Chapter 05: Bloodrange I

“To study is to train the individual mind, but the hunt is an exercise in teamwork. Here lies your chance to show Xifo’Jay how we’ve prepared in his absence.”

Dozens of heads nodded in agreement. Luna bounced on her feet in tempo, ready to hunt down Ganadi’s fiercest predators.

“Six beasts carry trophies for live extraction,” Yoza continued. He didn’t look quite so tall out there in front of the class, despite Jay’s badge still wreathing his chest. “Your squad must acquire at least three, but only a full set will attract the xifoclast’s attention. And he will hear if you bring harm to any beast, so take care.”

Zingiber would have made a fine quor for this type of play hunt if he weren’t a coward. Even the weather had accommodated them today, the bright morning sun failing to usher in Hayuwasi’s typical warm autumn afternoon. How many weeks would it take for this so-called nomad to adjust to a new home?

“As always, only submit your report together if you ended the hunt together, and document each squad member’s contributions accurately.”

This would already be her third submission as a beastless bester. Zingiber watched now from his perch in a maple tree that dominated the ranch’s central clearing. The branch bowed under his weight.

“Begin.”

Luna ignored the silver armadillo that drew her classmates towards the nearby sand pits. She took a beeline to the rear pond that hosted two of the simpler quors: the boulder crab and the dragonfisher. She could feel Zingiber’s eyes boring into her back; he would have to leave his position to keep watch.

She reached into her ridepack, feeling for Zingiber’s brush as she spotted the crab. Its granite carapace made for a poor camouflage against the shoreside green. She recoiled at the touch of a crude binding of paper, crushed at the bottom of the bag.

The report. Who would write her report?

As she looked back, most of the scholars of her class had already rushed to form groups, but a few stragglers remained alone. One was Jhun, his eyes locked on his notebook as he wandered through Ganadi’s open woods. His face twisted into a frown, his lips reciting some angry chant.

He was still a stranger, quiet and a bit odd. Luna liked that-- he wasn’t so bound in etiquette and such like his fellow Kyeri. And he was one of two huntresses who caught the decoy Komodo dragon dens, something even Kayin had missed.

Luna spotted Kayin's slight figure across the pond, watching and writing as an unseen partner crept about a patch of prairie in search of a hidden bounty. Clearly the Ibasi mystic wasn’t available now, but perhaps co-author Jhun would serve.

Luna strode towards and past him; a quick glance confirmed that Jhun had overprepared for this practicum. No single quor short of a dragon demanded the pages of notes he’d filled with ink.

Here lay a chance for the two rookies to serve each other.

“Edenday, Jhun?” She asked, as friendly as she could muster.

“Indeed,” He responded. “And you?”

“Of course,” she completed. “Should we work together? If you never set that down, I don’t know how you’ll get your trophies.”

“Aiya,” Jhun said, after a jolt. “I know. But I’m used to tapirs and housecats-- sometimes a bird. I’m no good to handle that.” He pointed at the giant boulder crab, a meter and a half in height, feasting with two claws on the remains of some woodland creature.

“Haven’t you studied it?” Luna asked.

“Of course.”

“Then? You could handle this crab yourself!”

Jhun shook his head, loosing a dark tangle of hair over his eyes. He cleared his face with an impatient hand.

“I don’t see how to get close, not safely.”

Luna laughed, only stopping at Jhun’s bemusement. She remembered now. “Last week, the swarm of coconut crabs. . .”

Jhun grunted.

“They only chased you because you startled them.”

“So you all keep telling me.”

“As we should!” Luna insisted. “And the same goes for this one.”

She stopped herself from knocking the twisted skepticism off her new friend’s face. It was too early for that.

“What does your report say of her demeanor?”

“Her, specifically?” Jhun asked.

She waited.

“. . . Docile,” Jhun relented, after a long study of his mental notes.

“Yes.”

“Tons of pressure in each claw, as well!”

Luna strode towards the crab with her hands out, her wiry ox-hair brush in hand. The crab sensed her approach from meters away, its antennae twisting towards her as it circled its meal. One claw continued to ferry food from the carcass to the crab’s mouth, tucked away somewhere within her underbelly, but the left hung in the air, clearly awaiting Luna.

Easy now.

The left claw extended and closed around Luna’s waist as soon as she entered its reach, but the young bloodranger kept her eyes on the crab’s other claw, which continued to feed on the deer remains. There was just enough slack in the vise around her ribs to keep walking, one gentle step at a time.

With each step, the claw closed in, and with each breath, her chest compressed again. Soon, Luna was left gasping for air, arms stretched out to reach the boulder crab’s slimy shell.

Even as black spots began to blot her vision, Luna felt her quor shift before her. She jammed one arm through an opening in the crab’s guard. She jerked back, scratching against the crab’s underbelly as hard as she could.

The claw loosened; a fresh sore breath rushed into Luna’s lungs. All of her weight was on her feet again. She could focus only on brushing her new friend with one hand as she collapsed forward. Entranced by the rough scratching, the crab paid no further mind to Luna.

She took a second. The claw that held her shielded the eggsack from view, and it wouldn’t budge. And Zingiber wasn’t here to help with the extraction. She would have to do it herself.

Luna leaned over to get a better angle-- the eggsack slung a half-meter below the crab’s underbelly, just a quarter-meter beyond her outstretched hand. She heard Jhun yell from behind her, but she leaned harder and farther, until she just barely snatched an egg from the sack, pulling it free with a sickening pop.

Her rib stabbed into her side as she pulled back. She sighed, wincing again on the exhale. She tried a few more times to will the pain away from her chest, her left hand still idly placating the crab. It was done-- she needed rest-- no amount of breathing and brushing would mend her.

The exit was much easier than the approach-- the crab seemed to hardly notice Luna, even as the ranger gingerly climbed out from her grip. The crab would stay tranquil for a few precious seconds more.

“I don’t believe it,” Jhun said. “Did you use your auramancy to communicate?”

“No. I can’t empath with just any animal,” Luna said. She squinted. “And look, you have it in your notes-- brushing the underbelly effects a loosening of the closer muscle within its claws.”

The words didn’t quite hang in the air. Jhun grunted in response as they admired the crystalline orange orb in Luna’s hand.

Luna suppressed a chuckle that exploded out into a sternum-shattering cough.

“Ow.”

Jhun raised an eyebrow at her. “If I’d known the plan. . .”

Luna shrugged, waiting for her breath to stabilize again. The pain had thrown its tantrum. “We’re used to moving fast.”

Jhun searched a while for his next question.

“All right, captain. Where to next?”

Captain. That word caught Luna off guard, though she’d led plenty of missions in the new zyuga: pathfinding for caravans, outriding during hard winters, surveying the shifting sands of the south.

“Tell me about the pseudodragon,” Luna said. She watched the scaly raptor leisurely swim. It reminded Luna of a lake fowl in the water, though she knew it could fly with the grace and speed of a moonpath hummingbird-- she’d seen it herself just the day before.

“It’s impossibly skittish. We’ll need to wait until it approaches us. We can get its attention with food if it’s hungry, but even then, it won’t stick around-- it likes to eat on its island there.” He pointed to a mound of bones, nut shells, and trinkets that floated in the pond. Fifty meters away, a dozen students lined up along the lakeshore with shiny offerings, but their cries went ignored.

“The dragon’s hoard,” she said.

Jhun laughed nervously. “So is this a dragon after all? I thought the similarities were only in name.”

“They’re not related, I think.” But as Kanchana had told her earlier that morning, the name was enough to fill Tyran's head with lofty ambitions, especially after years of hearing the feats of mighty dragons.

“He likes. . .” Luna couldn’t remember. She began to strip off her moccasins to wade into the water, but Jhun grabbed her arm, just firmly enough to stop her.

“Wait. Just a minute, please.”

Taken aback, Luna obeyed. She could wait.

Satisfied Luna wouldn’t bolt only once she sat herself cross-legged on the grass, Jhun studied Tyran through a set of worn copper bifocals, scanning for some distant secret.

“What do you seek?” Luna asked.

“There has to be something he wants from us.”

“Gold?” She suggested. Dayo had already lost one bracelet, a childhood gift from Kayin, to Tyran’s sly claws. Her eyes settled on Kayin now as the Ibasi celebrated with her partner-- Onawa, certainly, by her stocky silhouette, brown hair, and easy carriage. They had clearly caught something: The huntress hooted loudly enough for Luna to hear from across the pond, and Kayin’s brilliant smile flashed across the water.

“I don’t see much,” Jhun said. “You know what’s interesting?”

Luna inbreathed sharply, and envy stabbed her side with greater fury than her broken rib. Kayin’s head began to turn towards Luna, who swiveled back to Jhun.

She rose to her feet. “Silver, then? Dragons like silver.”

“Plenty of silver, yes, but not unusually so-- not among so many odd trinkets." Jhun paid no mind to how Luna had failed to answer his question. "I see dolls, tools, toys, even buttons.”

Trinkets. Luna turned the idea over in her head as she watched Kayin and Onawa read through a field guide together, undoubtedly planning their next hunt.

She watched Jhun, who’d reverted back to mumbling to himself. “If we’re talking about dragons hoarding trinkets. . .”,

He flipped through the pages of his field guide, settling quickly on a multi-page spread on dragons. One finger traced his visual scan down the wall of ink.

“Ah, I see. Not trinkets, but relics. Close enough to count, I think.”

His finger paused on the perfect sentence.

“‘As aethereal creatures, dragons are attracted to timebound relics-- items high in concentration of jvgwah power.’”

“Aiya, that must be exactly it!” The excitement in her voice resembled surprise closer than Luna intended. “So yoric heirlooms, then. That’s simple.”

Jhun blushed. “Do you think this pseudodragon is really mimicking that behavior?”

“Let’s see.” Luna grabbed a stuffee quail from her ridepack. Zingiber would have to steal this back from Tyran eventually. That would be a fine way for the barnmates to bond.

"Tyran, mighty lord!" Luna yelled, echoing Kanchana's mocking call from earlier. "An offering!"

She felt a deep growl, like rolling thunderclouds of black smoke leaning hard into her aura. Zingiber was not happy. She tuned away from their shared cordance. Good.

A light, pure aura pierced through as Luna shifted her qi, and for a moment, she paused on the cordance. Few entities radiated powerfully enough to register with an inattentive Luna-- the strength of her bond with Zingiber came half from blind luck and half from too much time spent together. But this new one felt like a spring in the desert, a moonwell in a city.

She couldn't dwell, though, for a pseudodragon had perched on her head. His claws dug sharply into her scalp, as gingerly as he handled them, and she lost the cordance. The mysterious fairy-like aura flitted away.

"Trade?" she asked, refocusing.

Tyran squealed in delight, sounding something like a cross between a red-tailed hawk and a puppy.

She reached up to offer the stuffee with one hand while the other pawed at the beast’s underbelly.

A warm hand grabbed her wrist.

"Wait," Jhun whispered. "Let me make the extraction."

She froze in surprise as Jhun grabbed at the pseudodragon's belly. Then, with a heavy push-off against Luna's head, Tyran flew off to return his trophy to his hoard.

"Edenday, Luna, did you get it?" Onawa called out from behind them. The Kyeri osa approached with Kayin, who lagged a half-step behind as she smoothed out one of her larger braids.

A firm squeeze from Jhun on her wrist gave Luna the confidence to shout, "Of course! Only two left for us!"

She wasn't sure which to be more concerned with-- the awe on Onawa's face or the utter skepticism in Kayin's eyes.

"You have four trophies already?" Onawa asked, befronting the pair.

"Four? By demon's hand, maybe," Luna said, smirking.

"Aiya, Luna, watch the tongue. You know the parrots will hear you."

Onawa’s expression made it clear she meant it-- she truly was an elder soul. Luna had seen Onawa around Ganadi many times since Zingiber first moved in. She had thought the osa was an ambitious student looking to win favor with Kanchana. But the truth was far more pleasant: She actually cared.

"So how did you do it?"

No greeting again? Luna surveyed Kayin before answering the mystic’s question. She had removed the silver tint from the kohl around her eyes. Under the Hayuwasi sun, the pitch black tattoos on her arms almost matched her chestnut skin. She watched Luna as intently as ever, searching or waiting for-- something.

"Why?" Luna asked. "Do you want to join together?"

"Join together?" Onawa asked in return. "We only wanted a piece of insight."

"I share with friends."

Onawa stared at Luna, and she stared back. After a few breaths, the older one shrugged, the intensity vanishing from her eyes.

"Aiya, you’re Ty’s friend, aren’t you?" Onawa asked. She wasn't much taller than Luna, but she made every extra cemmie count as she peered down through her tousled bangs. "We’ve won two bounties already: the armadillo stone and the wool. If the four of us combined our efforts, we only need two more to finish in time to avoid the rain."

“Two?” Luna repeated. So Onawa and Kayin sought to complete their set. And they had two of their own already!

"Don't be so surprised," Onawa laughed. "You're not the only quick ones here."

She shrugged again as she caught Kayin's eye. "Though the armadillo stone was mostly the work of Byron. Fine. The power of teamwork, aye?"

Jhun was halfway through a slow nod before Luna snagged his gaze. She didn’t disagree, but it wouldn’t be wise to move so quickly here.

"Wait," Onawa said. "Where is Zingiber? Ty said you were a duo."

Suddenly, Luna felt very alone, exposed in the oddest way.

"He’s on break," Luna said dismissively. "First, we must each be strong as one; then we may be strong together."

"Ancient words of wisdom, clearly," Onawa said, an easy smile breaking across her face. "All right, then. Two bounties each-- let us now be strong together for the final pair."

"Which leaves only the question of who presents to Xifo'Jay next week." Kayin added. "Jhun could join me, no?"

"Ah," Luna said, her neck hairs rising in protest.

“Is something the matter?” Kayin asked. "You two can present if you’d like."

“No, I leave that to you gladly. I just don't understand why we pursue all six trophies.”

She had thought these assignments meant nothing. For all the credit Jhun's discovery earned them, what did it win them?

All the essentials were free-- meals, fruit, cleansers, craft materials. Ty seemed to have plenty to trade for, though Luna wasn’t sure what. Maybe she could stock up on herb for Zingiber, since he insisted on following her around the basecamp.

Were they truly to spend time chasing a meaningless credit?

"Of course we would. What else have we to do?" Kayin asked, her lips twisted in indignation.

Go to bed and rest.

"As you say, miss." Luna said. "But the storm will be here soon."

The others followed her gaze into the sky, where beyond a flock of circling birds, heavy rainclouds slowly rolled in towards Sudalijhe’Yi. And even with her aura tucked away, Luna could feel the deep rumble of Zingiber’s anger washing in from behind.

"All the more reason to hurry," Onawa said.

Kayin asked, "How should we make our approach?”

The question was posed to Jhun, but he made no attempt to answer, only looking to Luna, just as Onawa did. Luna's ears burned-- with urgency, with annoyance, with some self-consciousness.

“Let’s head on over, first. Once we see her up close, one of us”--she eyed Jhun pointedly-- “might have an idea.”

Kayin turned to walk away.

"Okay."

"The storm might be good for us,” Onawa said. “With any luck, we'll be the only squad to make the all-kill." She jogged forward to stride alongside Kayin, whose quickness caught Luna by surprise.

She looked back to Jhun, who was already nose deep in a field guide as he trailed meters behind. With a scoff, Luna grabbed his hand-- not the one holding the book, she took care-- and dragged him forward.

Jhun grunted, maybe in thanks.

Luna looked up to catch Kayin’s eye as they powered forward, and she tensed again, feeling too much like she was on a real hunt. But she was used to looking down, approaching fast, and striking through defenses. Walking on her own two feet now, Luna would have to go back to the basics.

She swallowed and pressed on, pulling Jhun through between Onawa and Kayin.

There was no time to waste. If Onawa and Kayin wanted the all-kill, then Luna would deliver the all-kill. And then they would rest.