Monster Hunted! Chapter 1 - Arrow

Monster Hunted!
Chapter 1 – Arrow

The village of Arrow lies as the eastern-most of all the guild outposts. By land and barge, it takes a full fortnight to reach Arrow unabated from the Guild Hall. Built upon the mouth of the Yumi Narrows, Arrow hangs suspended by wyvern tendon and jungle vine roughly two hundred and forty-five meters above sea level from its highest turret to the sea itself at the Umi-awa docks. Stilted from the harsh rocks of the Yumi cliff face by monster bone and bamboo, an intricate weave of ladders, ramps, and zip lines interconnect Arrow's thatch roof canopies and platforms.

Beautiful, tropical islands halo the twin Yumi islands. Over the years, no less than a score of small satellite colonies have spread the village throughout the islands like the roots of a seedling in fresh soil; each hamlet branching out over its respective isle with various tribes and farming communities. Their constant harvests of honey, bamboo, herbs, and assorted insects keep Arrow well known within the guild, but the true gem of Arrow lies in her bowyers, fletchers, and marksmen hunters...

West of the market, atop of a watchtower, sat the hunter Kurocyn. "When does your watch end?" he asked.

No answer...

"Hey Pegon," swiveling onto his stomach and quickly leaning over the edge of the roof, "when does your watch end?"

Inside the tower stood another hunter, leaning out the opposite window, "I've still got another hour or two. Why?"

"I've got a hunting party leaving tonight. Was wondering if you wanted to come."

"I know. What's the target? More Kut-Ku? From what I hear, their breeding was getting out of hand..."

"A Shogun attacked the last barge that left this morning."

"A Ceanataur," His head snapped to the side, "this close to Arrow?"

"Yeah, scuttled the ship just off of the western sand bar." Kurocyn swung himself back on top of the turret, "The passengers escaped to the island and were recovered safely, but the cargo is the objective and it's still in the ship..."

The final hours of daylight were choked from the sky by looming thunderheads, highlighted with a distant lightning storm. All at once, the winds seemed to hold their breath and a blanket of rain struck the sea. The thin rain fell steadily, hazing everything in a soft blue accented by the waxing moon's glow...

Kurocyn stood alone near the docks, above him hung an open Cephalos wing, fully extended to shield him from the rain. A low table lay before him covered in various bottles, scrolls, and baskets lit by a single lantern. His hands passed slowly over each item; taking up a large flask, he swirled the deep purple contents in front of the lantern's light when a quick tug on his pant leg caught his attention.

"Ship is loaded and the crew's ready, Nya." The dark furred Felyne at his side, Quiver, has been working with Kurocyn since his first hunt.

"Arigato." He replied with a quick nod. "I'll only be another moment."

Returning his attention to the flask in hand, he carefully wrenched the cork free and withdrew a vial from his chest plate. With the vial filled, he then sealed the vial with a wax signet, returned the vial to its slot, and fetched a fresh vial. The flask now empty, he took up the scrolls set off to the side, unrolling each of them and glancing over the script before securing them into the satchel at his back. Finished with his inventory, Kurocyn snuffed the lantern and headed for the ship...