Horizon before dawn

Waking up today early on was a bit stranger that usual, Albedo was still sleeping and still looked tired form her recent tribulations, i dident want to wake he up but she did eat all my food yesterday night so i had to leave outside and pick some berries and if i got lucky catch a fish or two before i started my hunt of the day.

Leaving without making much noise was not a problem for a stealth specialist like myself, or so i thought, soon as i toke three steps i stumble on my spear witch she dident like and gave me a headbutt and made me fall back and hit my ass on the floor with a bang.

"AHHH"

"OHHH"

We both scream at the same time.

What a great way to start the day.

" Well... Good morning? "

I tried to play it cool.

" Best hunter around humm? "

She says to me not impresed at all with my behaver.

'hey that was cold I did feed you brat, show some respect!!!'

"Yes, thats me, Noir the great, the first of his name, knell before me mortal"

She was about to say i was crazy or something when both our stomachs screamed for food.

" Im going to gather some fruits and catch a fish or game, i need to prepare for the hunt."

" You realy going to hunt machines? Are you realy crazy? "

I just point to the blaze canister and the leftover parts form the strider i had killed yesterday them to my bow and arrows.

" Not my frist time, i need to get stronger and thats the only way."

She stared at the parts and them the bow and in her eyes i saw something new, a resolve, determination something that last night was impossible.

" Teach me" She orders me.

"... Im an outcast, are you not woried about that? If they see us you will be made a outcast to."

" I dont care, i dont have anyone left, i want to get stronger to, i want to kill those bastards! I want revenge, blood for blood"

I can see in her eyes that she realy means it. So i got up pick my stuff and calling my inner Rost i told her in very serius ton of voice .

" There is a way... maybe... But its hard and its going to take years of training, its dangerous , you may die before you get your revenge, are you sure about this? You can still go to the Matriarchs, they can give you a new home, people to look after you. You still have choises unlike me."

"NO! I DONT! THEY TOOK THAT FROM ME! I WANT THEM DEAD! "

We look at each other eyes for a while before i snap out of it.

" Follow" I finaly said to her. It seens i got my frist underling.

We walk outside and went to the nearby stream looking for fish while picking some fruits on the way there when we finaly reach the stream i activated my focus and this time i got lucky, a bunch of fish were nearby so i quickly tag them and pick my bow and arrow for the kill.

Two arrows two delicius fish, and the best part is that i could recover these arrows. Fish scales are very soft.

" How can you see anything in the water? How you do that? Fish are hunted with spears. "

" Trade secret for now, i will tell you when your ready" I told her that i was teaching her but i dont want to revel my focus just now, thats my super secret weapon and best friend i have.

"Let's go back and cook these, i will get more meat later on, follow."

After eating the fresh fish i catch i told her to stay nearby and catch as much berries, fruits and herbs she could carry and bring them inside the cave while i was out there hunting machines.

"Thats not fair, i want to learn to, i want to hunt with you to get stronger."

"Albedo, you dont have a weapon, your clothes are all rags and you still weak for all the traveling you did, stay here for the day and i will craft you a spear, going out there to hunt with nothing is suicide, a real hunter needs patience."

She looked dejected but nod her head acepting my reasons, with no weapon and hunter skills she would just drag me down and she knew it.

"Look Albedo, if you follow me i promise you that i will make you stronger, i will show you a whole new world you dont know, you will get your revenge ten times over, but you need to to follow my comands to the letter, you understand me girl?"

"Ok... I trust you... i dont know why but i do, just be carefull out there, and bring alot of meat, boar is my favorite so you know."

" Sure, be carefull you to, i wil come back before dark."

And so it was, my frist underling, a desperate girl with no one. Did i fell bad for using her like this? Not realy, I could just say no and send her away to Mother's Heart, but this is a cruel world and i could make her stronger that the old matriarchs ever could.

Leaving the cave with all my gear i started walking to the striders location with a focused mind, getting ready for another hunt and my frist skill that was the goal for today.