Kaito jumps out of bed, racing to get ready he sloppily throws a shirt on over his head. Pulling his pants up as his vision is still blocked he crashes through the door.
Moon catches him before he falls onto the ground. "Where are you off to in such a rush?"
Kaito's head springs from his shirt. "I'm gonna go and play with Amire today!"
Moon giggles, "Oh but Kaito, did you forget?"
Kaito tilts his head. "Forget what?"
Moon points to the calendar. "Today is officially you and the other kids' first hunts!" she says, before rubbing black stripes of paint across his face. "You're going to have your first taste of being a hunter," Moon says.
Kaito's face beams with unrelenting joy. "Seriously mom?!" He questions. Moon just nods as she takes his hand, walking towards the crowds.
A man stands atop a pedestal, Jackson Nakaya, waving the clan banner wildly. "Alright kids, today you hunt for your own meals, no more free food, you've gotta earn your keep!" he shouts.
The clan's hunting grounds buzzed with excitement. Parents lined the edges of the clearing, watching as their children gathered at the starting line.
Kaid, Kate, and their cousins, Amire, Jake, and Lucy, were already in place, brimming with anticipation.
"And finally arriving, late as always, is Kaito!" Jackson, the event's announcer, called out with a grin. "This will be his and Amire's first hunt!"
As Kaito joined beside the other kids he waved happily.
From the crowd, Moon clapped her hands together and tapped the man beside her. "Sun, aren't you excited? Kaito's doing his first hunt today!"
Their father, Sun, smiled, though his eyes were on Kaid. "Of course. But really, I'm here to watch Kaid outdo the competition."
Their aunt May scoffed, nudging Sun with her elbow. "Ha! My little Amire is going to wipe the floor with him."
Moon rolled her eyes, not that anyone could see it beneath her massive white afro. "Please. My kids are the best."
Jackson raised a whistle to his lips, grinning. "That's enough parent trash talk. Because my Jake is taking the win!"
FWEEEEET!
The whistle blew, and the race exploded into action.
Kaid shot forward, flames erupting around his feet, scorching the earth with every step. "Eat my ash, losers!" he yelled, cackling as he soared ahead.
Kate's body shimmered with golden light. A glowing portal tore open behind her, and from it emerged a massive white tiger with gleaming gold stripes. It let out a thunderous roar as she vaulted onto its back. "Yeah right, Kaid!"
Amire whipped her hand through the air, and a wave of water spiraled beneath her feet. She surfed it effortlessly, a trail of mist in her wake. "Try to keep up, Kaito!" she called, grinning over her shoulder.
Jake and Lucy darted forward together, ice spiraling beneath their feet as they skated at high speed, weaving in perfect sync.
Behind them all, Kaito ran.
No flames. No tigers. No water or ice. Just his legs pumping hard against the ground. Despite being the age magic usually awoken within mages, he had nothing.
Sun folded his arms and let out a quiet scoff. "He's got heart, I'll give him that."
Moon didn't respond. She simply watched her son, smiling to herself.
The wind whispered through the tall grass as the sun dipped low over the treetops, casting long shadows across the forest clearing.
In the center, a boar grazed quietly. Its snout rooted through the grass, ears flicking lazily at insects.
Not far off, Kaito crouched in the underbrush, breath shallow, heart thudding against his ribs. He moved slowly, inching forward on hands and feet. The grass brushed against his arms as he crept closer, silent as a breeze.
You've got this, he told himself. Just like they showed you. Just like Kaid would do...
The boar kept eating. Closer now.... closer...
Snap.
A twig cracked beneath Kaito's foot.
The boar froze. Its head lifted. Its nose twitched.
Kaito held his breath, hand over his mouth. The clearing was silent except for the soft rustle of wind through the trees.
Seconds passed.
Then the boar lowered its head and resumed grazing.
Kaito didn't wait.
He surged forward. In one swift motion, he brought the beast down.
The struggle was brief. Then stillness.
Kaito stood over it, chest rising and falling with adrenaline. "I... I did it," he breathed. A grin broke across his face. "I did it! I hunted the boar all by myself!"
But then, the moment shifted.
He looked down.
The grass beneath the boar was soaked in red. Its warm breath no longer stirred the air. Its eyes, once alert and alive, were dull, and empty.
Kaito's smile faded.
He knelt beside it slowly. The reality of what he had done settled over him like a weight. His fingers hovered above the animal's fur, unsure whether to touch it or not.
"Did... did I do it right?" he asked quietly, though no one was there to answer.
There was no pride now. Only a strange ache in his chest.
He stood, wiped his hands on his pants, and gently hoisted the boar over his shoulder. The body was heavy, much heavier than he expected.
With his head down, Kaito began walking back toward the village, the fading light casting his shadow long behind him.
Kaito was the first to return from his hunt. Moon instinctively cheered as she saw him. In return all Kaito offered was a meek smile.
Before he could speak Amire walked through the gate with a boar double the size of Kaito's. "Hehe, the others are gonna be soo jealous, especially Kaid!" She says happily.
"Oh am I?!" A voice rang out.
A thud shakes the entire ground around them, as Kaid brung back a beast the size of an elephant! "Who're you two gonna feed with that little stuff?" Kaid confidently said.
Amire sat stunned, "WHAT?!" She shouted shocked.
Kaid smirked deviously. "Should've tried harder!" He mocked.
A body of an even larger beast is slammed down, grabbing the attention of everyone in the village. "All of you need to try harder!" Kate shouted as she stood atop the beast.
Kaid sat frustrated, "No fair, you have that furball helping you, that's totally against the rules!" He yells.
Kate sticks her tongue out at him. "Is not, I was born with it!"
As they bicker sun walks up to the catches and Kate and Kaid run over to him.
"Dad look, I hunted that big monster all by myself!" Kaid shouts.
Kate smiled happily. "But I got this one dad." Kate says.
Sun looked at the two beasts, then down at Kaid, leaning towards his son. "You've let your sister win again, I expect better from you." He whispered so only Kaid could hear.
He then sat back up smiling, "how's about we teach you kids how to prepare the meat!"
He said as Jake and Lucy brought back beast that weren't even edible.
As everyone sat around the fire later at night, their laughter echoing as the kids learned to prepare the bodies, and the smell of smoke and meat drifted through the air.
Kaito, hung back, the weight was still on his shoulders despite long since, dropping the boar. knife in hand he stared down at his "Prize" The blood dried across it's hide, it was ugly His hand twitched at his side. He couldn't bring himself to dice the creature.
Moon who was off with Kate noticed, and broke from the crowd and came to him, her steps light, her eyes warm. "Kaito," she said gently kneeling beside him. "Your first hunt, you've done well."
His throat tightened as he shook his head. "It doesn't feel right. I thought... I thought I was supposed to be happy, but....." He looked away, his voice barely above a whisper. "It just feels wrong Mom, It was alive. And I made it stop."
Moon was quiet for a moment, watching his hand clench and unclench. Then she reached out, brushing his curly hair from his eyes, just like she had done when he was younger.
"The fact you feel this way means you have a good heart," she told him. "But you cannot let sorrow starve you. This creatures life now feeds yours. That is the way of the world, Kaito. The weak are meat for the strong to eat."
Kaito swallowed hard. The words made sense, but the ache in his chest didn't fade. "But... I made it suffer. I saw the way it looked at me-"
"No."
Moon's tone sharpened, just a little. She held his gaze steady. "You struck fast?" She asks.
Kaito nodded weakly.
"That means you were merciful. If you are swift, there is no suffering. Death can come with peace. That is the final gift a good hunter gives to it's prey."
Kaito blinked, his breath catching. He let himself believe her, the weight on his chest lifted, just enough for him to nod.
Moon pressed the knife into his hand. "Come. Learn how to honor it properly."
Together, they worked. Kaito's hands shook at first, the knife feeling heavy. But Moon's hands guided his, steady and sure, showing him each cut, each step. The smell of raw flesh turned his stomach, but he did not stop. By the time the meat was cooking over the fire, his hands no longer trembled.
At the feast as they all ate their catches Kaito, looked down at his plate and took a small bite. It was good, better then good even. He ate a few more bites, enough to satisfy his hunger. For the thought of the boar lingered in his mind.
Moon watched from across the fire, her gaze was soft and understanding. She didn't scold him, nor urge him to keep eating, she only let him be, he'd come to his own ideas.
Sun on the other hand, only saw weakness.
But in Kaito's mind he decided, he'd only ever kill if it were to eat, under no other circumstances.
Sun stood. Kaid looking up at him. "Where you goin dad?"
Sun turned with a smile, "you kids inspired me." He said with a soft smile. "I'll go hunt on my own tonight, maybe a king."