Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Monster Hunter franchise, that belongs to Capcom. I do however have a crap ton of merch, so I mean...maybe some day. Enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 7 - Ascending in Rank

The trees swayed gently in the warm summer breeze, the gentle shifting of the leaves and rustling of the grass blades were the only noise he could hear. Even in his armor the calming sensation that traveled through him as the wind blew past was a welcome feeling. It sent small ripples throughout his body as it cooled him down slightly. With the rising heat it was a clear indication of the seasons changing. Living in a lush evergreen forest for most of his life, he rarely got to experience the shifting of the weather. Summers were mostly mild, autumns just seemed cooler, and winters were always green, though he had to wear a few furs at times when it got too cold.

He had been a hunter for sometime now, and the months had grown daunting to him. Alongside Zenna, the two had won many victories and successful hunts. Velociprey, Bulldrome, Jaggi, and other monsters had all been conquered by the pair of hunters. That was not to say each victory had been easy. He still remembered the painful experience they had with the Bulldrome a little over a week ago. The massive boar of a monster had tried to gore him into a tree. It was by the grace of his slim build and the massive tusks that he was spared impalement and instead had been shoved hard into a large oak. Zenna had managed to distract the monster by slamming her hammer into its hind leg causing it to stumble and allowed him to roll away to safety. Once he had recovered his breath the two had dispatched the creature. The encounter had left him with some deep bruising along his left abdomen where the monster had pinned him down. He still carried the marks, but they caused him little discomfort now.

Reaching a small clearing he sat down on a familiar stone. He was once more in the hilly area he had encountered the lone velocidrome and it's pack. It seemed oddly strange to be here again, whats more he was alone. The hunter sighed as he contemplated why it was he was even out here and alone anyways.

Days earlier while he was eating with Zenna after gathering materials and things needed for the shop. It was mid summer and they were experiencing a heatwave, the two hardly wanted to hunt, and even working in the shop had been taxing for him that he had made clumsy mistakes. It was do to these set backs that he needed to gather more ore even in this sweltering heat. Unlike his home town with its tall trees and cool summers, this stone town became an almost literal furnace to him. Zenna on the other hand did not seem all to bothered by the increased heat. Being from the Loc-Lac desert she was used to a constant feeling of heat year round. Though as he panted as they walked through town, she suggested grabbing a bite to eat, and the guild hall was the only place where one could stay cool, and even enjoy a nice cold drink.

Inside the crowded building, the change in temperature caused the hunter to sigh with content. The two slumped down and he placed his heavy bag of materials down under the long table they shared with dozens of hunters. The place was crowded, even more so then it normally was. Other hunters all had the same idea in cooling off and having a drink or two...or four to beat the heat.

Koryns eyes scanned the area seeing hunters of all shapes and sizes gathered around. He was surprised to see many fully geared up. Many of the hunters he was familiar with wore new sets of armor, some of which he even had a hand in crafting as the shop had grown very busy since his arrival. Vul'kan would never admit it, but business was good and he felt pride in seeing his hard work being used. As the feeling of accomplishment began to fade, another feeling slowly replaced it. It was a strange one, one he had been feeling for sometime. Despite all his voctories and achievements, he felt...wanting. Wanting a challenge, wanting to feel that rush of excitement, he wanted to hunt something new.

His thoughts where interrupted as their server came and placed there food before them, along with two large mugs of frothy liquor. He quickly gave his thanks, to which the young girl smiled charmingly at him before she departed. Zenna had that look on her face she always did when their servers left.

"We always seem to get better portions don't we?" the emerald eyed huntress commented before she began to hungrily tear into her food. Koryn nodded absent-minded as he returned to his thoughts, taking a small drink from his vessel. Hoping the cold sweet brew would help quench that longing feeling in his gut. The drink did little to shake the feeling away, but it did cause a welcome rush of sensation to put him more at ease.

He had never thought he would grow this comfortable being a hunter before. Despite the set backs and injuries, he still found their usual targets to be unappealing to him. The stories of winged creatures that spat fire, or monsters so powerful they could bend the elements of nature to their will had always played out in his thoughts when he was younger. He knew any monster was not to be taken lightly, and many of the hunters in his home village seemed content with just making a living off the usual beasts that roamed in the woods. The swordsman had greater aspirations though, a need to push further than he could. Ferrum had always worried about this side of him, this adventurous spirit, and almost complete lack of regard for his own well being.

"Ya can't jus' go after the biggest beast there is," his foster fathers voice echoed in his mind. He knew he had to be patient, he had been patient even through out the years when he had finally convinced the stubborn old man to finally teach him the ways of hunting. Now he wanted to face something different, something that was not limited to the ground, or something that didn't just spit or try and tackle at him like a mad aptonoth. He wanted to prove himself, and not just feel he had been lucky with the drome, or just had a good partner to watch his back.

"Something up?" the emerald eyed huntress beside him asked suddenly. His mind drew away from images of grandeur and fell back to the present.

"No," he replied somberly. Using the fork he had in his hand to poke at his meal as if contemplating how he wanted to eat it.

"Your lying," Zenna replied knowingly, a slight mixture of amusement and concern on her face.

"What makes you say that?" he replied trying not to sound too displeased or anything of the sort.

"Your using a fork," she stated flatly

"So?" he questioned.

"We're eating ribs today," the huntress giggled softly as she pointed out the odd way he was 'eating'.

Koryn blinked as he indeed looked to see he had been poking at a large rib. The metal prongs of the eating utensil struck against the heavy bone at the center and he softly let it fall beside his plate, feeling a bit foolish. Zenna didn't press him for an answer, instead letting him work things out before he spoke.

"I'm just a bit tired," he said with not a trace of enthusiasm.

"Of the heat?"

"Of hunting," the look on her face told him he needed to explain more. "Of hunting the same things...you know...I guess it's just getting a bit dull...I mean Jaggi are a bit tough, but anything that hunts in a pack is a pain, all you got to do it isolate the leader and boom...and then their are arzuros, which are strong, and bulldrome, but nothing really exciting anymore."

The hunter half expected to hear his partner click her teeth in annoyance, or start reprimanding him for taking things to lightly as his elders seemed to do. Instead he was a bit taken back when her eyes seemed to suddenly brighten and her smile widen. With her tongue she did her best to clean her front teeth and used a bit of cloth to wipe her face clean.

"Your feeling it," she said in a playful tone.

"Feeling what?"

"The itch," she said as if that explained everything.

"Itch?" he replied, clearly confused.

"You know that hunters itch, that need to go after bigger and badder monsters!"

Koryn wanted to comment on how a "hunters itch" sounded like a bad case of rash one did not want to talk about in public, but he kept that to himself. Instead he nodded in agreement, and felt a sense of relief wash over him as she seemed to understand the feelings he was having, and not about to turn him from them.

His mood improved greatly and the two ate and talked openly. The topic of much of their conversation had been how he would be allowed by the guild to hunt more challenging monsters. He knew of the ranking system they implemented to keep younger and less experienced hunters from dying so readily in the field. He just wasn't sure how one reached a higher level.

Zenna however knew exactly what to do. The huntress was already of a higher standing than he was, a rank three hunter, and she knew exactly how one would earn the guilds recognition. One way was attending the academy, a hunter was usually promoted to rank two after their first successful hunt with a wild carnivore in the field. That was how she earned her way up so quickly, she admitted halfheartedly. Another way was through sheer determination. If a person took down enough targets they would be presented with a quest that would test there skills as a hunter, usually the creature they faced was one they had not encountered before, and had little to no knowledge of it according to their hunting records. This was a tedious method, but one that traditional hunters, like himself, usually took.

Once they had finished their meal, the hunter felt renewed and his spirits lifted thinking of how his promotion would come about. He wasn't sure what target he needed to pursue, but the huntress assured him she would get in contact with a guild associate she knew and would let him know. With a wave the two parted for the day and Koryn went back to deliver the newly acquired ore and material he had gathered. He was content in waiting and decided not to take any more postings until she got back to him.

His patience was rewarded, as a few days later his raven haired friend had stopped by the shop. Zenna had all but burst in as he was sharpening a few blades that were to be picked up by a customer later that day. Once his grinding wheel had come to a stop she excitedly told him his request had been accepted and the guild was issuing him a chance to reach the next echelon in being a hunter.

"Thats great!" Koryn leapt up, ignoring the two blades that clattered to the floor as he knocked them off his bench.

"So what am I supposed to hunt anyways?"

Zenna beamed happily and nearly shoved the guild posting in his face. Before he could even begin to read it she happily exclaimed "Your going after a Yian Kut-Ku!"

That is how that had gone. He was given little over a day to prepare for his quest, and given even less details as to what in the world the creature he was looking for even looked like. He had tried to pry some information from Zenna, but she seemed intent on following tradition and not giving him any hints to help him.

"It's a test after all," she said, waving her finger at him, much like a teacher would to a misbehaving pupil.

Koryn had even tried to see if Vul'kan had anything to tell him, but the old coot was smart and deduced the nature of his questions. Rather than say anything the wyverian cackled ominously and had flung him a bent piece of metal. He looked at the polished arc of steel and wondered what in the world it even was. It was only a few hours before he had touched down at the area this Yian Kut-Ku was supposedly seen last that he realized the metal item was in fact a boomerang, some ancient form of hunting tool used a long time ago. He guessed it was mostly useless to him, as he had no idea how one even used it, but he had kept it anyways in case there was some hidden reason the old man had given it to him.

"I really wish I had something to go on," he grumbled to himself. It had been over a day since he had landed in the hills. He had found only the brittle carapaces of large insects littered in areas he usually never found the large bugs. He guessed whatever this Yian Kut-Ku was, it must have a taste for creepy crawlies. It was the only lead he had, as he found hardly any sort of foot print or sign that a creature was even there.

The clever hunter had decided it was his best bet to find a hive of sorts, and stake out for a while to see if anything came looking to feast on the large insects. He had examined the yellowish hue of the bug debris and thought of the chittering insects he had encountered the first time he was here. Altaroth is what they were called, the idea of looking for the massive bugs did not sit well with him, but it was the only clue he had.

Koryn scanned for mushrooms, as he learned the insects liked the absorb nutrients from them and return back to there hives usually buried beneath fallen logs or by stone. It had not taken him very long to find what he was looking for as he could hear the clacking of large pincers. What he had not expected was to find that rather than mushrooms, the four large ant-like neopterons surrounded another pair of insects. The new creatures were of a similar yellow coloration as the altaroth, but rather than having long spindly legs, they were flat and closer to the floor and had domed segmented armored plates. One of the insects rose up off the ground, waving side to side and hissing defensively at its pincer-ed opponents. He guessed these new creatures must have appeared during the heatwave, perhaps the season made the area better suited for them.

The flat bugs also sported a very nasty set of pincers themselves, as one snapped angrily at two of the altaroths, managing to grab a hold of one between its jaws. The creature shook its catch angrily, smashing it into the ground at times. The writhing altaroth hissed defiantly, and just then two of its companions came to its aid, grabbing the flat bug and proceeding to bite at its exposed underside. The poor insects hissed angrily, but continued to fight on until it was suddenly still. The trio of bugs carried away the carcass as the last one began to engage the remaining armored insect.

Just as its jaws made to bite at the creature, there was a loud "SNAP!" and the flat bug suddenly rolled up into a ball. The force of its sudden retreat into itself caused the unsuspecting altaroth to lose its head, literally. In a small spray of greenish gore the body of the beheaded bug twitched for a bit before it lay dead. The rolled up insect began to suddenly tumble away, seemingly unimpressed by what it had done. It was such a strange sight to see the armored ball slowly moving on its own.

The hunter had been so transfixed by the exchange before him, that he had not even heard the wing beats above him, nor seen the shadow that was getting larger behind the rolling insect. It was only when the wind suddenly rushed past him that he saw an odd pink monster come from the sky and snap up the rolling bug and vanish just as quickly. He had not gotten a good look, but he saw bat-like wings and bird-like features before the monster was to far up to really see in the afternoon sun.

Koryn raised a hand over his eyes to filter out the day. He looked as the figure flew further over the hill strewn landscape, trying to get a general feel of the direction it was going. The form vanished after a few moments, but his familiarity with the area told him it was not to far off. With renewed vigor he went at a steady pace in the direction of the flying monster.

As the swordsman drew closer to the place where it might have rest, his pace slowed, and he walked calmly. The trees in the area were plentiful here, he felt fortunate as they kept the afternoon sun out of his eyes and made it easier for him to search for his mark. He tried not to make a sound in order to better hear the area around him. He focused more on listening then seeing, and he turned his head, even titling it at times to try and catch anything unusual. He thought he heard a gentle thudding not far off and slowly he crept towards it. As he got closer, he could hear the distinct sound of foot falls, large ones. Each step was a few seconds in between each other, so whatever was making them was bigger than a velocidrome for sure, but the way they fell sounded very bird-like to him.

There was a few hisses and then the sound of an object rolling away. Koryns mind immediately thought of the large curled up insects he saw get snatched up, and he had a feeling he had made the right choice. There was a sudden loud "THUMP!" and the rolling had stopped. The silence was broken by a loud warbling and gulping sound. He peered behind a tree, and got the first glimpse of the source.

The creature stood taller than him and upon two rather gangling looking legs each having three rather thick toes ending with a thick claw. Unlike a velocidrome whose legs where a source of attack, and thus very well muscles and toned, these seemed to be made primarily as a means of slow land travel, and by no means meant for fast sprints or long distances like the blue and black predators he was accustomed to. Its body overall was very slim, its wings where webbed, and had a blueish hue. The rest of its body was covered in what looked like pink shell and scales, that seemed better fit for a crustacean than a bird. It's tail was long and thin, like a scaled whip behind it. He guessed its primary function was a counter balance for when it was in the air or on the ground.

As Koryn was drinking in the details, the creature turned and lifted its long neck high. It was then he saw the oddest part about it. The creatures head was massive, its neck seemed thick and muscles, obviously to carry the large skull that attached at the end. The monster was clearly a bird, as its giant beak resembled the shell of a walnut, the lower half jutting out further than the top, and it was serrated to most likely grip onto prey. The more he looked at the creatures features, the stranger it appeared to him. It's eyes where small and beady, and atop its head at the base of its skull where large fan-like structures he could only describe as ears. The "ears" opened and shut like a fan, laying back against its head, and coming up like a pair of sails. He realized the odd formation and position of them would allow it to hear things far better than most monsters. It was then he held his breath as it turned.

Quiet suddenly it thrust its large bill into the ground, and with a heavy yank it withdrew a large sphere. Between its beak was a rolled up insect. Wide eyed the hunter realized the beast could hear the bugs crawling beneath the ground, and if he wasn't careful it would notice him soon enough. He watched as it happily crushed the between its jaws, softening the hard creature up, before gulping the whole thing down. It churred with content, and it trotted forward away from him a few feet, its ears lifted and scanning. It seemed to only hear well in front of it, and so he slid his visor over his eyes and slowly reached for his blades.

The metal handles felt comfortable in his closed palms. The blades where like new, as he had cleaned them and sharpened then for this hunt. He had long since abandoned the ones he had crafted from the velocidrome, instead opting for a new set of fully metal ones. The alloys he used where stronger and lighter, he hoped he would be able to cleave the thick shelled hide of this monster. He moved forward, each step was calm and deliberate. He made certain not to step on any leaves or branches. He was only a few yards away from the monster, not close enough to strike, but close enough to truly see the odd nature of the was no doubt in his mind this thing was a Yian Kut-Ku, it's appearance fitted the bizarre name.

By some misfortune, as he drew closer, the creature suddenly folded its ears back and turned to look behind it. Perhaps it was in the monsters nature to be overly cautious, but whatever reason the beady eyes fell on him and studied him. Its neck was arched, and wings slightly opened. The posture in itself was comical, and had he not been so serious he may have burst out laughing at the odd display.

The hunter stayed perfectly still, staring back at the creature through his metal visor. It did not seem threatened by him, as its eyes stayed trained on him. It blinked a few times, cocking its head slightly as if in wonder of this strange armored person before it. He saw its eyes move from side to side, and he realized it was looking at his sharp blades that he held. It was then Yian Kut-Kus eyes fell on him, and he knew it had decided he was a threat.

It quickly leapt and turned, its head not moving as its body reoriented and it stood facing him. Its large beak opened and it let loose a loud piercing squawk that echoed in his ears. He did not cup his hands over them, but instead shouted back and rushed forward just as the creature did. It's stride was a clumsy gait, and its head swished side to side as they closed the short distance. It's beak snapped down but he deftly avoided it and struck with both of his swords, hitting the side of the large bill. His blades sliced it and the creature let out a cry as he rolled past it.

"Kuuurrraaaaawwww!" it cried as it turned, flapping its wings to push itself backwards away from him. He saw the two deep gashes on its beak. There was no blood, but he guessed the strike itself hurt all the same. It leapt forward with a wing beat and brought its beak down like a hammer. The tip aimed directly over him and it came down fast. He rolled away just as the beak sunk deep into the ground. He saw that it nearly submerged the entire bill into the soil, and he guessed its neck had very well developed muscles for it to do that. He half expected it to rise swiftly for another attack, but it seemed to be stuck. It flapped its wings pathetically as it tried to dislodge its own snout.

Koryn chuckled softly, unable to keep it in. He watched the creature try in vain to extract its beak. The hunter almost felt bad for the poor beast, but he wasn't about to let a perfectly good opportunity go. He sprang forward, twisting on the spot and struck at its exposed neck. His blades cut into the heavy scales, and he saw a few flecks of blood splash into the air. With a pained cry it pulled its beck free and it swung its head like a bludgeon. The force of the strike knocked him off his feet and the air from his lungs.

"Ugh!" he grunted as he steadily stood back up. "Okay...so shouldn't drop my guard," he told himself. The creature may move clumsily, but it hit hard. He realized normally Zenna at this point would have struck before he got hit, or would be in the process of punishing the creature with a heavy strike of her own for hitting him. Koryn felt odd without back-up, and knew he had made the mistake in being relaxed based on the creatures mannerisms and appearance. He steadied himself and as the Yian Kut-ku struck again this time with a trio of quick beak jabs, he effortlessly dodged each one and struck back. The thick shell mitigated much of the damage, but he was pleased his blades did not bounce off and instead left bloody lines along the monsters flank.

The pink creature twisted its body around, the whip like tail lashing in an arch quickly. He ducked at the right moment, feeling the limb barely graze his helmet. Had he been a moment slower, he was certain he would be seeing stars. The tail came again but this time he was ready. As he ducked beneath it he swung his weapons in two crescents over his head, feeling them strike the slim appendage. The Yian Kut-Ku shrieked with annoyance as he did.

It turned on him, its beady eyes glaring at him angrily. Small thin lines of grey vapor crept up from the massive bill. The smell of smoke alerted the hunter a moment before it happened. The Yian Kut-Ku arched its neck and like one would toss a ball it extended the appendage and opened its mouth wide. A burning ball of flames hurled towards Koryn, and the hunter jumped away just as it exploded onto the ground where he had been. The warmth of the dissipated fireball washed over him. Koryn was hardly afraid of fire, but he looked wide eyed at the creature none the less.

"Great...a turkey that tries to cook you too," he muttered to himself. Another fiery projectile came towards him, it flew in a sloping arc at him, and he once more dodged it. The creature seemed to be full of surprises. Rather than trying to engage him close up, it continued to rain down slow falling balls of fire at him. The hunter had an idea as he watched another fiery projectile explode a few feet from him.

Koryn kept hoping further and further away from the creature, each time he saw the monster have to throw its neck out at a different angle in order for its burning attacks to even come close to hitting him. After a few moments the swordsman stopped, and another fireball fell down, this time a few feet in front of him without him needing to move. He smirked with satisfaction as his prediction was correct. The creature had a limited range and he just learned it.

The Yian Kut-Ku regarded the hunter for a moment, seemingly perplexed he had stopped moving. It panted as it let its head drop low, the fiery attacks seemed to use a lot of it's stamina. It was obvious the creature was not a true wyvern or dragon in any sense. Those monster where capable of firing balls of fire that could scorch the earth and strike down mighty towers, at least how the stories went. This bird must have been what the guild considered an introduction to those monsters.

The amber eyes hunter felt his nerve lessen as he came to realize his discovery, even more so seeing the creature winded sent a surge through him that inflated his ego. He slide his blades over one another like a cheif about to carve of a finely cooked roast. The bird angrily stamped its feet at him, seemingly understanding the implications of the gesture. He stopped low and readied for an attack. What happened next though would quickly wipe the smirk away from the the cocky hunter.

The bird flapped its wings, causing a gust of wind to kick up before him. He shielded his eyes out of instinct allowing it to put even more distance between them. It spread its wings and jumped off the ground. Just as it drew a few feet into the air, Koryn began to panic. Unlike other monsters this one could fly, and he realized that also meant it could easily flee the surrounding area and he would have no means of tracking it.

Koryn wasn't sure how to react, nothing he had learned or experienced had prepared him for a winged adversary. Lost in his thoughts he could only watch the monster fly higher and further away. There was no way he could throw a stone or anything that high, nor could he even think of using a flash bomb. The thought of letting loose his boomerang tempted the hunter, but he knew he could not deftly use it at this range. The hunter did everything not to blink, carefully keeping tabs on the monsters movements. He let out the air in his lungs he had been holding in, as the Yian Kut-Ku turned and flew off, though seemingly to get away and not to flee the area.

"That was stupid," he berated himself knowing full well he had let his ego get the better of him. The swordsman had been so eager to pat himself on the back for his quick thinking, he had not realized he had moved so far that he himself was not in reach to fight the odd bird. The thought he had even been baited occurred to him as well, that the funny creature had in fact planned to flee and had set him up. The thought caused the anger he felt for himself to only bubble more in his mind.

The lithe hunter found himself wishing his partner was their with him, having the tan skinned huntress with him had always made things easier. It was just then another thought occurred to him. That was it! That was why she had decided not to tag along. She would have made the fight too simple for him, and she believed that even without her assistance or even a bit of advice he could pull it off.

The thought helped cure his damaged pride and he slide his blades away behind him. The sun was still high up, but he guessed that the creature would be expecting him to pursue it. He ventured to think it might be too tired to try and leave the area completely, so with any luck he would still find it later. Thinking things through, his best bet was to once more try and gain the element of surprise and finish the fight as quickly as he could. Rather than pursuing the animal now in its heightened state of awareness and caution. With his mind made up, he decided to find a place where he could patiently wait as the sun began to set.

Zenna watched as a small drop of condensation ran down the side of her mug. She had been sitting alone in the mess hall for some time now. At first it had been a means of doing something, unlike Koryn she was not a talented blacksmith nor had any real skills aside from smashing things to bits and hunting. Oddly enough the two coincided very well and made her the successful hunter she was today.

Now however she was just down right bored. The emerald eyed warrior thought getting a bit tipsy might have passed the time, but drinks tasted less appealing when you were drinking alone, or so she had found out after spending months with her partner after being a lone wolf for so long.

It had been nearly two days and she honestly already missed the younger blade user. He was interesting, funny, and honestly she fancied him a bit, though not enough to really be more than friends. The absence of his presence made her feel uncomfortable. Whats more a small sense of dread had been plaguing her mind for the past few hours. She had confidence in Koryns abilities, he was a fantastic hunter after all. The feeling he could be in trouble though flashed in her thoughts and she was deeply regretting not giving him any advice before he set out. She sighed loudly as she lifted her head up from the table and lifted the mug to her lips. The sweet taste of the ale did little to lift her spirits, and she bitterly put it down after only a sip.

"This seat taken?" a withered sounding voice croaked next to her. Zenna turned to see Vul'kan struggling to sit on top of the large bench, clearly made for individuals of a taller stature than himself.

"No...go ahead," she said with little enthusiasm and made no effort to help him up. It was no secret the raven haired warrior carried little for the withered blacksmith. She could admit his skills where not to be questioned, he was by far the best in the town. It was his habit of being a bit of a dirty old coot that repulsed her a bit. If not for his apprentice, she would have little to no dealing with the wyverian if she could help it.

"Uh...finally," Vul'kan grunted, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. Raising a withered finger he signaled to the serving girl he wanted a drink. The waitress looked on apprehensively but turned to go and fetch his order anyways. Afterwards he took a few long moments to ignite his pipe and puffed it a few times until he produced a nice billow of smoke.

The scent repulsed the huntress, but she said nothing, if anything just allowing the silence to persist meant that maybe the old codger would grow tired and leave her alone. Zenna was already too sour of a mood to want to even pretend to entertain the old man. Though after a few moments of smelling the fumes, her patience grew thin.

"I thought only hunters came in here," the annoyance in her voice was apparent.

Vul'kan seemed to ignore the rude remark, but after a few moments he put out his pipe and slipped the slender item into his long wide sleeve.

"Hah!" the sudden outburst nearly made her jump "I'd like tuh see any of these young'ns try and tell me to leave," he seemingly made a motion to take a deep puff of smoke, but realized he had put it away, so he continued "I've made half of the weapons in the room, and even more armor...there wouldn't be any hunters without me" he declared proudly.

There was truth in his words, but rather than admit it Zenna instead decided to stay quiet. It did not last very long though, as the aged blacksmith had more to say.

"I'm worried too," she blinked as she realized he was talking to her again. The green eyed girl wanted to reject the notion, but she knew in doing so it would only betray the truth, though she also concluded that saying nothing would result in the same outcome, but that option meant less of her energy was wasted and so she didn't say a word to reply.

"I gave him that silly toy," he spat bitterly. At that moment the serving girl came and placed a slightly smaller mug of alcohol before him. With a slight nod of thanks he watched the girl leave. The act was not missed by the huntress sitting next to him. Zennas face scrunched up disapprovingly, knowing the old man was staring fasr to intently at the girl.

"At least you did something," she mumbled "I didn't even give him advice...I could have hinted he use sonic bombs...or something."

Her mood was only growing worse by the second. The company beside her was also not improving things. She had half a mind to leave and head back to her housing and call it a day, but the sound of metal scrapping along the wodden table top called her attention.

Vul'kan had raised his mug and lifted it up towards her. She noticed he used both hands to lift it. It was amazing to see the sign of weakness in the old man. He after all seemed to handle a hammer with little effort, banging away at metal all day long. Seeing him struggle with the mug caused a small twinge in her stomach though.

"Have faith in him," he added, "The boys got talent, so long as he keeps his cool from what I gathered," he went on and on about how he saw great potential in his young student. Zenna was beside herself at the honesty of the withered craftsman, she never thought aside from his skills at the forge, he had any other redeeming qualities." If he ever decides to give up on being a hunter...well...he'll make a damn fine blacksmith too," his black eyes seemed to gleam with pride. "Don't tell him I said that eh? he added quickly. The huntress chuckled softly, and gave a slight nod in agreement.

"Lets have a toast," the old wyverian suggested. She had realized while he had had his little speech, he had held onto the cup the entire time. His age must not be much of a hindrance after all she thought to herself. With little effort she took her mug in one hand.

"To Koryn," she cheered softly.

"To Koryn," the wyverian followed and the two clinked their mugs before drinking deeply.

Koryns eyes flashed with a faint flow, like smoldering embers, as he focused on the dark shapes around him. His vision had adjusted to the low light, but he still did not trust what he could or could not see, and so he traveled at a snails pace in order to hear everything around him. He knew the morning would be approaching soon, he had taken his time in finding his quarry in the hopes of catching it off guard. In his cautious state he had even re framed from lighting a torch for some extra light for fear of spooking anything.

His breaths came out slow and steadily. The beating of his heart causing a gentle drumming in his ears as he tried to control his pulse. He had been searching for hours now and had not found any sign of the creature he was pursuing. The feeling of fear that he had missed his chance gripped his guts, causing them to tighten. His hands groped along a large stone. The cool surface of the rock felt nice and familiar to him, like the many stonework structures back in town. The idea of returning with his prize renewed his focus and he pressed on.

He stood still for a moment, allowing himself to paint an acoustic map around himself by straining his ears and keeping his eyes half lidded in the hopes his hearing would strengthen. Only the wind greeted him in his silence, but as he concentrated he began to hear something else mingled with the gentle whispering of the early morning. It was a gentle chirr, a steady up and down pattern of sound that did not fit in with the silence.

Throwing caution to the wind he walked around, feeling along the large stone. The sound grew louder and louder, and he soon found himself looking at a long slim tail. His breath caught once more in his lung as he recognized the appendage. Though it was hard to see the pinkish coloration, he knew he had found his target once again.

Without saying a word to himself, he formulated a plan. He knew he could catch it off guard now, but he needed to make sure his advantage was used to the fullest. A sudden idea arose in his mind, as he felt his fingers drag slowly over the rock beside him. It was mostly smooth, but he could feel small abrasions along the surface, just enough so he might be able to grip the sides. He backpedaled slowly, putting distance between himself and the slumbering monster.

With a careful attempt, he pressed his palms to the stone, finding the small fractures in the rock and he pressed his fingers in as much as he could, managing just enough to get the tips in. With some difficulty he managed to lift his body off the ground, his digits burning with discomfort. His entire body weight was being lifted by his fingertips, and he was thankful the muscles where so developed from his time making weapons and the like.

He panted softly, as he went agonizingly slow with his ascent. The pink glow of dawn was already causing the blue sky to lessen, but he continued, having not realized just how large the stone was until he was at its peak. Koryn made sure he was carefully seated on the boulder before he peered over to see the slumbering creature yards below him. Its body slowly lifted and fell as it continued to dream. The folded wings caught his eye, and he knew just where he had to strike first. He needed to cripple the birds ability to escape. The notion was somewhat unsavory, but he knew that hunting was not pretty.

The memory of his carving knife lodged deep in the eye socket of the velocidrome told him that sometimes if survival or a goal was important enough, than getting things done came first, even if he did not always like it. With a steady balance the slime hunter rose onto his feet, he mentally prepared himself for what he was about to do.

Just as the sun rose over a hill, he jumped off the stone. For a moment he felt his body seem to halt mid leap, hanging in the air before the force of gravity dragged him down quickly. He let loose a loud shout as he fell down onto the sleeping monster.

"Aaaaaggghhhh!" the feral snarl came from his mouth a moment before the creatures two "ears" slipped up in warning. Before the Yian Kut-Ku could register what had happened, the armored hunter fell upon it. With both hands he grabbed on as it sprang up and immediately began to thrash about.

The fiery eyed teen latched onto the monsters back as it began to squawk and jump about trying to buck him off. He reflected how next time, if he ever did this again, he should have had a blade out and been ready to use it. Now he hung on for dear life as the creature stamped about.

"Kurraa...Aaawk...Auuuuu!" the bird shrieked trying to throw the hunter off. Koryn held on and as the bird stopped for a brief moment, he quickly tried to stand up upon its back. Just as his grip vanished, the monster renewed its attempts to unseat him, and he did all he could to stay on, shifting his weight and balance as he rode the bucking monster. He grabbed his smaller blade and with both hands brought it down onto the flying monsters right wing, the weapon piercing through the leathery membrane.

The creature shrieked in pain, and flapped its wings angrily, causing crimson flecks to splash about as its wounded wing bled. The hunter lifted the blade and stabbed down again and again, ruining the monsters fragile wings slicing deep cuts into both.

In a desperate attempted to shove him off, the fire spitting bird flapped and thrashing its damaged wings. Finally he felt a foot slip and he tumbled roughly onto the ground. The creature did not turn to attack him, instead flailing its wings about like a mad windmill.

Koryn pushed himself up, only to see the smoking beak of the Yian-Kut-Ku pointed directly at him. He anticipated the projectile and moved before the fiery ball even flew towards him, it struck the stone behind him leaving a charred spot upon it. He withdrew his second blade and ran at the monster, it seemed hesitant to attack him up close, but as it flapped its damaged wings in vain, it was not able to gain lift quickly enough and the hunter struck at its underside.

His blades sung with delight as he carved the creatures legs. Half a dozen fresh wounds bled from the pink scaled hide, the monster cried in pain and once more retreated away. Without the use of its wings, all it could do was run with a wide and clumsy gait. Each time it ran he followed and struck.

Finally after their one sided bought went on long enough, the Kut-Ku turned and opened its jaws, it shrieked, causing the hunter to falter for only a moment. With mouth wide open it ran at him, deciding it had enough of being hunted. Koryn turned and ran towards the large boulder, deciding to use it to his advantage. He could hear the creatures heavy foot steps growing closer, he ran up to the rocky wall and with his right foot he pressed against it and pushed. He managed to leap high into the air, just enough that as the monster came at him, it missed him by an inch and crashed head long into the stone.

The creatures beak cracked upon impact, and the blow caused it to stand dazed for a long moment, its large head lolling side to side as it swayed on its feet. The swordsman did not let his opportunity go, and he struck with renewed force. The sudden strikes brought the monster from its stupor and it shouted at him, throwing its head and hitting him once more in the chest. He grunted in pain, but refused to go down. He swung wide in retaliation.

The bird dropped its head, and his blade passed over it. He watched as his weapon instead flew towards the stone. In the split second before it made contact he feared it would shatter, much like the faulty weapon he had purchased so long ago. The memory of shimmering metal shattering upon stone flashed in his mind. The weapon struck, and rather than break it hit the stone, causing a deep gash.

K'Shiiiiiiing!

The loud note as the blade struck stone rang out like an alarm. Sparks flew and quickly faded as he held onto the vibrating metal. What happened that caused him even greater confusion though, was the monster cried out as if it had been struck and not the stone. With a wing flap he was batted away, as the monsters head rose and fell as if it was having an violent episode.

Koryn watched in confusion for only a moment before realization struck him. The monsters sense of hearing was not only a strength, but a weakness as well.

"You don't like that do you?" he asked the thrashing creature. With greater strength he drove the blade into the stone again, eliciting another loud metallic twang. As if dealt a physical blow the monster recoiled in pain, its ears pressed flat against its skull in an attempt to drown out the intruding noise. The warrior chuckled with delight at having discovered something useful, and in his mirth he did not take notice of the lines of smoke once more trailing from the monsters mouth.

It was to late. The monster let loose another fiery blast, this time he had not moved to avoid it and it struck him square in the chest. The explosion caused his helmet to come loose and fly off as the hunter fell backwards onto the ground. The heat of the attack rushed over him, but he was not overly harmed, though a bit shaken.

Koryn half expected to feel a foot, or claw, or heavy beak pound down upon him, but instead their was nothing. With a grunt he sat up, only to see the Yian-Kut-Ku flapping its wings madly. Despite the damage he had inflicted, he saw the monsters body rise up into the air slowly. Each wing beat was fast and desperate, like a climber trying to scale the final few feet of a steep peak.

"Oh no you don't!" he growled, he reached and pulled the curved piece of metal from his side. The boomerang felt light compared to his blades. He drew his arm back, and with one eye shut, he aimed it at the retreating monster. He took in a deep breath, and just before he threw the weapon he exhaled, and watched the curved metal fly from his finger tips. It spun, like a silver moon in cut through the air and raced at the creature. It moved in a wide arc, and just as it seemed like it would miss, it came back around and struck the monster behind its ears and at the back of its skull.

The creature hung in the air for only a moment, its wings going still just before it plummeted to the ground. There was a heavy crack, and he knew something had given as it crashed into the floor. Its feet thrashed about, its claws dangerously lethal now as they flew in every direction as it scrambled to right itself up.

Koryn got up and ran forward, using one of his blades he struck at the monsters flailing limbs, knocking them aside so he could gain access to its less armored belly. He swung madly, batting away the clawing feet, taking a few hits himself as he worked closer to the monster. He didn't mind the blows, feeling that each hit he received, he at least gained ground until finally he was able to strike. With both hands he plunged the blade forward into the creatures chest.

Wings spread out wide, as a loud shriek escaped the heavy and broken beak. With a final violent spasm, the monster lurched, its head raising off the ground, its beak snapping weakly at him as if trying to get one last hit in. The large head of the monster fell loudly against the ground, and its wings bent and crumbled limply to the grassy floor. A slow breath rose and feel, before the body of the monster lay still.

Breathing heavily, his amber eyes looked down at the dead creature. Its small eyes stayed open, still moist, though the light of life had faded from them. Its cracked beak hung slightly open, and it seemed unhinged and loose. Slowly he reached down and withdrew his embedded blade from the monsters breast. It came loose with little effort, and deep red fluid spilled from the large wound as it was unplugged. He had not realized that it had become daylight, the sun causing the red blood to make his weapon shine with a gory appearance. He wiped it on the green grass, though it did little to clean it, and so he took the blood stained blade and placed it back into its holster upon his back. He made sure to even have the curved metal projectile he had used to best the monster securely strapped to his belt before he reached and pulled his signal flare, calling the transport to come and collect him and his new kill.

Exhausted, he slumped down with his back against the large stone, and breathed slowly. After a few moments, he could not help it any longer. His lips parted and a sharp bark of laughter escaped him. He had done it! He had won and bested a creature that had proven to be unlike anything he had hunted thus far. The feeling of joy rushed through him, causing his aches to subside. He laid his head back against the cool stone, and shut his eyes, waiting patiently to be taken home.

The town was alive with activity that afternoon. Word that a hunter was returning back from an important quest had spread like wildfire, and it was no surprise the black haired huntress was eagerly among the gathering crowd. Vul'kan stood beside her, though he did not seem as excited as she, he had quickly scrambled from his shop to greet the returning hunter much as she had.

Slowly the airship began its descent, the limp figure of the Yian Kut-Ku hung over its side like a grizzly trophy. As it touched down, the boarding ramp was quickly extended, and Koryn quickly stepped off the vessel. Not waiting for him to fully descend, the huntress ran forward, and before he could do anything, she grabbed him into a rather strong embrace. His arms where pinned at his side, and he grunted in discomfort, but she did not let go for a long moment.

"You did it!" Zenna shouted, her green eyes alight with joy. Koryn smiled looking down at her, her eyes were dazzling to look at.

"Of course I did," he replied boastfully "Was there any doubt?"

She shook her head, giving him him a small smack to his left shoulder, causing him to feel a slight burst of pain even with his armor on. He laughed loudly, and the infectious sound caused her to laugh as well. The two hunters quickly descended down the ramp, both seeing the small form of the blacksmith was patiently waiting for them both.

"Well done...once again dumb luck prevails," the wyverian said with a sarcastic tone. Koryn shook his head, clearly seeing through the feeble attempt to jab at his pride. He grinned widely and removed the curved metal from his side. He tossed the metal toy to the blacksmith, who caught it in a single withered fist.

"Thanks for the help...it really came in handy," there was a moment where the black eyes of the blacksmith seemed to shine with surprise and understanding. As if to ask if what he was saying was true, the hunter nodded while grinning ear to ear, confirming he had actually used the tool in battle.

"Well...I'll be damned," croaked the old man, before cackling loudly.

Koryn felt himself being lifted up, as other hunters had quickly surrounded the trio. Zenna was among the small crowd that began to chant his name loudly. Any notion of going back to the shop to take a much deserved rest was gone as the crowd began tom move in the direction of the guild hall. He shrugged to himself, thinking that he could go for a nice drink, and a decent meal.

-Chapter End-

A/N: So that concludes chapter 7 and Koryn is now finally a ranked two hunter! It feels like that took a while, but I hope you all enjoyed the journey. I was surprised how long this one took, I had nearly finished it a few days ago, but I just kept going and soon it turned out longer than expected.

An alternate title I thought of was "A Goofing Looking Bird" but felt that was a bit too vague.

I want to thank the new followers and those who Favorited my story.

Thank you Lady Rozewood, CooledFilBell7 and The Mob Reader for the favorite, I hope you enjoyed the story so far. And thank you Lone10 for becoming a follower. If I missed anyone else I am sorry, I don't mean to leave you out.

Next chapter will be coming soon. Let me know what you guys think, do you like long chapters or short ones that I can update faster? Leave your favorite monster, or any kind words for me to read in the comments. Thanks.

As always Happy Hunting!