My mentor is a phenomenal Hunter; if he says that I'm ready to Hunt on my own, I should believe him. As the boat rocks over the sea, I think of all the beasts that could be pushing it from below. I think of the Lagiacrus, the winding serpent of Lightening, or the Plesioth, a fish I never intend to visit any time soon. The sailors of the ship slapped my back and congratulated me on my 'Graduation', but my Mentor had just nodded and shipped me off. I guess he knew I was terrified.

The sea funneled from a delta, from delta to brackish channels, and finally to the tributaries of Lake Munai. The Village was small from a distance, but as we got closer it didn't grow much in size. No wonder they requested a Fresh Meat Hunter. I was all they could afford. My stomach pained. Tonight there would be a feast, true, but tomorrow, I knew that if I didn't hunt, I wouldn't get meat.

That's when it all sank in. These people were relying on me just to survive. I abandoned the bow of the ship and stole away into the hold. I wanted to go back, go home, and I could think of was my Mentor waving as he traded me for a bag of gold with the village's seal on it. To go home is to go here. I found a stick to chew on until I was recruited to unload the ship.

The chief of the village stood at the head of the table. Others stood with him, likely his council. He stood in silence, thinking about words and which he was going to use. He stared at me so long that I felt compelled to stand. Everyone chuckled, and he smiled.
"You are young, like my daughter's son, and yet you fight for us." Only a Chieftain, or a loving King, could have a voice like his. My body relaxed, but my mind stood at attention. "We know your experience has only begun, but we plead with you for your heart. We know that if you defend us with your heart as well as your mind, then there will be no fear."

No one sat down, for some time. I had no response. I had no point of reference, but this didn't feel normal. At least, these people were alive with a dream, an aspiration. This was a new village, I already knew that, but now I could see how young, how desperate these people were. In this moment, the heart they requested, was theirs.

"Hunter, enjoy this feast. Tonight you rest, and tomorrow, we show you your new home." The Chieftain sat down. After he was comfortable, his council sat. I took my seat after them. The feast before me was not the feast I imagined. It was a normal meal, for my mentor. I ate it, knowing it was going to be my last proper meal for some time.

I was going to have to learn fast.

That morning, I was surprised to be well rested. The bed was more comfortable than the one my Mentor had provided, and I was perplexed. I began to wonder if my Mentor gave me a lower quality bed on purpose. The morning didn't seem so...antagonizing, with a good night's sleep supporting my mind. I stretched, I blinked, and I left my little hut to find that most of the village was still asleep.

The Chieftain's Grandson, we had been briefly introduced, was standing vigil at the edge of the marketplace. He stared into the valley, fighting sleep. I didn't get a good impression of him the night before, aloof and incapable of smiling, but at least now I had an idea why. A seed of respect was planted.

"Hey, I'll take it from here." I stood there, forgetting his name. He stared at me, and I realized he was doing the same. I smiled. "Go, rest. I can stand to observe the terrain. Hell, I need to."

Without speech, he nodded that of gratitude. He slouched into a drowsy stumble, and weaved his way to his tent. I still believe I heard a thump of him falling asleep. I smiled. I turned to the valley and recited my Mentor's words.

The valley was patched, spots of tall grass along streams and the dying grass under the sun. Reeds sprung up in the corners, and I noted them. I could not see what they were from a distance, but I could guess. I could see the steep hills that opened up into caverns, and clusters of life in little pockets formed by rocks and monster-made walls. It was a beautiful place. In the hours of dew, it was quiet, and yet I could still list the monsters that would love a place like this. I recited them to myself and made a note to prepare for them first.

"And here, as you remember from last night, are the kitchens. We're hoping to establish trading routes with some nearby villages, get some proper ingredients." The Chieftain's wife, still full of pep and step, had taken over the tour. "How are the primary gatherings going, girls?"

"Alright. The Jaggis are still giving us trouble, though."

"We were so close to getting at one of their kills, really. I'm not surprised they ran us off. I would, too."

"Jaggis?" I furrowed my brow.

The woman turned me aside. She frowned. "Yes, Jaggis. And Aptonoths. Don't laugh. They may be small to you, but we don't have your experience, your training. Especially these girls. They can beat a man out of the kitchen, but a Jaggi yells back, and they panic."

"Well, I guess I'll go cull their numbers, then. The girls have to stay out of the area, though." I looked at my feet so that I could think. "They'll be more aggressive until they learn the new order. Might take as long as a week or two."

The woman smiled, and gripped my shoulder. "See, you'll be fine. Now, let's show you to our resident Blacksmith. Now, so far he hasn't bitten anyone, but I wouldn't try your luck..."

I had two weapons from my Mentor, an old Hammer, and and equally ineffective Bow. They were better than rocks, though. The people were awake, and trying to work, but mostly watching. I sat at the Vigil Point, sharpening. Right now the Jaggis were going to know my face and how much it was going to hurt them. Today was a Hammer Day.

I turned to the village, I bowed, I smiled and I slung my hammer across my shoulders. They needed the confidence more than I did. I turned to the valley and I slid down the slope toward the Nest.

Today was First Blood. It helped that I was just a little bit hungry.

On the way to the nest, I made a mental map. I found patches of herbs, I found honey, a little den of Altaroths. I thought I saw a Spiderweb, too. That I went for, but it turned out to be saliva on the stem of a plant.

The nest of Jaggis was loud. I found my way there by sound, and so the latter half of the valley was not mapped as well as the first. They noticed me rather quickly, and perhaps the Kitchen Girls were more of a threat then they let on- the Jaggis were raring up warning signs faster than I expected them to. They already felt threatened. I tried not to smile, I really did, but it just cracked up and I slammed my hammer down.

What, not used to me warning you?

The Jaggis ran up, flanking one another to cover their sides. They fanned out, blocking my path into their grounds. I dragged the hammer to my side, to the back. I leaned. The Jaggis didn't want to know what I was doing. They wanted me to leave. They found out anyway.

THACK.

The Jaggi spun out, stumbled back into another Jaggi, hissed, and squealed. The others didn't give me the opportunity to lean, now that they knew what it meant. The Hammer is a hard thing to lift, at first, but once you get the momentum going, strength going up doesn't matter. A hammer is about reigning in, directing, and knowing when to bend.

To the left, a swing coming down, hitting the Jaggi in the knees. A toppled Jaggi, we've got one. Bending the momentum to the right again, a Jaggi took the blow to the jaw. A bitten tongue, we've got one. From the upswing to the right came a crash down, a luck shot to a shoulder. The hammer slammed against the dust and bounced back up. The Shouldered Jaggi took the second hit to the chest. A fresh meal, I've got one.

The crowd thickened. They were learning to swarm, and give me less room. I had to shove and glare, barrage with short hits and stomp a bit to get enough space. The momentum was hard to win back, but I earned it. To clear my air once and for all, I worked off a charged spin, getting many of the Jaggis low on the chest. Winded and distanced, they began to back off.

No, that's not quite what I want.

I dropped my hammer to my side, then walked to the dead Jaggi. I held it up. I waited for a vengeful soul to strike. A Jaggi never fails. One to the side, drop down to the head. That makes a meal for tonight, and enough to share. Another Jaggi roared its little screeching roar and ran forward. One blow to the left chin, and I should have expected it, another Jaggi behind. The one blow to the left chin swung back, a bit over my shoulder, and beaned the little sneaker in the face. Stagger, stagger, one extra slam and down. Three. The one courageous enough to stand to my face turned and fled. The other Jaggis followed suit.

I took out a fishing net, bound up the three Jaggis and set back over the wide valley. I was glad that the fight was short. I had a long walk, and wasn't quite sure of the way back.

I knew, sitting at that counter, eating the leg of my first independent kill, that this was a beginning. I knew that, with the wind, the grand monsters would come. The lake was beautiful and the land had something to offer. The village had gotten here first, but it would not be the last. The wind was blowing from the south, over the water, and that made me more nervous than anything.

The Chieftain beamed, eating the other leg, sharing it with his wife. I had a cutlet saved for his Grandson. The kitchen girls giggled that I might be looking for his affection. I shrugged. I didn't know him, and I wasn't going to lock out opportunities. The Chieftain's wife laughed, heartily, at my expense. The other villagers, the fishermen, the farmer's hand (who was the first one to last longer than a week), and the children celebrated my first victory on the valley. It was a small toast.

I went to sleep, now assured that I was home, with a soft bed and a full tummy.