A week passed since the last time I've seen another human being. A week since I had been kidnapped by the earth queen. It's been a long few days, with me being cornered by the earth queen's questions and ideas on how 'hunters' work. She barely replied to mine, as if by job description I needed to know everything there is to know about 'monsters'. However I continued to struggle and move forward.

I have tried to escape, to no avail. Whenever I tried she found me either in a daze or completely passed out in the dessert heat. I was always brought back to the pound that I had started to call my home. No hunters passed through the area either, giving me the impression that they might have all died of alcohol overdose. In about three days of nearly dying and escaping I gave up and stayed put. With that my treatment lessened and I could… 'roam freely'.

I was mainly, still naked, but thanks to the earth queen I had some weird pink shedding of the sorts, that I could use to cover at least the parts that I thought indecent. Not that the Rathian cared, she seemed super intrigued with my body and enthralled by the weird noises I could make during…her private sessions. The earth queen seemed to enjoy feeling my body which caused most of the time, reactions from me, and since she loved the taste of me; she would always have her evil way with me. I felt like an innocent girl discovering sex for the first time, all the time.

However I didn't mind these days at all. Since I stopped running away her treatment included extra food, and that was enough to keep me from even remotely running away. Though I have to admit I kinda felt bad for the entire thing. Even worse when you added that she constantly hunted my dreams with those light blue eyes that gleamed with curiosity and those pink scales that reminded me of flowers from a distant village…wait I'm getting off track.

It was hard to even look at her sometimes, especially when I dream of her and remembered how her tongue moved around me. How warm it was. That expression…when she licked my seed from her face…I groaned in the pond and shook myself out of it. I'm supposed to want to go home not…feel her again.

The flapping of wings caught my attention. I turned to see the Rathian landing, then taking a few steps to drink water. Her mouth barely touched me as she drank then lifted herself to lick her lips. Those…lips…

"Hunter," she said.

"Yeah," I told her turning my gaze to her eyes.

"Did you not like the meal?" she said taking her seat next to me.

"I liked it," I told her taking a piece of burnt meat and eating it.

"You do not seem interested in it," she replied.

I rolled my eyes, "If I had my things I wouldn't be eating burnt meat. I would kill for a well-done steak."

The Rathain drew closer to my face, Didn't I told her about personal space? "What up?"

"These meat…how is it done?"

"Again if I had my shit I could do it," I told her standing from the pond and stretching.

"Would you show me if you had your things?" she said.

"Well sure, but I don't have any…" my words died down as I heard movement behind me. Turning, I saw my blades and my pouch. I was saved.

"Those are?"

"You may use them hunter," the Rathian said. "These are your things."

I turned from her to my things and back. I frowned and crossed my arms, "What do you want?"

"I want you to show me the world of the hunters," she replied stepping back. "See how they work things."

I had my doubts, "That's all ya want?"

The Rathian nodded at me, but I wasn't that convinced that easily, "So you're telling me. I can use my stuff. To go out. Hunt something. Show you how I do it. Then I have to come back here..."

"You may leave."

"Well that seems…wait…WHAT?"

"You may leave hunter," she said again.

I blinked quickly at her words. She had just said them. I could leave this place. I could go back home and live normally once more. I would be back hunting….I could… forget all of this. Then why all of the sudden I felt like I was run over by a Duramboros?

"Well," I shook the feeling off. "Let's head out."

Since my armor was destroyed I worked my way with the skin that the Rathian gave me. I tight it around me and placed my duals in my hands. I adjusted everything to fit my liking and checked how the 'armor' would hold with my movements, it wasn't much, but it did its job. After re-adjusting my duals and tighten them for a couple of minutes, I head over to my pouch and adjust it to my side. Making sure the pouch didn't wonder around I finally turn to the Rathian and take a cold drink from my pouch.

"Let's head out then," I said.

It took no time at all to find my prey, taking it down, carving it, and taking my right full bundle of grease deliciousness. I turn to find the Rathian eying me with curiosity.

"What?" I asked her moving to make a fire.

"How is it you only eat that small piece?" she asks as I place branches around.

"Well this part has everything I need. Its big, its thick, and I get all the nutrients I need to keep in shape," I tell her, not moving my eyes from the branches. "Now for some fire."

The Rathian set the small branches on fire and I nod, "Nice…very nice."

I work my meat to bliss and seat down and eat it as fast as I can. I haven't had something this good in days! That's ages for a hunter, always. I finished my meal and leaned back to rest and just enjoy my freedom, at least for now.

"Hunter," the Rathian asks. "Are you not leaving?"

"Hmh? Oh yeah I am," I tell her crossing my arms behind my head and resting.

"Then you must walk over to you village," she says. "Why are you here still?"

I open one of my eyes to stare at her, "Because as much as I want to be back home, I'm still a hunter and we always get sent here. Besides I need a ride back to Val Habar and unless more hunter come around here, I'm stuck."

At the mention of hunter I hear voices behind me. I know those voices and I stare wide eyed at the Rathian. I quickly stand up and pull her with me to another area. My hands are trembling and my voice is caught as I watch them walking away from us and to their next destination. I don't let go of Rathian until I can't see hunters any more.

"That was close?" I tell her.

"What is it hunter?" she asks as always.

"Those hunters, they're bad news for any monster in their path," I tell her. "They are known to be quite ruthless."

Rathian stares at me, several emotions flashing quickly through her eyes, "Then why not let them kill me?"

I shrug, "Stockholm syndrome I guess? You haven't really done anything to me except burn my clothes to a crisp and held me hostage for days. BUT, at least I didn't die. Besides even if it was any other monster I wouldn't want them in these guys path…they are that much of bad news."

Silence then fell on us. I swallowed and turned to see if the hunters were gone, and noticing they wouldn't really appear any time soon I turned back to see Rathian still there.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her. "Go on shoo."

"Thank you hunter," she says. "I wish you I could repay everything you have done for me these last couple of days."

I cough a little feeling my face heat up at her words, "Well just go, we'll see what we do later."

"Later as in, we will see each other again?" she asks.

I cross my arms, "What you thought I was gonna forget everything you put me through? Not a chance you got to ask your… hunter questions and I want my monster questions."

"Shall we do it in another place then?" she asks.

I blink several times, "I'll think of something."

Rathian nods, "Well hunter I bid you farewell."

I watch her turn to leave. Her wings spread and I am still there watching in awe at her pink scales as she turns one final time and I can't help but smile.

"Lupo," I tell her.

She frowns and I chuckle, "The name, my name is Lupo, not hunter."

Rathian seems to understand and lifts her body in the air. Her wings making great gusts of wind but I hold.

"And my name is Leyla," those are her final words before she departs.