted his head slightly. "It isn't mine, it's Shayle's armor." The old man looked at him in surprise, then a smile spread across his face. He chuckled slightly, then stopped as Rath glared down at him. "I 'borrowed' it from her. She needs it repaired, Velociprey ripped it open at the shoulder." Rath said, still glaring a the old man, who slightly shrunk away. He tossed it to the old man, who caught it, examining it. "I'll fix it for her." The old man said. Rath nodded, then walked away, back towards the tavern. "Crazy boy...he has no idea what she's going to do to him when she finds out." The old man muttered as he turned back to the bowgun.
Shayle woke up 2 hours later. She slowly got up, and stretched, cracking her back, neck, and shoulders in the process. She shook her head, getting rid of her sleep, and headed towards the door. She stopped, looking at where she had placed her armor. The rip in her shoulder armor had been repaired. She picked it up, looking at it, running her hand along where it had been re-sewn back together. Who did this?? She set it down, and looked at the wound in her shoulder. It hadn't closed yet, but the blood flow had ceased. She walked outside, blinking slightly at the bright light, then headed to the surgueons building. She looked politely at the Hunter that had broken his leg from a fall, then moved on to the counter. "May I help you??" An assistant politely asked. "Yeah, I just need this closed." Shayle said, turning so the assistant could examine her shoulder. The assistant made a small clicking in her throat. "Velociprey claw??? You should have come here sooner, these things can become infected." The assistant said, while getting a bone needle and Kelbi hair thread. "Come back here, and I'll sew it up for you." Shayle walked through a door, and sat down in a chair. The assistant came over, threading the bone needle. Shayle watched quietly. The assistant wiped a smelly purple gel over the wound, causing Shayle's eyes to water slightly at the sting. The assistant jabbed the needle in, and began to sew the wound. Shayle closed her eyes, and re-opened them moments later when the assistant was done. "Thanks.." She said, and got up, dropping 35z on the counter as she began left. "By the way, you're Shayle, aren't you??? How is that scar???" Shayle stopped, and cold washed over her. Reflexively, she put a hand over her stomach, concealing it. "Why do you ask???" Shayle asked. "Well, wounds from Rathalos and Rathian usually continue to hurt the bearer, even after they have healed. Does yours ever sting or hurt???" The assistant asked. "No..." Shayle said coldly, and left.
Once outside, she drew her hand away. The scar, jagged and white across her tan skin, was memoir of a white Rathian attack. Shayle closed her eyes, remebering the sound of wingbeats, of the roaring, the sound of her bones being crushed and her skin being ripped open. She opened her eyes, rage filling them to the brim. She clenched her fist slightly, then headed off towards the tavern. She needed a drink to cool herself down. She sat down next to a fellow Hunter named Rath. He was commonly helping her and a few younger Hunters, making him a good person to be around. She flared her fingers out, and a small mug slid towards her. She caught it, and took a small sip, allowing her nerves to calm down.
Rath was surprised as Shayle sat down next to him. He looked over at her, seeing the wound had been closed. Does she know I had her armor fixed for her???? He took a sip from his mug. "Sorry..." He said.
Shayle looked over at him. "Sorry for what?????" He began to answer, but then a loud trumpeting of a horn was heard. She got up, and ran to the village square, as Rath did also. Something was up...