I. A Gift of Blood
Today was to be a big day for Baku as it was going to be his first hunt. He was sleeping in his hut with his sisters, Cora and Poli. Cora was the oldest of the bunch, the big sister who has kept an eye on her younger siblings since the loss of their parents in years before they had come to be welcomed into the Bone Herd. They did not speak of the story, it was something that always caused them to shut down when anyone ever brought it up.
Not only was it the day of Baku’s arrival to the Bone Herd, but it also marked the day where he has now been with The Bone Herd longer than he was with his mother and father. He was going to embark on the rite of passage to becoming a man much like Yavin, the warrior he admired most..
Baku awoke with a startle as his older brother G’an’n decided to wake him in one of the meanest possible manners…by throwing ice water all over him as he was asleep.
The jolt of freezing water startled him awake. Yavin, standing by the entrance could no longer contain himself and began laughing.
“G’AN’N” Cora yelled at Yavin and G’an’n, angry that Baku wasn’t the only person who was woken in such a manner as the water had also splashed onto her as well. Cora’s was auburn hair covered her ears so as not to draw attention to the sight that she did not have both. She has never spoken of the subject and always is quick to change the subject when anyone’s gaze lingered for even a second too long. One wouldn’t notice it from afar, but it is there and it causes her to have insecurity and secretly believe that she is ugly, that no one could ever love her, how could they…but only mostly she thought of it.
“Oh shit! I’m sorry Cora!” G’an’n laughed as Cora sprung up and slapped he and Ganon repeatedly while pushing him out of their dwelling. She turned to Baku who was shivering with anger. She put her hands around his shoulders and helped to warm him up.
“Poli, hand me some of G’an’n’s furs.”
Poli was one year older than Baku, but she didn’t speak. She couldn’t speak. At least, she hasn’t been able to speak since she arrived with her siblings at the Bone Herd encampment. Poli did as Cora requested and grabbed G’an’n’s sleeping furs, handing them to Baku who used them to dry off.
Cora wasn’t so much concerned for herself, as she was angry at G’an’n and Yavin. They were both men, but often acted as boys. She was mostly grateful for Yavin, as he was a positive presence in G’an’n’s life, apart from the occasional mischief which often made Baku’s life hell.
They could hear the laughter coming from the outside. G’an’n was quite pleased with himself, and although Yavin did find it equally hilarious he had an ulterior motive to this action. Yavin made his way back inside the hut as G’an’n continued laughing outside.
“Yavin, why do you have to be that way?” Cora asked him as he entered. “It’s not like that, Cora” he assured her.
“I’m sorry, Baku…” Yavin offered a half-hearted apology as Poli glared at him angrily, Baku was still startled and shivering.
Yavin crouched down in front of him while wrapping his own fur around him to help further warm him up. “…and yes, your brother does it because he finds it funny, and to be honest, so do I, but I want you to be prepared for anything. You can’t be afraid and you can’t be scared, anything can happen at any moment out there.”
Baku listened intently to every word. He looked up to Yavin, more than he did his own brother who often made Baku the butt of whatever prank he was playing that day. “I understand…”
“Good,” Yavin continued, “I have a gift for you. I’ve been working on getting this ready with Bimm the past weeks…”
Yavin unsheathed a bone dagger stained red in the blood of beasts felled in previous battles and hunts.
“…it is the bone of a Wendigo bathed in the blood of the most fierce beasts. As the last man, Elora wanted to give you a special gift for your birth.” He handed it to Baku who looked upon it in wonder. It was a dark, dull red with a curved blade made of bone. Despite its composition, the blade was surprisingly durable and sharp. Baku grasped it as he made excited slashing motions through the air with it.
“Now careful with that”, Cora warned but Baku was in his own world.
Poli watched as he cut the air pretending he was taking on a giant arachnid. Cutting each leg off, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…and when it was incapable of moving he’d finish with a stab to the head, piercing the brain and finishing it off. It was as if she could see what he was seeing. He held it before himself and stared at the detail. It mesmerized him.
“It seems like he loves it, Yavin. Thank you.” Cora assured him.
“He should have something special on the day he becomes a man. Now finish up, we leave shortly.”
Yavin looked on for a moment, before turning his attention to Cora, “I was wondering if I may visit you after the hunt?”
“Yavin, you make me blush,” she smiled at him, “but as I often tell you, you are too young for me.”
“I am a man. You are a woman.”
“There’s more to it than that.”
“Like what?”
Cora began to speak but stopped as she saw Poli and Baku looking up at them.
“Now’s not the time, Yavin. Now go, you must help Baku on his journey.”
Yavin looked at Baku and signaled for them to go, he left without saying another word.
“What was that about?” Poli asked Cora.
“Yavin often leaps before looking.” Cora laughs, “Now come, let us clean up this mess with G’an’n’s things.”
II. The Decision
Yavin, G’an’n and Baku made their way from the hut and started towards the Hall of Mammoths. They walked slowly as it was still early, not too early to be a disturbance to Elora, but the day was just beginning to dawn. Baku continued to slash the air, still too mesmerized by his gift to be bothered with anything else other than following Ganon and Yavin.
“He loves that thing.” G’an’n acknowledged to Yavin.
“It seems that way.” Yavin watched Baku who was still completely occupied. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about…”
“What’s that?”
“My father told me I’m guiding the hunt today.”
“That’s great news. This is your first time yes?”
“It is.” Yavin stopped walking.
“And?” G’an’n stopped as well.
“I know you want to be there for your brother today, but we need you to stay here.”
“Why?” G’an’n protested.
“Part of it is because we need some men to stay behind and help protect everyone else.”
“What is the other part?”
“…honestly, Baku needs to focus and you can be a distraction to him…but we do need you to protect the others.”
“It’ll be different now.”
“He’s still your little brother.”
“He’ll be a man.”
“”Like you are?”
The words stabbed G’an’n, wounding him deeply…he began to speak “…” but could not find the words.
“I didn’t mean it like that…it’s just, I know how dangerous it can get out there…you know my story. I don’t want anything to happen to Baku. I don’t want…”
“I understand.” G’an’n gave in to Yavin. “Just promise you’ll keep watch over him.”
“I’ll guard him with my life if I have to.”
G’an’n and Yavin parted ways. G’an’n returned to his hut and Yavin led Baku towards the Hall of Mammoths.
“Why’d G’an’n leave?” Baku asked after having come to his senses from imaginary bloodshed.
Yavin stopped and crouched down to be on the same level as Baku.
“Today is about you Baku. You don’t need any distractions once you’re out there…and G’an’n…”
“He can be distracting.” They both watched as G’an’n walked home sullenly. “Come now, Elora wishes to see you” Yavin offered as they made their way towards the Hall of Mammoths.
III. Red (releasing on 12/12/25)
IV. Useless (releasing on 12/12/25)
V. The Forest (releasing on 12/14/25)
VI. The Bounty (releasing on 12/14/25) – End Chapter 2
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