The Hunter's Blood

The Hunter’s Blood
Chapter 1
(Taryn)

Chase and I had made our ways to Gorban in order to watch Kylie graduate from high school. She had been freaking out the night before about how she was going to do her hair and makeup, but she had the dress for it like months ahead of time. It was an adorable black and red sundress that clung to her perfectly, but still had that amazing effect when she twirled. We had done our best to keep her calm and relaxed, just as we had done for Chase and they had done for me the big night before our own graduations.

Now it was her turn to go through the process, then the cruel high school years would be over. Then the real fun would begin since we all had been accepted to Corvus Academy Community College in the town of Corvus. I couldn’t believe that all three of us could scream so loud after hearing the news, but I’m sure we broke glass somewhere.

Anyways, back to the graduation ceremony.
We sat in the row that was closest to the stage, close to Kylie’s parents who handed me her camera so I could take as many pictures as I could. Everyone that was of some importance got up and made speeches, the band played and the choir sang and then the lights turned off as they started playing a picture slide show with all the graduates on it. It showed all the pictures of them growing up and their senior pictures, most of them being the overly cliché ones that have no style or personality to them.

They finally got to Kylie’s name and our section cheered and I snapped as many pictures as I could of one of my best friends as she went across that stage and grabbed her diploma. I looked around to our group and I could tell that each one of us was so very proud of her for this achievement. Once it was over, we made our way outside for the meet and greet with the graduates and found our fiery headed friend almost instantly. I hugged her underneath my parasol, seeing as though the sun had decided to be overly hot today and my albino skin would hate me if I hadn’t protected it.

“Congratulations!” I exclaimed excitedly to her, as Chase joined us for a group hug.

“Finally a free woman.” Chase joked, nudging Kylie in the shoulder.

“Ain’t that the truth?” Kylie replied holding her diploma up victoriously.

“Now all we gotta do is make it through college. Should be a piece of cake…right?” I added in as I closed my parasol so I could get into my dad’s old beat up silver Chevy Venture minivan, he had let me borrow it so I could come see Kylie graduate. I’m just glad the damn thing had tinted windows cause the sun was shining extra bright today for some reason. “Do you wanna ride back to your house with Chase and me, or do you wanna go with your rents?” I questioned her, as chase looked at her with hope filled eyes. On my way to Gorban I had stopped in Chase’s hometown of Selbog to pick her up, so the three of us could be together.

“Definitely with you guys, I see my parents 24/7 but I hardly get to see the two of you.” She exclaimed happily as she reached to open the sliding side door. I started giggling as Kira and Chase’s Dire Wolf, Jaci, jumped out as soon as the door was opened. Kira gave a little mew as she rubbed against my legs, and Jaci bounded over to Chase and started nipping at her hand playfully until she scratched behind his ears for him. I could literally feel everyone’s eyes on us as they watched our exchange with the exotic animals.

Kylie looked at the exchange before she ran off randomly towards her parent’s car and opened the backseat, watching as Ryuu, her five foot python made its way up her body and wraps around her neck as if hugging her. She walked over victoriously and grinned at us with this crazy ass smile.

“I’m shocked you didn’t have him hidden somewhere on you during graduation.” Chase retorted, chuckling as she had gotten knocked over by the Dire Wolf and was being attacked with kisses. And there we were, the three “freaks”, the three people who mattered the most, besides my parents in my life.

“See, I thought about that, but I don’t know how they would feel about a python wrapped around my body.” She started laughing and Ryuu buried his head against her neck.

“About as much as they would have freaked out about our animals.” I said, as we piled into my van and took off towards Kylie’s house. It was a nice one story house that her parents had built long before she was born and they had a large swing set on the deck of the above ground pool.

It was another hour before all of the guests had gotten to her house, so it was constantly taken goofy pictures and hanging out with her parents from there. They loved our weird crazy animals and they even got spots close to the table, which they were pretty excited about an ate the non-chocolate chip pancakes that Kylie’s dad was a boss at making.

There were about 70 people that showed up to her party and we had a lot of fun swimming in her pool and cutting her delicious graduation cake. All of the guests came up to Kylie and congratulated her for finishing the first chapter of her life. Except for this one kid who was apparently new to the area and decided to hit on Kylie in the process. He slid his arm around her shoulders and her expression twisted into a “don’t –touch-me” face. When he was finished with his play on words, she grinned up at him quite innocently as Ryuu began to slither his way up her body.

“You know, I’m willing to bet that my python is bigger than yours.” She beamed with pride and his face instantly transformed into a confused and offended expression. Once Ryuu made his way all the way up her body, his head lurched out from her shoulder and he hissed at him with his tongue flicking out. He jumped back letting out an earsplitting scream. Kylie, Chase and I just burst out laughing as the poor kid ran for his like sweet little Ryuu was going to eat him for lunch. This happened every time someone was even the slightest bit annoying to Kylie, but I have yet to see Ryuu attack someone, he was actually a very well trained python.

“Welp, there goes the last of your guests.” I joked, still laughing at the kids retreating form.

“Well in that case let’s go chill in my room.” Kylie suggested. She didn’t really wait for us to reply as she headed into the house towards her room. With a small shrug of the shoulders, I followed after her along with Chase and the pets.

“So now we’re officially adults…whatever are we going to do with ourselves?” Chase joke as we all took a seat on Kylie’s super comfy queen bed, with black and red zebra print sheets. Our pets had followed us into the room, Kira and Jaci lay down on the floor on opposite sides of the bed while Ryuu slithered into his floor to ceiling glass cage.

“College is the next step.” Kylie said in all seriousness.

“I’m just glad we all got into the same college.” I added, snuggling my back into the pillows and the headboard of the bed.

“So, are either of you going to be living in the dorms?” Chase questioned, scooting up next to me.

“Not me, I was just thinking of renting a small apartment or something, so I can take Ryuu with me, because there is a no pet policy in the dorms.” Kylie said as she fingered the gold charm bracelet on her left arm, that now had a shiny new black diamond encrusted 12 charm to represent the year she graduated.

“Ooohh…Light bulb…I know what we should do.” I said as a thought popped into my head. I didn’t give them time to respond and finished my thought before it left my head. “Seeing as none of us are going to be living in the dorms, we should pull our money together and get a house together!” I exclaimed excitedly.