Over the course of weeks and months the makeshift bootcamp progressed with Samantha improving martially while Valerie developed socially. Having a companion her own age and just as eager to train relieved some of the latter’s flighty ambitions although she would still occasionally gaze into the distance and feel an urge deep within telling her to escape and never look back. On one fine day just as summer was rolling through the boring woods, Valerie found herself once again looking to the horizon and wondering just what was out there, who was out there and how she fit it into. It was hard to imagine just what lay beyond her home especially as a repeated knock to her side kept distracting her. Sighing, Valerie looked down at her not very comfortable seat as it tried desperately to free itself from beneath her.
“Give up yet?”
“Never!”
She asked Samanth, pinned beneath her rump, who responded with exaggerated fury. As well as regular training and theory lessons, James also permitted the girls to engage in no holds bar practice fights with the express stipulation no one is severely maimed, this rule lasted all of a day before even stricter rules had to be put in place. The thing about fights with aspect holders is they can take some outrageous punishment before they succumbed to their wounds and, even if they were incapacitated, they would be right back up and going not long after. Such was the case with Valerie and Samantha, the former had decent control of her strength until her adrenaline started pumping and the latter simply didn’t acknowledge she had been hit and would keep going. James tried to intervene and act as their practice dummy, but his students formed something of a working partnership that would trump their teacher’s years of experience through sheer overwhelming force. Thus, Valerie and Samantha were given the freedom to beat the ever-living snot out of one another with James at home ready to treat whoever was the worst off. This would almost always be Samantha as Valerie trumped her in nearly every bout they had. Trying to teach Samantha any form of martial arts or how to properly wield a weapon was like trying to build a house of cards during a thunderstorm and an earthquake and while on fire. The only difference being less people would be hurt during the collection of calamities. This unfortunately meant she was forced to create her own fighting style which primarily involved throwing herself around like a wrecking ball using her shadows.
With her exceptional control of her aspect and a chaotic combat style, Samantha was able to keep Valerie on her toes and constantly adapting to the uncoordinated motions. Ultimately however, she would lose as was the case this day, slammed hard into the ground with the much heavier Valerie seated atop her. The sparring match would only end when one of them was unable to fight or willingly gave in. With Samantha valiantly, if pathetically, struggling while constantly jabbing at her opponent it was clear she wasn’t done just yet.
“I-I-I almooooost haaaave yoooooou!”
She yelled out making no further progress. All of a sudden however the weight on her back disappeared and Samantha was able to scamper back while doing a very impressive kick flip back to her feet. She summoned a series of shadow tendrils to surround herself and was about to charge into Valerie when she realized they had an intruder. Beyond the edge of the clearing, there was a figure hunched over with its head on a swivel. It laid its eyes on Valerie and then Samantha, after which it immediately rushed off like its life depended on it. Yet another instance of the shadow user’s freaky aura causing critters to run away with reckless abandon. The reason to run herself dismissed her shadows and walked up beside Valerie who looked to be frozen stiff from the sight of the ghastly creature.
“…A Hackalope.”
She muttered out to no one in particular.
“Whazzat?”
Samantha enquired feeling a nagging sensation at the back of her head that she had seen that creature before. The beast in question was a tall rabbit like animal missing the majority of its hair which it compensated for with sharp claws, teeth and razor tipped horns it used to gut prey. Valerie had been taught on all the fauna in her neck of the woods but was awestricken to see a real bonafide-
“monster…”
She whispered, the edges of her mouth curling up in a fiendish smile. Samantha was about to ask what was so special about the monster when Valerie interrupted her.
“Go home Samantha, I have something I need to do.”
The sudden and slightly rude request would have taken most by surprise but Samantha just shrugged, walked away waving off the matter and Valerie both as she headed home. She walked for about ten minutes and eventually found her way back to the cabin, a surprising feat for her. The first few times she tried to make it back on her own she got lost and had to spend the night roughing it until James or Valerie found her the next morning. To combat her awful sense of direction a series of markers and arrows carved into trees were put in place to guide the wayward wanderer. She still somehow found a way to get all turned around or end up exactly where she started despite walking in a straight line much to everyone’s confusion. Valerie once followed Samantha allowing her to guide the pair and nearly walked straight off a cliff she hadn’t know was there, attempts to find the cliff again proved fruitless. Today however, the wayward girl made it back home safely and unaccosted where upon she found James sat outside whittling away at a piece of wood. Her mentor looked up to survey Samantha happy to find she wasn’t in need of any medical aid however his expression darkened when he noticed his niece wasn’t with her. Slowly but surely the two had been forming an inseparable bond, or so James hoped, and the appearance of one without the other was worrying to say the least. Samantha waved as she approached and made to enter the cabin for a quick afternoon nap but was stopped by her guardian.
“Samantha? It’s good to see you’re not hurt for once. Valerie wouldn’t be far behind you I hope?”
He asked trying to keep the worry from his voice, perhaps she was tied up with something or had stopped to check on a few of their snare traps.
“Don’t think so, she was looking for a monster.”
Samantha replied nonchalantly to which James shot up exclaiming.
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“She what?!”
He bolted up and ran off towards the sparring ring his pupils used.
“I said she was going to…”
Samantha tried to repeat but her words were quickly lost to the wind as James raced away. Arriving at the clearing in record time, he searched the area for signs of his niece or any tracks she may have left. Unfortunately, he trained her far too well and she was gone without a trace. His legs nearly gave out from under him as a despair he didn’t expect scoured his soul and brought forth images of the kind of horrors his niece could face.
“VALERIE!”
He yelled out to no response feeling the crushing weight of his ineptitude overtake all rational thought. He failed her, he failed to protect his niece, failed to honour her mothers last wishes, failed to uphold the promise he made his brother. Dropping to the rough earth James yelled out again and again for his niece.
Valerie meanwhile thought she heard someone calling out to her but shrugged off the distraction focusing instead on her prey. She found the monster easily enough, Hackalope were quick beasts but reckless and not the most intelligent although they could be wily. Valerie tried to recall all she could from her uncle’s lessons on monsters and how to avoid them at all costs. He described Hackalope’s as ferocious monstrosities that could tear a fully armoured warrior to ribbons with a single swipe of their sharpened knife-like claws. The one she saw did not evoke that same nightmare inducing visage even if it did tower a foot or two above her. Watching it scurry away from her and Samantha emboldened Valerie to try and hunt the monster not because she had to for their safety but just because she wanted to. All the stories she was told, the many detailed descriptions from her uncle, cumulated in a deep-seated hatred for the abominations for the damage they had wrought to civilized life. Although her uncle never said it outright, Valerie got the sense it was because of monsters like the one she tracked that she was without her parents. It didn’t necessarily affect her own hatred for monsters but didn’t detract from it either. Thus, Valerie decided she would not just kill this monster, she was going to hunt it, tear it down to shreds and make an example out of it. A devilish idea that scratched at an itch she never knew she had and caused the would be hunter to froth from excitement.
She tracked the Hackalope to a river ensuring she was out of sight, and it remained completely unaware it was being pursued. She desperately wanted to rush forward and lay into the beast but rather than confront it directly and risk an injury she opted to hunt the beast without suffering a single scratch. Although she would be the only one to witness it, completely and utterly humiliating the monster sounded likes oodles of fun. Valerie announced her presence by throwing several knives empowered by her aspect into the monster’s side. The blades shot through the air like bolts from a crossbow, each striking home with unerring precision. Bellowing in anger, the Hackalope attempted to confront its attacker directly, but the sly girl evaded and appeared to flee. In reality, she hid close by while waiting for the beast to calm down which it was finding hard to do with the many knives buried into its flesh. Following at a distance, she watched the monster as it set off searching for its next meal while trying to fish the blades out to little success. It eventually found a critter, a rabbit of all things, that was quickly and unabashedly slaughtered ready for a feast. It was at this time Valerie appeared once again causing the creature to fly into a rage and charge leaving the fresh kill behind. She evaded the dumb animal once again and circled back to steal the monsters hard fought catch before disappearing from its sight. The Hackalope raged at the missing girl and meal, breaking out into a fit as it swept its claws at everything within its immediate vicinity. Valerie watched the display giddy at the monster’s tantrum and she chewed on meat from the gamey rabbit her foe had so kindly prepared. This was going to be a long hunt, and she would need all the strength she could. Thankfully the display of the Hackalope accidentally forcing one of her knives deeper into its flank helped her ignore the disgusting taste.
“The days still young.”
She silently cackled to herself, excited to see what else her prey will get up to. This back and forth continued for days, every time the creature found food or stopped for water and rest, she would be there to provoke it or drive it off. By the fourth day it had grown sluggish and less attentive to its surroundings which was when Valerie made a daring attack. Dropping from a tree branch, she used her hunting knife and the full power of her aspect to sever one of the monsters’ horns and an ear in a single strike. Then she ran, giggling merry as a schoolgirl. The unfortunate creature however screamed and wailed in fury while making futile attempts to chase after its assailant. On the fifth day the creature fell, too tired to move, the lack of food, water, sleep and several open wounds that continuously bled finally sapped all the strength from its body. Had nature been allowed to take its course, the Hackalope would have perished a disgraced mess, unfortunately the huntress would not let it go quite so easily. She appeared for the last time before the creature who bore its eyes into her and tried to rise one only making it inches off the ground before slumping back down. Valerie circled the monster, examining her handy work thoroughly and ripping out her throwing knives agonizing the beast further. She met the monsters gaze and for the first time during her hunt felt the slightest pang of guilt. Had she gone too far? Had she been too cruel? This feeling quickly left as she stared at the creatures’ bloody claws, sharp teeth and grotesque body.
“Boohoo for you.”
She taunted the monster. It was a being born of curses and foul magic; it wasn’t worth feeling pity for. With her conscience clear, she sunk her knife into the beast’s neck and watched the light fade from its eyes. A sick, cruel smile spread across her face and she involuntarily licked at her lips. With her hunt officially complete Valerie stood tall, she felt powerful, she felt invincible, she felt a surge of something course through her body and flood her mind with indescribable elation. It was a sensation she felt once before and knew exactly what it meant. Staring at the bloody corpse at her feet, she threw her arms up out in victory and let out a vicious laugh.
“Neat.”
“Agh!”
Which was interrupted by Samantha who appeared out of nowhere startling Valerie who nearly tripped at the spooky girl’s sudden arrival. Without a word, the shadow user crouched before the dead Hackalope and poked it with a stick while Valerie tried to calm her nerves.
“How? What? Where did- What?!”
She demanded in rapid succession uncomprehending what exactly was going on.
“James was looking for you, I tagged along and found you first I guess.”
Samantha explained while continuing to disrespect the disgraced monster’s corpse and giggling at the slimy sounds it made as she poked at it. James set out almost immediately after failing to find Valerie at the training yard only staying long enough to order Samantha stay behind. She did not, opting to follow her mentor from a distance so that her aura did not alert him. Had James been in any other mental state he might have noticed he was being tailed but he could only focus on tracking down his niece before the worst came to pass. Neither expected to be out for so long and James only grew more irritable as his ready made rations ran out. Samantha meanwhile simply ignored her groaning stomach already used to the sensation. By sheer coincidence she came upon Valerie first, watching her slow agonizing execution with rapt attention such that she nearly applauded when the final blow was dealt. James however was not so keen discovering both his pupils due to their loud interaction. Valerie stood stiff as a board as she met her uncles furious gaze and nearly ran for the hills as he stalked over to her. He roughly grabbed onto Valerie’s shoulders, almost knocking Samantha over in the process. For the briefest of moments, the two family were locked in place, Valerie unsure what wrath her uncle would unleash and certainly not expecting the vice like hug she received instead.
“You… you are in SO much trouble young lady.”
He said refusing to let his niece go despite her clear apprehension and struggles to escape.
“What in all the divine where you thinking?!”
James demanded after finally breaking their embrace but with his grip on her shoulders never loosening.
“I-I…”
Valerie stammered, guilt and shame welled up inside her as she tried to find the words to explain herself. She glanced a look to Samantha who shot her two thumbs up clearly having a picked a side in the argument. Then her eyes wandered down to the dead beast at her feet, its blood pooling around her and coating her shoes. I did that, she thought letting the reality hit her again. Without her uncle’s watchful eye or any other kind of safety net, she tracked, hunted and finally killed a monster all by herself. Emboldened, Valerie used the strength from her Aspect to shake off her uncle’s grip and stood before him unyielding.
“I wanted to kill a monster… and I was rewarded for it.”
Both James and Samantha peered quizzically at Valerie which she revelled in. She wasn’t much for story telling but, on the way home she regaled them with the tale of her inspiring hunt and her achievement. Obtaining power from the Aspect of the Knife had lit a fire under her urging Valerie to want more, to want freedom. Obtaining the Aspect of the Hunt only added fuel to the fire and no matter what she was determined to leave even if it meant coming to blows with her sole family.