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The Month of Hunting (May) Age 7

Week 1

I was going to pull another trick, but then I decided that everyone was already a bit too edgy to think they were funny. So I'll cut Kanrik some slack. Besides, I'm already on thin ice with him anyway.

Week 2

I don't have any real friends. You might think that's crazy. I mean, I helped out Razor a lot. OK, as much as I like the big guy and all, he doesn't really count. All he ever talks about are the most boring things, like books and petpetpets. Sometimes, I think he'd be better suited to be a scientist or something, but he always points out that he's not good enough. He doesn't even get books as good as the rich kids. See what I mean? Always looking at the down-side.

There are the twins, but whenever I speak to them it's like I'm intruding in their little world. They even have a secret language and stuff! Plus, they're too hyper for me to follow.

That left Kayley, but it would be suicide being buddies with her. She's always so...brusque. Competitive. Once, I asked her why.

"Why what?" She snapped, still practicing.

"Why're you always seeing everyone as, like, a rival? As if you always have to be the best. You could actually have friends if you didn't." Clang! She dropped her knife. Oops, that was probably the wrong thing to say. "Hey, I didn't mean-"

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered. "I know. You're Kanrik's favorite, and I'll never be as high as you. We'll see about that." She picked it up and started slicing the dummy fiercely, ignoring both me and my apologies. I guess that counted her out, too.

Week 3

I'm not stressed about the tournament. I'm not. Sure, I've been losing a bit of sleep. And yeah, I sometimes get a little freaked out whenever I hear someone talking about their plans. But this should be a cinch compared to the Illusen's Day Festival, right? I'm not worried. Not at all.

Week 4

The Kyrii took as to this huge, marble arena and told us told us that we had to figure out how to go insides ourselves. Then he threw a stink bomb potion at the guards. While their eyes were stinging, he quietly slipped inside. I wish I thought of that!

As soon as he left, everyone took action. The twins made like Meercas and ran between two guards. I guess those zig-zags were part of a plan after all. Razor disguised himself as a poor, old man. As he passed the security, they didn't have the heart to turn him out because he didn't have a ticket. Kayley was even more stealth-like, creeping in behind the already bored sentinels. I tailed her to the courtyard, since it worked so well last time.

Unlike that, however, she saw me. Her eyes flashed. "Go find your own way in!"

"Aw, come on," I pleaded. "Can't I tag along?"

"NO!" She shouted.

"Hey, you hear something, Jim?" I heard someone outside ask.

"Yeah. We better check it out."

Kayley tensed and ran for the entrance of the arena. Unfortunately, I wasn't that quick for once. I raced after her only when I heard the sound of footsteps coming, along with the grumbles of the men who probably expected a lazy morning. The instant she got there, however, my ever-so-merciful classmate locked the gates.

"What are you doing?" I nearly yelled.

"Payback," she answered, and then sprinted away. Great. Just great.

I hid behind inside a barrel while the guards inspected for trespassers. After awhile, they saw that it was alright. There was a part when one suggested checking the barrel, at which point I was nearly frozen out of my wits, but the other declined, saying that no grown-up would fit inside. They soon went back to their posts- locking the portals behind them.

That was just perfect. I had no way in, no way out. I'd be doomed to spend a boring day with nothing to do, which is the third thing that I can't stand (next to asparagus and Kayley). Then I spotted a catapult. That's right, a catapult, left carelessly in the yard.

At first I hesitated, but then I decided, what do I have to lose? I climbed in. Suddenly, I felt really, really afraid of heights. Before I could make myself see sense, I cut the rope with my dagger. In a second, I was flying through the air. I guess some people would act all heroic and look around courageously, taking in an amazing view and landing with a graceful bound. For me, that wasn't the case. The only thing that I could manage to say was: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Luckily, I fell in a hayloft. Sure, it was itchy, but at least it was soft. I climbed out, with bits and pieces of it still stuck to my fur. No time to take them off, I dashed to the rendezvous where the thieves that made it would meet. All of my class was there, including the much-relieved Kayley. In fact, Kanrik was just checking to see. He looked at them one by one and asked, "Where's Hanso?"

"Oh, he didn't make it," Kayley replied, obviously glad that his 'favorite' was soon going to be out of his books. "He got left in the courtyard-"

"Right here!" I called. Kayley looked absolutely gob-smacked. I grinned at her. "Sorry I'm late. Did anyone miss me?"

The guild leader just shook his head, but I detected a hint of a smile on his face. "I should've known."

"So what are you waiting for? Just hand over my new badge and we'll watch the brilliant show."

He shook his head again. Razor nudged me and whispered in my ear, "You're only allowed to get promoted every three months. Didn't you read the manual?"

"There's a manual?" I whispered back. Darn. I was really looking forward to a new one.

Before he had a chance to answer, we distantly heard the noise of horrible trumpeters as they tried to play the kingdom's anthem. Personally, I thought that it was insult to the whole land; but oh well. We sat and watched the competition.

It was kind of fun watching themselves get beat up, but the strength of some of them was a little intimidating. Razor whimpered when this huge trainee body-slammed the other. Talk about brutal.

If I had to choose one person that stood out, I'd pick this Kougra girl with electric-blue eyes. I mean, she had this big Lupe that was obviously older than her on the floor in a matter of seconds! She didn't get out until a sixteen-year-old beat her, at which she just shrugged and sat on the bench. That was when she took of her helmet. The announcer was too far away, though, so I couldn't hear her name.

Before long, Kanrik stood up and gestured for the other thieves to follow him. I was kinda disappointed, since I wanted to watch till the end. Anyway, we sneaked out one by one, until there was only me. I took a last look at the place- and the Kougra girl- before I skulked outside.

Kanrik was beginning his speech. "You've seen who our competition is, and I admit they are strong. But we are stronger!" He slammed his fist down on a table to emphasize this. "We will rob Brightvale, the whole Neopia if we want to, and not even the new recruits will be able to stop us. Besides, we have a few impressive ones ourselves." Then he winked at me! The cold, elusive leader actually winked at me! And for some reason, that was the high-light of the whole heist.