"Troublesome or not, they're right there. Let's at least take a look," said Lilian. “The second we see it’s not worth the trouble, we leave.”

As they walked across the field towards Roijacht, the sound of drums became increasingly noticeable like the town had a hectic heartbeat. Lilian hoped it wasn't literally that - with it being a fantasy region, she wished it wasn't something she had to actively hope against but knew it to be possible.

As they reached the village itself, the drums and music playing resembled a carnival with just as hecticness. The group’s heartbeats seemed to synchronize with the loud sounds as they took in the sights of the Lunefang village and the smells of various meat products.

The beasts were hard for the three outsiders to comprehend. While slightly furry, they weren’t werewolves - not exactly. Baring similarities to felines and canines both, the closest term to use was simply “beastly” with humanoid traits. Their fur colors varied wildly with some resembling tiger stripes and jaguar spots and others closer to wolves. Claws seemed to be retractable but they had fluffy tails. Their fangs were sharp and their bodies, no matter the size, gave away their strength. While a bit more humanoid in the features of the smaller Lunefang, the larger ones looked more savage as they towered over them with less humanoid factors about them. Their clothing was decidedly light with the most covering items for the males were the equivalent of shorts and vests and thin dresses for the women. Of course, those items were in the slight minority - more often than not, there would be loincloths and items that covered about as much as a bikini. A rare couple were simply casually naked as the party continued.

“At least they’re wearing more clothes than last time,” mumbled Rio. If she was in any way flustered by their attire, she gave nothing away.

“Wait, more?” Lilian looked at Rio with confusion. Her flusteredness was much more obvious as she imagined the previous version.

“Trade with humans and the other races has affected them,” said Rio. “As it has our kind.”

“Gotta like their style,” said Gwen with a grin. Trey was quietly staring at everything.

“Well, I’d rather just get out of here,” said Lilian, eyes darting about.

“Can’t handle all the muscle on display?~” teased Gwen. “You always were overly modest about everything but your grades.”

“I’m normal!” insisted Lilian. “These guys are just... Let me guess, you’d wear stuff like this?”

“Eh, not my first choice,” admitted Gwen, “but if circumstances pushed me there, I’d handle it better than you. You’d be all red and frozen stiff like a popsicle~”

“That’s a normal reaction!” shot Lilian.

“The Veolverij gave up this before even the latest Elder was born,” added Rio. “We were taught it offered no benefits to hunting or life as a whole. But it still benefits the Lunefang so some don’t give up the old ways easily.”

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I get it,” mumbled Lilian. “But for me, it’s very broken.”

They proceeded through the crowds, struggling to find where the key was leading them to. Gwen was offered food and naturally she accepted it to the chagrin of Lilian. Just as Lilian was getting more annoyed, Rio stopped in place.

“Well, I doubt whatever this unlocks is under this village or one of the buildings,” said Rio.

“What makes you so sure?” asked Gwen.

“Because the magical signature is moving toward us,” she replied.

Eventually, they would see another key around the neck of its holder. It was a smaller male Lunefang - one that seemed to be their age and barely taller than Sora - with the key around his neck. Wearing a vest and shorts, this Lunefang was different as he had a little device hanging off his belt as well as some kind of bottle. With jaguar spots all over him - one over his eye - and a muted expression, he seemed drastically different from the other Lunefang reveling around them. It was almost pet like in comparison with Gwen and Lilian both trying to keep composure.

“You...you have one too…” His voice was a match of his face and contrasted against the madness.

“Yes,” said Lilian, unsure what else to say. “I’m Lilian.”

“I… My name isn’t important,” said the young Lunefang, eyeing her and the group suspiciously. “You’re here for the key, aren’t you?”

Lilian couldn’t answer clearly - not with the way she was being looked at. It was like she was here to rob him with that accusatory stare. Not that it couldn't be an option of course - but an obvious last resort. It would be too easy for outsiders to make a mess of a fantasy world and that’s the last thing she wanted.

"Do you know what they do?" Lilian asked instead. "I just feel they're...important to our quest."

The Lunefang drew closer, sniffing Lilian and the whole group - but Gwen and Sora especially. "Human...but something else too," he said of them.

"W-we're just normal humans trying to get home," insisted Lilian.

"You're using that word normal a lot recently," sneered Gwen.

"B-because it fits!" Lillian shot back, whirling around to face Gwen.

Before the young Lunefang could say anything, a massive shadow seemed to cover them all. The Lunefang that approached was titanic with his claws either always extended or currently out just for the visitors' sake. His fur was yellow with a few orange and black stripes across his body. Wearing a necklace of serrated teeth, Lilian and the group couldn't see his eyes from their low post and couldn't get a grip on their intentions.

"There you are, Great Storm Fang!" The voice from the large beast was surprisingly jovial as a massive hand rested on the young one's shoulder. "Ready for your first Hunt!?"

The young Lunefang covered his face with his hands. "Uncle Sabre please…"

"Great...Storm Fang?" Lilian blinked a few times in confusion.

"His parents really set those standards from the start," whispered Gwen, her face twisted in sympathy.

"I heard Lunefang names were radically different," mumbled Trey, "but that's a bit much."

"Uncle, I don't wish to hunt," whined the young Lunefang. "Can we not delay this again?"

"We've delayed it multiple times," muttered Sabre as he kneeled to eye level, revealing he was wearing an eyepatch. "Do you not want to be an Adult, Great Storm Fang?"

"Must being an adult involve such savagery?" shot back the young one. "I am being set up to fail!"

"Well, there is no getting away from it. It is the Lunefang way." Sabre returned to standing, cracking his neck. "Now say goodbye to your visiting friends - you must prepare. And of course put up your ante."

Great Storm Fang was shocked as the key was yanked from his neck. Lilian groaned internally as a new conflict jumped out of the ground and planted itself in the path. As far as Lilian thought about it, they needed the key - if not to unlock a way home, but at least to find it easier and stop anyone with bad intentions from doing so. It was unclear if the key being a prize in their Hunt would mean it ends being in the grasp of someone much less receptive to giving it up.

Most of the beings here have more muscles than all of us combined… Those claws too. It's not like hero-like but...maybe we can just steal this one too--

Lilian suddenly was shaken out of her thoughts by Great Storm Fang grabbing her arm. "Then we'll make it a Pack Hunt! They'll help me!"

Lilian was surprised she kept her temper until away in the hut of Great Storm Fang, but once she got there, she immediately screamed at the Lunefang at a volume that stunned him. The fact they weren’t heard by other Lunefang was only because of the village-wide party.

"Why did you just volunteer us!? We just met you and now you're leading us into battle!?" Gwen and Rio struggled to calm Lilian down because the cuteness of an apologetic Great Storm Fang was not enough.

"Relax, Lily!" said Gwen. "No one said you personally had to fight. It basically is Capture the Flag, right?"

"And it's not certain you'll be fighting - much less fighting alone," added Rio. “If anything, their rules did not mandate direct combat.”

The reason Rio had to be exact with her words because of the rules laid out to them. With a First Hunt being under Pack Hunt rules, straws had to be drawn - but not in the typical sense. Inside of an enchanted black pot that hid its contents were pieces of wood. A few of the pieces were dyed red. If a red piece was drawn, they were in the Hunt with Great Storm Fang - who Gwen had taken to calling him Junior for convenience since his dad was named Storm Fang. Defeat or get past the enemy, retrieve the sacred staff and return to the village. Junior would join them on whatever Quest they took on as penance for dragging them into this - despite not knowing what their mission was and not asking just yet. Everyone collectively gathered how desperate he was to avoid this or simply get past it quickly.

Lilian wasn't sure what was worse - the fact she may have to openly fight an unknown enemy and risk serious injury for an unclear ally or the fact she may have to fight in one of those hunting outfits. At least their key wasn't on the line, but Lilian wasn't happy about this at all. If they got out of this safely, she was never forgiving Junior for this situation. On top of that, she didn't get how everyone else was so calm. Even putting the outfits aside, the randomness of it all meant the wrong members of their team could be going into this with no chance to plan. It could just as easily be only one of them with Junior as it was for all of them. That kind of rushing in was Gwen’s M.O. so naturally she was fine with it. Sora couldn’t be read with his eyes closed and slow breathing.

“Rio, how are you so calm about this?” asked Lilian.

“From what I understand, death is a rarity in this challenge,” said Rio. “I overheard the different enemies used over the seasons don’t go for the kill on purpose and it's the participants' own recklessness and inability to handle losing that does them in.”

“Still doesn’t mean it’s any less dangerous,” mumbled Lilian. “They could die from their injuries afterwards. But besides that, you’ll be able to fight in those Lunefang hunting outfits?”

“Oh that. I have my own as does Treycanyx,” Rio clarified. “Searching for food can be a serious endeavor.”

“How lucky for you,” said Lilian, feeling she had the most to lose.

One by one, they stuck their hands into the pot…