Traveling had always been Don's least favorite part. The roads were long and treacherous, his body still recovering from his last battle made it painful to walk, and the weight of his sword, as well as the rest of the little gear he carried with him forced him to take a couple of rests in between his travels. Although helpful for a moment, it certainly wasn't enough to ease most of the pain. Hunger was taking over and food was hard to come by. The few insects and other small catches he could get were not nearly enough to satiate his immense appetite, and fatigue was constant. His stubborn mind seemed to operate that way, and I wasn't the first time he had traveled miles at a time under these circumstances. It was an obstacle he'd go through, as he usually did.

He woke up from what appeared to had been hours.. He felt rather disoriented for a while, since the last thing he remembered was walking through a clearing in a forest. There was a stranger in front of him... Another traveler perhaps? It was a rather corpulent silhouette if which he couldn't identify the gender of at first glance, but who possessed bovine features. He pushed his heavy-feeling body up, which finally drew the attention of the unknown traveler.

"Oh? You are awake? Hey there.. Are you alright? I was traveling across this path and I just kind of found you lying there unconscious. And you look pretty roughed up too. Did you get jumped by bandits?"

Don recognized the voice as female. He took a couple of seconds to scrub his eyes and stretch. The pain was still there of course but he was at least conscious. He first took some time to look at the traveler and his surroundings. A quite friendly looking, young cow lady, who appears to had been traveling with a rather rustic, but functional looking carriage.
"I.. Got pretty careless... I appreciate the help, actually.. But I think I need to get going."
"Are you sure, sir? You don't look too good. Where are you going? Perhaps I can take you there on my carriage."
Don wasn't too fond of the idea of bothering another traveler with his own issues. However his bones and his body said otherwise, and at the moment he didn't really seem to have any other option.
"Well... Alright.. I.. Can't deny I could use the ride to the closest town. . I don't have much money on me at the moment to pay you with..."
"Hey, it's alright! I don't wanna live with the guilt of just leaving you to die out here if you continue traveling like that."
Said the jovial cow as she hopped back on her carriage. Don took his things, which had been layed right next to him safely, and hopped on the back. He wouldn't have minded having a conversation with his friendly. "savior", but the first thought to cross his mind the moment he stepped into the empty space of the ostrich driven carriage was sleep.

Several hours seemed to have passed before Don woke back up. He had now idea for how long he had slept, but the sun was up, he took a look outside to see they were just crossing the gate to a small village hidden between the defence of a rocky mountain. It was apparent that thid particular place couldn't afford the fortifications other bigger towns hadz but they appeared to make due with the natural defence they had in the form of steep rocky paths and mountains surrounding them.
"Here we are! My hometown! You slept for quite a while back there."
Don was about to reply, but his stomach seemed to best him to it, as ir roared rather loudly."
"Sorry about that.. I should probably stop bothering for now.. Thank you for the ride you.. Really did help me back there."
Don wasn't a stranger to talking to people, although his appareance would suggest otherwise.
"No problem.. You are a pretty peculiar guy y'know? If you are hungry I can get you something to eat as well."
"No.. You've helped enough.. Really.. I will keep going.."
The offer was very tempting, but the thought of bothering the already friendly passerby with any more of his issues had already bothered him enough. He would find food with the little money he had left and visit the guild for his next target. He was already jumping off the carriage before the cow called him again "O.. Oh uh.. Okay! No worries sir.. My name is Vee! By the way! You can talk to me if you need somethin' around town."
"Donovan. Thank you once more.."
Witht hat last sentence, Don went straight to the nearest market he could find, emptied his wallet on the few bits of bread he could afford, then headed to the guild. Not being quite enough to still satiate his immense hunger, it still helped at the time more than not having anything.

Town guilds didn't seem to differ much from one another. Groups of bounty hunters of different backgrounds, beer fighting and bickering where quite common, and they tended to be quite busy, even for smaller towns given they would still serve as pubs to the locals. He would continue with his routine.. Attempt to not draw any attention despite his uncomfortably striking sword, register for the job, and get to work. He obly managed to follow this for about two minutes before he heard some voices apparently directed at him.
"Oi! No kids allowed! Can't you read the sign?"
Don just grunted and didn't want to look back at the group who he couldn't tell if they were either mocking on just confused.
"that ain't right.. Kids don't carry weapons like that! Is that.. Really a hunter?"
The group closed in on Don. It was a trio of rather large, yet loud looking men, an elephant, an alligator and a hippo. Don kept walking in an attempt to just continue minding his business.
"you ain't ignoring us are you? Oi!"
Don didn't reply. Focused on the board, he grabbed the flyer for his job as soon as he spotted it.
"Wait for real..?"
Their tone began to get more annoyed but all done Did was register his name alone and hand it to the guild master behind the counter who also gave him an odd look. Before he could turn around to leavez the group that had been harassing him blocked his path.
"Alright wierdo.. Really you are starting to piss us off.. We don't like getiin ignored you know? Dunno if you dont know how to read or whatever but that job you just took? That one is supposed to be for teams of 3 or more.. VERY high risk hunting get it comrade? You can't just go around takin these and leaving the rest of us to wait! Is this some sorta prank?"
Don didn't reply still.
" and what's with that toy? What is it made out of, sticks and peeb-"
The man stopped as he tried to grab unto his sword noticing how heavy it appeared to be. Don seemed to be loosing his patience and was about to speak up before he was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"You guys don't seem to get tired of bothering strangers, eh?"
Vee stepped forward to confront them as she seems to have heard the conversation.
"Oh you again.."
Said the hippo, rolling his eyes with an annoyed look on his face.
"Really.. This place is for.. You know.. Actual hunters.. Why don't you mind yer own business for once?"
"I AM a hunter!"
The trio just looked at eachother and busted into laughter.
"You haven't even gotten your FIRST kill! Not even the smallest one!"
"Like.. I'm pretty sure that to be a hunter you need to actually.. HUNT something yknow!"
"Hey, careful guys! I saw her flick a fly away with her tail once!"
Vee stood there rather embarrassed while the trio laughed at her, completely mocking her.
Without saying anything Don took a step forward.
"Oh what you are gonna defend her now? The baby man and the useless cowgirl everyone what are you gonna d-"
As soon as the hippo attempted to lay his hand on the raccoon, he was soon flipped over and tossed out of the building through the door. The others two's eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of the very angry raccoon.
" Tch what the... He must have slipped!" cried the elephant."
"Fine then if you want trouble you are gonna ge-"
"Hey"
They were suddenly interrupted by the voice of the guildmaster, from behind the counter.
"You wanna fight, go on ahead. But don't go around breaking my doors you bunch of buffoons!!"
Dom grunted and glanced at Vee, then back at the trio, who were now out helping the hippo get back up. "Fine do whatever you want..! Let's see how you fair when that monster mauls you..!"
Said the elephant before they left. Don let out a sigh of relief before looking back at Vee, who was still rather shocked at the whole scene.
"Hope that makes it even..."
Was the only thing he said before he left, going straight towards the town gate

The following day Vee spent it thinking about what had happened the day before. She thought about the things the trio said about her, and the raccoon's reaction towards it. She knew there were very strong hunters out there but she hadn't seen someone so peculiar until that day.. She found it quite intriguingz altho most of her mind kept coming back to the insults from the trio. Truth be told, part of her knew they were right, but she didn't quite like to admit it. She had always been quite clumsy in battle and her kind demeanor has usually always proved to be a burden. She spent the day at the guild thinking for by herself while she heard the team for yesterday continue to mock the raccoon as it had all just been sheer luck.
"Smoke and mirrors!"
One of them said referring to the short scuffle between the hippo and the raccoon
"Im sure it was all just a trick.. I think I saw some weird thing coming out of his pocket.. He must have used that..!"
"Either way.. It doesn't matter much. He'll probably come crawling and bleeding out any minute now.."
Vee felt the ground shake a little bit. Then again then again. A few other people present at the guild also took notice and followed the rumbling. It wasn't very far but they could heard what seemed like.. A fight not too far away from the town.. It only took a few minutes before it was also followed by roars, crunches and crackles. The curiosity of the forming crowd continued to build until one of them pointed out something shooting out from behind the rocky structures at a distance. At first it looked like a ball that got.. Bigger, and bigger, and bigger, forcing the crowd to disperse to avoid being crushed by its size.. The head of a giant had just seemlessly flown through the air right to the front of the guild house. Everyone was in complete silence, while their eyes got fixed on a moving figure approaching themx while following the trail of blood left behind by the head. The blood soaked racoon limped towards the head, quietly climbed it and proceeded to dress a freshly opened wound from the battle on his arm with bandages before removing his sword from the side of its skull, limiting himself to stare at the dumbfounded crowd silently.




A bit of a longer one. But I really wanted to keep the story going a little. I hope it's not too long, but if it is let me know and I'll adapt it to something shorter if possible. I also hope it's not entirely dull heh.