Mekov, Kira, and Sakien all came into town late that night. They had stopped only once for a meal so Kira could change her clothes. She was so covered in blood she was attracting attention. When they stopped, Kira looked for a place to hide while she changed. But being the good desert that it was, the land was devoid of barriers.

“Just change already,” said Mekov. “We’re interested in dinner, not you.” Kira stood behind them as she changed, always keeping her back to them and one eye on the pair. Neither Sakien or Mekov bothered.

The first stop they made in town was the Hunter’s Guild. A different guard was standing at the door tonight, and he was far smarter than the last. He eyed their tired bodies and their bloody weapons and promptly stepped aside. He didn’t even question Kira who he knew was no hunter.

“Hey they’re back!” said Dezzlin loudly. Everyone in the bar looked up and cheered appropriately. A hunter’s duty was always dangerous so every time one returned safely it was cause for celebration. Everyone raised their drinks accordingly, and Diake stood up next to Dezzlin.

“Can I interest you in a drink?” he said cheerfully. The smell of his breath suggested he’d already had quite a few.

“Yes you can,” said Mekov as he dropped into a seat next to him.

“In a minute,” said Sakien. “We have to drop off some goods, and we’ll be back down.”

“But the beer…” said Mekov sadly.

“It’ll still be here,” said Sakien. “Let’s get paid and then we can buy lots of it.” Mekov conceded to the point and headed upstairs. The guild representative was waiting for them at the door.

“I thought I heard you coming,” he said quickly. “I assume you have our eggs?”

“We do,” said Mekov, handing his bag over. The guild representative opened the bag on his desk and laid out five firm rontor eggs. He checked them for damage and when he was satisfied they were safe, he smiled.

“Seph! Come get these eggs and place them in a container. It’s not too late, you can go deliver them while you’re at it.” Seph came in looking tired, but he went about his duty obediently. The guild representative pulled out a bag filled with money and tossed it to Mekov.

“Your pay for that event. I also have your amounts for the riktor incident. Would you like it now or would you like the guild to hold onto it?” Mekov flipped through the money bag and smiled.

“You can hold onto it for now. Just make sure it doesn’t get misplaced.”

“I don’t imagine I would be enjoying my luxurious job if my client’s money was misplaced,” laughed the representative. “Now go and enjoy the night. I’ve got no work for you right now.”

“Sounds like a plan. Diake owes me a beer.” Mekov headed downstairs and Sakien and Kira followed him. Kira noticed the guild representative watching her curiously as they left. The guard might let her pass, but what would the representative do? He had enough power to expel her and everyone else for that matter.

“Another round!” shouted Diake excitedly.

“Four mugs coming up!” shouted the bartender back.

“Make it five,” said Sakien as he put an arm around Kira. “This girl could use a hefty drink.” The bartender gave Kira a dirty look, but he didn’t argue. He brought over the tray and the hunters clacked their mugs together.

“To new friends and good hunts!” proclaimed Diake.

“To another day!” shouted everyone as they drained their mugs. Kira coughed as she put her mug down. The beer here was stronger than she was used to and she usually didn’t down it in one gulp. Mekov clapped her on the back happily and called for another drink.

They’d spent days together, but Kira felt like she was finally seeing them for the first time. They were always on the move, hunting or avoiding monsters without any moment to relax. Now with nothing going on but another round of beers, Kira was beginning to see them as they really were. Out in the desert it was easy to think of them as just armor and blades. Relaxed and at home, they were normal people once again. People she’d never considered as her friends until this moment.

Dezzlin was actually just a fair sized man outside of his armor. He had short black hair and dark eyes like most of the desert dwelling folk. A pleasantly trimmed goatee made him seem more regal than the average hunter. His skin was darkened to a bronze and brown mixture from a lifetime under the sun. Kira had originally guessed he was older, but looking at his young face and hearing his laughter, she realized he might not be older than her.

Diake was close to Dezzlin’s appearance, but there were a few minute differences. His black hair was a little longer and eyes a little lighter. His face was a bit rounder with a contagious smile. His skin too was darker but not like Dezzlin’s. Diake’s body had been hardened in the volcanic lands, a heat unlike the desert sun but just as dangerous. He seemed more mature with a face hardened by years of work. He might’ve been the oldest one there.

Mekov was the smallest male member, being only slightly taller than Kira. Short brown hair covered his head with a strange blonde streak down the middle. His eyes were a soft blue unknown to this region. His face seemed almost boyish, and whenever he laughed his whole body seemed to shake. Even with all their time under the sun, he and Sakien were incredibly pale. They were the only pale humans she’d ever met.

Sakien was the biggest, beating Diake just by a few inches. Sandy blonde hair reached just past his ears and his eyes were a deep gray. While still young, his face showed the strain of stress and rough years. She guessed the ages of these two were somewhere between the others.

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Kira stood out as much as anyone else. Curly black hair which dropped past her neck and green eyes. A strange combination she’d inherited from her parents and always admired. Her skin was a natural tan but marred with scars. Too many fights with no armor had left her scarred for life.

“To the hunters!” said Diake as he raised his mug. The entire bar cheered and had a drink. Even the bartender poured himself a quick drink to join them. The mood in the bar was sweet tonight and everyone was having a good time.

“I don’t think one of us can rightfully make that toast,” said Trendle as he came downstairs. His normal eccentric tone was gone as he descended the stairs and he drew everyone’s attention. Before he even walked to their table, Kira knew he was coming for her. She finished her drink, thinking her time was up.

“Sakien, you’ve brought in a nonmember twice today. You took Kira on a mission, and now you’ve brought her in here for drinks.” The representative stopped at their table. “While you are always welcome here, this isn’t a place to bring dates.”

Sakien rose up slowly and cracked his fingers. He’d gone from woozy and tired to strong and sober in just a few seconds. “My student goes wherever I go,” he said defiantly.

“Student? Are you using our missions as a training ground?”

“I make sure the job gets done, and she gets the experience she needs.”

“Yes, but our missions are guaranteed to our clients that they are completed by the Hunter’s Guild and we alone.” The room stayed quiet and Kira felt she should disappear. The only reason she didn’t try and leave was she was sure Sakien would stop her.

“I’ll not bring her on a guild mission again then,” said Sakien.

“I’ve got a better idea,” said Trendle. His frown slowly began to shift to a grin. “What we have here is a fighter who was taken into the wild. A girl who is being mentored in the hunter’s way and has done our work.” He moved to Kira and put his hands on her shoulders. “As of this point on, I’m making Kira an official hunter in training under the guidance of hunter Sakien. Will you accept this duty Sakien?”

“I will.”

“Then it is settled. Kira is the newest member of the guild.” Everyone in the tavern cheered drunkenly. “Barkeep! Another round for everyone on the guild!”

This time it was a roar of approval and it left the throat of every hunter present. People she didn’t know and many Kira knew to hate her came up and congratulated her anyways. Kira was too stunned to know how to react. Her? A real hunter in training?

After all the handshakes and drinks, Diake leaned forward. “So now we have a fifth. If you guys are interested, we could go after some really big game now.”

“Once my shield is finished, I say we go for it,” said Mekov. “Big game means big money.”

“I still want to train Kira a bit,” said Sakien.

“We can have a few training sessions,” said Dezzlin. “I know this great place we can go to for a few days.”

“Why have I never heard of this?” asked Diake.

“You never asked.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Sakien. “What do you say we meet up here tomorrow bright and early?”

“Not too early,” complained Mekov. “Some of us like to sleep after we drink.”

“You know if you guys just get a room at the inn you can keep drinking with us,” said Diake through a gulp. “Just a thought.”

“We did just get paid,” agreed Mekov.

“Drinking does seem to make my sore arms feel better,” said Sakien, trying not to laugh.

“Another round!” shouted Dezzlin. This was going to be a long but good night.

*

Kira woke up with a groan. Her head was pounding and her bladder felt many times too heavy. She pushed herself up and heard another groan underneath her. She sat up quickly as she realized she’d been half draped over Sakien. Mekov was curled into the corner of the large bed, snoring soundly. Sakien was grumbling now as Kira moved, but his head was towards Kira’s feet. Kira couldn’t remember much about last night, but she did remember getting a ride on Sakien’s back. Or maybe that was him carrying her over his shoulder.

Her impatient bladder prodded her insides and reminded her she didn’t have time to think about this. Kira headed into the small bathroom and quickly relieved herself. She headed out and saw Sakien rubbing his head at the door.

“Sorry,” she said quietly.

“My turn.” was all he mumbled as he headed into the bathroom. Kira quickly let him go by and found her things. She felt gross and wondered if she could smell herself, how bad she must smell to everyone else. Sakien came out of the bathroom wide eyed and opened the window a crack.

“Barely dawn,” he yawned. “Might as well get ready.”

“I’m going to go out for a bit,” said Kira.

“Where?”

“Get some laundry done, bath, the usual.” Sakien shook his head and grabbed a piece of bread from inside his pack. He handed a piece to Kira before hoisting his bag up.

“Good idea. Is there a spring near here to bathe in?”

“I don’t think so,” said Kira. “There is the bathhouse.”

“Sounds wonderful,” said Sakien. “Lead on.”

“What about him?” asked Kira.

“Let him sleep,” said Sakien bitterly. “He can sleep all he wants for all I care.”

The bathhouse was a large building near the center of town. Water was a precious thing in the desert, so a bathhouse was a luxurious place. Since it was so early, they were the first customers and received the freshest water. They were led to rooms to separate the males and females, but they were both empty.

“I’ve missed this,” said Sakien as he slipped into the hot bath. He would lounge here until he had to leave to meet the others.

Kira was not as eager to lay around. She scrubbed herself as quickly as she could and got out. There was business to be done and the last thing she needed was to run into other women from the town. She informed one of the bath workers before she left that if Sakien asked for her to tell him she’d meet him at the guild with the others. Twenty minutes later Kira opened the door to Sheen’s place and found Viktor waiting for her as usual.

“What a pleasant surprise,” he said nastily.

“I’ve got something for you.” Kira opened her bag and dropped the rolled up cloth in front of him. Viktor eyed her and the cloth almost bored before he slowly rolled it open. Inside were ten bright sanpaco feathers. “How’s that?” she asked smugly.

“It’s very nice,” said Viktor. “I’d expect more than just ten feathers from a bird that big though.”

“Consider it a down payment,” said Kira. “I’ll get the rest of your feathers.”

“I’m sure you will,” sneered Viktor. “You have a lot riding on it.” He rolled the feathers back up and deposited it under the desk. “Word has it you’ve made some good friends in the Hunter’s Guild.”

“I’ll do whatever I have to to get that bird,” snapped Kira. “Tell Sheen my payment is almost done, and then, my business with you people is through.”

“I’m sure he’ll be eager,” said Viktor. “Now get out.” Kira spun on her heel and disappeared out the door. Once she was gone, Viktor leaned back and looked to the back of the shop. “What do you think boss?”

“I think our Kira is almost grown up,” said Sheen as he appeared from the shadows. “Her worth to us is almost at its end.”

“She’s linked up with the Hunter’s Guild, and she’s got a teacher. She also has an order in with Mr. Horner for some new gear. The little girl is getting dangerous.”

“Yes, far more dangerous than I’d like. I think it may be time to get rid of her before she becomes a liability. If one of the hunters spoils her worth then I’m going to be very angry.”

“Festival is in a few days,” suggested Viktor. “Want us to move her?”

“Do it.”