From the next day onward,
Everyone inside the cave rose before dawn. The sun had barely begun to rise, with the forest's thick canopy blocking most of the light, darkness still lingered heavily in the camp. Life here followed its own rhythm — early, quiet and efficient. Early morning, the entire Hunter Squad assembled at the main ground, ready to head out for their hunt. Vayu and Aspen, however were left behind. Since Vayu held a higher rank, he was designated as the leader of their small two-person team.
After the main squad departed, their training instructor arrived — the same scar-faced man who had taught them horse riding the previous day. His name was Matang and without wasting a moment, he ordered them to begin their morning exercises. The routine was harsh: stretches, sprints, balance drills and strength training. By the time an hour passed, their bodies were drenched in sweat. Then came the horse training again — repeating the same motions as yesterday. Mounting, dismounting, walking in circles, learning to move with the horse's rhythm. The training was repetitive, by the time they were done, the sun had finally risen high enough to pierce through the trees. It was around ten in the morning when Matang dismissed them for breakfast. The two headed to a small hut where the meals were prepared. They each took a simple wooden bowl and sat down to eat. To their surprise, despite the modest setting, the food was delicious — warm, hearty and full of flavor. After hours of exhausting training, it tasted like the best meal they had ever had.
Soon after breakfast, Vayu and Aspen were called to the main building. Inside, one of the senior worker handed them a stack of papers and said, "These are the assignments for today. Go and hang them on the board in the central arena. Once you are done, report back to me , I will assign you your next task". They followed the instructions without any further delay. The central arena was bustling — with workers moving in and out, some checking the board for new missions, others preparing their gear. Vayu and Aspen carefully pinned each assignment on the wooden board, making sure everything was neat and properly arranged. Once the task was complete, they returned to the main office and reported back. This time, they were handed another list — names of people who needed help around the camp.
Their first stop was the kitchen hut. The cooks were already busy preparing for lunch and quickly put them to work. Vayu and Aspen chopped piles of vegetables, kneaded dough and fetched water. When the meal preparation was done, they scrubbed the utensils clean and swept the kitchen floor. By the time lunch was ready to be served, they helped distribute food to every squad member present at the base, moving swiftly between tables with wooden bowls and ladles. Once everyone was served, they tidied the place again and finally returned to report that their duties were completed — exhausted by how much they had done since the morning. After finishing their kitchen duties, Vayu and Aspen were given another task — this time, they were told to report to the supply branch. The blacksmiths were running low on materials and needed urgent re-supply to keep up with the growing demands of the camp.
The instructor explained, "As our hunting grounds expanded, we need more fence to strengthen our defenses — larger spikes to ward off beasts, stronger traps, reinforced barricades"
Vayu and Aspen nodded and got to work. Together, they helped carry iron ingots, bundles of wood, and thick metal rods from the supply branch to the smithy. The clang of hammers echoed through the air as flames from the forge painted the workers' faces in shades of orange and red. Sweat dripped from their foreheads as they moved heavy logs and crates, the metallic scent of iron filling the space. Hours passed in hard labor. By the time the last crate was delivered, the sun had already begun to fade behind the mountains. It was around five in the evening when someone called "You two, to the kitchen again!"
Tired, they still headed to the food hut once more. There, they washed dozens of utensils — plates, pots, and ladles once again. When they were finally done, their instructor, Matang appeared at the doorway. "Enough for today" he said firmly. "Go get some rest. You'll need your strength — tonight, you will join me for the night patrol". They both barely managed to nod. Soon Vayu returned to his small room, laid down on his straw bed, and before he could even think about what the patrol might be like… he was already fast asleep.
"Hey."
Something nudged Vayu's side, but he ignored it, rolling over and burying his face in the straw, as he felt sleepy and wanted to sleep some more. A few seconds later—splash!
Cold water hit his face like a slap. He jolted upright, gasping. "Wh–what?!"
Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he saw his instructor, Matang, standing over him, arms crossed and an unimpressed look on his face.
"Get up and wake your friend," Matang said flatly. "You've got ten minutes, Meet me in front of the stable." Without another word, he turned and left. Still half asleep, Vayu groaned and rubbed his face, dragging himself out of bed. He stumbled down the corridor to Aspen's room and pushed open the door. There, Aspen lay sprawled across his straw bed, drooling, snoring softly in his sleep.
"Aspen… Aspen!" Vayu called, shaking his shoulder, but Aspen gave no response. He frowned, that felt familiar… as he remembered the sharp pain in his ribs earlier—how, Matang must've kicked him in his ribs before throwing the water.
Vayu's lips curled into a sly grin "Alright then."
He took a step back, then kicked Aspen Thud!, Aspen groaned and rolled over, still asleep. Then he remembered that what had really woken him up, he sighed, scanned the room, and spotted a clay pot, full of water "You leave me no choice"
He filled a glass of water and—splash!
Aspen shot up instantly. "Wha–what?"
Vayu folded his arms, doing his best to impersonate, Matang's stern tone "Get up, We leave in ten minutes. Meet me in front of the stable"
Aspen blinked, confused, still dripping wet. But Vayu was already walking away, with a smirk spreading across his face.
Soon, both Vayu and Aspen stood in front of the stables, the chilly night air still clinging to the ground. The moonlight filtered faintly through the thick trees, casting shadows across the path. The camp was unusually quiet, but at night it felt eerie. After a few minutes their instructor Matang appeared. But this time, he looked different—no longer in his usual training garb. He wore a darker outfit, built for movement and silence, with light armor that barely made a sound when he walked. Without saying a word, he entered the stable. Vayu and Aspen exchanged glances before following him inside. Matang stopped beside a reddish-brown horse, he patted its neck gently, then pressed his forehead against the animal's head for a brief moment, then with a firm tug on the reins, he led the horse out of the stable.
"Instructor," Aspen called out, "should we get our horses too?"
Matang glanced back at them, his voice low "No, you two walk beside me tonight" he climbed on his horse and said "You'll learn more about this forest on foot than you ever will on horseback" and without another word, the three of them left the camp, stepping past the faint glow of the torches and into the vast, silent darkness of the forest beyond.