Thoughts bubble up within me, as my consciousness slowly rises to the surface.

I am surrounded by warmth, and unfamiliar yet comforting scents. My body feels heavier than usual, like a pressure pushing down on me and my arms are wrapped around something soft and warm.

Once my mind stops cycling itself through my awakening senses, I become aware of a hand gently moving my shoulder back and forth.

"Nilas. You will have to get up now. The sun is coming up." The tone is motherly but firm.

I bury face deeper into whatever I am cuddling. It doesn't smell like mum or dad for some reason.

"Mmdonwannaget up, Mum..."

"Oh wow, he is calling you mum, already. It must be more serious than I thought."

"Ilurus..."

"What? I am a father. Teasing my daughter and her friends comes with the role."

Wait… that's… not my parents.

I slowly open my eyes and my vision is filled with blonde hair. Is that...?

I pull my head back slightly, and find myself looking at the back of Mira's head. I blink slowly as my mind works through that new information.

Huh, guess I must have latched onto her during the night. Not surprising, since I am a serial cuddler in my sleep.

I slowly begin to extract my arms from around her, mindful to not wake her up.

"Ah, so you are finally awake."

Oh, right. People were talking. I turn my heavy-lidded gaze upwards, where Mira's mother crouched over us.

I wave to her with what is probably a goofy smile on my face. "Hello Mrs Liara. Thank you for getting me up."

I go to move away from Mira and get up, but am stopped by something heavy weighing down on my mid-section. Confused, I glance down and am met with a strange sight.

Sena is stretched out over both mine and Mira's lower halves with her arms stretched out above her head, face down on the floor snoring gently.

How the hell did she manage that? Or more importantly, how the hell was I going to get up?

"Having trouble?" Liara sounds amused at my current predicament. "Here."

Gently, she lifts Sena up and off Mira and I with ease; a reminder of just how strong adult centaurs seem to be. She lowers the young centauress gently down on the other side of Mira, where she shifts briefly before falling back into a deep sleep.

Careful to keep my voice down, I thank her before going to stand. I groan as aches and pains I had previously not noticed hit me all at once.

It seems Sena attaching herself to me so closely was probably one of the better options, since even with almost no space between us she apparently still managed to tenderise my back and butt during the night.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I yawn so heavily I swear my jaw is going to pop.

"Did you have a good sleep, Nilas? It looked very comfortable." Ilurus laughs at the confused look I send him. What is he- oh. I had spent the night attached to his daughter. Stereotypical teasing of the young male about cute girls his age and such. Fair enough.

"Yes, I slept well thank you. Except for Sena's kicking." He just laughs at that.

Gathering up my stuff quickly, I thank Liara and Ilurus again and say goodbye before going on my way.

-

The walk through the village towards John's house gave me time to fully come awake, helped along by the mild chill in the air. People who were starting their day as well greet me, with the occasional double-take at the young centaur armed with a bow and quiver and wearing a small knife.

By the time I reach his home on the edge of the village, the hunter is already waiting outside with his own bow and hunting gear. He is also glaring at me. "Thought I said to be here just after the sun was up."

I look at him in disbelief, then over at where the sun was just sitting above the horizon. "Pretty sure I am here just after the sun is up."

"Sun's been up for about ten minutes, Kid. Not off to a good start."

Fucking really? I roll my eyes and bite my tongue to stop the smart-ass comments that threaten to spill out. I still didn't know if John was just acting the part of a strict teacher, or if he was just naturally that kind of person. There were times where it could go either way, really.

He pays my reactions no mind and begins to walk off. Nothing else to do but follow, I suppose.

-

Turns out that John had a reason to be annoyed at my lateness. A short ways down the river there was a wooden barge that the village workers and others heading into the forest use to cross the river easily. We just barely make it on before they push off, having ran a good part of the way there.

Packed onto the barge were a good number of men of both species, though once again the humans far outweighed the centaurs, all talking amongst each other. Most looked to be workers, but I could see a few other hunters scattered throughout the group. When they made eye contact with John or me they nodded in greeting.

Slowly but surely, we make our way out across the river. Massive centaurs with long wooden poles slowly pushing it further out, fighting the current. The river isn't incredibly wide, but it is enough that by the time we reach the opposite bank, the centaurs pushing it look a little tired. I wonder if they spend all day doing this.

Everybody slowly departs the barge, breaking off to go about their daily business. The woodcutters head off down the riverbank, talking and laughing amongst each other while the hunters disappear into the trees when I'm not looking. With that, the centaurs once again push off from the riverbank and make their way back across the river.

I look back over at John, who was stringing his bow and adjusting his gear. He glances up at me, irritation on his face. "So, you just going to spend all day standing there?"

Jolting in embarrassment, I quickly join him in getting ready. Once my bow is strung and I check to make sure everything is secured and where it should be, I turn to him expectantly.

He nods his head towards the tree line. "Let's get in first, then we'll start."

We step into the shadow of the trees, the beautiful scent of the forest curling around me on the wind. I breathe in deeply, savouring the scent of the land and the sounds of birdsong as they flit through the treetops above, singing to each other as they pass through the beams of light filtering down through the canopy. It's a strange reminder of the alien nature of this world whenever I spot one of the four-winged species with their bright plumage and long tail feathers. I wonder if there were four-winged harpy species...

The gentle sound of our steps is the only evidence of our passing as John leads me silently and slowly through the forest. When he speaks, even his voice is quieter then I had ever heard from him. Carrying a steadiness and sureness that spoke of a man completely in his element. "I was going to teach you how to step lightly and carefully, first. But you're not stomping around like a complete fool, so we can skip the basics. Where did you learn that?"

Huh? I hadn't even realised I was doing such a thing.

Where would I have even learned it from?

"Uh..." An image rises unbidden into the forefront of my mind. My mum stepping carefully and lightly as she walked in front of me, her hips rolling with each step. I shake the image from my mind. Since when did I find that part- nevermind. Is that really where I learnt it? Subconsciously from mum? She was the one I was around when I learnt to walk so, I… guess that made sense? As much sense as anything in this world, anyway. "From my, uh, mum."

A raised eyebrow and an 'Is that so' was all the reaction I get. Still, that was one of the biggest reactions beyond irritated I have ever seen from him. Must have really surprised him.

"Hmm, fine. Then I guess it's time to try and teach you to track. Not going to get my hopes up, though."

I shoot him a dirty look. He never lets up and god-damn does it get annoying. Fine, I'll show him then.

I stop walking and close my eyes. Ignoring his demanding questions, I begin to breathe deeply and slowly. I take in the area around me, my ears twitching and twisting at each bird call and distant sound and my nose slowly working its way through the myriad of scents that cling to everything and swim on the air.

Slowly as I focus, I start to pick out the pungent scents of wild animal; distinct from that of the surrounding plant life. A… large herbivore, I think? It came from somewhere to my right and passed through sometime not too long ago. I wasn't sure what direction it had came and went from, but it was something. Not as good as I had hoped, though. Great, another thing to find the time to train.

Opening my eyes, I send John a smirk and walk to near where the scent is strongest. "Is that right? Here." I point in the general area, sniffing to make sure I have the right spot. "Something passed through here not long ago."

"And how the hell do you know that?" Oh geez, he looks pretty annoyed. Maybe I shouldn't have ignored him.

My smart-ass bravado vanishes. I look down at my hooves. "Uh, with my, um, nose. I can smell it."

Crouching down, the hunter checks over the ground carefully. He spots something near instantly and grunts. Not sure what that particular grunt meant, and I have gotten pretty good at telling the difference between them by now. Here's hoping he's not super pissed. "Deer tracks. Looks like you were right."

He then stands up and cuffs me on the back of the head.

"What the fuck!"

I look up at him, glaring heavily. He returns the glare with one of his own, extinguishing the surge of anger that came from being suddenly hit. Prick.

"Watch your language! And no one likes a smart-ass, Kid. You're my apprentice. You wanna act tough and have a pissing contest, you do that with your friends. Not me." He turns back to the tracks, crouching down. "Now, get over here. May as well make use of these tracks. And stop using your nose. Learn to track properly."

I rub the back of my head and glare at him again, but do as he says. It's not like I can just turn my nose off...

He holds his hand up to stop me once I get close enough. "Stand on the other side of me, and don't move. Always walk next to the trail you are following, never on it, got it? Always keep the tracks between you and the sun. This way you can make out the details in the print. Print shape, depth, and small marks that would help you tell two different animals or individuals of the same kind apart..."

-

By the time John was satisfied enough with my ability to at least vaguely track something, the sun was past its peak and slowly making its way down. After putting me on the path of what was apparently a rabbit, the hunter had disappeared into the trees with a call of 'Good luck' and that he would return once I was done.

I had no clue if he was going off to do something on his own, or was just creeping in the bushes watching me. Either way, it was a shit ton of pressure.

And it wasn't going as well as I had hoped. I had lost the trail a few times and had to backtrack. At one point I even went off the track after I was sure I had lost it,when it turned out to be right in front of me, and wandered around for a while before realising what I had done and went back. God, I really hope John hadn't been watching.

"Ok, Nilas. You can do this. You have the trail, it looks fresh enough. You can do this. We have to catch at least one thing today. Don't fuck this up."

I move slowly and silently through the underbrush, my bow held low in front of me. It has to be somewhere close. I've been walking for a while now, after all.

-

Oh god, I think I lost it again. This is bad. Why did I think I could do this? Why did John think I could do this?!

I don't even know where I am!

...Is that rabbit crap?

It is!

Yes! Go me!

-

I can not be following the same rabbit still. It can't take this long to find one, seriously.

If I even am still following a rabbit. It looks like a rabbit track, but that doesn't really mean much when I don't even have a day of experience.

I'm half tempted to just smell it out, but that would feel like cheating. I want to be able to do this myself.

I need to be able to do this myself.

-

As soon as I can, I'm buying a waterskin. How did I not think of that before? Jesus.

I need a drink.

...Wait. Is that something up ahead?

I bring my self as low down as possible, which is fucking difficult as a centaur, and watch the small clearing just ahead of me.

I was sure I saw-

A flash of brown catches my attention, and sure enough a rabbit hops into view. And damn is it a big one. It doesn't have anything extra like horns or such like in the manga, but it's a bit bigger than a small dog.

Please don't be magic. Please don't be magic. I don't want to die from a rabbit.

My hands are shaking as a draw an arrow from my quiver, my body starting to pump with adrenaline. I take a deep slow breath, and begin to inch my way closer.

Every time it shifts or moves while grazing, I twitch and my heartbeat ramps up. I am hyper aware of every little detail. My heart feels so loud I'm surprised the rabbit can't hear it and my ears are picking up every minute sound around me. I take in the scent of the rabbit, and file it away in my mind.

Gently, I nock my arrow and begin to pull the string taut.

Crack!

My heart freezes and the blood in my veins goes cold when I feel a branch snap under one of my hooves.

FUCK!

How did I forget to check my fucking footing?!

The rabbit freezes, its heading turning my way.

I hold my breath, just waiting for it to see me and flee. I fucked up. I fucked up.

The rabbit's gaze runs across where I am and by some miracle doesn't see me. The standoff goes on for what feels like an hour before, finally, the rabbit turns back to graze.

I slowly let out the breath I had been holding. I'm sweating now.

After a moment to ensure that the rabbit won't turn back this way, I bring the bow up and aim. Praying to whatever Gods are listening, I let the arrow loose.

Time seems to slow down as I watch the air leave my bow and speed across the distance. A short squeal of pain leaves the rabbit as the arrow takes it in the side just behind its neck, dropping it.

An almost feral grin spreads across my face as all the worry and tension leaves my body, replaced by a burst of adrenaline and accomplishment.

I did it!

Fuck yeah!

I move quickly up to the rabbit, and see that it's still breathing.

Oh shit. What do I do now?

I have to put it out of its misery, and quickly. I begin reaching for my knife, unsure of how to go about it.

"Not a bad shot, Kid."

I let out a high-pitched, terrified whinny and buck behind me at the sudden voice.

"Whoa! The hell are you doing, Kid!" I hear scrabbling from behind me as John gets out of my kicking range.

I turn my upper torso to face him, eyes wide in panic. "S-sorry. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

John brushes himself off from where he had leapt aside in haste. "And you nearly gave me one as well, in addition to a broken rib or two. Probably should have known better than to walk up behind a centaur. You're a jumpy lot."

I… couldn't really argue that. I hadn't very jumpy as a human, but now I would occasionally find myself starting at things I wouldn't have before.

"Here. Best ways to kill it once you put it down is to slit its throat, or get it with your knife in the back of its neck." He crouches down and in a one swift movement, draws his knife and slits its throat open. I flinch slightly at that and look away, my throat closing up in sympathy.

Always found that one of the more disturbing ways to kill someone with a knife. Just the look and idea. Unable to breath and choking on your own blood. I shudder.

As it dies, another scent seems to rise from it besides the smell of wild animal and blood. Something I can't really describe. It makes me twitchy and nervous, though. Like my body is telling me something isn't safe and to get away. It seems to spread out from the rabbit slightly and 'soak' into the ground.

Then I realise something. "Um… h-how long have you been following me?" I see he has a rabbit of his own; so it couldn't have been the whole time.

"I caught up to you just before you found the rabbit. You left some interesting tracks to follow. I'm surprised you actually found this one. The tracks I put you on were for a much smaller rabbit."

Oh god. My face and neck heat up and I'm certain I've gone bright red.

I cough awkwardly and quickly change the subject. "So, uh, are you going to teach me how to skin it, now?"

-

John went first, using his own rabbit to demonstrate how to properly skin and clean an animal. Of course, his was like half the size of my own so skinning mine was going to be fun. And by fun I mean disgusting. 'You are huge. That means you have huge guts.' and all that.

He was quick and precise with his knife. I'm pretty sure it took longer for him to bleed it than to have it skinned and cleaned.

After that, John took my rabbit and hung it up, ready to be skinned.

Then it was my turn.

It was an… enlightening experience.

The first half was easy enough. Gently cutting the skin in the areas John had shown me didn't give me any troubles. Though, I did take it extra slow for fear of puncturing too deep and ruining it.

I had handled enough raw meat and seen enough videos and such that peeling the skin off the rabbit didn't give me any trouble beyond a slight discomfort at the sensation of the hide pulling free of the skin, which quickly passed.

Cutting off the head, now that was a different story.

I had never before put a knife into anything deeper than a steak, and that one time I dissected a heart. Both of those times, there had been no blood.

So, when I sink the knife into the rabbit just behind its head and blood comes running out, I begin to feel nauseous. The heady, metallic scent of blood swamps my nose and makes me cough as I quickly separate the head from the body and step back.

I watch with a mixture of curiosity and revulsion as the blood drips out and pools on the grass beneath.

Things get progressively worse from there.

Cutting through the skin and then cutting and tying off the rabbit's intestines and anus is enough to make me wonder if maybe centaurs can't throw up with how much it unsettles my stomach, but fuck it. I wanted to learn this so I'll just get used to it.

Steeling myself, and trying not to breathe to deep, I get back to cleaning the rabbit out.

-

"Alright, Kid. The meat isn't tainted and the skin isn't too damaged, so you didn't do too bad. Now, one of the most important parts." He nods at where he had made me set aside the rabbit's heart earlier. "You have to eat that."

"...What?" I send him an apprehensive look, my already queasy stomach telling me what it thought of that idea. Is… is he serious? But, it's… covered in blood and shit. And it's a fucking heart!

"Eat the heart, Kid." He looks serious. "It's an important part of being a hunter."

"But...why?" My voice is thin as I keep glancing over at the blood covered organ. I remember what they feel like from the time we dissected a cow heart in school. That tough rubbery texture and the thick metallic smell and taste of blood does not sound like a good combo.

"It's a mark of pride. A way to show you are willing to respect and not waste what you kill."

I swallow the excess spit that had been pooling in my mouth. "Can I not just, leave it for something else to eat? It would not be wasted like that, right?"

John crosses his arms, his face stern. "Hurry up, Kid. We have to move soon. You don't hang around after you've skinned and cleaned your catch. It attracts predators."

...Really? Fuck, ok.

I gingerly pick up the heart. Raising it to my mouth makes the already overwhelming smell of blood even denser, and my stomach roils even more. I squeeze my eyes shut and in one swift movement bite it in half. I gag slightly as the taste and texture floods my mouth, but I push through and chew. I shiver at the sensation. Swallowing as soon as I can, I quickly pop the last part into my mouth and repeat.

I look at John, not even hiding my grimace. "There, done. Can we please go find some water."

The hunter slaps me on the back. "Good on you, Kid. Sure, there is a small stream nearby. Wrap the meat in the skin and we'll go. We have to clean everything off, anyway."

Oh thank g- Wait. As John was turning away, I swear I saw a small smirk on his face. Did… did I just get hazed? "Mr. John, that was a real thing, right? About eating the heart?"

"Of course it was, Kid." He says that, but he doesn't look at me and I swear he sounds like he's trying not to laugh. Then I notice his shoulders shaking slightly.

"Mr John. You are not lying are you?" He doesn't answer, but his shoulders start shaking a little harder. "John? John?! Come on! Was that a real thing or not?!"