The Hunting Party Novels & Stories

The community here was warm, everyone included me in discussions and fun times and I didn't feel like a burden to anyone. I trained twice a day and when Aida isn't taking me on one of her wild quests, I help out in the Pack in any way I can and one of them is hunting. It's winter and lots of animals have moved towards the Midlands so we have to hunt every day and in small groups because what's the point of a large hunting party? We'll all still come back with two or three games. Today we caught three and I can already feel the excitement in the kitchen as there'll be more than enough meat for everyone plus leftovers for breakfast tomorrow.

I asked looking at the unfamiliar faces. Yulian put arms around my shoulder. “Yes, they are, aunts, uncles, cousins. We come here every year to hunt. They were all at the party last time; you didn’t notice because of their masks.” I cradled my hurting mien. My head began throbbing, all the talk about the so-called hunt was making me sick. They were all worked up with it. “Won’t you introduce me to them?” “Oh, they know you by now. And it won’t be any longer till they approach you. You will come to know them soon enough. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

He simply walked, and Damon followed, learning through imitation. They reached the hunting grounds just as the sun was clearing the treetops. Other hunters were already there—Theron, Finn, a few others whose names Damon knew but whose faces he was still learning. They greeted Caleb with nods and quiet words, then turned their attention to the task at hand. A scout had reported a herd of deer in the valley below, perhaps two dozen animals, including several young bucks whose meat would be tender and whose hides would be soft. The challenge would be approaching without being seen or scented, getting close enough for a clean shot.

I finished settling the furs on my shoulders and I walked out into the grey morning, and I will tell you plainly that I already knew, in the animal part of me, that whatever waited out there was meant to break me. My camp was up and ready for the day. The horses stood saddled, the men armed and formed, the whole disciplined machine of a King's hunting party waiting on my word to move. And there in the middle of it, in a cleared space in the trodden snow, sat a crate.

She reaches out and slowly takes it. I walk away before she has a chance to respond. Stomping back toward my house. “Thank you!” She yelled to my back. I figured if she was trying to apologize, I should at least put out a little bit of an olive branch. Especially since she’ll be on my hunting party. We can’t be fighting in the woods while we look for food so better make a cease fire for now. **** The next morning I’m walking with some men and women through the woods. I’m leading the hunting party to the grounds we usually get good scores.

the third one started but trailed off suggestively before continuing, “you should come to one of our social events so you can acquaint yourselves with the right kind of people.” “You are right,” number two said, shortly after throwing her friend a narrow-eyed look that looked like a warning. “Suni of the Clearwater Pack is having a hunting party next month. You should come. Can you hunt?” “She worked as a slave, where do you think she would have learned to hunt?” number one asked. “The hunt is attended by the best hunters, do you want to put the life of our future Luna Queen in danger?” “But I heard that she won the first place at the royal training,” number three said. “Isn't that right, Ly

Then we come across what looks like a medieval dining room. With paintings of many cupids, some playing music on a harp, some shooting arrows and others holding baskets of fruits. And speaking of fruits, the long dining table has a large bowl of fresh-looking fruit, apples mostly and a cup with faint steam escaping from it. A steaming cup! I look at Jasper and he seems to be thinking the same thing. Then a door latches somewhere across the dining room. Jasper turns to me and I respond with my raised gun. We trace the source of noise, which probably isn't a brilliant decision, but we can't lie and wait forever in this bizarre dining room. We should go and face whatever's in there, take whatev

Caedryn’s posture sharpens. “Containment units?” Talren shakes his head once. Worse. “Hunting parties.” The words crash through the frozen ridge like breaking ice. Vaelith feels Draven’s entire body tense beside her. Not fear this time. Recognition. Because hunting parties are older than the councils. Older than suppression. And far more brutal. Talren swallows hard. “They brought trackers.”

Seraphine’s POV The barking of dogs echoed through the air as the hunting party returned. Their excited yelps mixed with the steady clatter of hooves on the dirt path. I could hear the hunters shouting commands to control the animals, their voices blending with the cheerful chatter of men celebrating a successful hunt.

"I've heard that story!" Killian groaned. "Father... it was one time." Aiden's silver eyes sparkled. "You climbed out the window?" Killian cleared his throat. "We're changing the subject." "No," Aiden said proudly. "I think you're much cooler now." Seraphina shook her head, laughing. "I've learned something new today." Soon the hunting party entered the royal forest. More than fifty wolves accompanied them; some remained in human form, while others shifted, their powerful wolves weaving gracefully through the trees.