Fay gently got out of bed and exited the tent.
Many of the catfolk were already up, moving about as they set up the area for breakfast.
Others looked like they were preparing to go hunting.
Logan wanted to go with the latter, but he hesitated—he didn't know if his little sister would be safe staying behind.
He rushed back and, despite feeling guilty, began waking her up.
"Mira, I'm going to hunt… can you stay here and protect the house?"
Fay spoke softly but gave her a few gentle shakes to help rouse her faster.
"Will protect house, don't worry Feyfey… Go bring a lot of food."
Mira looked at him with determined eyes, her small face full of resolution. She looked like she was ready to fight off anyone who came near.
"Just make sure you don't go out, alright?" Fay warned, then turned and left. He wanted to explore his powers more, but food came first.
The voice from earlier didn't intervene. It remained silent as Fay stepped outside, almost as if approving of his decision.
Fay obliged, grabbing his spear—still smeared with dried blood from yesterday's hunt—and made his way toward the warriors preparing to leave.
Leading them was the large man with protruding fangs.
Trailing behind him was the annoying girl who seemed to dislike Fay for some reason. She followed the leader closely, as if staying in his shadow was her sworn duty.
As for Fay, no one acknowledged him at first.
But the closer he got, the more of the warriors began to notice him. Their eyes followed his movements with growing attention.
Then, the most powerful one, the fanged leader, raised a hand and signaled toward him.
[Go closer, child. He means no harm.]
Fay did as the voice urged. The gathered warriors parted to let him pass, creating a clear path to the front.
He walked forward, step by step, until he reached the towering warrior—the tribe's leader.
The man was still focused on fastening his gear and only turned to face Fay at the last moment.
[So you come. I felt the spirit's love for you, child. Now is the time to prove yourself.]
His voice, though human in tone, did not reach Fay through his ears. Instead, it resonated from his hands—vibrations coursing through his palms, as if the spirits translated the meaning directly into him.
The long-fanged leader glanced toward his own spear, then smiled, lips stretching around the sharp white edges of his fangs. He motioned toward one of his companions, who wore a dagger on their belt.
[Take this. It will do much more than a simple wooden spear. That alone will not be enough to kill the creatures here.]
Fay stepped forward and accepted the weapon. The blade looked as though it had been carved from the bone or claw of some great beast. It was not metal, yet its weight and edge surpassed anything he had ever wielded. Sharp, solid, and perfectly balanced.
He gave a respectful nod and bowed slightly to show his thanks.
Then, Fay glanced toward the girl. She was glaring at him again, the same hostility in her eyes as before. He still had no idea why she disliked him, but at this point, he didn't care.
He fell into step at the back of the group as they prepared to depart.
The village had supplied each hunter with a small pack of rations. Fay received one too—a bundle of smoked meat, still warm as if it had been kept over a fire all night just for this occasion. Thin strips, easy to chew while walking.
And walk they did.
For nearly an hour, they moved without rest, crossing the open savanna.
The landscape soon opened into the same place where Fay had first arrived—wide grassy fields stretching toward a large river at its center.
There, some members of the group pulled out what looked like animal stomachs—leather-like containers used for collecting water. It was an efficient and practical method, clearly crafted through generations of survival wisdom.
[It seems we have arrived near the river… this is where you will start your training. Now focus. There is life all around you… For the spirit to listen to you, you will need to take a life. Find one—a worthy start.]
This time, the voice of the spirit, the guide which it called itself, began to speak to him once more.
Fay looked around. The area was teeming with strange creatures—rodent-like animals with armored hides and long claws, the impala-like beasts he had seen the day before, and even massive, trunked creatures clad in thick plates of bone-like armor.
The leader of the hunting group was alert, constantly scanning the area, protecting those who approached the water to gather supplies. Their task seemed dangerous, and the others instinctively kept their focus on him.
Suddenly, one of the catfolk behind the leader called out, his voice sharp and commanding. The water collectors began returning to the group in response.
Fay's attention was drawn to the river. Beneath the surface, he saw a large, shadowy creature moving. It was gliding toward the shore, slow, deliberate. But before it could reach land, it paused, then turned away. The group moved on, unbothered, as if they had sensed its presence.
Fay brought his focus back to the task he had been given: he had to hunt something. It needed to be quick, something he could finish without making the others wait.
He noticed a strange frog resting on the surface near the edge of the riverbed. More of its kind were scattered nearby, croaking lazily, seemingly unaware or uncaring of any danger around them.
A perfect choice—or so he thought.
Fay raised his spear, ready to strike.
[Not that. Won't be able to eat it.]
A voice echoed in his mind. It was the tribe's leader, who had turned to glance at him, and gently shook his head.
Fay hesitated and lowered his weapon. He looked around again.
The only remaining creatures were the armored rodents. They continued to sniff at the ground, foraging without concern for the presence of hunters.
Fay frowned.
He didn't want to hunt rodents. He had eaten enough of them already—and the taste, the texture… it reminded him too much of Earth.
That was when Fay turned his gaze back toward the water, across to the other side, where creatures gathered to drink. There, he spotted a hog-like beast, several antelope, and even birds flitting along the rivers edge.
Fay sighed, overwhelmed by the choices. So many targets… just not enough time.
He gripped his spear tightly. The water collectors had returned to the edge now, reassured by the river's stillness.
"Damn it… which one…"
Then something caught his eye.
Up in the branches of a nearby tree, basking in the warm morning sun, was a large spiny green lizard.
A smile tugged at Fay's lips.
"The dinosaur was good meat…" he muttered, licking his lips at the memory. The taste of that overgrown lizard still lingered in his thoughts.
He glanced at the chief. No objections.
"In a tree… alright."
Lizards had gone extinct long ago on Earth—Fay had never hunted one before. But this was a different world.
He raised his spear and began stalking forward, crouching low into the savanna's tall grass. The creature was maybe ten meters away, eyes closed, entirely relaxed as it soaked up the sun.
"Guess you'll be the perfect one."
He steadied his stance, muscles ready to move out.
Fay rushed forward as quietly as he could, closing the distance swiftly. When he was close enough, he hurled the spear with all his strength.
The wooden weapon whistled through the air, then struck.
It buried itself into the tree trunk, pinning the lizard's leg.
The creature tumbled down, thrashing only once before Fay was upon it. He finished it quickly, giving it no time to suffer.
Afterward, he let out a long breath.
He hated this part—killing. He reminded himself why he did it: not for joy, but for food. And for Mira.
Delicious food, he thought, the only comfort after the weight of having killed.
Then, something unexpected occurred.
A small, glowing white blob of light floated up from the lizard's body.
It didn't have a defined shape, and when Fay tried to poke it, it didn't react.
"What is this…?" he whispered.
[That is the spirit you need—the essence of the creature. You must begin collecting these from now on. We have given it this form to help you. Now… concentrate on your gems. They will do the work for you.]
Fay concentrated just as he was asked, placing his hands before him. He didn't know exactly what he was supposed to do, but he tried to grab onto the blob. The white smoke then came alive—it swirled a few times, as if asking for something.
"What do I do now?" Fay asked the guide, hoping it would give him a clearer hint.
[Give it form. Something small—just enough to use the spirit as a vessel.]
Fay was at a loss again. The instructions were vague enough even to frustrate him.
He closed his eyes and tried to picture a shape.
What he had killed earlier was a lizard, so it only felt right to give it that form once again. But this time, it needed to be smaller… and deadlier.