Peter awoke to the warm feeling of Kalista snuggling up to him on his side. Either in his sleep or perhaps it had been the last thing he had done before passing out last night, her breast was currently resting in his palm.

Peter shook his head. “I'm beginning to understand why the Kingdom is concerned about birth rates as of late.” With Primals only giving birth to primals, there's no tamer who'd have enough energy to get a human woman pregnant while taking care of a full team. “To think I'm worn out with just one. Well, Jet did say something about repetition and mastery. Maybe that applies here as well.” Peter looked at the time, eight.

“Shoot. Kalista, wake-,” he instinctively began shaking her, not realizing he was still groping her chest, and then released it. “Wake up, we're going to be late.”

“Mmm. Just a bit more, Peter..” She mumbled in her sleep.

“Wake-, wait, why am I doing this?” Peter asked himself. With a glow of his hand, Kalista disappeared. He quickly bathed, got dressed, equipped a light traveling backpack, and was on his way. Peter bought some travel-friendly food from the inn downstairs and ran towards the guild.

Peter arrived a few minutes before nine, huffing and puffing. Kean and Deric were waiting outside the guild, chatting.

“Ah, you made it.” Kean said.

“Yes, sorry I'm late.”

“No worries, you're on time, even. Let's head inside.”

Peter followed the two into the guild, where they went to the request room. Here, the guild divvied out different quests and undertakings to tamers in exchange for rewards.

“A lot of the quests are something like investigating disappearances, escorting, or some other stuff.” Deric started.

“But most of them have some stamp minimum attached to them, so we just stick to what's available to us at our level.” Kean continued.

“How many stamps do you guys have?” Peter asked.

“Zero.” Kean said.

“Nada.” Deric replied. “I'm guessing you're the same?”

Peter nodded. “Yeah, I just started after all, so I haven't even challenged one of the battle centers yet.”

“Is that so?” Deric chided.

“Uhhh,” Kean groaned.

Peter looked puzzled. “Why, do you think I should?”

Deric laughed. “No chance.” Then slapped Kean on the shoulder.

Peter raised an eyebrow.

“Haah, you'll never let me live that down, huh.” Kean sighed. He turned towards Peter. “I challenged the battle center on my first day.”

“Really?” Peter asked, surprised.

Kean nodded. “Well, when you take a man, and you uh..”

“Empty his nuts.” Deric interrupted.

“You make him experience a lot of new things all at once,” Kean corrected. “And on top of that healing magic high.” Kean shook his head. “Hoh. Well, it makes you feel like you can take on the world, and that includes battle centers. Got humbled really fast.”

Deric started laughing. “I remember when he lost! He thought he was going to lose Kya!” Kean blushed. “I tried talking him out of it, but he wouldn't listen.” Deric shook his head then turned towards Peter. “One of those things they should teach in school but don't. The most dangerous day in a tamer's life is their very first.”

“Their first?” Peter asked.

“That's right. You start the day with your first time taming, now your balls feel lighter than they've ever been. If you didn't just drop so much gunk into your primal you'd think it disappeared into your head instead with how clogged up it gets. The rest of your afternoon is now free, you're happy high as hell, and then comes the stupid decisions.” He extends his hand towards Kean. “Like this clown.”

“Or this clown!” Kean chuckled, looking at Deric. “He told me he went outside town and almost got dragged away by goblins.”

Deric shrugged. “Hopefully you didn't do anything to dumb on yours, Peter.”

“Hmm,” Peter hummed aloud. “I guess betting your only primal would fall under stupid decisions, huh.”

Kean turned towards Peter, flabbergasted. “You didn't.”

Peter shook his head. “Almost did. Another tamer yesterday, his name was Jet. I beat his goblin in a practice match. He asked for a second battle, offered his goblin in exchange for my squire depending on who won.” Peter shook his head. “I ended up not taking him up on the offer, and watched your guys' battle instead.”

“Mm, that guy, huh.” Kean mumbled. “Consider yourself lucky. He goes after newbies to yank their first primal out from underneath them. I heard a few tamers had that happen to them.”

“Woah. But what's the point, most tamers start out with the common primals the guild hangs out around here, right?”

Deric nodded. “There's still money to be made in selling primals, both to the guild and others.” He smiled. “And that's what we'll be doing today.”

Deric walked up to a nearby receptionist. “Hey, we're going to be forming a party and want to take on the capture quest.”

“Certainly. Can I see your licenses?” Deric, Kean, and Peter handed the receptionist their licenses. After inserting them into a device, he handed them back. “Alright. It appears you all have zero stamps, so you will each only receive a single summoning stone. Understood?”

The three men nodded in agreement, and the receptionist each handed them a gray summoning stone. Peter inspected it within his palm, noting that it was the same as the ones which he had seen downstairs within the guild.

“Is there anything else you'd like me to help you with today?”

Deric turned towards Kean and Peter, who both shook their heads. “We're good, thanks!”

“Stay safe!” The receptionist waved goodbye to the three as they left the guild.

“Let's head out the eastern entrance towards Footweave Forest.” Deric said to the others. The party walked through a small gate leading outside the town of Wildburry, and past a local farm. “I'm going to summon Anda. Peter, don't summon your Primal until we start fighting. They're more likely to go for us if they think we're undefended.” Peter nodded. Deric's hand glowed and Anda appeared, her tail already wagging.

“Alright Anda, we'll be relying on you again.”

“Of course!” Anda cheerfully replied. Her nose wrinkled as she began to sniff the air and heightened her senses, on the lookout for any untamed primals nearby.

As the trio began to wander through the forest, Kean started conversation. “So Peter, if you don't mind me asking, are you related to any of the security force tamers?”

Peter looked around the forest. Everywhere he looked was hues of green and brown. He couldn't imagine spotting anything here. “Um.” He nervously spoke in a low whisper. “Is it a good idea for us to be talking in the middle of the forest.”

Deric let out such a loud laugh that it startled Peter. “If you're trying to maximize your chances of not being noticed, then no. But it's much easier to sometimes have primals come to us then trying to find them ourselves. And talking will sure help get their attention.”

“You're not worried a bunch will attack us at once?”

“Well we got three tamed between ourselves, so we should be fine. In the worst case we just turn and run. This place should mostly be filled with Dryads. No offense to them – but handling them shouldn't be a big deal.”

Peter nodded. “Alright. Ah, well, to answer your question Kean, no I'm not related to anyone on the security force.”

“Gotcha. So how did you acquire a Squire, then?”

“I guess same as maybe you guys got your Dryad or Fren. I went to the guild to get my one primal for my eighteenth, and they had a Squire.”

Kean raised an eyebrow. “That's some amazing luck you got there. Was Evans the one who gave you your primal?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, he gave me mine too. But he didn't have any-,” Kean stopped. “Wait a minute, is she the violent Squire that he had?”

Peter's eyebrows raised. “Unless it's a common trend, I think so. When did you meet with him?”

“Two months ago.” Kean replied. “Deric has been doing this for about three months now, we both grew up together and decided we'd both become tamers. He just hit eighteen before me.” Kean rubbed his chin. “Shoot. I remember Evans showed me her. I think she would have killed me when I was trying to tame her if not for that Templar of his.”

Peter laughed. “I thought she was going to kill me as well.” Peter could feel a bit of phantom pain where Kalista had hit him that day while recollecting the events. “Right up until the moment she was tamed, it felt like I was going to die. I had to go to the Medical Center afterwards.”

Kean shook his head. “I had to go to the Medical Center too because of that. And that's where one of their Dryads came to heal me, and I decided to get one.” Kean smiled. “I had planned on getting a primal capable of healing anyway, due to... circumstances.” Kean gave a slight pause. “I have no regrets. Kya has been amazing.”

“That's an amazing story.”

“It is,” Deric said. “Even after hearing him tell it for the umpteenth time.”

Kean laughed. “Still, to tame that Squire, you sure are something. I'll have to ask you to keep the equipment in your pants away from my primals.”

Peter laughed.

“Deric.” Anda suddenly said.

“Hmm?” Deric hummed.

“I think there's a primal following us, behind and to the right.”

The group was currently in a formation with Anda up front, followed by Deric, then Kean and Deric flanking him. As if reading his mind, Deric said aloud “Don't look, Peter.”

Peter gulped. “Alright.”

“Remember, there's three of us, and Kean has Kya, so she can heal any injuries you'll get. Once she gets a bit closer and decides to make a move, you and Kean can summon your primals.”

“Got it.”

The group silently continued to move deeper into the forest. “I'm not sure if it's true, but I remember hearing that they might know something's up if it gets quiet all of a sudden.” Deric said.

“Oh.” Peter replied. Topics. Topics. “Uhhh.” Peter scratched his head. “So Deric, since Kean said you're almost three months in, are you going to be challenging the battle center soon?”

Deric sighed. “I'll have to. Once every six months is the requirement after all.” He scratched his chin. “I'm almost where I need to be. I heard for your first stamp, it's a two on two, one primal at a time. I still haven't managed to grab a second one.” Deric laughed. “I guess that's why we're here working after all. I've been trying to save up for a summoning stone, so I can grab something near Wildburry.”

“Why not just trade money for a primal instead?”

“I could do that. It's a little less risky I suppose since if the taming doesn't go through I keep my money. But it's more expensive than buying a summoning stone and capturing then taming it back at the guild myself.”

“Hmm, and taming without a summoning stone is out of the question, right?”

“Haha. Certainly, I could try that. But I'll take my increased odds of when they're bound to a summoning stone. Not to mention, if I started fucking a primal in the middle of the forest, we'd probably be getting swarmed in no time.” He took a glimpse at Anda. “If I were both horny and stupid enough, I could plow Anda's appetizing rear here right now. Sadly, I am only horny enough.”

Anda chuckled and wiggled her butt, her tail wagging slightly.

For some reason, Peter remembered Kean's comment and turned to look away. In the next instant, he felt something grip his foot. “Woah!” Peter fell face-first into the earthy floor of the forest.

“Peter!” He heard Kalista's voice ring within his head. “Summon me!”

“Anda, dodge!” Peter watched Deric shout as he quickly went prone on the ground, joining Peter. A gust of wind and leaves flew overhead past Anda. Peter's hand glowed and Kalista's two long legs suddenly appeared right next to his head. Peter looked upwards just in time to catch a glimpse of her before she lunged over him.

“Hyah!” She shouted, Peter's could suddenly feel free. He turned to see roots which had sprung out of the ground split in half, now wilting on the ground.. He twisted his ankle and saw his foot move side to side, relieved that the 'freedom' did not include being free of his right foot.

The ground began to tremble underneath Kalista. “Kalista, leap away!” Roots shot out from the ground, trying to grasp Kalista as she jumped away, barely missing her.

“Anda, Pursuit!” Anda began to run all fours towards the Dryad.

“Kya, lock the Dryad down with Entangling Roots!” Kean shouted.

As Peter stumbled to his feet, he caught a glimpse of the Dryad which had attacked them. Off in the distance, she was struggling to move. Peter could see a gust of wind appear in her hands before launching it at her feet.

She appeared scared as she shouted something unintelligible. A mere thirty feet away, Anda gave out a yelp as she suddenly stopped and dropped to the floor, losing all momentum.

“Anda!” Deric shouted, concerned.

“There's another Dryad somewhere to my right!”

“We'll handle the other one!” Peter shouted as he began to run. Kalista soon followed and managed to get ahead of him.

“Peter, you should stay bac-” Kalista started.

“I can't help you if I can't see her!” Peter shouted in reply.

The two veered off towards an area to the right of Anda, continuously navigating around trees and other foliage. It would be hard for them to see their opponent.

“Kalista, use your wooden weapons, we are capturing, so we don't want to accidentally kill her.”

“Understood.” Kalista's weapons changed to their wooden form. As they continued to move, Kalista shouted. “There!”

Peter looked towards where Kalista pointed. The Dryad which had entangled Anda turned to look at us and appeared surprised. She instantly began to cast an ability.

“Deflect!” Peter shouted. Kalista braced her shield then swung it as the gust of wind collided, sending it off harmlessly to the side. As she was running, soon another vortex swirled towards them. “Vault!” Kalista rolled towards and underneath the ability, it's sharp leaves barely missing her back.

As Kalista began to finally near the Dryad, Peter broke out into a sweat. With Kalista having dodged the ability, it was now heading right towards him. He jumped and hid behind a tree, the sound of bark grinding as the swirling wind passed by.

As he peaked around the corner, he immediately retreated just in time for another wind passed by. “Damn, I can't see!” He shouted to himself. He checked one more time, now spotting Kalista in close combat with the Dryad. The Dryad seemed to have created for itself a living armor – it's leaf covered body now wearing a layer of roots atop of it.

Kalista hissed in frustration as she swung at them to no avail, her attacks blunting but never piercing their exterior. “Switch to metal to cut the roots!” Peter shouted.

“Gladly!”

“Twin Blade!” With her metal sword, Kalista instantly swung twice, the cross section severing the layer of protection the Dryad had created around her chest. As the remaining roots began to stretch towards each other, Kalista bashed the exposed area with the hilt of her sword.

The Dryad staggered backwards as the roots began to loosen and fall off her body. “Shield Slam!” Kalista packed her shield into her body tightly before releasing it like a spring, bashing the Dryad's head. She flew a few feet, falling onto her back. In between pants her hands began to glow green, but Kalista pounced and hit her using the face of her shield.

The Dryad's body recoiled off the ground from the force. Her body twitching as her breathing got heavy. Peter slowly crept up towards her, the Dryad's misty eyes turning towards his figure. Slowly, he pulled out the summoning stone he was given and raised it towards her grounded figure. The stone began to glow, and all the Dryad could do is continue to breathe heavily as her figure vanished from atop the dirt.

Peter's hand tightened around the stone, and he imagined the Dryad, before a noise snaps him out of his thoughts. “Come on, let's help the others.” Peter says to Kalista. The two rush over towards Anda's direction only to arrive to Deric holding his summoning stone in front of the bleeding Dryad, Anda crouching over her. Next to Deric was Kya in the middle of healing the injured Primal, and Kean.

“The bleeding has stopped, she should be well enough to capture.” Kya said.

Deric nodded, and the stone began to glow, the injured Dryad disappearing inside. Kean turned towards Peter. “Either you finished on your side or she managed to give you two the slip.”

Peter held out the summoning stone. “We got her.”

Deric nodded. “Nice work, we've already got a good haul for today. Ah, though I guess the share is split three ways instead of two. Normally it takes us a bit longer to catch anything. I think we can head back towards Wildburry, trade these two in, and head out again after grabbing two empty stones.”

Peter nodded. “Should I desummon Kalista?”

Deric shrugged. “Up to you. If we got attacked then Kean could use his stone once we capture them, but a lone Dryad might slow us down enough that we'll have to call it a day. Keeping our summons out might speed things up.”

Peter shrugged. “I'll keep her out then.”

The group managed to return to Wildburry without incident. Deric lead them inside to the request room, and the receptionist from the morning was still there. “Welcome back,” they greeted the group.

“We have two Dryads we'd like to turn in.” The trio turned in their licenses as well as Deric and Peter's summoning stones.

The receptionist grabbed both and held each for a moment, before turning to the group. “Wait one moment please.” They left for a short while before returning with Evans. Evans gave Peter a wave as he grabbed both summoning stones and inspected them.

“Confirmed, they're both alive and Dryads.” Evans said. The receptionist nods as he pockets the two stones and leaves.

“Alive?” Peter asked, confused.

“Are they supposed to be dead?” asked Evans, puzzled.

“Can you capture dead primals?”

“Yes.” Evans replied. “They can die while in the stone just as well, depending on their injuries. The guild pays more for capturing, but will still pay for kills.”

“I see.” Peter nodded.

The receptionist smiled. “The reward will be distributed among your party members. Will your group be turning in your remaining stone?”

“No, we'd like two additional stones instead.”

The receptionist pulled out and handed over two stones. “Is there anything else you would like today?” Deric shook his head. “Then good luck on your travels.”

The group headed outside. “Peter, did you pack something to eat?” Deric asked.

“I did.”

“Nice, then we can eat along the way instead of stopping by the inn. We'll go North this time, that parts normally filled with Goblins mainly.”