"What's going on here?"
A clear, deep voice cut through the noise of the day as a tall, athletic man with long hair stepped from the forest line. Before Dragon or Arin could respond, Sparkles's jaw dropped. Her hands flew to her face as if to hide, but the sound escaped anyway. "It's Zain! The Hunters are back!"
At the same time, a huge, ancient horn, made from the tusk of an elephant monster, sounded a deep, resonating note that echoed through the entire forest and village. At the signal, the villagers poured from their homes, cheering and screaming their names, a celebration of the hunters and their latest successful hunt. Dragon's eyes grew wide, and a familiar feeling surged within him. His curly hair began to fizz with tiny sparks of light.
He pushed past Arin and Sparkles, a determined grin on his face. "Zain! Zaiiiiiiiiiinnnnn! I wanna join now! Let me join the Hunters! You always tell me I'm too young!"
Sparkles, uncharacteristically shy, pulled at his arm. "Dragon, don't bother Zain," she whispered, her voice barely a squeak. She turned to the hunter with a polite bow. "Excuse me, sir, could I please have an autograph?"
Arin, unlike his usual reserved self, watched the interaction with a troubled expression. He looked at Sparkles, then at the Hunters, and finally at the ground, as if a new, difficult feeling was stirring inside him.
Zain, a kind smile on his face, looked at Dragon. "In trouble again, aren't we?"
"No!" Dragon insisted, his eyes flashing. "It wasn't me! They were bullying Arin for no reason!"
"It's true!" Sparkles piped up, her shyness momentarily forgotten.
Zain's expression softened. He saw the fire in Dragon's eyes. "Well, if you want to join, you'll have to come to the hunting school and pass the exams. You're a good boy, now."
Dragon turned to Sparkles and Arin, his happy grin still wide. "You guys are coming too, right?"
"Of course I am!" Sparkles replied. "I wanna leave this village and discover what's out there. If it's by hunting with you, I'm up for it, and I'll get to see Zain and the Hunters there! Yay!"
Suddenly, Arin looked up, his eyes fixed on Zain. "I wanna join too," he said, his voice quiet but steady.
Dragon and Sparkles stared at him, their jaws dropping in unison. "Arin! You can talk?" they both said, completely in awe.
As the kids tried to process this new revelation, the rest of Zain's hunting party emerged from the trees. They were a bruised but proud group, and trailing behind them was their massive bounty. A pale-skinned woman with striking red hair and a purple cape came up behind Zain, her eyes softening as she saw the kids.
"It's Dragon again! So cute," she said with a warm smile, and then her gaze went to Sparkles and Arin. "And even little Arin!" She embraced all three of them in a warm, smothering hug. "I missed you so much, my cuties!"
"Stop bothering the kids, Maya," a massive man with skin like stone grumbled as he passed. Rammy looked at Arin and gave a small nod of recognition. "Boss, I'll be at the hall," he said, before dragging a huge monster carcass away with surprising ease.
Zain gave Sparkles her autograph and smiled. "I'll see you at the hunting school," he said before walking away.
Arin went back to being quiet, but his eyes were focused on Zain. He was happy for Sparkles and Dragon, but a troubled emotion lingered on his face.
"You bet I'll be there!" Dragon said with the happiest grin on his face.
Dragon burst through the door of his small home, his face beaming. "Granny! Granny! Zain finally said I can become a hunter!"
His grandmother, sitting by the crackling fire, smiled, her blind eyes crinkling at the corners. "See, my little thunder boy? I told you your day would come soon."
His mother, Sweetness, emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. She looked at Dragon with a soft, loving smile. "Congratulations, my Dragon. Now come, dinner's ready. It's going to get cold."
Just then, his father walked in, his shoulders weary from a day's work in the woods. Dragon's excitement surged anew. "Papa! Papa! Zain said I can be a hunter!" He repeated his news, his words tumbling over each other in his eagerness.
His father chuckled, his eyes filled with pride. He opened his arms as Dragon launched himself into them. "I always knew you had it in you, son. You'll be the finest hunter our village has ever seen!"
Sweetness and his grandmother watched the heartwarming scene with gentle smiles gracing their lips.
Arin walked into his home, the quiet of the small house enveloping him. His Grandpa was sitting in his usual chair by the window. To his surprise, his older brother, Rammy, was also there, his massive frame making the room feel even smaller.
Rammy grinned, a flash of white teeth against his earth-toned skin. "Well, look who it is. I see you made some friends today."
His Grandpa's head snapped up, his eyes wide with surprise. "Friends? Really, Arin? Who would've thought?" He murmured to himself, a hint of relief in his voice. "What a relief..." He knew Arin had been lonely since losing his parents and rarely saw his busy older brother.
Ignoring Rammy's comment, Arin looked at his Grandpa, a newfound determination in his quiet gaze. "Grandpa," he said, his voice a little louder than usual. "I wanna join the Hunters."
Both his Grandpa and Rammy stared at him, shocked. Rammy was the first to recover, a wide grin spreading across his face. "I thought you'd never ask, little bro."
His Grandpa, still processing, simply nodded slowly. "I guess... I guess it's that time."
Sparkles practically vibrated with excitement as she burst into her own home. "Mama! Papa! You won't believe what happened today!" She recounted the events of the day, her words tumbling out in a rush, and proudly held up the autograph. "And look! Zain signed my name!"
Her two younger sisters gasped, their eyes wide with disbelief. "You actually met Zain?"
Her parents, however, exchanged worried glances. "Sparkles, you know monster hunting is a dangerous job," her father said sternly. "Especially for a lady."
"Noooo! It's not fair! Look at Maya! She's amazing!" Sparkles retorted, her voice rising in frustration. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Her father looked at his wife, who gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. He sighed, looking back at his determined daughter. "Well," he conceded, "if you can get through the exams first... then we'll see about it."
At the same time, deep in his forest cave, Zeuss was startled by the sudden, deep bellow of the horn. He backed away, his fur on end. "Don't fret, Zeuss," his mother's tired voice said. "It's just the humans near us. This cave is hidden deep in danger; they won't dare come near. And if they do, I'll protect you, baby."
Zeuss calmed down and resumed his training. "It's about time you start going out and hunting for your own food," his mother said with a sick look in her eyes, silently hoping she had made him strong enough to survive this ruthless world.