8 River Boa

Elder Tok continued to chuckle at the River Snake'es honest answer. The poor wolf had been maligned by the fears of the villagers for so many years. He felt the little thing was truly pitiful. After initially being intimidated, the hunters gradually approached Elder Tok and asked him various questions about hunting and trapping.

The hunters were all very impressed by Elder Tok's thoughtful answers. What many of them didn't realize was this kind of interaction with Elder Tok was extremely unusual. Typically, experts wouldn't talk with common people like these hunters. Their knowledge and experiences were precious and only their peers or disciples of such knowledge.

It was clear Elder Tok viewed things differently. He always maintained the straightforward heart of a hunter. This was the secret to being able to reach his level. He reached the level of Arrow Heart. Arrow Heart was a spiritual level only Master Hunters could reach. It was said, "Let your heart fly straight as an arrow and you will always strike the heart of your target." Not many hunters were able to reach this stage because it was so hard.

This world more often than not was cruel, surviving and fulfilling selfish desires were the typical focus of the masses. Finding a hunter who could remain aloof from the world enough to reach the stage of Arrow Heart was rare.

The hunters and Elder Tok reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest and the Village. The villagers had already hidden when they felt the ground shake and the sound of thunder come from the earth. When they saw the gigantic Kyloxe beast penetrate into the territory of the village they became so frightened many of them fainted.

Knowing how shocking it would be for the villagers, Elder Tok put the body of the Kyloxe down once they were in the River Village's boundaries. After putting it down, River Snake guided Elder Tok toward the Town Hall to the Village Chief, River Boat.

As they made their way to the Town Hall, people poked their head out from their hiding places from time to time to look at the newcomer. When Mountain Sprite saw her son Mist safely leading the way to the Town Hall with his father, she was so relieved she rushed out to embrace her son. She totally forgot about all the scary things she had witnessed earlier.

Mountain Sprite showered her son in kisses and gave him so many hugs he thought his bones were about to turn to mush. River Snake stopped the procession and brought his wife before Elder Tok.

"Elder Tok, this is my wife Mountain Sprite. She is Mist's mother," he added.

"Sprite, this is Elder Tok, he has taken our son Mist as his student. He is a Master Hunter who single handily killed the Kyloxe Mountain King," he informed his wife.

Everyone in the village heard River Snake's words and were shocked beyond words. Mountain Sprite was also shocked but when she heard this man wanted to be her son's teacher she became a little worried. "Wouldn't this mean Mist would leave their village?" she asked herself. Mist and Fairy were her only living children. If she lost them she didn't know if she could bear to live in this world.

Noticing the worry in Mountain Sprite's eyes, Elder Tok gently smiled and turned toward River Snake. "Perhaps your wife would like to come into the meeting hall. What I have to say involves her son whom I'm sure she is worried about," he said.

Mountain Sprite was immediately relieved and grateful toward Elder Tok. She was afraid she might be forced to wait outside.

River Snake, Mountain Sprite, Elder Tok, and Mist all entered the Town Hall and arrived at the Village Chiefs meeting room. River Boat immediately got up and bowed respectfully to Elder Tok. Indicating for everyone one to sit, River Boat asked Mountain Sprite to prepare some tea and snacks for everyone. Reluctantly she did as she was asked.

River Snake, as the Chief Hunter and father of Mist, made introductions between the chief and Elder Tok and shared everything that happened as-well-as Master Tok's intentions towards Mist. Mist was actually bored and went to steal a treat from his mother who was making the snacks and tea while straining her ears to hear what was being said. When Mist came in, Mountain Sprite immediately made a shushing motion toward her son. She grabbed a stack of treats and had her son sit at the little table in the kitchen.

"Elder Tok, although losing a single hunter is difficult for our village, I cannot find a reason to turn you down. Mist will learn how to become a mighty hunter and in the long term I believe this will benefit the village," River Boat said.

Elder Tok quietly assessed River Boat and lifted his eyes when Mountain Sprite walked in with the tea and snacks. Taking a slow sip of his tea, Elder Tok looked at the Village Chief.

"Chief Boat, I do not think I've fully explained what we're hoping for. I will not be Mist's only teacher. I am only one of many," he said. "One of many? What else could a hunter need to learn than hunting?" River Boat asked confused.

"I and Mist's other teachers hope to teach Mist so he can one day become more than just a hunter. We want to make Mist into a true Master," Elder Tok said. "More than a hunter, what's more than a hunter?" asked River Snake.

"Mist will learn at the feet of the greatest Masters in the world in every field of learning. He will learn Medicine, Alchemy, forging, formations, hunting, agriculture, architecture, and many other subjects. He will become a peerless existence," He said.

River Boat considered the words of Elder Tok carefully. A light of realization spread across the Village Chief's face. Quickly this expression was changed with a gloomy realization. He looked towards Mountain Sprite and then quietly asked Elder Tok,

"What must we give up to receive the favor of your teachings," River Boat asked. "He will come to our village and learn for the next seven years," Elder Tok replied. "No, I refuse." Mountain Sprite stood up and grabbed Mist who just walked in. Placing him in her arms in a protective embrace.

"I will not lose another child!" The room became very quiet. Even Elder Tok wasn't sure what to say. Mothers had their worries.