The Tribe of Talci were wanderers, clear by their quickly-made tents and clothes ready to travel in the mountains. They had allies, but not friends; most tribes in Baerin were under the agreement that they only helped in times of peace. Once conflict started, it was every man to himself. Yllnor could never tell if there wasn’t as much conflict now as what the adults said there were or if, once her father became chief, he separated Talci from all the troublemakers. She didn’t even know which one she’d rather assume happened.

Still, for all the wandering the tribe did, there were a few constants. Every child fulfilled smaller rites as they grew up, but the true rite of passage didn’t happen until a child was around eighteen.

And Yllnor could tell rather quickly that that’s definitely where her father was guiding them all. She could tell that everyone that was able gathered to hear the chief’s words, and they all had proud or confident expressions; a difference from the solemn or thoughtful looks some of them might have in other tribe meetings.

Amidst all of the whispers, the chief’s voice was still perfectly clear as he said, “With everyone gathered, it’s now time! Four more teardrops will soon join the others, that much I’m sure of.” The others cheered, all gathered around the chief, Yllnor, Zanrel, Rainne, and Ely. The chief looked at the four of them and smiled. “All that needs to be done is explain what you’ll be doing.”

“It’s something exciting, right?” Rainne asked. “You know you can trust us with a bigger demon!”

Zanrel nodded. “I heard that there’s a demon in one of the caves near here, are we going there? I bet we’re going there. A group as impressive as us needs a good challenge!”

“Are the two of you ever humble..?” Yllnor mumbled with a sigh. “Let Dad finish…”

The chief laughed. “It’s alright, they’re just showing their excitement! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one that every child in Talci’s care has completed. You know I’m not going to quiz you all on the importance of traditional values—one does not forge a path forward if they’re always focused on the past. But I’d still like you all to listen closely, since this is all the information you’re going to want to know.”

Surprisingly, that kept Zanrel and Rainne quiet. Ely still looked caught up on the fact that this was even happening.

The chief raised his voice again, so that the whole tribe could hear him, though he still just addressed the four of them. “There’s a lesser demon that’s been pestering certain allies of ours around here. I’m afraid it’s not the grand adventure you were hoping for, but it’s certainly a way to prove your strength and make us all proud.”

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He gestured for another elder to hand him a sheet of paper. “It was last seen in the forests southwest of here and has been taking certain kinds of produce from the nearby villages and nomads. It resembles the Baerin hare, though its front teeth are much longer than usual and it’s nearly half the size of a man. It seems to only attack when provoked, but that shouldn’t be taken as fact. Lesser demons are unpredictable things—let your guards down, and you might just find yourself in a much more serious situation. Do you understand what your quarry is?”

“A giant bunny,” Rainne sighed. “The exact opposite of an actual threat…”

“If it’s stealing food from our allies, that could be a problem,” Ely pointed out softly. “It might not be what you hoped for, but it’s still pretty important…”

Zanrel didn’t seem too impressed, either, but he was less vocal about it.

“I think what we all mean to say,” Yllnor began, glaring at Zanrel and Rainne, “is that we’ll be honored to have this opportunity.”

“I’m sure you’ll be even more honored to know, then, that we’re trusting you.” The chief smirked and said exactly what they thought he might—something near-impossible for any of them to imagine. “All of your parents and the elders have acknowledged your talents—your individual and combined skills, and the things you’ve done with them. Most others who complete these rites are accompanied by adults, who can help if the situation becomes too serious. We’ve decided, though, that the four of you don’t need that. As long as you’re all together, we’re all sure you’ll be fine.”

The others in the tribe erupted into cheers. This was definitely something to be proud of—something that Yllnor had only witnessed once or twice. She never would’ve looked at their slightly-dysfunctional team and assumed that they would be the next to get such an honor. But here they were.

Fate truly did happen in such odd ways, didn’t it?

The chief gestured for them all to quiet down. “Yllnor, you’re going to be the team’s leader. It seems fitting, between your knowledge of nature, your status as the oldest, and your future role in serving this tribe. Zanrel and Rainne, we’re trusting that you’ll be the ones to track, capture, and kill the demon—and keep yourselves out of unnecessary danger, of course. You’re both well above your peers in marksmanship, so trust that you can do it. Ely, just do what you can to help the others. We’re confident in your combined abilities and will be waiting for your successful return.”

“Oh! Can we start now?” Rainne asked. “I wanna get started right now! We might lose it if we take too long, you know!”

“Yeah!” Zanrel enthusiastically nodded. “Gotta get it before it has a chance to strike again!”

“It’s going to be dark soon,” Yllnor pointed out. “We’re not going to be able to track it as well at night.”

“And we need time to prepare…” Ely added nervously.

“You’ll have plenty of time for all of that,” the chief assured them. “As per tradition, we’re going to send you off with a feast. Let us all gather in the center of camp—there we will thank the spirits for what they’ve provided for us, as well as ask for their continued support. Then you four should get a good night’s rest. Only with a clear head will you be able to triumph over all of the trials you might face in the coming days.”