“Look, mom, dad, I understand that you are worried about my safety, but I can handle myself, I’m the strongest person in this village, I’m objectively the best person for the job. Besides, I’m 16, I’m an adult now, I’m not a little kid that doesn’t understand danger. If there’ll be something I can’t beat, I’ll run away. Someone has to do it, and I have the best chances of returning alive out of everyone here!” Favia was somewhat agitated, as she said that. She knew her parents didn’t want to lose her, but she had to do it.

There was a meeting of villagers, when she returned with the monster’s corpse, to discuss what they were going to do about it. Many thought it was just a fluke, an accident, but hunters insisted it needed to be investigated. She volunteered, but her parents were… less than enthusiastic about it. So she was stuck in an increasingly more frustrating situation of having to argue with her parents, while the unknown danger lurked in the forest.

“But…” Her father, Johan, started again. He was a man of about forty years, who was an experienced farmer and a respected member of the community. And he was interrupted by her mid sentence.

“But what? It’s dangerous? I know, but there’s no one more qualified to go than me.” Favia was repeating herself. She understood their worry. She really did. But she couldn’t just let the danger go unchecked. If someone died because of, she’d never forgive herself. Not when she could help it. It was not that massive a risk. She would be safe. Reasonably safe.

“Is there really no one else who can do this? Duran Is quite capable…” Johan was repeating as well. It was going nowhere.

…

She was in the forest once again. Going deeper, in the parts she hadn’t visited for quite a while. This time though, she was on a mission, not exploring. As she went deeper and deeper in, the sense of unease started to set in. There was nothing unusual about it, on the first glance, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. She couldn’t see anything, though. ‘If it continues like this I might have to turn back without learning anything’. As she went, her mind started drifting back to the conversation she just had with her parents. She couldn’t help but replay it over and over again in her head. Was she rude? Did she push too far? She knew they meant well. She just wished they could understand, and she didn’t know how to explain properly. She went further.

…

“I still can’t believe you allowed her to go!” Helena was furious. It was enough that her only daughter was hunter and antisocial at the age, when most start thinking about marriage. Now she was going on dangerous scouting missions to the deepest parts of the forest. It was an unexplored territory on the edge of the country. No one knew what was there. Some said it was jus monsters, some believed that an elf kingdom was on the other side. If it was elfs, they clearly did not appreciate visitors, since half of the people that go there never return! Even a soldier that served the lord once went missing there, she heard so, at least. And now it has become even more dangerous. And he let her go there! Just like that! What if anything happened to her? How could she live, knowing that if they just stopped her from going there, convinced her to let someone else, anyone, to do the job, that she’d be fine? She didn’t understand. She didn’t want to understand. She just wanted her daughter to be safe and happy.

…

‘What is this weird feeling?’ Favia was pretty deep in the forest, and she was becoming really nervous. And the intensifying weird feeling didn’t help. She was starting to think it was not such a good idea after all. As she thought that, she noticed something in the corner of her sight. She turned instantly. Her knife struck a pine tree. ‘It’s not good’ she thought as she approached the tree to take the knife out of the tree trunk. As she did though, suddenly, she felt her head splitting from pain. She knew it was dangerous to drop her guard here, but it was so awful, she couldn’t help it. She fell on her knees, clutching her head. ‘Oh no no no, not here!’ But, of course, it did not stop just like that.

…

“But she is right! She is the best person for the job, you know it. Besides, if she wants to continue down this path, she needs to understand what the real danger is. This is the perfect opportunity for that” Johan wasn’t completely sure it was a good idea, but he believed that it was Favia’s place to decide here. He didn’t want to admit it, but she was growing up, and she was capable. She wanted to be a hunter, she wanted the life of danger, he couldn’t protect her forever. Besides, the rumours about the dangers of the forest were just that, rumours. It still was more dangerous than he was comfortable with, but she was right in that she was the best person for it, that Duran boy was reckless and irresponsible, he wouldn’t know danger if it hit him in the chest, after introducing itself. Besides, she could run away, if things get too dangerous.

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…

Favia ran. She ran as fast as she could, almost tripping multiple times. Twigs exploded under her boots from time to time, but she didn’t care. She only took the absolute minimum with her when she went out, and she was incredibly glad she did that right now. She didn’t even have her bow. Which was a blessing right now. She needed to warn them as fast as possible. They didn’t have much time left before it would begin. She didn’t want to admit it, but those memories were actually a life saver for once, and not an annoyance. Situation was getting worse. She ran past a cat monster like she fought before. She was too fast for it, and she could deal with it anyway, so it was not a problem. For her. It was a danger to most. Other hunters can handle it without too much trouble, and Duran may also be fine, but the rest would be in severe danger. And stronger monsters will be coming soon enough. Even if it was dangerous to drop like that, so deep in the forest, there was no time, so it was better that she remembered now, and not after leisurely returning back to the village. And so she ran. As fast as she could.

…

“Calm down! – The village chief shouted at the murmuring crowd in front of his house – ”Now, Favia, explain, please”.

“Yes, thank you” She was on the stairs before the chief’s house, which served as an improvised platform for public speeches.

“In short, the area where the village is located is about to become much more dangerous. There will be monsters. Many monsters. Forget the wild cats, soon even hunters wont be able to set a foot even in the now safest area of the forest, much less anyone else, Even the village is not safe. They are migrating, and they are migrating here.” She tried to distil the information to the essential, leaving out the details, because she knew she needed to be quick.

“And how do you know this?” Someone in the crowd asked. Others looked somewhat distrustfully at her as well.

“Magic. Monsters are creatures of magic. They appear when mana corrupts regular animals. Those animals, in turn, seek out mana more and more, until they die naturally, or get dissolved by mana completely. And the concentration of mana in this area is going up” It didn’t explain where she got all this information from, but she was a hunter, and was in contact with monsters much more regularly than most, so she really hoped this was enough for them for now. She could not afford for people to question her at this point. The safety of the whole village was at stake.

“We need to notify the lord, and we need to start preparing now! Make sure your possessions are all safe and you’re ready to move, something soft to the cellar to sleep on, if you have one. Make sure the animals cannot run away. And grab whatever best fits as a weapon, you’re going to need it. We’re not going to last long like this, so let’s hope that Lord sends reinforcements quickly enough. And may the forest bless us, we’re going to need it”.

…

Duran resented Favia. He always wanted to be a hunter, but since she became one, the village didn’t need more. He was just a month younger than her, and that cost him the opportunity. He was stronger. He was faster. He was better with a bow, so, obviously, he was a better candidate. But he was technically still too young, when the decision was made, and he resented it heavily. There were only so many proper bows in the village. Now, sure, there were plenty of makeshift ones. Anyone can make one with some twig and a good enough string. But proper made ones? By a craftsman, who knew which type of wood worked the best, how to make a string that would last, how to balance it? There were only three, and Favia got one of them. Which meant that he did not. So, when she said all that, he got the idea. So far, she was getting all the credit, for notifying everyone about the potential danger, and then volunteering to investigate, and returning with results. He could do it too

“I suggest that I go and check what’s causing the problem. I am strong, I have good chances of making it through”. Everyone turned to look at him.

…

‘Oh no’ when she heard the suggestion, Favia couldn’t help but sigh mentally. He was volunteering for his own death. There was no way he could sneak past the monsters. He may be able to dill with cat ones pretty reliably, and he may even survive an encounter with something stronger, but doing it constantly? While searching for only stars know what? He would be lucky to return alive, and there was no chance he’d succeed.

“If you want to, but you’ll have to be really careful. If you think that it’s even a bit too dangerous, return immediately.” Said the chief after some deliberation.

“Favia, can you lend him your bow for this?” He asked

“Sure”. Since she was probably not going to hunt any time soon, and that most fights with monsters are on short distances, she didn’t really need it. Her knives were more than enough. Since she could use magic to correct their trajectory, and add force to her throws, they had quite the range and accuracy.

In the end, they decided that Duran would investigate the forest, while Favia would run to the town nearby, and relay the news to the baron there.