Stalker and their first kill

At the age of twelve, Raiden entered the training ground to become a hunter. He wanted to dedicate his life to protecting everybody in the village. He knew that he was adopted, but he had no recollection of his biological parents. He had witnessed several killings and werewolf attacks at a young age. He aims to completely get rid of the werewolves before he enters into a family affair. He was looking into creating a family with his crush, Harriet. She was an adopted daughter of his mother's sister. They are not blood-related, but they are too close to each other.

"Mother, it's our first hunting challenge tonight," he informed his mother, who had just arrived.

She glares at him and smiles nervously.

"You have to be careful, okay? Mother can't lose you!" she told him.

"That's never going to happen. I will be the strongest and the bravest student of Mentor Larry," he proudly said.

"Your enemies are not ordinary people or animals. They are monsters like werewolves, and we are their food," she advised Raiden.

"I know! I am ready for them," he boasted.

She would just nod in agreement with his statement.

"Mother, why was mentor Larry mad at the werewolves? He had not said anything since day one of our training," he asks his mother.

He recalled that it's been six months since he first started his training; however, he never heard Larry share his own life story. His mother sat down, ready to share a story. Larry was a hunter's trainer and a village leader. His family were the villagers. He would do everything to protect it.

"Well, the werewolves murdered his family. He was roaming around the village with his staff. Nobody noticed any signs of the enemies. They had no idea that the pack was having a feast at their house. He discovered about the incidents when somebody passed through their house and witnessed the killings." A long story from his mother.

He had been wondering why Larry was alone all these years, and he did not know that he had had a terrible experience with the werewolves. He thought that the elders were just scaring them off until they figured out that it was a real story.

"That's horrible!" he commented.

He couldn't think of anything to describe that most horrible experience. If ever that happened to him, he would certainly do everything for justice to be served.

"It is! But we admire him for being strong and for not letting us down. He never left us behind in any given situation. He was just the best person to be with." "I let you study with him because I am confident that he could mold you to become better," she added.

"Please wish me good luck, Mother! I have to catch and kill a werewolf to be qualified to become an official werewolf hunter," he declared.

"You can make it!" she replied.

Raiden couldn't wait for tonight.

"Harriet, what's up? Are you ready for tonight's hunting?" he asks.

Harriet was the most adorable girl in the village for him. She had bold hair, red lips, and her skin was like porcelain. She was carrying some of her clothes, approaching the deep well in the center of the village. She's going to do some laundry. It was eight in the morning and everyone in the village was all busy with their daily routine. But today is kind of different. They would make some preparations for tonight. Everybody is expected to be alert and sound.

"I think so. What are you up to?" Harriet asks him, wondering.

"I wanted to go to the woods. Are you going to join me?" he asked her.

"I can't. Besides, some wild animals might be lurking around, or worse, it could be a wolf," she warned him.

"You are just afraid. Remember, we will be future hunters and we must be brave," he insists, his point.

She shook her head and did not bother to listen up.

"Come on! It's for a try out," he keeps on convincing her.

"Mother will be looking for me. I have to finish the laundry while the sun is still up," Harriet explained to Raiden.

"Okay, I will help you do the laundry, but you have to join me afterwards," Raiden suggested.

She commented, "Fine! You really know how to get what you want."

Raiden helped Harriet do her tasks quickly. In more than an hour, they were able to finish it and hang it to dry up.

"Let's go!" Raiden called.

He was showing her a hand sign. Harriet must keep her words, or else it's going to cause her some trouble. Raiden was sensitive when it came to promises. He can't get over the broken promises. Each of them has their own special weapons. Raiden was using a sword, while Harriet was skilled in archery and using a sharp knife. They are made of metal and silver and could kill their enemies. They took their weapons with them. Raiden led the path, and he was taking her to the wild forest. They just heard about the place, but they have never been there.

Harriet must ask him, "How did you know about this place?"

"I saw the map where the hunters go. I also believe it was the same place in my dreams," he told her.

"Do you really know the way up there? We might get lost and can't find our way down," she said, wanting to give up and go back to the village.

It was a half-hour trip. They took a long walk, passing through the tall trees, big rocks, and hills. The village is overlooked from up there. They stopped for a while.

"Why do we have to go here anyway?" she asked.

He said, "I wanted to be more familiar with the place before we go hunting tonight. This is where most of the enemies hide at night."

"Okay. Now that you have seen it, can we go back?" she demanded.

"Let's just have a seat and look around a little bit," he answered.

Harriet had anticipated it. They sat down by the side of the hill, looking down on the village. It was beautiful and should have been peaceful if it weren't for the werewolves.

"I like it here! Maybe we can spend some time here during the day," he wished.

Harriet did not respond and just enjoyed the fresh air and scenery.

"I hope that the wolves are going to diminish so we can live peacefully without having to fear for our lives," Harriet uttered.

"That is the goal I wanted to achieve. We have to do our best to protect our village and kill those monsters," Raiden claimed.

They were stunned when someone spoke from behind.

"What are you doing here?" the stranger's voice.

He was standing at their back. He was wearing a cotton shirt and dirty pants ,while his feet were bare.

"Who are you?" Raiden asks with suspicion.

"I am Randolph. I am going home," The stranger introduced himself and pointed at the village.

"You also lived in the village, huh! I haven't seen you once. Anyway, I am Raiden, and this is my girlfriend. Her name is Harriet," he nicely replied.

"Nice to meet you two! Are you not going home?" Randolph asks.

"Let's just go with him. It is not safe to stay here, and my mother might be looking for me," Harriet announced to Raiden and he did not go against it.

"Okay. We shall go back next time," he declared to himself instead.

"What are you doing here in the forest?" Harriet asks the man.

She assumed that he was in his early forties. He has nice built and looks good with his beard.

"I help to preserve the forest," he answered shortly.

"Oh! So, you are one of the rangers in the village. That's cool!" she commented.

"Not really. How about you guys? You know that isn't safe to stay in the wild even during the day," Randolph inquired.

"We are hunters and we wanted to get to know the forest. You know, just for us to get familiar the in and out of the place," Raiden answered proudly.

"Why do love hunting?" Randolph asked.

"It is my desire to be a hero of this land. I don't want anybody to suffer from werewolves’ attacks. It is painful to lose your loved ones that way," the young Raiden replied.

The stranger did not answer him back. Instead, he quietly took a different path.

"We did not pass through here. Where is this going?" he asked Randolph.

"This is the quickest way to the village. You will be amazed," he replied.

Raiden looked at Harriet who is a bit hesitant.

"Don't be concerned! I am not a bad person," Randolph smiled as he was trying to make the two comfortable with him around.

Raiden grasps for some air and go after him. It was just half the time they consumed earlier to reach the forest. The man was correct, and he somehow gained some of his trust.

"Where is your house?" Raiden question out of curiosity.

The man did not say anything specific, but he pointed out a place in the farther most of the village. He couldn't picture it out. He said his thanks to the man.

"See you around!" Raiden said as he bid goodbye.

"Take care and enjoy hunting!" the man said.

Raiden helped Harriet with her clothes that has been sun dried. They took it to her house before he went back home. He found his mother doing some kitchen stuff. She was preparing their dinner.

"Where did you go? I saw you with Harriet," His mother asks.

"I helped her with her laundry. Let me do the dishes," he volunteered.

Her mother allowed him as she cooks their meal.

"Mother, may I ask you something?" Raiden initiated another topic to his mother.

"What is it, son?" she replied without taking a glance at him.

"How true is that someone was in the look out of the forest? Somebody told me that he took care of the wild," he said.

"I don't think there is. Nobody could survive out of that wild place. There were werewolves lurking around there. That place isn't safe. The only creature who could possibly be living there was the shape shifters," His mother explained.

Raiden was in deep thoughts. He remembers the man they have talked to earlier.

"What's wrong?" His mother noticed his silence.

"Nothing, mother. I am just curious because we are going there tonight with mentor Larry," he answered.

He went out of the house, and he noticed the familiar figure not too far from where he stands. He looked at him and if he wasn't mistaken, it was Randolph. After talking to his mother, he was having an ill feeling towards this man. He was just staring at Raiden, and he does the same. They are not moving. He remembers the same incidence and it usually happened before the full moon. He realized that it wasn't the first time he saw this man. He recognized the cloth he is using to cover half of his body.

"He does not wear slippers. Why is that?" he uttered.

He wondered why he felt like he was into him, and he was following him. He wanted to ask him directly. He was walking towards his direction and there were busy for tonight's trouble. He reached the exact location of the man, and he was standing at it however he disappeared. He did not see where he went. He tried to search in the surroundings, but he cannot find him.

It's going to be a long night for the villagers. As early as six in the evening, their doors and windows are closed. Only the brave ones and the hunters remained outside the house. They are in the lookout for all the residence. The kids are kept in their haven.

"Follow my orders and don't go your way," Larry instructed his trainees.

They are fifteen in their batch, and they aged twelve to fifteen years old. Only few can survive in every battle against the enemies.

"Don't go away from me," Raiden said to Harriet.

The girl agreed and did not leave his side. They are accompanied by other tenured hunters while the majority are left in the residence. They are hundreds of them to see to it everybody was safe. They were observing the surroundings at the bottom of the mountain which serves as the main pathway going in and out of the wild. Whenever the enemies call for an attack, they would pass through it. Raiden and Harriet were observant of what's going. Their hands are stuck on their weapons. It gives them the courage knowing that they have the tools to fight against the enemies. It took a while before they can feel the wind blows harder. Larry made a sign. It could be them. A few seconds after, they can hear the whooshing sound. Then the growling noise. At first, it was just the pack leader, but it become louder in chorus. They went in a group to attack the village. Their voices were scary, and he was having goosebumps. This will be his first actual encounter with werewolves. They are just few meters away and approaching. Larry led the team. He gave the trainees the chance to kill a werewolf. He serves as their back up along with other old hunters. Larry was still wise at his age of fifty. He can anticipate the next move of the enemy. Raiden who is too eager for his first kill move out of the way and he wasn't aware that he was going away from the group. Harriet is sticking around with Larry and others. While Raiden was jumping off the dead logs and bushes as he was running after a werewolf. He was quick and confident that he can get his first job done. He saw his target from quiet nearby. He knew that he sensed his presence because he was approaching him. Using his sword, he did not wait for the enemy to have a chance to have a face-to-face encounter with him. He immediately crushed him with his sword.

"Yes!" he shouted in celebration to his achievement.

He did not notice another wolf from his back. He was about to grab him on his neck, but a stranger barred him, so he won't get hurt. The two fought because the good guy was trying to save him. He did not expect to get some help from an enemy. He was under the impression that all werewolves are bad, and they murder people for consumption. However, he witnessed that the other werewolf was protecting him.

"Run!" Larry called him out.

He took the opportunity to escape from the scene. He did not know that he was too far away from his team. He was lucky enough that Larry followed him. Larry having no second thoughts he thrown the sharp edges of his arrow to the beasts who almost killed him. The good guy who helps Raiden take a second look at them and was supposed to escape. However, Larry has no mercy to werewolves. For him, they are all murderers. Before the creature could escape, he has been hit at his chest. Larry has no contentment and he move next to the monsters and use his sword to give his judgement to them. Both have been killed by Larry.

"Why did you kill him?" Raiden asks.

He knows that the nice werewolf had help him.

"I just serve the justice well to the victims," Larry said.

He was left standing and staring at the dead creatures. The good one tried to move his hand and wanting to touch his toes. However, he's out of air.

"Come one, we must go! If you were acting like that, you don't belong with us. You can't be a werewolf hunter. Hunters are heartless to their their enemies," Larry reminded Raiden.

He has no options but to go after him and be back with the team. He remembers about Harriet, so he ran back to where he left the group. There are lots of them who shed by their own blood. Only the three of them survived.