You sit in the wooden cart, bumping along the sandy trails. The path gets more worn as the cart continues forward, eventually turning into nothing more than a faint semblance of track. You look at the note in your hand, an official request by the guild itself. You get bored by the beautiful sight of sand, and instead decide to reread the note.

Congratulations hunter. IF you're reading this, you've been selected along with three other hunters to do a few small hunting tasks for a village in the desert. we've also commissioned you palicoes, for your assistance. Whether you choose to use them or not is up to you. Last but not least, please be careful to not upset the chief of the village. She is an honored retired hunter, well beyond your years in both age and experience. Farewell, and good luck.

While reading your note, the felyne driving the Aptonoth speaks up.

"Man you bunch sure are silent. Lighten up a little bit. It isn't like we're in danger."

The path grew rougher and rougher, the cart bumping up and down along the path, shaking all the hunters on board. The ride had been relatively boring so far. Nothing much had happened. The most that could be seen were some Bnahabra flying slowly towards the cart. The hunters had their faces down, preferring not to look at each other or the driver.

"Hmmmph. No responses. You lot are going to be fun." The cat sarcastically remarked, Betting they would quit within a week or two. He looked to his sides, and leapt out of his seat. "Ahhhhhh! We're in trouble right meow! There.... there's... there's Jaggis! A whole bunch of them! Help hunters!"

The Aptonoth reared up and let out a noise, trying to avoid the teeth of the small carnivores.

Collie sat in the cart alongside several other presumed hunters, shifting uncomfortably on the wood. She was far from unaccustomed to loafing around in carts, but something about it made her shift her weight around in hopes of suddenly getting more comfortable. She never did manage to do so but after she attempted to for a while, the driver of the cart spoke up in the feline voice you’d expect from a felyne. The driver complained about the lack of conversation from the group, and Collie found herself nodding in agreement. But soon they all just went back to bumping along and getting jostled by the terrain.

The girl leaned back against the side of the cart, tilting her head back far enough so that she could stare at the sky. It seemed peaceful enough, with a couple of unidentifiable animals flying what looked to be just below the clouds themselves. She had to shield her eyes with her hand to continue looking up at the only ocean of blue they’ll find in the desert, and she found her hand lowering as her eyelids did.

The jolt and exclaim from the felyne awoke her. She didn’t catch the first part in her sleepy daze, but she did her the second part. It took her a brief moment to register what was truly happening; jaggis happening, hunters should make them not happen. She is hunter. And so, with that eloquent train of thought, Collie leapt up from her seat and tossed herself off the side of the cart, tumbling ungracefully once she hit the ground. She popped back to her feet immediately, and upon seeing the jaggis hopping around near the aptonoth leading the cart, slid the shoddy sword from its equally as second-rate sheath and approached the relatively small monsters from behind her shield.

“Commere," she shouted as she took a wide swing at the closest jaggi. “Aren't you just brutal lil' things! I’ve seen veggies with a prettier mug than yers!"

A roasting pit was what made the cart. Sun blaring is light above made them feel like meat on a stick ready like some well-done steak. He figured it'd be good to pass the uncomfortable, bumpy and quiet ride with a doze of slumber for the meeting to come. Can't fall asleep in front of some Elder now! The rattling and bumping of the cart pushed Ken flat on to the floor still asleep whilst the others attempted to keep their rears comfortable with the hard timber seats. He snored. It could be heard from quite the distance.

The lazy slumberer was rudely awakened by the sound of a felyne shouting for help. Something about hunters. Was it? The Aptonoth cried, letting out its defensive roar which acted like a rooster's cocking to Ken's ears as his eyes was blinded by the sun's light. A familiar hissing and wailing woozed the sleepyhead. His vision slightly blurry in front of him and he scouted about... Senses coming together in a blink of an eye. "Oh dang it! Jaggis about!" He saw that one other Hunter is already on her feet, dealing with one part of the Jaggis. The young man took up arms... The mechanical sword in one hand and the sharp shield on the other and leap forth from the cart to another part of the cart with swords swingin'.

"These Jaggers don't come alone do they?" He commented idly and dove nose-deep into a small pack of them. "Kill them quickly and clean in a jiffy! Here I go!" A sluggish start for young Ken. He took the sword and charged forward in a sweeping motion to clear the Jaggis away from the Aptonoth before hitting the flat side of the blade against the shield. "Come on now you lil' maggots. Come to papa!"

Archus | On the Road

Jaggi, small fry, a shame the king wasn't here. It would have been a decent challenge for a beginner like himself, but such an undertaking so early would have been a fun experience. As the other hunters clambered out in a semi-rush to fight the Jaggi, the man Archus himself stepped out in fashion.

"Fear not fellows, for I shall clear the way!" he announced loudly as he drew his switch axe from his back, walking forward in dramatic style. He looked around for the moment, and noticed they already had two shields on the front.

"Stand back hardy shieldsmen, I shall lead the offensive. Keep our felyne friend and his beast safe!", without confirmation, and clearly wrapped up in his own thing, he charged forward and swung quickly at the nearest Jaggi, his follow-up to that was well executed, sending it flying back as the pack reorganized itself, and Archus prepared to respond.

| Riyon

It was a boring ride to say. Riding in a wooden cart in which the more they went on, the less they end up seeing. Eventually it turned to nothing but sand. With the sun coming down, it was just greatest of days. Throughout the ride there was nothing but silence, with everyone keeping to themselves. The Felyne tried to livin' things up and start a conversation but there was no response from Riyon. She just wasn't interested in talking to them. There just wasn't any point. She didn't go along with this for the sake of getting all chummy with others.
Not like she has a problem with people or anything.

Just when her boredom was becoming unbearable, something quite fortunate happened. Jaggis, and a bunch of them, decided to attack them. Well, some wouldn't see this as good, especially if you consider the number of them and how 'fresh' the group of hunters are but Riyon was excited. It wasn't arrogance, she didn't think she could take them all down but she was purely excited to finally fight after all this waiting. It was situations like this that she decided to go along with this. "Heh" She said with a twisted grin as she removed her twin blades from their sheaths. "Finally, Finally I get to cut something up." Riyon began calmy before getting darker as she ran her tongue along one of her blades. Her usual calm demeanor gave way as her Bloodlust took over completely.

Taking a deep breath, she took her stance. With the others having marked their prey, she decided to go after the Jaggis that were cleared away from the cart. Her weapons might lack the punch as the others do and made her incapable of blocking, but that didn't matter because It granted her high attacking speed. She just has to make sure she takes the lot of them down before shes done. As long as she manages to kill a good amount, it's fine. Charging in with a forward lunge, followed by a diagonal slash and a roundhouse slash before rolling away to distance herself from the herd before preparing for another attack.

As Collie defensively slashed at the jaggi, the others had sprung into action like her, but with a significant amount of elegance than her. One of the guys had taken up to attacking like she was and they maintained pressure on the small beasts until another guy had started shouting above the clamor. “Stand back hardy shieldsmen, I shall lead the offensive. Keep our felyne friend and his beast safe!” The man had announced, almost immediately rushing forth without giving time for Collie and the other guy to properly get out of the way. Collie ducked back just in case, and watched as the weapon of the man’s slammed into a jaggi and disorientating the enemies.

Collie rolled her eyes at the guy, as he clearly seemed to be enjoying himself far more than he should. Though, she forget her distaste for him when she noticed one of the jaggis had sneaked up from behind them and was just about to pounce at the aptonoth’s hind. Collie slammed her shield into it’s head just as it launched itself forward and it was sent tumbling backwards. She swung her sword overhead and into its midsection. She waited for a few seconds just to make sure it wasn’t going to get back up, and then turned back around to check out what else was happening. The other hunters seemed to be doing well for themselves, and another one or two hunters had gotten out of their bored stupor and into the fray. The jaggis seemed to stand no chance if they all worked together like this, and the felyne was as good as safe.

She found herself standing next to a girl cloaked in black, holding dual blades. Collie flashed the girl a thumbs up as she reared back to prepare for another flurry of attacks. “Go get ‘em!” She simply said to her, before returning to repelling another jaggi. The numbers of the beasts seemed to be thinning out well. It seemed to be going well enough, for what it was.

The chief sat on the hill, watching the four hunters fight against the Jaggis. Behind her laid the body of one of the two Great Jaggis, the other one run off. She remarked on the hunters forms, deciding that some of them might need to be fixed. Her arm rested on her leg, and her reg rested on her Zinogre. The Zinogre huffed and whimpered, wanting a bite of the Jaggis. The chief sat and waited until the Great Jaggi would inevitably came back to prey on the hunters. She sat and waited more. A minute went by. Looking out there was still no Great Jaggi to be seen. That's odd. she thought, It should be around by now.. As if on cue, a body dropped out of the sky. On the ground, crushing several Jaggis, was the corpse of the Great Jaggi. Its eyes had been scratched out and chunks of flesh gouged from its body. The hunters all stared at the body, wondering where it could've come from. A sonic sound boomed out of the sky and a fierce monster. The Chief knew it was time to spring into action. She realized the monster by it's scars. It had its beak cracked and its ears shredded. It's left wing was torn and it was missing one eye. She had been battling it for weeks, chasing it down and wounding it. But the Garuga had been learning her tactics as well, dodging all the blows and strikes. SHe spurred her Zinogre and dashed into the scene. Leaping off of the wolf, she landed on top of the Garuga and pulled out her carving knife. She hung on using her legs and started stabbing. While hanging on, she yelled towards the hunters.

Run! Get out of here! The Village is down that road! Zin! Help them out!" She hung on and finally toppled the monster and drew her greatsword, preparing for a fight.



The chief huffed and puffed, dragging the Garuga's tail towards town. Her one arm was sore from the long fight. In the middle of the village was the group of hunters, waiting patiently for her. The chief threw down the tail in a fit of rage. She had let the monster escape. SHe looked up to the group and took a head count. "1.2.3.4...5? Hold on. You. Pretty boy with the sword and shield. Let me see your guild note." She read through the note and made note of all the info. "Dammit. They screwed up again. I don't need five hunters. I need four. Uggggh. Wait. Wait hold on. I can use this. One of you, volunteer to help me gather up stuff for your first quest while the rest of you set up." The chief put her arm on her hip and waited for one of them to speak up, while the smith drug the Garuga tail away.

With a hardy swing of his sword, he repelled the preying Jaggis with swift brutal strikes one by one almost a though he was a predator itself. The Aptonoth behind it stood secured despite of its wails. Blood that splattered along the sword and floor was quickly interrupted by the rough thud in the sands that kicked a cloud, blurring the hunters' vision as a Great Jaggi laid wasted and gored. It took down several of the whelps on its way but a voice caught their attention. "Run! Get out of here! The village is down that road! Zin! Help them out!" Ken looked bewildered and matter-of-factly as he saw the fanged wyvern and its rider mounting a bird-wyvern, hacking away at its spine with the hunter's dagger. The bird cocked itself ravageously and screeched. It attempted to topple the female hunter. From here, Ken saw that the woman only had one arm and so far she managed better to stay unbucked from the bird wyvern's struggle. The bird-wyvern gave in and the lady was thrown towards their direction with her greatsword brandished with a single-hand.

"Such strength." He pondered, almost in disbelief especially due to the fact that she was a woman. Regardless the bird-wyvern was not yet complete in its game as it rose back up from its toppled state, roaring in anticipation for the fight that was to happen. Ken's hindsight was to escape, as it reminded him of the his own first mission that nearly got him killed. The scars felt like it scorched as he stood between the bird-wyvern and the one-armed hunter. His legs spurred towards the direction of the town, almost without question. Whether or not the others would be killed did not matter to him. The past had scarred him, he can't trust other hunters. Then again, why is he running towards the way that lady had told them? As the shield and sword sheathed itself on Ken's back he continued to make haste for the town down the path until he finally reached its entrance. He spent the next hour gathering himself and visited the local Open-Air kitchen for a bite to eat.

----The Next Hour----

Ken had found himself to be buy-curious along the many stalls that the town could provide. Masts were up high in the air providing comfortable shade from the merciless roasting rays of the sun. There were many interesting trinkets and oddities, but none would compare the greatest jewelry crafted from legendary beasts in books. He glamoured on them and even curiously asked for their prices. The constant shock at how expensive they were jolted him back to reality as quick as the people's turning gaze as they looked out to the entrance a sweat-covered lady holding a severed tail with a familiar greatsword on her back. Seems like she was exhausted from that fight... And living. it didn't take her long to reach the town's centre with a fit of rage as the tail laid in the sandy-bricked floor. His focus on the tail blurred his ears as the lady made count of their numbers. "... Let me see your guild note."

Ken's head shot up, gazing directly at the lady. "And who might you be?" He reached his hand among his coat pockets and produced the guild note. With the same hand he handed-- Welp, she practically snatched it off his hands. "Whoah there easy. Some elderly chief is gonna look at that note. She'll be pissed to see that note in pieces." He stood by, watching the woman gather herself whilst becoming anxious of the state of that note. She really was into that. He'd no idea why but he needs it back pronto.

"Dammit. They screwed up again. I don't need five hunters. I need four." She groaned, it seemed as though that had set Ken's humour in motion as a snicker left his lips. "Wait, hold on. I can use this." Just what the hell is she on about? Ken placed his hands on his hips almost defying like. It felt as if she was all of sudden telling them around and bossing them to do chores that she felt suit. "One of you, volunteer to help me gather up stuff for your first quest while the rest of you set up." The woman followed a similar gesture to Ken's but he immediately interrupted her.

"I'm sorry? We're here expecting a chief, not a yapping woman telling and bossing because you got us out of danger. Just who the hell are you? I know you got your concerns but we've best be on our way as to not keep the chief waitin'." He gestured his hands tauntingly as he spoke, but soon was thrown into a deep surprise as the woman revealed herself to be the chief of the village. His immediate change of attitude could be seen by his immediate submission for the chief's request. "I'll go do it, chief! If it's a solo mission you'd best have me at the job!"

Archus | On the Road

"A... A Zinogre... HOLY FUCKNUTS THAT'S AWESOME!", A Zinogre, seeing one in the flesh was definitely a different experience to seeing one in a book. Big man was grinning ear to ear as the newly appeared Zinogre ripped apart a Great Jaggi. Alongside the Zinogre was a lady, one-armed and mean-looking as hell, and it appears she is the one who... Tamed a Zinogre? He wasn't sure whether to be impressed, or afraid. He's heard of hunters taking down such marks single-handedly, but not taming them... Single... Handedly... Heh. In any case, the events transpired just as quickly as it excited him, and soon they were at the village.

Archus | Village

The village was... Well, it was a desert village, this was going to be rough, hunting nearby. They should have an ample supply of Cool Drinks right? In any case, it looks like one of them weren't meant to be here. Secretly he hoped it was him, so that he would be relocated to a cooler place, maybe up in the forests, by the sea... Or even a tropical island... In any case, he was here now with a bunch of others. The boy with the charge blade immediately volunteered to go grab supplies while the other four prepared for their first... Hunt, so says the lady, who is now identified as chief. He wasn't sure if he should speak now, things were still being decided and someone was volunteering, so he felt no need to say anything just yet.

| Riyon
| Battle Of The Cart

As she put down another couple Jaggi, she backed off and looked into the distance as something came towards them. A Zinogre...It was actually a Zinogre... "First time I've ever seen one..." she said quietly as she looked on, amazed but what she has seen. Not only did a Great Jaggi corpse dropped from the sky, but to see a Zinogre and someone ontop of it, a one-armed woman noless. And She....she tamed it?! It's rare for a hunter to take down a monster of such a level with east but for a woman with one arm? And to tame it?! It's un-heard of to say the least.

"She must be....'her'..." she muttered to herself. Yes, 'Her', A hunter, who is spoken of in even the far off places, that was rumored to have unheard of power and skill and wields a Greatsword with only one arm and that she only has one arm. So she exists....and a woman to boot. "Heh" But as another great beast arrived, she moved in, preparing for battle as she warned the others to run. As she was lead off by one of her cohorts, she could only admire such strength. Interesting...

---

| Tik Tik Village

As they waited in the middle of the village, they could see the woman huffing and puffing towards them with a huge tail in tow. Given that there was only a tail, she surmised that the creature must've been too big to be dragged back, she only had one arm after all, or that the creature wasn't dead and she only managed to get the tail. Likely the latter because she looked quite pissed. "I pity whoever is dumb enough to anger her." Shuddering at the thought, the woman dropped the tail and started a head count.

Apparently, according to her, there was only supposed to be 4 hunters coming to the village. With how she mentioned that and the note, she has to be the Chief. She wasn't all too pleased about it but then asked for a volunteer to help her gather supplies for their 'first hunt' while the others set up. She didn't want to volunteer but she didn't need to worry there as a moron did so for them. She shook her head and palmed her face at the sight. "What an idiot..." she muttered to herself at the guys display. Speaking of idiots, it looks like it didn't take long for this to take to happen. Even though he immediately changed his attitude, the damage was done. Not a smart career for him.

"May he rest in peace." she said as she imitated the body cross those priests do.

More like in pieces, she laughed to herself

The Chief sighed to herself when the kid piped up. He was really asking for punishment, but she let her anger die down before lashing out on him. She had to remind herself that these hunters were still only kids compared to her. They had none of the experience or troubles she had faced. They were still fresh faced and ready to fight anything. The comment about her yapping was still going to be rectified however. He would pay for that little rude comment.

"Come on then pretty boy." She motioned for him to follow the road down to the deserts, "We have things to collect."



The heat beat down on the two hunters. They reached the base camp set out for expeditions for the forays into the desert. Out of her pouch, she pulled a cool drink and flung it towards the young hunter.

"Here. Drink this. It'll beat the heat away when we're gathering up materials. Of course, if you want to tough it out i'll take that drink back right now."

Upon finishing her sentence, The Chief flung her white garments aside, letting the cape and wrap drift to the ground near the tent. She stood proud in her armor, ready to fight any monsters that might've got in their way. Although she was minus the helm and an arm piece. She strapped the Greatsword to her back and started into the dunes. She waved to the other hunter and talked to him again by asking his name.

“Yawn” The hooded Tobus let woke up as the cart he was sleeping in stopped. Groggy on awakening the young man first thought the cart stopping meant it had reached its destination but upon looking around he noticed that wasn’t the case due to the fact he could see the others who were in the same cart fighting off Jaggis. Realising he was late to the action Tobus immediately pulled out his light bowgun and loaded it, while staying out of the way he aimed at Jaggis that weren’t too close to the others. He probably wasnt even noticed by the monsters who were too focused on the front force.

After a bit a giant Jaggi corpse fell from the sky with a fierce monster that was clearly too much to handle coming down after it, and if things weren't crazy enough a one armed woman suddenly appeared on a Zinogre with the intention of fending off the monster and saving the group. when Tobus was told to run with the others he was more than happy to, don’t bite off more than you can chew was one of the basic rules he had learned.

-in the village-
Tobus let out a sigh of relief as the tension left his body and he relaxed into his carefree self while waiting with the others. Tobus thought of the woman that had saved them, she seemed to have overwhelming strength and the obvious look of experience which became clear when she appeared dragging the monsters tail.
For the next few moments Tobus stayed silent while rocking on his feet listening to the conversation going on in front of him.
When it was clear he wouldn’t be dragged into anything against his will anymore Tobus let out a chuckle.

“what an idiot, could he be one of those thick heads i’ve heard romours about? you know the type that can’t read situations and see things like difference in experience and strength?” Tobus asked to nobody in particular as he resisted breaking out in laughter from the obnoxious behaviour suddenly changing to obedience.

after the chief left with the idiot ‘pretty boy’ Tobus turned to the others.
“sup guys, the names Tobus and I’m guessing we’re all here for the same thing so lets all get along” He introduced himself to the group before throwing on a cheesy smile.