Chapters They say in Equestria there are creatures that willingly hunt monsters for sport. These creatures are called 'Humans' and they are what keeps Ponies safe.
"Hunter!" A southern voice yelled out towards a human.
This human was 7'0, wore a brown fur around his waist, a manitcore head was at top of his, and on his feet he had moccasin boots made from the same manitcore skin.
"Yes Granny Smith?" The Hunter asked.
"Please come in side I've got an appel pie going, and I just know y'all will love it"
The hunter smiled and nodded, before walking into the Apple home.
"Thank you, Granny smith"
The man ate a slice of the pie and smiled while talking to the elder.
"So you got all those timber wolves?"
The hunter looked at the elder pony and smiled.
"Yeah and I put some wolf bane around the land so there shouldn't be any trouble for a few weeks" the Hunter explained.
"Well then why don't y'all show me and the lovers where the barrier is?" Granny smith asked.
"Sure...I'll wait here for you to get them"
The hunter, ate his slice of pie with a happy smile.
"Hunter" the hunter looked behind him with a fork in his mouth.
"Ah Bright Mac!" The Hunter stood up and took the fork out. He walked over towards the Earth pony and shook his hand.The Hunter stood taller than the Earth Pony.
"Hunter, I hope I'm not bothering you but...I need help" Bright Mac held a piece of wood.
"A Large Timber Wolf was around here last night, and it was the size of a tree"
The hunter looked at the wood and grabbed it from the smaller being. He inspected it taking note of any marking.
"Hmmm...well I can tell you that this came off of a Iron Wood Wolf, I can take care of it, but you're gonna need to stay here" The hunter pocketed the wood and walked out side, "Taçhi!" He yelled.
Foot steps followed, they belonged to a younger human.
The young Human wore almost the same cloth except he had a dark skin jacket made from a bear.
"Yes sir!" The younger human asked, standing with a chrome tipped spear.
"We're hunting a Iron Timber Wolf!" The Hunter said.
"Sir! If I may a Iron Timber wolf is immune to most of our weapons"
The hunter raised and eyebrow. The younger one sighed and pulled out a bottle with a flame, "we use a Permanente Flame" Taçhi said giving said flame to the older Hunter.
"Now what next?" The Hunter asked.
Taçhi opened the top and put a drop on his spear. The tip light on fire and he immediately closed the bottle. He gave the spear to the older Hunter.
The Hunter took the spear and spoke to Taçhi, "good stay here and keep them safe"
Taçhi nodded and leaned against the house and waited.
"Umm...do you want to come inside?" Asked Bright Mac.
"No sir" Taçhi said looking down at the ground.
"Um...do you want some-"
"Oooooooooooooo!"
Bright Mac's ear went down.
"Inside, I'll deal with it" Taçhi said before pulling a Iron axe out from his pouch.
Bright Mac got inside and walked around, "wait!" He ran out and started to panic, "Apple Jack and Apple Butter!"
"...dam it! Stay here I'll be back!" Taçhi said before walking off towards the orchard.
*thunk!*
A orange colored pony kicked an apple tree knocking all the apples off of the branches.
"Okay Apple Jack that's enough" Apple Butter said to her daughter.
Apple Jack nodded and sighed as she looked at her work; She was proud and smiled before picking up one of the barrels and walked over to her light green colored mother.
"Yes ma!" She said smiling with a wide grin.
"You need to get back to the house!"
Apple Jacke looked towards the voice and saw Taçhi running towards them.
"Hello, Taçhi!" Apple Jack said happy.
Taçhi had a worried look on his face and spoke immediately, "You two need to get back to the house, there's a big Timber wolf coming towards us, drop your apples and run now!"
"OOOOOOOOOOO!"
The howle was again heard and Taçhi walked pass the two. A large wolf made of wood, entered the orchard and looked at the two Ponies with hungry eyes.
"Hey ugly!" Taçhi yelled, "you want them you gotta get past me!" He yelled lifting up his axe.
The wolf snarled and growled at him, smiling Taçhi grabbed his jacket and pulled it off. He held the axe with both his hands and prepared for the hunt.
Apple Jack looked on with amazement and fear, on the back of Taçhi she the head of a Wyvern was tattooed on his back, "I hunted down a Wyvern, you are but a simple rabbit to me!" Taçhi yelled out towards the wolf, "now let the hunt begin!" Taçhi yelled before he charged towards the Timber Wolf.
Taçhi brought back his axe when he was close to the wolf, he swung both his arms down and the Axe cut into the head if the Wooden Wolf, said wolf cried out in pain as it's face had caught the blade of the Axe, "Come on, I want a hunt, not slaughter!" Taçhi yelled out.
As if to acknowledge him, the Wolf shook it's head and the axe flew out of it's face. Taçhi smiled with glee and put one of his hands behind his back before grabbing a large knife out and stabbing it into the head of the wolf. The wolf howled in pain and pushed Taçhi off of him.
The wolf growled and attempted to get the blade out of it's face with one of it's large paws.
Taçhi looked around and found his axe. He grabbed it and looked over to the ponies, "go! I can't protect you if you don't run!" Taçhi yelled out.
Apple Butter nodded before grabbing her daughter and running away back to their house.
Taçhi sighed in relief before focusing on his hunt. He started to charge towards large Timber Wolf. Turning his axe on the flat face he drove it into the knife and drove the blade further into the Timber Wolf.
Screaming in pain the beast bodied the young hunter and slammed him against a tree. He got up and shook off any pain, "You will pay for that!" Taçhi yelled.
He turned tha axe with the the blade facing down and ran towards the wolf.
The beast was prepared for him this time and spun around attempting to slam him into another tree, "that'll only work once!" Taçhi said before waiting for the wolf to mess up.
He took another chance and cut it's back leg off. He continued to chop off as manny pieces as he could. In one final blow he drove his axe down into the neck of the Wolf, he brought the axe back up and cut it even deeper this time with more force.
"I will use you're body to make my new weapons!" Taçhi took in a deep breath, "So lay back and die!" With one final swing he cut the head off of the beast. Sighing he let the axe go and allowed himself to rest.
"Taçhi!"
Taçhi looked towards the voice and saw the elder Hunter, "that was stupid! You could've died!" The elder hunter yelled out.
Taçhi looked down in shame, "I under stand farther" he held out the axe and his farther looked at it.
"No keep it...and as for the beats, we'll use it to make more weapons" the elder Hunter smiled and looked at his sons work.
"Now let's get back to the Apples we need to collect or bounty"
The two walked back to the house and saw the family hugging each other. Bright Mac walked up to the young hunter and thanked him. Apple Butter smiled and thanked him too, she looked at the elder hunter and smiled.
Apple Jack walked up next and blushed,"Umm...thank you...I guess" Apple Jack looked down taking notice that she was a head taller.
"Thanks again shorty" she teased.
"...anytime scaredy pony" Taçhi smiled.
Apple Jack made a pouty face and huffed.
Today was a good day for the young hunter and he was happy to hunt, even if it was small game.
Taçhi had been to Ponyvill ten years ago, ten years ago he met the Apple Family, ten years ago he killed a Iron Wood Timber Wolf, and ten years ago he had learned a very valuable lesson, always make sure you keep your clients in a safe space. Ten years ago he also met Celestia.
Wood popped from inside a fire. The camp was quiet all except for the sound a yawn. Taçhi sat up from his roll and sighed annoyed by the fact that not even the princess her self was up yet. Taçhi had awoken before even the princess had lowered the moon. The early morning, and Taçhi didn't get along too well. He knew though, the hunt began before most animals woke up. They had to be ready even if it was last minute hunt, but he was still in training and waking up even before Celestia, it was hard to do. Now though that he was awake he was just taking care of all the weapons and equipment.
Taçhi sighed as he made sure all their weapons were sharp. Each weapon they used was made of either stone, iron, or Nordic gold and with each weapon, came their own problems; Stone was easy to find but it broke often and angst game that wasn't made of flesh and bone, or was useless. It also didn't help that it took a while to make each blade and it took even longer to make sure it was done right, Iron was also great but it rusted and would lead to polishing on a regular basis, and finally Nordic gold. It wasn't forged but casted, so you could make a lot of them. The mixture was difficult to get right though, a ratio of 89%-copper, 5%-aluminium, 5%-zinc, and 1%-tin, if the mixture isn't propper it can be too brittle and it would be as useful as broken sword.
Taçhi though knows of one metal that doesn't require much to maintain, Ürnæg a metal that is so rare, not even Celestia her self can get ahold of it with out paying a high price. One piece can cost as much as a Massive army, with the best training and the most expensive equipment, along with supplies that could feed them for a hundred year war.
Taçhi sighed knowing that such a metal is only reserved for the best, it's properties are magic based and being such, it could turn a simple war into a slaughter.
"Can't believe that, Ürnæg is so expensive but I guess it is the only metal that allows you to cast magic without any chants, boosts your stamina and strength...guess that's why only the best of the best use it" Taçhi said to himself.
"Yes, but Ürnæg doesn't make you a great Hunter, even the best of the best get killed"
Taçhi looked behind him and saw his father walking up to him.
"And only the absolute best can have Ürnæg, even then you could still lose and die from a unsuccessful hunt" the older hunter sat next to his son, "so remember if the hunt turns bad run, there is no disgrace in running from a hunt turned bad" the elder hunter said to his son with a smile.
Taçhi nodded, "Yes father I understand" with a more optimistic idea. He went back to keeping their weapons sharp and ready for a hunt.
Hours past and soon the sun was almost at it's highest point. Taçhi smiled and stretched allowing any tired and exhausted muscles to relax.
"Taçhi!"
Looking behind him he saw his farther wearing his fur clothing and knew what was happening. Nodding Taçhi walked over to a large bag, made of bear skin; he grabbed several tools and weapons before putting them in the bag. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he walked back back to his father who had his eyes closed and was leaning against a tree.
"What are we hunting today?"
The elder Hunter. sighed and looked at his son with a disappointed look, "were not hunting, were...teaching the guards in Canterlot how to fight" the elder hunter said with a disappointed voice.
Taçhi looked down, sad but the he smiled, "father, we get to scare and train guards how to fight, and we don't have to go easy on them" Taçhi smiled at his idea.
The elder Hunter smiled showing his canines, "you're right, let's go the faster we get there, the more guards we can scare!"
Taçhi had a smiled, most would call proud and it felt like that, in truth it was a smile for the hunt. If they couldn't hunt beast, then they would hone their skills on the ponies in Canterlot.
Taçhi followed his farther and they were off to take the next train to Canterlot.
"Father why are we not with the others up front?"
"Because the less we are noticed the better it is"
Taçhi sighed, he and his farther were riding in the cargo hold for, "safety" Taçhi though the conductor was more of an, "ass hole" than anything else.
"I still think the conductor is lying to us" Taçhi said looking towards one of the guards.
The one he looked at shivered in fear when Taçhi's eyes landed on him. Smiling he thought of a funny prank to pull, "wish I had some bear jerky on me...could use the meat" he said licking his lips.
The guard got even more nervous and his eyes were looking for an escape route.
"But hey, guess we can't all have what we want, like fresh meat... wonder if the guard is a good substitute?" Taçhi said while jumping on one of the crates.
"Come one, they're barely even meat, just bone and magic. But I bet they would make a great stew" the elder hunter said looking at a mare, her legs started to shake with fear.
Taçhi snickered, "Naw, they would be only good for baiting a Giant Bat" Taçhi, looking at his farther. Taçhi smiled and brought out his bag, he dug into it and pulled out two brown strips of meat, "guess Turkeys gonna have to do" Taçhi gave one to his farther, and he too ate the dried meat.
"Good I was getting hungry!" The elder hunter said taking a large bight.
"Me too, and so that you know-" Taçhi looked at the scared mare, "we weren't gonna eat you" the guard calmed down a little, "we were gonna use you as live bait to attract a Sand Wum" Taçhi looked at the guard with a evil Grin.
The guard was dragged to the upper cars the two hunters were left with only one guard.
He had different colored strips of blue in his hair, he looked like at the two with gitty and joy.
Taçhi tilted his head and looked at the guard with confusion, here stood a guard who wasn't scared of him and who was even happy with glee.
*thunk!*
The train shook and this spooked the hunters.
"Son, stay here I'm going to see if we have any problems"
Taçhi nodded and gave his farther the bag. The elder Hunter walked to the next car and left Taçhi and the guards men there alone.
"..."
Silence was the only thing either of them heard.
Taçhi sighed and laid back before closing his eyes. He dreamt of a hunt so magnificent that only a true hunter could pull it off. He was dreaming of hunting a Demon.
*eerrrkk!*
The sound of metal being ripped away woke up Youngling. He looked around and saw that half of the upper cart was gone.
"...what happened?!" He looked around and saw the guard holding his side in pain, blood dripped from a hole the size of a spear head.
The guard pointed at the sky, "It's coming back!'
Taçhi looked up and saw a huge bird; it was the size of a elephant and looked like a chicken.
Taçhi put his hand on his hip and grabbed his knife and looked at the long blade, "I'm going need a bigger knife"
Taçhi was in a pickle, a Royal guard was hurt, the cart was torn in half, and a giant chicken was coming for his head and he didn't have much time to react.
"I'm gonna need a bigger knife"
Looking around he saw the guard who had a large gash on his side . Taçhi ran over to the guard. Kneeling Taçhi tended to the guards wound and made sure to keep him from dying.
"Hey! What's your name!" Taçhi asked before taking the guards sword.
"S-Shining Armor" he moaned in pain.
"Well stay alive; I need you too tell of my tale" Taçhi stood up and turned around. The giant bird landed on the cart and looked at the Youngling with hungry eyes.
"I need you to tell how I killed the beast!" Taçhi said before running at the bird.
Shining Armor saw what he for so long wanted to be so badly, he saw a fire that could not be extinguished and it even burn hotter in battle.
Taçhi jumped up and swiped at the giant bird. He cut into the feathers and smiled, he brought back his knife and stabbed into the bird passing it's feathers and stabbing into it's flesh, "Gggrrr! Just die!" Taçhi drove the knife deep into the creature and this earned a scream of pain.
Shining'a eyes widened when he saw the creature scream. No guard has ever seen any monsters, though the princesses speak of hunters like they were guardians.
"I won't let you get away!" Taçhi yelled out as he kept stabbing the bird.
Shining heard the hunter yell out, he smiled knowing that he would have a tale to tell. He would witness what a Youngling was capable of.
The bird flapped it's wings allowing it to gain flight. the Hunter grabbed on to his knife and lifted up his feet making sure to place them on the aide of the bird. The beast flapped enough to gain flight and app it flew with the boy hanging on for dear life.
"Taçhi!"
Shining looked behind him.
The elder Hunter saw his son being taken up towarss the sky, "No...Noooo!" The elder hinter yelled out both angry and worried.
While up in the sky Taçhi was nervours, woried that he would lose hia grip and fall; he made sure he was hanging tightq nothing would prevent him from this hunt.
"Ccccaaaawwww!"
Taçhi took a deep breath in and knew what he had to do. He took out the sword and turned it side ways before bitting the blade keeping it locked in his teeth. He gripped some feathers tightly making sure he wouldn't fall or slip. Taking out his shorter blade and shething it making sure it too wouldn't fall out.
After making aure hia blade was secure, he started to climb the beast and found it easy to do as he climed towards the head.
The bird looked at the stoaway and made a angry chirping sound. It looked down before dive bombing towards the ground. Taçhi held on tight and made sure he wouldn't fall off.
Taçhi saw the center of Canterlot coming close, he knew that if the beats, wasn't stopped, it would eat innocents.
Taçhi gripped the swords hilt and opened hia mouth, he let the sword go from his mouth and brought it up. Looking for the right spot, was hard to find on a giant bird, it's feathers were thick and the blade wasn't as sharp as the ones he is used too.
"Dam...well hope this works!"
Taçhi lifted the sowrd up and instead of a cutting motion he went for a stabbnling one. The sword past the feathers and struck a tendon. Hitting the tendon forced the birds right wing to go limp, and cause the giant bird to scream in fear, pain, and anger. With it's wing out of thw loop it hand no choice but to crash land near the center of Cantorlot.
Taçhi was blown off of the giant bird and crashed into a table and next to a purple Unicorn Filly. The Filly cried out in terror before dropping what she had in her hands.
"Aaauuuggg...I think I broke my arm..." Taçhi groaned out while holding his left arm. He got up and looked at said arm and noticed that a wooden dowel had imbeded it's self into his arm, "...that explains why it feels like a stabbing pain" Taçhi grabbed the dowel and pulled on it. He acreamed in pain, as blood came from his wound. It took a great deal of effort but he was able to free the wooden dowel from his arm.
"GAH!" He yelled out while holding his arm. He looked around for anything he could use and noticed the scared Unicorn.
Taçhi stood up amd walked over to her, "hey" he spoke, "I need you to help me- dammit!" He graoned, the pain got worse as he moved, "listen, do you know any healing spells?"
"N-n-no!" The unicorn stammered. She was shaking in fear, even though she was slightly taller she still felt a overwhelming fear.
"...the...I'm...I need a doctor" Taçhi said before he fell face first into the stone paved street.
Behind him a band of guards formed around him with both amazment and worry, this child had taken down a giant Bird.
"Whoa! He killed it!"
"Amazing!"
"Just a child?"
Taçhi looked up and saw all the guards. Using what energy he had left, he pushed himself up and walked over to one of the guards. He leabed on a mare and looked up to her, "you're blade, I need it now!"
The mare looked down at Taçhi, she was nevours no guard would give up their blade for any reason.
*thump*
Taçhi sighed and grabbed the sword from the mares hip, he unsheathed it from the scabbered and walked forward. He passed the other guards and looked up to the bird.
*Thump!*
All the guards back up in fear. The Giant bird was still alive, it had livid scowl.
Taçhi looked at the beast as it towered over him. Pointing the sword upwards as a challenge, the beast accepted.
Taçhi smiled and moved into a 'guard' stance, "Good! Now, become my meal!"
The bird lifted it's head and went down with a peck. Taçhi simply moved out of the way slightly and let the bird crash it's beak into the ground with a loud crack.
Taçhi looked the beast in it's eyes and smiled widely. The bird attempted to get it's beak unstuck but failed to and only served to pull on the sensitive parts of it's beak.
Taçhi looked at the creature with a hungry eye, he lifted the sword high in the air, "Here, let me help!" He said before cutting into the beak of the beast. Flesh, bone, and beak were all chopped away as the sword cut.
The creature cried out in pain, and pulled back even harder. The swoed cut again earning another yelp if pain, "come on! I thought you were a challenge! No you're a meal for me to eat!" With a final yell the sword made a final strike and cut the off of the creatures beak, earning a final, painful squeel. The bird pulled back; blood and flesh flying everywhere as it did.
Taçhi looked up and saw the beast look at him with fear. It was no longer hunting the human, the human was hunting it.
"Now, die!" Taçhi yelled out pointing at the bird.
It had a enough, it's heart gave way and it fell down longer able to fight, exhausted and dying.
Taçhi took a step using the swird as a cane to help him walk. A crowd had gathered around the Youngling to see what he would do next.
"...In death there is life" Taçhi said as he got closer, "so suffer no more, and walk free as a spirit" he was close enough to the bird, he lifted the sword up and stabbed the birds heart killing. There was no yelp, no squeal only, silence.
"Walk free...my friend" Taçhi said before finally he gave out and let himself fall into a dark sleep.
"Taçhi!"
Across Cantorlot the elder Hunter had arrived and passed everyone on his way.
The elder hunter had made it up to Cantorlot and even before the train stopped, he was off to where he saw the bird land.
He passed manny guards, and manny nobles who either gawked or chastised him for almost crushing them.
It wasn't till, he was in the middle of Cantorlot did he see a sight that filled him up with great pride.
There being tended to by a guard was, Taçhi and above him both Princess Luna and Princess Cadance, even they had come to see what was wrong.
"Oh my!"
The elder Hunter jumped when he heard a mare behind him. He turned around and saw Princess Celeatia her self with a hand coverning her muzzle in disbelief.
The elder Hunter stood taller than even the princess her self. This is what made him pretty intimidating to most.
"Princess Celestia" the elder hunter put his right arm over his cheat and balled it up into a fist.
"Oh...sorry, as you were hunter!" Celestia said. She smiled at the elder hunter, before She walked towards Taçhi who was awake and who was almost fully healed.
"Now remember, take two of these and-" the guard was cut off.
"I'll be fine, the tea of the num flower will help with the pain" Taçhi looked at his arm that was now healed and a small scar was on the left side of his arm.
"Than at least-" the guard was cut off again.
"No, the honey from bees will help keep any infections at bay" Taçhi looked at the guard and smiled.
He attempted to get up but was forced back down by a magenta colored aura. He was forced back down and the purple filly from before was infornt of him with a book.
Celestia cut off guard as she stifled a laugh.
"It says that a human needs at least a day of rest when in a battle!" She pointed to a human in the book who was sitting on a log. Taçhi ignored her and stood up only to fall back down.
"Twilight, please leave him alone, he needs his rest" Celestia said to the filly.
The elder Hunter walked towards his son and stood in front of him with a smile.
"You did good son, now rest we will carve the bird later"
Taçhi nodded and just allowed himself to rest, soon though he would again face another challange, his mother.
Taçhi sighed as he walked up to the large house. Taçhi was nevours, he hadn't seen his mother in nearly six months. He was a half-breed, even though he was part unicorn he had no magical abilities and apart of him felt ashamed to be one.
He lifted his good arm and knocked on the door.
*knock knock*
"Hold on!" A female voice said from tthe other side.
The door opened, and out came a light pinkish mare with a light pink waving mane, she wore a white dress a white cape with golden trimmings.
She looked aound and saw the elder hunter and smiled, but frownd when she didn't see Taçhi.
The hunter chuckled and pointed down, the mare followed what his finger and imiditly perked up.
"Oh! How I missed you Taçhi!" Sunny said as she hugged her son.
"Gah! Pain!" Taçhi groaned
Sunny Smile, Celestia's royal wizard. Though others saw her as either a brave and strong mare, or as a diacraces for birthing the Youngling.
"Hello...mother" Taçhi said embarrassed.
"Oh! And my lovely husband! Gûhi. We are going to spend so much time together and believe me were gonna be having a very, very long session together~" Sunny said before licking her lips with lust.
"You know I'm not dumb, if you want me to leave I can" Taçhi said waving his good arm in the air.
"Oh no! You're staying here at least for a month, you're injured!" Sunny let go of her, son before she put her hand on her hip and huffed. Levataing her son into the house, She smiled while Taçhi sighed and just let it happen, he was way to tired to fight it.
Sunny skipped into the house. Gûhi followed behind. The family entered the house and Taçhi was put down.
He sighed and walked, but he was pulled forward by his mother's magic.
"Come on, I know you've been patched up, but winter is soon, and you don't want to be caught when the snow hits!"
Sunny sung as pulled her son away and towards the kitchen.
"Oh, how I've missed you" She grabbed a white box with a red cross on it, "You've been gone for so loong!" She opened it and set Taçhi down on a chair, "now, you've returned my little hunter~" gauze and a brown glass bottle came out of the white box, "you've hunted, and slain beast of plenty. You've saved many innocents and kept the manny evils at bay!" She finished by cutting the gauze allowing his arm to rest in the sling.
"My son, when you tire of hunting and tracking. Come home so I may see you agaaaaaiiiiiinnnnn" she finished by hugging her son, "I missed you Taçhi Smile"
"I missed you too, mom" Taçhi said hugging his mom back.
"...ehem!" Gûhi coughed getting the attention of the two. "While this is a touching moment, Taçhi needa his rest, especially since he killed that Claw"
Sunny looked at Taçhi and smiled, "a Claw! Oh, I'm so proud of you!" She hugged him again happy for her son.
"Mom! Can't breath!" Taçhi gasped out.
"Oh! Sorry" Sunny let go of her son and chuckled.
"Now, let's see...oh! I almost forgot I need to go to work!" Sunny walked over to the hallway. She opened a closet and pulled out a black cloak, "I'll be back latter, love you both" Sunny was about to leave but was stopped by a certain pony.
"That won't be necessary , Sunny" Princess Celestia said.
"P-Princess?!" Sunny said surprised.
Celestia put a hand on her cheek and smiled, "Oh my, I wish I came earlier" she laughed and looked down at the young hunter, who's arm was in a sling.
"Oh my! I remember now! Thank you hunter for saving Cantorlot" she bowed her head.
"Princess, thank you!" Taçhi said bowing his head in respect. Sunny smiled and kneeled. Gûhl put his fist over his chest and bowed his head.
"As you were, may I come in Sunny?" Celestia asked.
Sunny smiled and motioned for her to enter. Celestia walked through the door, and was led towards the kitchen. As the two mares spoke with one another, the hunters put their weapons and tools away for later.
"Taçhi, we will have to tattoo your hunts" Gûhl said.
Taçhi nodded and was about to leave for his room when Celestia spoke, "I...I would actually like to see how you get those tattoos- wait! Let me call Luna and my student!" The Princess's horn glowed and in an instant Princess Luna and the Purple Filly were called into the house.
"Sister...is it true...do we get to witness the branding of a hunt!?" The younger princess asked with excited jump.
The elder sister nodded with a wide grin. The two were like giddy children, ready to accept their birthday present. Taçhi sighed and walked into another room. Inside he looked around for a place to lay flat. The filly followed him making sure to keep by his side.
"I...I wanted to thank you...If you hadn't taken care if that bird, it would've done horrible things" the Filly said.
Taçhi looked at the filly, before taking off his upper clothing. Her face going red, cover her eyes in embarrassment. Taçhi laid on his stomach, and Gûhl came into the room with a stick, a small pot filled with a black-dust, and the end of a porky pine needle.
"Your, highnesses we are ready for the marking" Gûhl said as he sat next to Taçhi. The two sisters sat near, Sunny who was at work preparing the needle by burning the end.
"Okay, before I start, we must pray to the old hunters who watch over us" Gûhl said as he collapsed his hands together.
"May our ancestors watch over our hunt, and our future hunt a to come...Thank you, Hëæŷ the first hunter"
Gûhl was given the needle and he dropped the needle into the pot of black of dust, he then took a pinch of dust, before grabbing a lighter and lit the dust on fire. He put the top over the dust. With his other hand, he sprinkled the dust over the back of Taçhi and brought up the stick in his other hand, he tapped the stick on Taçhi's back making the young one whine in pain.
"Dose...dose it hurt?" Luna asked concerned for the Youngling.
"Yes" Taçhi answered, "it dose, but after my first, it doesn't hurt as much anymore"
Celestia only watched as her sister asked questions, "What is that dust?" Luna asked while pointing at the pot.
"That's the ink, we heat it up before we use it to tattoo ourselves" Taçi sighed and waited for his dad to finish the prayer. Gûhi rubbed his son back and brushed off the dust. Taçhi closed his eyes, "Thank you Elder, may our hunts be Manny, and more prosperous"
"First, the Timber wolf"
He opened the ink and pulled out the needle. He began to poke his son's skin. The older hunter made sure to not poke too hard, but he he did poke hard enough to tattoo the younger one. Taçhi flinched when the needle pierced his skin. The older hunter continued to poke the back of his son. Taçhi didn't mind the pain, he only wished that the process was easier to do. The whole process was almost finished, after the timber wolf, the claw came next.
" hunter, I have a question" asked the purple unicorn.
"Yes child?" Gûhi" looked over to the filly.
"Why do you hunt?"
Taçhi laughed as well as his farther.
"Young one, asking a hunter why, he 'hunts' is like asking a fish why it swims" the older hunter duped the needle back Into the black liquid.
"We hunt, because creatures like those Claws, eat fillies like you" he took out the needle and began the second tattoo.
"We hunt, because humans have no fear of the monsters of the world" Taçhi gave his own answer.
"I see..." She wrote in her book. Taçhi smiled and almost laughed.
"Laugh, and the Claw will become a chicken"
Everyone laughed, except Celestia who shuddered for a moment.
"Something wrong, Princess?" Gûhi asked.
"N-no" She looked away and blushed.
"How, do you become a hunter?" Asked the purple Pony.
"I was born into it... You're name?" Taçhi asked.
"T-Twilight... You're a full fledged hunter right?"
"No. Three hunts, after our third hunt we go on a hunt by ourselves...but until we reach seventeen we aren't adult...we're hunters before were adults"
The room became silent. The Youngling smiled, this was his third hunt. Now he had only one more test before he became a Hunter.
"We're finished, son. Soon you will be you're own hunter"
The four ponies gathered around and saw the three tattoos.
"Wow, amazing he killed a wyvern. He really is an amazing hunter" Luna said with a smile.
Gûhi looked at his son, "he really is...he may even be better than me"
The elder hunter shed a tear, he no longer would have to worry about his son's safety.
Taçhi smiled as he saw what day it was, he was old enough to take the hunters test. He, hoped he would no longer be a youngling, he was allowed on a hunt all his own. He would have to hunt a beast that the elders would chose for him. He was going to his fathers home land. A journey that would break most others.
He looked around his room and smiled, it was clean, his mother had told him, 'you clean before you leave!' So he did. He walked down stairs and made his way to the living room. His parents both sat there smiling and giggling.
"I'm so proud of him!" Sunny said with a happy smile.
"As am I" Gûhn smiled. "I raised a great kid, and a better son"
Taçhi's heart raced, his father didn't praise him all that much, but when he did, it was allways a warm site. He shook it off and leaned next to a weapon rack. He grabbed a metal tipped spear.
"Father, I am leaving now... I'll see you in a year" Taçhi was ready to become a real Hunter.
Sunny looked at her son. Her stomach turned but not in pain; happiness. She wiped her eyes and a beamed of happiness shined over her.
"Son" Gûhn held out a gold knife.
Taçhi grabbed the knife with a smile. His mind was set on his task, get to the elders. He left out of their door and smiled as his parents waved back at him.
Taçhi had made his way to the train station, the ponies around him were keeping their distance, wether it was out of fear or respect, Taçhi couldn't tell.
"Taçhi!"
Taçhi turned around to new the voice. A white unicorn walled towards the Youngling. A squad of ponies followed behind him.
"Shining Armor, nice to see you're alive"
The guard nodded, "yeah, thanks to you I was promoted to Sargent"
Taçhi nodded and leaned against a light pole. He looked down at the ground.
"So, where you going?" Shining asked.
"My final hunt; I must return to the elders. I must travel into the human lands and bring back a beast that the elders chose... I won't see you for at least a year"
The train came into view. Taçhi walked over to Shining Armor. He handed the guard a cloth, "here, take it as a token of friendship"
He walked away and towards the train, He got onto the train amd looked behind him amd back at his home.
"...one year, I'll be back mother, father you two-" the wind blew his hair around as He looked up and smiled, "...no three"
"Leaving!" The conductor yelled.
Shining armor looked down at the cloth. He unwrapped the cloth and saw a knife made of obsidian. He smiled and wrapped the blade back up.
Taçhi sighed and took his seat. He sat next another hunter. This hunter had a wolf pelt hang from his waste along with leather pants, his chest was uncovered with visible scars on him.
The hunter looked over to Taçhi, "Kid, you going to you're first evaluation?" He asked.
"Y-yes, Elder" he said nervously.
"I see, Well good luck, not manny get their evaluation first try" He smiled, "what's your kills?" He asked.
"Oh, right" Taçhi turned around and uncovered his upper back.
The hunter saw his kills and nodded his head, "you're gonna be a great hunter kid, your kills are strong...wait a minute, you're that Youngling who killed that Claw!" The hunter said with a smile.
"Yes... if you don't mind me asking what are your kills?" Taçhi asked.
"See" he turned around and showed his back. On it he had a shark, a hydra, and a northern serpent.
Taçhi's eyes went wide, "Whoa, that's amazing!" He said with a grin on his face.
"Yup, took me years to get those kills" he turned back around and smiled at the Youngling, "you are strong for a half breed" the hunter slapped Taçhi's back.
"Thank you Elder"
The two talked among each other, it went on for the whole train ride. In that Time Taçhi learned about the old world.
He made his way from the station and over to the docks. His he waled towards the ships and walked up to a group of human sailors.
"Excuse me Elders"
Seven hunter turned their heads and saw Taçhi.
"Yea youngling?" Ome of them asked.
"Are you going to the old world?"
They all looked at each other, "no, were not going untill six weeks"
Taçhi looked down and sighed. He began to walk away, but he was stopped by one of the sailors.
"Youngling, there are cargo ships going to our home land" The elder hunter pointed at a group if ponies loading and unloading cargo.
Taçhi nodded, "thank you sir" and walked over to the ponies. The crew had worried looks.
"Get those boxes on board!" A deep male voice ordered.
Taçhi followed the voice and was surprised to see a short stallion, who was ordering people twice his height.
"Excuse me" Taçhi spoke, "I need to get to the human lands!"
"So do we, and there's a giant squid out there too, it's sunk five ships" He pulled out a knife, "this came from it's mouth"
Taçhi took the knife and inspected it, "it's a bronze knife, but... This isn't of a human design though" He pointed to the hilt, "the handle isn't polished and the rivets are mushroomed, they should be flat if it's a human design. Also the blade is curved, han blades don't curv so suddenly like this, unless it's for either show, or display" He turned the knife to show the pummel, "there is also a problem with the bottom, it's too lose" Taçhi grabbed the blade and demonstrated his point when the blade wobbled, "it's a cheap knock off of a real human blade"
Taçhi pulled out his knife and showed them the difference, "most of our blades are hand made, and this that aren'tare casted in Nordic gold"
The captain snorted, "Yeah, and that guy who owned this knife, was our captain"
Taçh sighed, "well I need to get there; no matter the danger!"
The pony sighed, "You're a hunter in training correct?"
Taçhi nodded, "Yes, I am"
"...fine, get on board. Your our new hunter for now" The captain walked o to the boat, and Taçhi followed behind. "We leave for the Human lands!" He yelled out.
Taçhi climbed his way up to the top of the sails. He looked at the land of equestria. He saw clouds Dale, the royal palace, and even Pony Vill.
"Set sail foe the Human lands!"
Taçhi looked down and saw the captain ordering around his crew, "Taçhi!" He yelled.
The youngling grabbed a metal hook, said hook was connected to a counter weight; He jumped down. The captain wasn't expecting this and screamed out in a high pitch volume.
"Eeee!"
"I am here sir" Taçhi bowed his head, "what would you have me do?"
"...watch out for pirates and sea monsters" He reached into his back pouch. He pulled out a telescope and gave it to the youngling.
"Understood sir!" Taçhi put the telescope away and closed back up to the top of the sails. The Youngling sat down and looked out towards the sea. Taçhi smiled, "I'll be there soon, grandfather"