Goosebumps prickled my whole body.

Levi arched up, trying to make himself seem bigger. A failed attempt.

I couldn't tell what was on the other side — the water plug not only prevented things from feeling inside the cave, it also kept me from sensing what was outside — but something brushed against the water. Something damp and ... soft. It was so light and fluffy, if the adrenaline in my blood hadn't spiked my awareness, I would have overlooked it.

What was that feeling? I ... knew it. But from where?

The longer it brushed against my water, the more an idea formed in my head. Not an image, no, because it was formless, but a thought of what it could be. Steam. It felt like thick steam from a hot shower. No, that didn't seem right; it wasn't hot. So, clouds? Were there cloud monsters around here?

Suddenly, I remembered my first day in Mist Haven. Waking up and seeing billowing fog rolling like a lake outside my window.

My hyper-active heart faltered.

Then stopped.

Suddenly all the thoughts in my mind shattered, leaving nothing but darkness. Every fiber of my being wailed in danger. All I could hear was a high pitched wail, like an inhuman scream. My breathing quickened, stuttering and stopping, as my hands shook and the bow slipped from my numb fingers.

Dimly, I could feel Levi bump me with his tail, and hear his thoughts as he asked what was wrong, but his voice was like a tiny gnat, buzzing in my ear. There, but not really, lost in the piercing siren.

Vaguely, I knew this was a panic attack. I'd had enough over the years to recognize the symptoms — and to hide them from my family when it happened. There was medication in my Items Bag, the one I secretly stockpiled before we moved to Colorado, but I couldn't control my mind enough to bring it out.

All I could feel was the barely-there sensation against my water shield. Hear the ringing that turned my mind to mush. Feel my chest tighten until I couldn't breathe.

I was ... so mindlessly scared.

So scared.

Not of the monster on the other side of the waterfall, but of the water vapor that hung in air.

My control over the water shield crumbled. Levi immediately pushed my magic aside and took control before a gap appeared. After all, the reason the monster hadn’t found us yet was because it couldn't fully sense us.

I slumped to the ground, shivering, and my mouth silently gaping open, even though I couldn't breathe.

Don't make a sound, I chanted in my numb brain. Don't make a sound and they won't hear you. Just like ... Just like ... When? And I won't have to hear ... What?

I grabbed my aching head and curled into a ball. Tears leaked from my eyes, but I didn't make a sound. Time seemed to stop, leaving me a miserable ball in the middle of a dark cave.

Something smooth and cold brushed against my wet cheek. I jumped, startled out of my stupor, then scrambled up to only collapse against the wall. A second later, I felt Levi's cool scales across my limp hand and he climbed my body until he could lap at the tears clinging to my cheeks.

Desperately, I felt around with my aura. The water vapor and the monster were gone, disappearing at some point.

I gasped, relieved. And somehow, feeling hollow and empty.

I pressed a hand to my eyes, willing them to stop leaking. But the more I tried, the more I cried. Pent up grievances came flooding out all at once. The fear of being left in the wilds, the agony of knowing that I was disappointing my family, the ache of knowing how they were probably grieving for my death. All the scared moments I brushed off, like being chased by monsters, by rationalizing that it was a part of Hunter life. It was true, but it didn't make it any less scary.

But there was something else that drove my tears. An emotion or idea that I didn't understand that pushed more out even when I thought I was all dried up. Like I lost something very important, and it cut my heart out.

Levi bumped and nudged me, but he was at a loss. He understood I was confused, scared and grieving, but didn't understand why I was dispelling water because of it. It didn't seem healthy or logical to him. Helpless, he rubbed my cheeks and tried to stem the water flow.

In the end, I slumped to the ground, my energy drained, and hiccuped myself to sleep.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

*****

I felt horrible in the morning. Physically, I was fine – which just made me feel worse. My eyes should be swollen from crying and I should have weird indents on my face from laying face down on a rock all night, but Regen fixed all that. Inside, though, I seethed with disappointment. I couldn't believe I fell apart like that. I didn't even know why. But that unsettled feeling persisted, and churned my sides like a turbine.

Levi let me sleep the whole night, which wasn't the plan. I wanted to pull my own weight and take turns keeping the cave safe, but he felt that I was too 'sick' to wake up early. I needed to rest and heal, so I could handle the next day. Which was sweet of him, but crying wasn't sickness. No matter how I tried, he couldn't understand what crying meant. I mean, snakes didn't have tear ducts, so I guess dragons didn't either?

After we were ready for the day, we strenuously climbed down the waterfall and I rode a water raft through the slot canyon. I kept my eyes peeled for more eel hounds or other monsters, and luckily didn't find any. I did spot a random rock ledge jutting from the side of the canyon just big enough to sit. The perfect position to cultivate; there was plenty of water and it was seemingly monster free. Levi agreed with me and we took a ten-minute break.

Afterwards, I hopped back on my boat and Levi curled up on my shoulder to sleep. His slight breath tickled the back of my neck like mad, but I ignored it.

As I zoomed around the slot canyon, I studied the map. From the looks of it, if I kept following the stream, it would take me right to the plains, fifty miles from Boulder. Distance wise, it wasn't the shortest, but at the speed my raft was going — like a fast bike — I might even make it to the plains before sundown today, if I kept a steady pace. It wasn't too fast, but it sure beat walking. Not to mention, water was my element. I could use it to fight, or simply hide if I could avoid it.

I never thought I'd get so attached to a slot canyon, but as soon as I entered the forest, I immediately wanted to backtrack. I knew it was safe there. I'd already taken care of all the monsters and I could hide in the cave every night. But I'd never get home if I stayed. The forest, as pretty and green as it was, was so open. Anything could be hiding in it, and I'd never know until it attacked.

All of my senses were on full alert, and I jumped at every sound. The stream cut through the trees, taking me with it, weaving around bushes and leaving muddy banks behind. I gripped my bow in my hand, zeroing in on everything that moved. The hardest part was, almost everything moved.

The forest around Boulder was pretty picked through in comparison. It was nowhere as tame as the areas around the Hunter's Association capital, Eden, but because thousands of Hunters ventured into the winds daily, they heavily harvested most of the monsters and monster plants. That wasn't the case in this untamed forest.

Vines slithered across tree branches, stealthily stalking rodent monsters. The sun beams shifted across the forest floor, as the trees swayed in the breeze, rippling over the mushrooms that walked across the pine needle covered dirt. Brightly colored bird monsters with crystal crests on their foreheads hopped from tree to tree while emitting shrill chirps, pecking at each other and tearing apart the neighboring nests. A crystal crest noticed me and Levi as we floated under its branch and dive bombed us.

I instantly lifted my bow and loosed the arrow. The palm sized bird dodged to the right, but I clipped its wing. It flailed in the air and flopped to the ground, the large arrow preventing it from righting itself. I didn't intend to kill the level five monster initially, but as soon as it attacked, the E ranked monster crossed the line. My next arrow nailed its neck to the ground.

Ding! [+10 EXP]

Ding! [Daily Task: Kill Three Monsters (1/3).]

Ding! [You have Leveled Up!]

I blinked in surprise. Oh, I forgot I was that close to leveling up. Sweet!

The rest of the birds went silent, their eyes zeroing in me. Never mind that they were actively destroying each other's home just a second ago, as soon as another creature butted in, they united in insulted fury.

I grimaced and exchanged my bow with a sword, then stood up on the water raft. My aura spread out, trying to discourage the monsters from swarming. Monsters instinctively avoided stronger opponents, but I was only a couple levels higher than half of the flock. The weaker ones flinched under my intimidation and flew the other way. The other fifteen came right at me.

My eyes narrowed, calculating what I needed to do to survive this. Crystal crests had two major attacks: their beaks and their crests. Both were diamond sharp and coated in bacteria that caused fevers for C ranked and lower Hunters — AKA, me.

My brown leather armor was an E ranked armor, specially made by Uncle for when I was training as a high school student. It should prevent the crystal crests from pecking through, but there was only so much practice armor could do.

I should have upgraded my armor before I left for the wilds days ago, but I didn't have the money. And I wanted to do everything organically — I didn't want to rely on my Uncle more than I needed to. I was going to become a great Hunter by myself. That was my mentality then. And it was now — but I really wish I had taken a 'loan' from my Uncle to upgrade my gear before I left. Then again, I thought I was going on a day trip with a team that would protect me from stronger monsters. I didn't think they'd attempt to kill me for the same armor that I deemed low ranked. The irony.

The first crystal crests reached me. I swung my sword in a flash, slicing them. Two birds bumped into each other, preventing them from dodging. Their carcasses popped into the stream and floated away.

Ding! [+10 EXP]

Ding! [+13 EXP]

Ding! [Daily Task Kill Three Monsters Completed.]

I didn't bother with the System messages; the rest of the crystal crests were attacking.

Two swerved around and aimed at my back. I flung my hand back, created a Bubble. The magic bomb appeared in my palm and grew ten inches in diameter. The lead bird monster wasn't fast enough to dodge and hit the Bubble. The magic bomb detonated with a flurry of light. The other bird got caught in the blast and flung into the water. The one still conscious slapped its wings against the water, but didn't have time to climb out before a swell rose up and dragged both under.

Ding! [+8 EXP]

Ding! [+13 EXP]

Levi lifted his head, thoroughly annoyed that his nap was disturbed.

*****