"WOAH!" a young voice exclaimed. The Gigginox gunner spun around.
"Oh, sorry to disturb you, but that was soooo cooool!" a man, or maybe boy, in Rathian armor appeared form the dense trees. The Gigginox gunner watched him warily.
"I mean, did you see- well of course you saw, you did it, but you just like walked off and made the Gobul kill itself! WOW!" The Rathian armored hunter bubbled with enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm that the gunner didn't share. She got up, slung her bowgun over her shoulder, and walked toward where the base camp was situated.
"Hey… where are you going?" he exclaimed. "Yo!"
"I'm going to report the kill," the girl said coldly. The other hunter cocked his head sideways, as if he was confused.
"Well, okay then." He followed.
"What are you doing?" the gunner asked brusquely.
"Um, I'm following you back to camp. I wanna know how you know how to-"
"Well don't"
The Rathian hunter looked hurt. Well, as hurt as you can look behind a full face helm.
"But… can you show me-" he began.
"NO." she started to walk faster.
"C'mon! Why you so cold? Can I, um, ask your name? At least…"
Sensing no harm to that the gunner snapped, "Skye."
2 years ago
"Skye," said the eager youth. Paine nodded at the name.
"Pretty wimpy name," he said. The girl looked hurt.
"Hurry up, Skye, grab a weapon and let's go at that Great Jaggi," he barked,
"Woah, what? You never told me we were going hunting! I just woke up and you're like well what's your name? I never agreed to go hunt some Great Jaggi!" She moaned.
"Well, if you are going to live here then you might as well help me," Paine retorted.
"Live here? I never asked if I could live-"
"Then where would you go?" Paine asked. Skye shut up. She looked like she was backed into a corner.
"Look, after me, you are probably best suited to go hunting. You're still young so you can learn this-," he searched for the word,"-craft. You said it yourself; everyone else is too young or already have a job. If anything happens to me, this village would be in deep s-."
"Well, then don't die," Skye attempted.
"Hah, easier said than done, now get you lazy a—to that box and grab a weapon."
She silently obliged. Her gaze swept over the assortment of weapons.
"Hey, what's this?" she asked. She struggled to heft a large crystal sword.
"Vulcanis P," he said, "too heavy, try again."
"This?" she lifted a long sword and immediately dropped it. "Ow!"
"Dancing Hellfire," Paine stated, " you'll burn yourself, try again." He walked over and stamped out the mini-fire the sword was creating.
"This!" she said confidently. She gently swung it and went flying with it.
"Assault Axe," he sighed, "too complicated and heavy. Jeez, maybe you aren't fit to be a hunter."
She picked up a gun-like mechanism. "What's this?" she seemed determined to find a weapon.
"Part of a bowgun, it's called the Jaggid Fire, that's the barrel."
Skye experimentally attached some pieces together. "There!"
Paine looked at the work with surprise, the pieces were attached perfectly. He had predicted that she would eventually pick up a bowgun, due to her lack of muscle, but he didn't expect that she would be…decent, or at least with the pre-work.
"You made a light bowgun," he said as you detached the stock. "Here this is better."
She looked transfixed by the new stock. "Wow…"
"I like it too," Paine said as he strapped on his Shadow Binder.
Skye stroked the Qurupeco feathers of the Tropeco stock.