Standing in the middle of a grassy meadow, hidden deep within a forest of dense and tall trees, grazed a mysterious creature. It was twice the height of a man, had a dirty brown coat, thick white fur around its neck, and walked upon four strongly muscled legs. Sunlight filtered through the towering trees, casting long shadows across the open field. Occasionally, the creature's ears twitched and its nose quivered as if sensing an unseen threat. It grazed quietly, though its movements to different corners of the meadow carried a sense of caution. However, unbeknown to the creature, hidden in the dense foliage, was a ring of hunters. They moved under the forest’s cover with sharp spears of wood, each step muffled by the soft carpet of leaves and moss while they completed their encirclement. Gradually, each hunter pulled back their spears and steadied their arms, patiently waiting for the right moment.

CRACK! Suddenly, a sharp snapping echoed through the meadow, only to be immediately drowned out by the piercing tweet of an unseen bird. The creature tensed and raised its fur neck upon hearing the sound. It searched around with its glossy red eyes before cautiously stepping back. Instantly, the hunters pulled back their arms in unison and hurled their spears with deadly precision at the creature.

THUD, THUD, THUD! The creature swayed for a few steps, each limb and vital point penetrated by spears as thick as a man’s finger. Slowly, its red eyes turned lifeless and dim, and with a final shudder, its massive frame abruptly collapsed onto the soft grass.

The hunters rose silently from the underbrush, their silhouettes sharp against the forest. One by one, they emerged from cover, moving with deliberate care, scanning the surrounding woods for any sign of danger. Soon the muscle-bound and long-haired hunters surrounded the corpse. Many had unsightly scars to match the grim expressions on their faces, and apart from loincloths around their waists, they were otherwise stark naked.

One among them walked up to the animal's head before crouching and closing its eyelids. He took a moment to mumble a chant before turning back to the men. "Fuon, change of plans. You'll stay here." He ran his eyes around the rest. "The rest of you know what to do." Without waiting for confirmation, his gaze turned to the outer circle. "Caion," he barked, eyebrows pinched as he moved toward the trees. "Change of plans. Follow me, we're on watch."

The hunter named Caion clenched his jaw and followed after the man. The remaining hunters didn't break concentration and focused on preparing the beast's corpse. However, one among them lingered, his jaw tight and fist curling as he stared after the two departing men.

The man reached the end of the meadow and melded into the forest, briefly disappearing from Caion's view. Caion followed and vanished into the undergrowth of the woods. After walking a few steps he spotted the man standing hand extended beneath a particularly massive tree.

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"Blood travels farther than sound. We’ll keep watch from above. Even if this area is quiet, there’s no guarantee what the scent might draw," he remarked as he removed his hand. He turned to Caion, "Let's go."

Caion nodded sharply, standing back to observe as the man began scaling the tree, his movements precise and practiced. Soon, a low-pitched chirp came down from up high, the signal for Caion to follow.

Caion straightened his back and placed his hand against the bark, feeling for its roughness or smoothness. He gave the tree a quick once-over before grabbing onto a branch, making sure it was shoulder-high and thick as his wrist before pulling himself up. Upon climbing onto the branch, he quickly bent his knees to regain his balance and searched for another branch to ascend. Unfortunately, the only usable branch was too high to reach, so he placed his feet flat against the trunk and wrapped it in his arms. He carefully felt for grooves and ridges in the bark, and once he was certain of his hand position he began to shimmy up the tree. It wasn’t long before he rejoined the man, having ascended the tree at a steady pace.

“Your climbing skills have improved,” the man observed, his narrowed gaze scanning the forest as Caion pulled himself onto a branch adjacent to him.

“I had a good teacher,” Caion replied, slightly winded. He placed his hand against the bark, carefully testing his weight against the tree. “But I still have a lot to learn, Hunt Master.”

“I’m glad you have some measure of self-awareness. Then it should be obvious what I have to say.”

Caion swallowed heavily and adverted his eyes. “I stepped on a branch, and the sound startled the elafiotéras. If you hadn't whistled the signal it would have been spooked."

The Hunt Master’s eyes flicked to Caion. "That wasn’t your only mistake. Your throw was off. Instead of your spear penetrating its knee you hit its thigh. It may not seem significant, but in the chaos of a hunt, that slight error could mean the difference between life and death for you or your fellow huntsmen."

The space momentarily grew quiet, the symphony of nature the only sound to be heard. Caion closed his eyes and took a deep breath, taking a moment to impress upon himself the sensations of the forest. He felt the wind against his skin, smelt the raw and unapologetic scents of the forest, and listened to the cries of its residents.

Having calmed down, Caion reopened his eyes before turning to the Hunt Master. “Thank you for your guidance. I’ve let you and my fellow huntsmen down, but I'll do my best to regain your trust.”

“Well, you haven’t been showing me you’re sorry,” he replied sternly, turning to the surrounding woods. "We came to keep watch, yet have you faced the forest for even one moment?”

Caion froze, his heart sinking.

The Hunt Master stared deep into Caion’s eyes, as if searching his soul. A faint smile cracked his lips. “Don’t worry about it. You’re still young.” He slapped Caion’s back. “If all prospective hunters already knew how to hunt, who would I have to teach?”

Caion’s lips curled into a wry smile.

The Hunt Master’s grin widened, clearly enjoying the moment. "Caion, your talents are immense, and your senses are disturbingly sharp." He gave Caion another slap on the back. "I have high hopes for you."

With a fluid motion, the Hunt Master swung his leg over the branch and began lowering himself. "Anyway, let’s head back. They should have finished by now."

Caion nodded absently, mulling over the Hunt Master’s words. He watched the man reach the ground before starting his own descent.