Barro sighed heavily. "Can't be helped, young man. But at least with us, you'd go down fighting!"

"Again, you muscle head, you're scaring them." Miss Way patted Yunkef on the head and let go, moving to sit down again. She looked like simply talking to Barro was draining her energy. She gestured to the queues entering the shed, and the steady stream of people leaving it after a few seconds. "Sign up for the expedition or the hunt, if you fancy. We could use your help, and all the help we could manage."

Yunkef took stock of both lines, while Barro and Miss Way returned to trading mildly snide jabs at each other. Every time Miss Way said teased or insulted Barro, a light smile would play on her lips, while the big man would throw his head back and laugh heartily.

The hunt was an expedition of itself, consisting of half a dozen of the Settlement's most armored vehicles. Equipped with lanterns, spears, swords, and knives made from the jagged, rusted metal from the scrappers, the hunting team would head out into the pitch black of the darkness that surrounded the Settlement to search for creature nests. By culling the population of the creatures and burning their nests, they said, they could ensure safer travels for the expedition crew and the merchant caravans. Since the hunt was established many years ago, it seemed that travel did indeed become safer. And what creatures they killed were dragged back to the Settlement and their teeth, armored hides, horns, and even the thick black blood that oozed from their bodies were repurposed into building materials, weaponry, or given to Grass to tinker with. Both were noble pursuits, Yunkef knew, but was he really the type to leave the Settlement?

As he stood there indecisively, Nenry pushed past him and joined a queue.

"Nenry!" he called, suddenly bolting towards her. "Nenry, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like, Yunkef?" Nenry rolled her eyes. "I'm signing up for the hunt."

"The hunt? Why the hunt? Why not-"

"If you're going to ask why not the expedition, because it's safer, you can stop right there." Nenry's unamused stare had Yunkef snapping his mouth closed right away. "You know how the hunt brings back creature carcasses, right? Well, it turns out we might need more of those. And I want to help get them. Beats sitting around on the farm."

"But you love the farm..." Yunkef said softly. "Alright, why do we need more creature carcasses?"

"Grass figures that maybe the disease that keeps wiping out our bird population might be spreading from the creatures that hide near the Settlement walls."

"Yes, those, I hear the scratching sometimes."

Nenry nodded. "Exactly. Even if we catch a lot of them, they can only tell us so much about the disease, or how their bodies, work, or anything really. We need some really big ones."

“Why can’t you just let Barro and his men do it?”

“Yunkef, do you really want to be shoveling poop and staring at eggs for the rest of your life?” she replied with a tired sigh. I want to learn. I want to help Grass and the animals, of course, but I want to do it outside of these walls for a change. I know there is still so much out there. I want to see it for myself.” She looked straight into Yunkef’s eyes. “What is it you want to do with your life?”

Yunkef stared blankly back at Nenry. His dark eyes soon darted all over her face and off into the shed and the line of people as if the right answer could be found there. His eyes widened. Maybe the answer was in there.

"I do want to help more people, Nenry." he said slowly. "But you're right. There must be so much left to see out there. Maybe even more kinds of animals I haven't seen yet! And more contraptions and machines left over from the old world that I could bring back to Grass!"

The more Yunkef spoke, the more animated he became as he considered the possibilities of what there might be waiting for him just past the walls of the Settlement. A small, tired smile crept onto Nenry's face. "I guess you're going to join the hunt too, now?"

"I'm not much of a hunter, but Barro and Miss Way themselves took me aside to recruit me."

"Let's count that as some stellar recommendations." Nenry pulled Yunkef into the line for the sign-up, and they waited together to enter the shed.

The shed at the center of the town hall served as a polling place for the yearly leadership elections, and for the expedition and hunts to have an orderly area to hold recruitment. It used to be that potential recruits would line up at the vehicle garage just outside the main gate, but an attack from angered creatures put a stop to that tradition quickly. As Yunkef got closer to the front of the line, he saw how some people, changing their minds at the last minute, would move from one line to the other, rather rudely cutting in front of people. There was always a quick apology, but the line cutter would be let through in the end, as the people jumping ship were in the line for the hunts, choosing to join the expedition instead.

Yunkef's heart raced as the gravity of his choice started to sink in. If he signed his name on the hunt, there was a high risk of him getting killed. But if he signed on for the expedition, they would not focus on the far-flung areas of the darkness, but instead, look for safe areas on purpose. Things worth discovering were rarely on the safe paths. In front of him, Nenry signed her name and quickly stepped aside for the next person. She clapped Yunkef on the back as she left the shed. The signup sheet for the hunt bore far fewer names than he thought. He took a breath, tried to steady his shaky hand, and signed his name just below Nenry's.

"Hah! The boy signed up!" Barro's bellow greeted Yunkef as he emerged from the shed. "I hope you picked the right choice in there, boy!"

"I hope I did too," Yunkef muttered. Barro didn't seem to hear. He gave a quick wave to the large hunter and to Miss Way who still lounged nearby and followed Nenry.

"So, what do we do now?" He asked Nenry.

She walked on with confidence, navigating through the winding paths through the Residential quarter. "We don't need to do anything until Barro calls for the hunt to assemble. They do this every time they come back and have a recruitment drive, Yunkef, don't you pay attention?"

Yunked smiled sheepishly. "I don't usually notice when they get back, sorry. I'm usually at the farm."

"Yeah, well, that's great and all but if we're going to be exploring the bigger world outside of our little walls, you'd better have your eyes open and you'd better be paying attention!"

"Wait, the farm!" Yunkef said so suddenly that Nenry stopped and looked back at him. An annoyed older woman shooed the two towards the side of the path to let her hobble past. "If both of us are out on the hunt, who will take care of the animals?"

"Is that what you're worried about?" Nenry couldn’t help but smile. "I've taken care of it. I got some kids to help Grass at the farm, along with a couple of others willing to take up mushroom farming. They'll be fine."

Yunkef sighed with relief as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders. He didn't realize how tense and worried he was about his responsibilities until he was told he didn't have to mind them anymore. "Alright, thank you. You really think of everything, Nenry."

"You bet I do."

"But how do we prepare for the hunt?"

"Hmm, I'm not too sure about that, honestly. We've never seen the hunters, well, hunt before."

"And we don't have weapons."

"Surely Barro's got enough to spare. Let's just wait till the alarm sounds to start the hunt. You know the one."

"The one that sounds like howling? That always startles me."

"That means it’s working." Nenry laughed and clapped Yunkef on the shoulder. "Why don't we go get a meal? I haven't eaten anything yet, have you?"

"No, went straight to the farm after waking up."

"Then I insist!"

Meals were served within the Residential quarter, in a space clear of tents where a long, rectangular fire pit was set up, along with tables for preparation and cooking, and benches for eating. The smell of singed hide, meat sizzling on the grill, and of stew bubbling in large pots was a constant in the area and set the stomachs of anyone passing by to growling. Yunkef volunteered to line up at the long table where plates of food were set out and got servings enough for both himself and Nenry. He joined her at one of the benches with plates piled with grilled meat on skewers, scoops of a very short grain cooked in broth, and mushrooms in a creamy sauce.

"Looks like our efforts at the farm paid off!" Nenry said, happily digging in. "This is why I work so hard, Yunkef! To make sure I get to eat something good!"

Yunkef laughed and started on his food at a slower pace. He watched the people queuing up for their own meals, noting how everyone from the hardiest of workers to the frailest of elderly goes to the same line. "Hard work at the farm pays off for the whole Settlement. I'm glad to help on that front."

Nenry looked over to Yunkef, a fork still halfway to her mouth. "You really care about the people here, don't you?"

Yunkef looked shocked. "Of course I do! Who wouldn't? Everyone has a place here, and we all have to work together to keep the Settlement running and the creatures out!"

"Well, that's what they all say. But to be honest with you, I'm feeling a bit cramped." Nenry finished her food with a couple more bites. "It's getting to the point where I can't breathe in the tents. There are people everywhere, and the noise never ends. Besides, we've seen every inch of the Settlement already. You don't find it boring?"

"When you put it that way, it does sound pretty boring. We've crawled all over the Settlement since we were kids, we even broke into Granny Jam's tent once. She got so mad when she caught us, she started throwing her shoes at our heads!"

Nenry laughed at that and seemed to cheer up. "Oh, that was fun. I don't think I've ever run that fast in my life!"

"Same here! But I do know what you mean. We know all there is to know about the Settlement."

"Yeah...So what do you think is out there?"

Yunkef looked to where Nenry was staring. There was a gap in the Settlement walls, not enough to fit a person through, but large enough that they could see the thick darkness beyond.

Hours passed, and Yunkef found himself jolting awake to the sound of the hunt's unique alarm. Same as always, he got out of bed and threw on his clothes, but he was almost out of the tent before the realization hit him. He was going on a hunt. It was very different from a day at the farm tending to the livestock; what should he wear? He didn't have much, but he ducked back into the tent and pulled out another set of boots that hadn't seen nearly as much wear and tear as his daily set. He also threw on a threadbare coat, the best one he had, and left the tent before his tent mate could protest further.

New recruits and seasoned hunters alike gathered at the gates of the Settlement. The gates weren't usually opened for fear of the creatures getting too brave, but exceptions were made for the hunts and expeditions. Vehicles of different sizes, all with four wheels, a loudly sputtering engine, and covered in armor cobbled together from sheets of metal and chunks of wood were parked just outside the gate.

Barro looked out at the crowd, his scarred face betraying some disappointment that the assembled recruits were a lot fewer than what he had expected. "Ho there, recruits!" he said in his bellowing voice as he thumped his chest with one large hand. "Today, you hunt with me! Hunting is easy if you keep your eyes and ears open and pay attention. Grab a spear, get on the vehicle, and hold on tight."

Yunkef was only half listening. He was turning this way and that, scanning the crowd for Nenry.

Spears were passed through the crowd, with every new recruit taking one. They were crafted from wood that had been repurposed so many times that they were unfit to be building material. The more seasoned hunters all wore gloves, knowing full well how badly the spears were prone to splinters. The spears were tipped with odd materials that were dark in color and seemed to soak up any light that hit them.

Barro laughed when he saw a recruit holding a spear tip up to his face. "They're not tipped with rock if that's what you're thinkin'. Beast scales and fangs, those are. Nothing else will pierce the bastards' hides. Used to use the best metal scrap we had, but wasting resources on the beasts crippled our buildin'." The large man climbed onto the closest vehicle: a large and heavily armored machine that carried two large lanterns. The light was not focused only on the front but was free to cast its light in all directions. "I will lead the hunt, you all climb onto the other vehicles. Follow close, stay in formation. If you drop out of formation for any reason, follow the light. Got it?" Barro slapped the housing of one of the large lanterns, causing it to sway. The nervous nods of the new recruits had him laughing again. "Aim for the head or the belly! Let's go!"

Yunkef spluttered in protest as the hunters started climbing onto the bare-topped vehicles. The seasoned hunters went on first, helping up several recruits per vehicle.

"I'm here! I'm here, sorry I'm late." Nenry said, breathing heavily from a quick run. "Just had to finish something before leaving. What did I miss?"

"Grab a spear and get on!" a hunter said, raising his voice over the roar of the vehicles' engines. Barro was already revving his vehicle. "Hurry now, before you get left behind!"

"Come on, there's still space on this one!" Yunkef said, handing Nenry a spear and rushing to the hunter who spoke. He grabbed the hunter's offered hand and hauled himself up onto the vehicle. It had no roof, so the hunters had to sit cautiously perched on the edges, holding onto protruding handgrips. With one last loud rev, the lead vehicle tore away from the Settlement at speed with its twin lanterns lighting the way. The other vehicles followed soon after, maneuvering into a V formation with Barro's vehicle at the head.

As the vehicle lurched forward and began to accelerate, Yunkef's scream was forced down his throat. It may have been for the best that he was silenced by the rough ride in the vehicle, for he realized that he was rushing headlong into absolute darkness with only the vehicles' lanterns for light.

The world was dark. It had been plunged into darkness so long ago that no one alive remembered a time before the light. There were tales passed down from generation to generation that the old world was a rich, vibrant place, illuminated by a great ball of fire in the sky. They said that it was a war, a bomb, and a great explosion that decimated the world and left only a few pockets of survivors. The great light was gone, and the world was only darkness.

Yunkef wasn't sure how many generations had come and gone since the old world ended and the Settlements were raised in the cold darkness. There weren't enough records from the early days; whatever was written down back then was lost to time, the beasts, and the dark. All Yunkef was sure of was that there must be more to find of the world past the walls of the Settlements, but they are simply hidden from sight.

The vehicles rattled on in formation, running roughly over the rocky terrain. According to one of the veteran hunters, who explained to the new recruits by yelling over the sound of the engines, most of the area near the Settlement has been mapped out as best as they could. The creature nests found nearby were routed long ago, but you'll never know if more of the beasts would come in to take up residence in the freed-up space. So, as Barro instructed, they would venture farther and farther into the darkness every time they set out on a hunt. The convoy continued on for quite a while, with all vehicles setting out lanterns with directed, focused light. The hunters scanned the areas they passed as much as they could, looking for possible nests.

"Hey, Yunkef. Do you see that?" Nenry said, nudging Yunkef in the ribs. She pointed to a spot in the distance where a dozen pale yellow lights rumbled over the terrain. "What are those?"

"The lights? They look like a fleet of vehicles, just like us," he replied, peering into the darkness. "Maybe it's another group of hunters from a different Settlement?"

"It could be the Expedition too." Nenry mused. "But I can't say for sure. Can't make out their equipment from here."

"Yeah. I wish we had more light. There must be some way to improve the lanterns..." Yunkef trailed off as ideas for the lanterns started running through his head. "Maybe a different kind of glass set in front of the main light... I should talk to Grass about it."

Yunkef was startled out of his thoughts by the hearty yell of a hunter from one of the other vehicles. "Green light!" the man screamed triumphantly, pointing his spear into the darkness. "Green light! There it is!"

"Green light, what is he talking about? Where? All our lanterns are yellowish." Yunkef said. He sat up a bit straighter and tightened his grip on the vehicle's handhold. Out in the vast plains of the darkness shone a bright, emerald green light. It hung in the air, eerily still.

"The green light's said to be a good omen for hunters." The veteran on their vehicle explained. "Usually leads to treasure or a nest."

"What causes the light?"

"No one knows. No matter how far you try to drive to it, it always looks like its going away from you. But after some time you stop caring about what the light is because by then you'd have run into whatever it's been leading you to."

"Follow the light!" Barro roared from the head vehicle, loud enough to be heard from both ends of the formation. "For loot and glory! Onwards!"