Renalia allowed Marcy to fuss over her non-hunting outfit for the day. The girl treated the tour of bogling processors like an appointment with a marriage broker. But Renalia tolerated the flurry of outfit changes, since she had specific preferences this time around.

The bogling encounter the previous day had taught her the distinct, if somewhat subtle, difference between dirty and gross. She still didn’t understand why the wormy bogling bothered her so much, though. After all, she had no issues rescuing earthworms from drowning in past rainstorms.

Was it the color? How fast it moved? The way it tried to grab her? Or maybe the unexpected emergence from a dead insect’s butt?

If Granny was here, she would say, “Experimenting with each, yes? Testing to understanding.” But this was one mystery Renalia had no curiosity to explore. She was satisfied with “earthworms good” and “everything else bad”.

So yes, she would pick the thick leather encasement of a boot, thank you very much. And not borrow the oh-so-pretty sandals with red straps that her hands lingered on.

By the time Marcy finished dressing her, the other Ongock children had already prepared breakfast and started eating. Renalia joined them, relieved that Malchim had not woken from his drunken stupor yet. But the spike of relief turned into a gathering of guilt.

The previous evening, when Lexi had announced the plan to introduce Renalia to the hunting families, Malchim had objected. He had yelled that Renalia didn’t need to meet the other processors since she already had him. And that Lexi’s job was to improve her hunting skills in the bog, not socialize around the village. Lexi had stood firm, though, against his loud blustering.

So he had turned to Renalia, claiming how he had welcomed her into his house, how he treated her like his own daughter, and pleading with her not to abandon him. She had not known how to respond to his raw need, recognizing the kernels of truth they revealed.

Lacking the emotional wherewithal to reply, her eyes had sought out the other adult figure. But as Lexi had opened her mouth to respond, Malchim turned and stomped into his room, muttering something about women not acting like women.

Renalia had a restless night, struggling to decipher how much she owed to the Ongocks versus how much of her budding hunting career was her own doing.

The burden she felt toward her teachers was clear, though. The time they would spend in the village prevented them from earning for a week. This guilt tainted their otherwise pleasant morning walk to their first destination.

Or perhaps it was the presence of Shim, whom Lexi had invited along. With his broken arm precluding him from productive work, he remained a blend of guilt and annoyance for Renalia. But he held to his best behavior, though, listening along with Renalia as Lexi lectured them on the economics of bogling hunts.

The job of harvesting boglings held similarities to the job of harvesting peat. Both professions had a baseline that they were expected to achieve: the rent payment to the baron and manor lord for living on their land. Any amount over that, while heavily taxed, were the profits of their labor.

Peat farming, barring long rainy seasons, yielded low but consistent earnings. Whereas bogling harvesting could shift between bust and boom, depending on a hunter’s luck. To ameliorate the possibility of going into debt, hunters and processors operated within Clans. Formed from familial relationships, this sharing of risk reduced the impact of unfortunate years.

Realizing that this tour wasn’t only about learning what other processors did, Renalia said a silent thanks to Marcy for fussing about her appearance. And she checked that none of her unruly hair had escaped from the tight bun that Marcy had created for her.

“Our first stop is with the O'Connor Clan.” Lexi gestured to an imposing house, even bigger than the Ongock residence. Teams of people bustled about in the open-air workshop next to the house.

She stopped in front of the open entryway, calling out “Lexi and two apprentice hunters to see Elder O’Connor.”

“Aye,” some lady in the house responded. “Come in and head on to the study. Big boss ain’t doing shite except sitting on his bum. At least shitting would be doing shite. It’d still be shite, but it’d be something.”

Lexi chuckled as she entered, nodding to the old woman knitting by the window. Renalia mimicked her actions and followed along, but was unsure whether she should smile at the stern woman that glared back.

They walked along a hallway, so long that Renalia scarcely believed they were still in the same house. Lexi knocked on the door at the end of the hallway, receiving a booming “Enter” in response.

“Ah, Lexi,” the rotund man behind the desk said. “Come in! What brings you around? Any news on Allain’s bogling?” Elder O’Connor sported a large graying beard, which draped down and lay on his belly. And his deep voice resounded from within his gut. He leaned forward and gestured toward the seats in the room.

Lexi took the one facing him while shaking her head. “No. Everyone’s keeping an eye out, but no one spotted any likely culprits yet. So, uh, some of us were thinking. Just talking and all. When we catch his killer, maybe the proceeds could go to his family.”

“Of course. We hunters should look out for each other. The O’Connors will support this.”

“Thanks. It’s been a while since we lost someone to the bog. Just wanted to make sure.”

Elder O’Connor glanced at Shim, who was studying the planks on the ground. “Aye, the traditions are important. The bog gives, but it also takes. And we have to stand united against it.”

“Thanks. The actual reason for my visit is to introduce Renalia, a hunter without a Clan.” 

Lexi beckoned, and Renalia stood up and bowed. “Elder O’Connor.”

“Ah,” a gravelly boom sounded out, “is this the one that tamed the baby hardshell?”

“Yes, and took down a prime hare and mole in her first outing. Solo.”

“Impressive!” Elder O’Connor addressed Renalia directly. “You know, the O’Connor family specializes in processing boglings. We can get you the best prices for your takes. And we have the best tools, regardless of the carcass. Much better than just hacking through it.”

He glanced at Shim. “No offense meant to your father.”

Lexi coughed politely. “Ahem, we’re under contract to use Malchim as the processor during her apprenticeship.”

Elder O’Connor raised an eyebrow at this as a questioning “hmm?” vibrated out from him.

“Renalia comes from a peat harvesting family, so she still has a lot to learn about our profession. She will, of course, look for processors to work with once the apprenticeship ends.”

“Well, Apprentice, let me introduce you to our processing team and their special skills. The best in the business, if I may be so bold.” Elder O’Connor placed both hands on the arms of his chair and stood up, the chair creaking in relief.

“And let me introduce a grandson of mine, too. He’s a little older than you and would be a excellent addition to the team you and Shim are starting.”

Shim and me in a team? “Oh, we’re not... I mean, I haven’t thought about stuff like that yet.”

“No worries. The future is ever so hard to picture, with unexpected twists and turns. Just laying out a possible path for your journey as a hunter, and a companion to walk with. My grandson earned his spear several months ago. He is a good boy with a decent deck of skills.” Elder O’Connor placed a hand on her shoulder to guide her into the hallway.

 

They left the O’Connors after several hours, much later than Renalia expected. She had learned much more about the processing of bogling leather and the prices that different pieces command.

Along the way, she had lost the guilt about taking Lexi away from the bog, understanding now how incredibly valuable the hardshell was. With some mental calculations, she had estimated that it would take a few months of harvesting peat for her to reach a comparable sum.

So it was without hesitation that she had replaced [Bogling Dig]–the valuable peat harvesting skill–with a [Bogling Hearing] she had snatched from a rabbit carcass that an O’Connor showed them.

The number on her Core had increased by two, which she assumed was because she had played with [Bogling Dig] enough to get it to level two. Renalia regretted not deciding to delete the peat harvesting Card sooner.

The previous day, she had grabbed the cards from the dragonfly and the worm but refrained from adding either to her Deck. The dragonfly card, which increased the speed of beating wings, held no utility for her. As for the worm one that elongated the body, she assumed it would be uncomfortable, if not outright painful, to use.

But she realized now that despite the lackluster skills, they translated into points for her Core. Regardless of why her Core wanted to take in Cards to delete them, she would happily comply and enjoy the benefit of getting so many cool Cards.

Guilt-free and with additional motivation, she looked forward to the visit with the next family.

“So we haven’t talked about this yet,” Lexi said, “but it’s strongly encouraged for new hunters to form teams instead of trying to make it on their own. It’s fewer earnings but much safer that way.

“And I think the two of you would make a fine team. Shim’s [Cut] and his telekinetic hand make him a skirmisher too. Which is a natural complement to another skirmisher like you, Renalia.”

Renalia braced herself for a snide comment, but Shim just said, “I’ll have to check with Dad.”

“Of course. You have been practicing with your magic hand ability, right Shim?”

“Yes, a lot. Since I somehow need an extra hand nowadays.” He narrowed his eyes at Renalia.

“You’re welcome,” Renalia said blithely.

Lexi laughed. “See, you guys got that team camaraderie already!”

 

For the next several days, they paid visits to various representatives of the hunting clans. Many of them she had seen in the village before but never truly interacted with. Some, as Renalia had feared, sneered that they do not do business with her kind. Accustomed to this, she had pulled a shocked Lexi away before she turned to anger.

But most, like the O’Connors, surprised her with their unexpected friendliness. Since she had no preexisting clan affiliations, these visits felt like matchmaking sessions. Many of them introduced her to potential team members. And some even heavily hinted that these team members were unattached and could grow into something more.

One Clan Matriarch explicitly detailed the benefits of a househusband while her nephew stood silently at attention in the middle of the room. Renalia was glad Shim did not accompany them that day. For she had turned as bright a beet red as the nephew did before Lexi suggested they head to the workshop.

Slowly, it dawned on Renalia why Donaldson had called her a bogling queen. She had, in the brief span of her first week, brought in as many boglings as experienced hunters did in a month. Some, like the hardshell, could even be called a catch of a lifetime. Maybe it was coincidence or luck, but most families placed bets on her continued good fortune.

And, noticing the advanced ages of potential team members, she started to understand Malchim’s comment about the coddling of new hunters.

At the end of a visit one day, she asked, “How long does an apprenticeship last? How does one become a real hunter?” With the focus on Clans and relationships, she worried they wouldn’t allow her to become a hunter until she married into a hunting family. She only wanted to earn some money, not start a family of her own.

Donaldson, who accompanied them that day, responded into the silence her question had created. “I told you we shouldn’t keep it from her.”

Lexi stared at the ground with clenched jaws.

Uncomfortable at unknowingly forcing Lexi into something, Renalia quickly added. “Oh, I’m just curious. I like you guys as teachers. The apprenticeship can last as long as you want to. Or, er, don’t want to? Whatever. You don’t have to answer. Nevermind I asked–”

“The thing is…” Lexi interrupted her, but then paused. “You’re already a hunter, Renalia.”

“Huh?”

“By the old ways, with two solo takedowns, you graduated to a full hunter on your first hunt.”

“You mean Malchim wasn’t using it as an excuse to make me hunt?”

“Listen, kid,” Lexi started slowly, “I disagree with everything that Malchim did.”

She took a deep breath, and the words started pouring forth like a torrent. “But yes, he was correct in naming you a Hunter. And you’ve shown us in the past week that you have the skills and mindset to potentially become a great one.”

Lexi paused. “I hope you don’t think we’re trying to take advantage of your ignorance, though. I think you still have much to learn. But… I’d understand it if you wanted to end the apprenticeship and start leading your own expeditions.”

“Oh, no no no.” Renalia shook her head vehemently. “I’m glad to learn from the two of you. I just didn’t know how it all worked. I was worried I’d never become a hunter and didn’t want to take advantage of your kindness and waste your time.”

Lexi signed in relief while Donaldson said, “Well, if it helps the two of you any, just think of it as us taking advantage of your vast number of bogling subjects, Your Majesty.”