Rise Of The Hunters

Spring was blooming across the land. The gardens in the valley, and the orchards, were waking to find someone was starting to tend them again, after years of growing wild. The borders that had once been prominent, but were now buried under leaf debris or overgrown plants, were starting to take shape again, as compost piles were formed and wild plants were trimmed and the training they needed started.

It was a huge difference that raised the spirits of the people after such a hard winter. As Xun walked along the paths, he watched everyone who had struggled, laughing and working happily. This valley was a safe place for the children to be able to play without worry of predators or monsters. They had guards stationed at the entrance, and people had started constructing a good, sturdy road leading to the compound.

As the work load increased back at the compound, some opted to move back there, with the animals, to keep up the work there. The huge gardens were in full swing, and the animals frolicked in the green fields after all their times in the dark. With the lowered number of people in the underground city, there was a huge restructuring process started.

Everywhere he looked, things were good, and it gave him hope for the future. The days of digging tunnels to hide and escape from werewolves and Slavers, were gone.

The changed humans, that had once been vampires, were hunted down by those seeking revenge for lost loved ones. Dr. Achak had expected to hear from the elders of the vampire council, but it never came. He was planning to take his werewolves with him, and go visit them, with a few special made weapons. Xun offered to go with him, but he declined. He didn't want any of them to find his special abilities, and want to keep him for some reason. Xun agreed, that would not be a good thing.

Most everyone who had complained about living in the underground city, had settled down and found a niche for themselves. There wasn't a day that passed, that everyone didn't have something to do.

Xun watched the buildings get fixed up, lights installed everywhere, that were powered from giant solar panels along the mountain side, and from the tidal turbines along the coast. Destroyed areas were renovated into storage buildings or other needed structures, huge animal storage areas were constructed, waste systems were installed and fixed up, and the underground city became a lively place once again, possibly even better then it had been when originally built.

The problems that people had, took so little of his time, he put the wild child from the cave dwellers, in charge of finding him whenever they needed him.

When he visited the compound, he was thrilled to see the tower he had wanted built, almost done. It would let someone with the long-distance talker, inform the sh.i.p.s where to fish.

Alex had taken over command of the compound when they had people living there. The plan was to let them live there right up until winter arrived, bringing all of the harvests back to the city, to tide them over until the next spring. The animals would be moved as the weather became progressively worse, back to the caves, where it was hoped their winter homes would be better than they had been that first winter.

Max was still recovering from the attack from Lisa. He was having a hard time coming to grips that he was the last remaining former council leader. Mary had passed away over the winter, having fallen into a coma and they decided not to try tube feeding her. Dr. Achak had been heart broken, as he had been using her to get more of the virus samples.

Joe was in charge of all of the guards, having proven himself over the winter as a very loyal individual to whoever was in charge. Xun didn't like that, but he decided it would be okay for now. He married Pink, and she was very happily running the new barbershop in the underground city. They were expecting their first child that fall.

Bob opened a new bar in the underground city, expanding it to allow more people access. He was the main reason the reintroduction of money was working so well. It was touch and go when it came to working for pay and benefits from the chosen jobs, as well as the distribution of the finished products, but they were working the kinks out.

Willow and Rick became a couple, getting officially married. Xun was so happy for them at the wedding. There were a lot of people who were genuinely happy for them, and she cried, to her great embarrassment, when they showered them with wedding gifts. She hadn't realized so many people thought well of her. Rick was amazing, allowing her to escape from the crowds, with a wink towards everyone as he followed her, eliciting peals of laughter.

Hayden ended up getting with Lee An. The two were so enamored with the other's take on archery, that it was obvious to everyone that they were meant for each other. It took most of the summer for them to realize it. Xun was expecting another wedding over the winter, and looked forward to it.

Trudy took over the hunter's. She sent patrols all over the valley, then expanded out to the north, south and east. There would never be another werewolf attack upon the city or compound as long as she was alive. She had been learning from Gerald and his people all winter, and had forced those who wished to be hunters, to learn as well.

Gavyn had taken up learning from Dr. Achak, much to everyone's surprise, learning how to conduct experiments and practice medicine. Everyone was shocked when Dr. Achak offered to teach him, to ensure the safety of the people in times of medical emergency. With the proof of his mother's insanity, he quite wearing his hair in crazy fashions and was well on his way to becoming a fantastic doctor.

Matilda and Tommy ran with the other kids, enjoying their childhood now that they could afford to be kids. Xun hoped that stuck. He knew that technically he should still be a kid, but there was no he would ever be able to go back. It warmed him, to know that it wasn't too late for them.

His parents, who weren't actually his parents, were making up for lost time, and he was expecting a sibling sometime that fall. He was really happy for them, and excited to have someone else to dote on.

Everywhere he looked everyone and everything was good. And yet, there was a nagging feeling that the long time of darkness and fear wasn't quite over. He didn't know the truth about his past. Was he one of the babies that Lisa had born from a mutant rat, and given to the human scientists for experiments? What ever happened to those scientists and the other three babies that had been taken from that lab?

These questions nagged at him, as he moved forward. Due to his differences, there was no one for him to partner with, and he felt that hole in his life. So as not to worry anyone, he ignored his worries and focused on the good of his people. He was determined to be a good leader, and to bring them out of the darkness they had suffered from for so long.