A Hunter's First Rite

An original science fiction short story

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Janon let his eyes trail across the forest floor from the safety of the nest. Effective hunters always concealed themselves amid broadleaf trees.

That’s what his father told him repeatedly while they worked side-by-side for half a day constructing their nest. He selected a trunk of a thicker, older tree to act as an anchor for the nest’s support structure. Once complete, they raised the nest to a spot concealed among some large upper branches. Reddish-brown leaves acted as a natural camouflage from prey on the ground.

Their sensors detected no movement from maimans in the surrounding area. Janon’s muscles stiffened in the icy air. His hands quivered. He wondered how much longer it would take them to spot a maiman.

Janon’s father preached patience.

“Our eyes and ears are the most effective weapons we carry as hunters,” his father told him when they first set out for the forest from their village. “Care for them the way you care for one belonging to our clan, and they will never fail you.”