Day 2: Testing the Waters

It was cold and damp over the night, a major difference when compared to before. The fire was restarted but went out much sooner this time as he awoke with a cold and a deadly chatter in his teeth. Runny nose, freezing hands and feet, so this is what hell is like. Come now, try not to exaggerate here. You're a hunter, you've lived through worse.

Heck, you've trained for worse.

Something furry rubbed against his back, crawling over his chest and slithering to his neck. He swore he heard it hiss as its tongue flicked along his cheek, a deadly snake opening its jaws preparing for its next meal. It opened its jaws wide before moving in to swallow him whole!

"Hhn!"

He awoke with a cold sweat hearing several feet scrape up dirt, scattering away from him. Turning around, he brushed his face to feel nothing, feeling his heart thumping against his chest. Well, at least I'm still alive, cold as fuck but breathing. Sitting up, he squinted as something was moving against the wall of this little burrow he was in. The lack of light made everything pitch black, but he swore he felt a premonition of something watching him carefully.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, he felt the events were similar to when he was younger at age eight to be exact. Stuck in a damp place, something he would assume to be a crypt that lacked lighting. They had placed him in there at that age, drugged him so he could wake up lost with no clue where the exit would be. Often the majority of children would find a dead end and cry, with no one around to hear them weep. He called it a miracle that he discovered the hatch which led him to the light, a flawed test to train the human eye to adapt to the darkness in which monsters reigned.

The eyes were the first thing he saw clearly, glowing faintly before the details accompanied their figures. Two Nekomata's, seemingly in their youth, he would guess they would be no older than ten or so. They were watching him, and judging by one of their tails curling away from him, that explained the nightmare he had briefly. They squeaked before rushing out the hole in a hurry before he could talk or move.

"Hey! I'm telling your mothers if you pull this stunt again!" Emyri grumbled before crawling inside to see him awake. "Hmph, well you're up now so hop to it. Second day is just starting and we're losing daylight."

Second day, right this is his second day following his imprisonment.

"What are we doing today? So long as you don't hit me for doing what I'm told." He grumbled, coughing to clear his throat. Emyri crawled forward, pattening the dirt floor and picking out the ash from the small remains of the fire.

"We are doing whatever it takes to learn how to best survive, and I will hit you if I damn please. You look at me wrong, talk to me wrong, do anything out of line." She flexed her paws, extending her sharpened white claws while sticking her tongue at him. "Now, I think we had enough to deal with poison. We have a new trouble today. Follow me."

She scooted back outside with him slowly making his way to the light. Stretching with the free space around him, he began to notice the number of women staring at him once more. Only this time there was something a little off about them, they seemed less interested and more concerned if anything. Was it the apple incident that scared them?

"You see them right? What do you see?"

He blinked before scanning those numerous faces, this time neither of them seemed shy to turn away. "Uh... they're scared."

"They're young." She sighed, walking with a purpose and her eyes set forward. "We don't do to well moving around like this, we are... territorial. So food and water is always a struggle for us."

"Wait a minute, where are the moms at?"

"There it is, you noticed. In times of famine, mothers sacrifice what small meals they find to feed it to their young. Naturally you want the next generation to survive, I would like to think we are all like that. Monsters and others." He nearly tripped, rubbing his hands together to keep warm. "We found some food to manage until I was caught, you know the rest. And now, we are running out again. No more food, and several days without water. Some have gone as far as to chew on the ice."

They stopped at a certain den, surrounded by worrying daughters who parted away allowing them to crawl inside. Leone looked over at Emyri with a look of concern and worry. "Is this still training?"

She turned around and tilted her head for him to follow. Moving inside, he was met with Cyri and Zimi comforting one of the girls, petting their heads and whispering words of comfort to them. Some were sobbing quietly with covered faces, it made the hunter feel uncomfortable as he approached the Head Mother.

"Mother, are you busy?"

Cyri shook her head, letting the woman in her arms crawl away. "Not at all. Leone, yes?" He nods. "Well, I assume my daughter has explained to you what's going on?"

"She... I didn't see this problem the other day?"

"We keep the ill inside, they need rest and the last thing we need is to show our predators our vulnerability." Predators, I see.

"So, what do you want from me?"

Emyri stepped in front, facing him. "You and I are going on a trip. You're a hunter, so you should know how to survive outside on your own yes? We need food and water, and the nearest village is surely more alert than to fall for me a second time. Do you have any sources, maybe money to help us here?"

"Nowhere near enough for any of you. I took the contract because I was low on money."

She raised her eye. "I thought you people are loaded with funding."

"That's a fun idea, but no. We're paid, then we rely on said payment until we hear the call."

"So you're underpaid, that's neat." She muttered, turning back to her mother. "Maybe this was a bad idea, we shouldn't have asked him for this. He's worthless."

"Worthless?" He called out. "I am capable of handling myself, just not others."

"Which is precisely why you are worthless. We need help, Leone. Help to feed our family."

Cyri shook her head. "The days grow colder and our nourishment drops lower, we can't survive like this. Please hunter, is there anything you could do?"

Leone looked around, rubbing his arm nervously. "This isn't training, is it?"

"Look we can do training another day but this is far more urgent! Are you helping or not?" Emyri snapped, glaring at him. Despite her outburst, he could see from her breathing and the small glistening of sweat on her forehead that she was bothered. Not heat, she was... she was worried. She was uncertain, that look reminded him of when they first met, with her staring at the edge of his sword. A sword he has been lacking since.

With a heavy sigh, he glanced over her and into the Head Mother's eyes. "I will need some type of payment, just some food and clothing would suffice. This... thing you have me wearing does a poor job keeping me warm."

"Get us food and water and we will do our best to provide you the upmost comfort in your stay."

Leone nodded, turning around. "And hunter!"

Cyri smiled sweetly with Emyri looking back to her as well. "Thank you, and please keep my daughter safe."