Free Web NovelChapter 8: Picking A Hunting Partner!
A few days after the lesson about adventurers, Lady Zira gathered the entire class and led them toward one of the larger chambers located near the outer sections of the colony.
The moment they arrived, Ka’z immediately understood where they were.
Rows of fenced enclosures stretched across the cavern. Inside them, dozens of young dire weasels moved about lazily while snacking on piles of crushed bugs mixed with grass and roots. The creatures varied in size and color. Some possessed brown fur while others had patches of gray or white. A few larger specimens already displayed the elongated bodies and sharp features that made adult dire weasels such effective scouts.
The children immediately became excited.
Lady Zira waited until everyone had gathered before raising her hands dramatically.
"Okay guys! Today we will be going hunting!"
The classroom instantly exploded.
Cheers erupted from every direction and several hatchlings threw their claws into the air. One child actually fell over from excitement.
"But we all know..."
Lady Zira pointed toward them dramatically.
"A kobold never hunts without a weasel!"
The entire class immediately shouted back.
"A kobold never hunts without a weasel!"
Ka’z facepalmed.
He couldn’t wait to grow up. Every single day felt like surviving some bizarre kobold kindergarten.
At this point he was convinced half of his mental endurance training came from listening to these children.
"Good!"
Lady Zira cheered proudly, completely unaware that the Child of Prophecy had secretly developed a personal grudge against her.
In Ka’z’s opinion, she was the primary instigator behind ninety percent of the foolishness committed by his siblings.
Her future in the glorious kingdom he planned to build was looking increasingly difficult.
"Go on then. Find a weasel and choose your partner."
The children erupted into cheers again. However, just as everyone prepared to rush forward, the room unexpectedly fell silent.
The change was so abrupt that both Ka’z and Lady Zira immediately noticed.
The hatchlings began stepping aside. A path naturally opened through the center of the group.
Someone was approaching. Ka’z turned his head and almost immediately he recognized him.
Black scales, calm eyes and a quiet presence. It was Tu’ka.
Among all his siblings and step siblings, Tu’ka was by far the strangest.
The black-scaled kobold stood over three feet tall and was rapidly approaching three feet three inches. He was one of the few children who didn’t have to crane his neck upward whenever speaking to Ka’z.
His scales were darker than most kobolds and nearly as thick as Ka’z’s own. More importantly, he carried himself differently.
While the other hatchlings spent their time fighting, laughing, and causing chaos, Tu’ka preferred solitude.
He rarely spoke, smiled or reacted.
If Ka’z lacked his draconic bloodline and status as the Child of Prophecy, Tu’ka would probably be considered the most promising hatchling of their generation.
Without acknowledging anyone, Tu’ka walked directly into the enclosure. His dull gaze slowly swept across the young dire weasels.
The room remained silent. Even the weasels seemed calmer around him. He continued walking until he reached the darkest corner of the chamber.
Then he stopped. For several seconds nothing happened. Suddenly, a pair of purple eyes opened within the darkness.
The room collectively inhaled.
The dire weasel hidden there was larger than the others. Its fur was completely black and its eyes glowed faintly beneath the shadows.
The creature stared directly at Tu’ka and Tu’ka stared back. Neither moved. Neither looked intimidated.
Eventually Tu’ka bent down and casually picked up a beetle from the ground. Without hesitation he approached the creature.
Once close enough, he crouched and extended the bug. The black weasel immediately accepted the offering.
As it ate, Tu’ka gently stroked its fur. The weasel remained perfectly calm. A few moments later, Tu’ka lifted the creature into his arms and turned around. Without saying a single word, he walked out of the enclosure just as he had entered.
The moment he disappeared from view, the rest of the children exploded into motion. The enclosure transformed into chaos.
Meanwhile Ka’z remained standing there. His eyes lingered on Tu’ka’s departing figure.
Something about him felt different. The kid practically radiated protagonist energy. Honestly, it was making him a little jealous.
Shaking those thoughts away, Ka’z finally turned toward the enclosure.
Then he froze.
His siblings were already picking weasels!
’Bastards!’
His eye twitched.
They could stand aside and respectfully wait for Tu’ka.
But their Messiah?
Apparently he could go screw himself. Ka’z immediately rushed into the enclosure. Unfortunately, he quickly realized another problem.
How exactly was he supposed to choose a good weasel?
He knew absolutely nothing about weasels.
Upon entering, he discovered most of the decent-looking animals had already been claimed.
One by one his siblings walked away carrying their partners. That left a single weasel sitting by itself.
It looked timid and pathetically small.
Compared to the black monster Tu’ka had chosen, this thing looked like it would lose a fight against a potato.
’Ooh fuck my life. This is what not minding your business gets you.’
Ka’z sighed.
The little creature stared back nervously. After a moment, he crouched down. The weasel hesitated but slowly approached.
Remembering what the others had done, Ka’z picked up a bug and offered it.The little weasel sniffed the bug fhen immediately bit his finger.
"AAAAAHHH!"
Ka’z jerked backward.
His body lost balance and he landed directly on his butt. Meanwhile the little weasel stood upright on its hind legs, its chest puffed out proudly.
It was laughing!
Actually laughing!!!
Ka’z stared at his throbbing finger. Then slowly turned toward the culprit with his face reddened.
"You little devil!"
"Watch your language!"
Lady Zira’s voice immediately echoed from behind.
Ka’z turned around. Tears had already formed in his eyes from the pain. Only a single thought occupied his mind.
’Bitch, I’m the Messiah here. You better watch your tone!’
Unfortunately, Lady Zira could still beat him senseless. As a result, he wisely kept those thoughts to himself.
Instead he turned back toward the weasel. The creature immediately looked nervous.
"Little bastard, are you going to behave now or do I have to step on you first?"
Ka’z spoke in English. At least that was one language kobolds couldn’t understand.
Strangely enough, the weasel seemed to understand perfectly. The creature visibly paled, then it nodded repeatedly.
Ka’z blinked.
The little weasel slowly approached before gently licking the finger it had bitten. Its eyes carried a pitiful pleading look.
"You are a coward and you still have the guts to be naughty?"
Ka’z couldn’t help smiling. This time he gently patted its head. Looking closer, he noticed details he had missed earlier.
Its fur wasn’t actually plain. Dark stripes ran across its body like those of a tiger and its limbs were also slightly longer than those of the other weasels.
While smaller, it looked considerably more agile. Since dire weasels primarily served as scouts, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
"Alright." Ka’z nodded. "Let’s give you a name."
The little weasel stared at him attentively.
"I think I’ll call you West." A smile appeared on Ka’z’s face.
Unfortunately, it lasted less than two seconds.
"I’ll call mine East!"
Kurg’s voice immediately echoed from behind.
Ka’z froze. Before he could even react, another voice shouted.
"I’ll call mine North!"
"I want East too!"
"I’m taking South!"
"Hey! I wanted South!"
"I took it first! Take South East!"
"No! You take South East!"
Within moments his personal naming ceremony had completely collapsed. Children were arguing everywhere. Several had grabbed each other by the ears while others were shouting. A few had already started wrestling.
As though influenced by their masters, the dire weasels began fighting as well.
Peace vanished from the chamber and Lady Zira immediately started screaming.
"Stop pulling his ears!"
"No biting!"
"Who threw that bug?!"
"Ru’k!"
Chaos spread everywhere. Ka’z slowly lowered his face into his palm.
From all he has seen so far, the future of Vaal’kor Clan looked bleak.
