Rise Of The Hunters - Chapter 22

Xun looked through the huge collection of newspapers still to read and moved on to the books. There was so much information, he wasn’t sure if he could get through all of it if he read every day for the rest of his life, but he needed to start somewhere. Spying a thin book, shoved back behind several other books, on the bottom shelf, he became curious. It almost looked like someone was trying to hide it from sight.

Looking around again, he saw that it was pitch black outside, and that no one was around. Pulling several books off the shelf, he was finally able to extract it. Flipping through the pages, he was surprised to find the pages had handwriting, not type on them. Chewing on his lip for a moment, he decided to take the book with him and maybe he would have time later to read it. Slipping it into his bag, he headed over to the long list of jobs that Max had mentioned. He probably needed to at least know what his options were, in case the leaders asked him what he wanted to do before ȧssigning him one.

The list was as follows: teacher, explorer, animal trainer, archer, armorer, baker, barber, singer, barmaid, blacksmith, bladesmith, guard, book tender, hunter, brewer, butcher, carpenter, cheesemaker, cook, cooper, dentist, seamstress/tailor, dyer, farrier, fisherman, fletcher, groundskeeper, gardener, glazier, doctor, actor, logger, midwife, painter, papermaker, pharmacist, potter, laborer, ropemaker, laundry worker, kitchen worker, shoemaker, stable hand, tanner, trapper, undertaker, mechanic, crier, miller, furniture maker, candlemaker, beekeeper, electrician and plumber.

Xun’s head hurt. He wasn’t sure what half those jobs even were. He looked them over again, but didn’t get much further than he had the first time. With a sigh, he decided to stay a hunter, if he could, and left the library to head to the barracks Max had said he was to sleep in. There was just enough light from the various windows for him to find his way in the dark. As he slipped into the building, he could hear murmurs and snores. Making his way to an empty bed, he quickly lay down to sleep. The noises would normally have kept him awake, but he was exhausted after such an extraordinary day.

When he woke the next morning, several people had already gotten up and left. He could see Willow passed out on her bed, and Hayden was getting his boots on a couple of beds away. As far as he could see, everyone else was older by several years.

Hayden glanced in his direction, then quickly away. Xun wondered where he was heading, so early in the morning, then spied his bow and quiver. He was either heading out to practice his archery, or he was going to hunt.

Stretching his back, he decided to get some breakfast and head to the auditorium to see the leaders. The sooner he had a job, the better he could plan his future.

There was a lot of people in the cafeteria, so he grabbed some things to eat while he walked, and threw a couple things in his bag for lunch. The lady behind the counter frowned at him, but didn’t say anything. Xun noticed it and decided if he could find any food foraging outside, he would have to do that. If they would judge him on how he ate, or when, he could find another method to do so. Plus, if he got his own food, he would know what was in it and that it wouldn’t make him sick. He wondered if there was a book about making food in the library, but filed the thought away for later.

After the crowd from last night, he wasn’t ready to be surrounded by so many people again. At least not so soon. Even though there had been a lot of people in the compounds he had stayed in before, they had never congregated in large numbers like last night. It would have been too dangerous. Xun still couldn’t believe how careless these people were. It was obvious that the Slavers had indeed never been here before. Otherwise, they would not be so flamboyant with the lights and noise that they made.

He hurried over to the auditorium, and was excited to see that he was the first to arrive. Maybe that would mean the leaders would get to him immediately, and he wouldn’t have to wait so long this time. Sitting in a chair, right in front of the stage, he ate his breakfast in silence. An hour passed before anyone came by, but he was too afraid to pull the book out to read it. He still wasn’t sure if it was okay for him to have taken it out of the library. Instead, he thought over the newspaper stories he had read last night.

Xun had lived his whole life with the knowledge that Slavers and werewolves were hunting him. From his earliest memories, he had worked hard to survive. When his dad had died, it became even harder, because he didn’t have that second set of eyes to keep him safe. But he managed to persevere. Every time he learned something new, he tried hard to apply it to his life so that he would have a better chance to survive. This place was very conflicting for him. So many people lived here in such a state of comfort, they had no concept of the dangers that lived just across the mountains. If Slavers ever did come here, despite their attempts to train people, and the guards at the walls, Xun had no doubts that everyone here would fall prey to them.

He was faced with the opportunity to learn a lot of information about the greatest threats to his life, but he had to be careful that while he was learning, he didn’t fall prey to the complacency and ease that a life in this compound would cause. He needed to make sure he was prepared for whatever may come, and he knew that he could never stay in this place. Despite the wonderful safety it provided, he would forever be an outcast. He needed to find a place he could truly call home. A place the vampires, Slavers, and werewolves couldn’t get to.

When the leaders showed up, he saw that Max wasn’t with them.