The Hunter Version 1

“I'm still trying to figure that out. I thought we were just protection for the Guards. Maybe it's because we are all criminals chosen by the Guard themselves, or maybe there's some other reason. I have no idea,” Toby admitted with a shrug.
Ben leaned up and stared up at the sky excitedly. He waited a few minutes for Claire and her companions to appear. It was about ten minutes after nine and there was no sign of her.
“I heard the hunters were going to be in town today,” Ben began.
“Then act surprised when Claire tells you. I don't know the details, but I don't think Max is with them. Don't think badly of her, though. She's concerned about you.” Toby told him.
Ben's heart fell, but he gave Toby a nod in reply. Toby watched his expression for a moment before he placed a hand on Ben's shoulder.
“I'm sorry,” he said.
“No. Don't be. It's nice just to see you again.” Ben replied and smiled.
Seconds after the words left his mouth, the park around them filled with people. And not just any people; hunters and Guards, perhaps four dozen or more in total. The Guards all looked much the same, dressed in silver and covered in weapons and ammo. A few wore black, like Toby, but they were focused on the Guard they followed rather than anyone else. The majority of the people, men and women, were hunters. It was obvious by their scared, tanned skin and clothes. Most of them wore camouflage patterned clothing, or just pants and nothing else. A few women had dressed themselves up in sun dresses, but they looked very out of place. They were too muscular to be called pretty. Beautiful, perhaps, but not pretty. Ben stared around him in shock, not having expected anything like this. Toby stood, drawing attention, but it was Ben their eyes fell on.
“Hey, that's Max's boy, isn't it?” One man whispered to a Guard nearby.
He openly stared at Ben when Ben glanced at him and then winked and grinned at Ben when their eyes met. Ben flinched away, but anywhere he looked, he was making eye contact with the hunters, who were moving closer to him.
“It's fine, Ben, they are just curious. Max is a big deal among them because he owns his island.” Toby whispered.
“Ben!” came Claire's voice as she shoved her way closer, pushing past the gathering hunters.
“What are you planning?” Ben demanded uneasily and Claire gave him a grin.
“I wanted to make sure you weren't being followed, so I asked these guys for a bit of help.” Claire chuckled, suddenly human.
Ben glanced over at Toby who shrugged. Claire urged them to stand and began to introduce Ben to various hunters and Guards, assuring him he would not need to remember the names. They gathered around him, asking about his stay on Max's island, how he had survived, what had happened while there, what animals they had hunted, about Max. They asked a lot of questioned about Max, many of them ones Ben wanted to know as well. The Guards were quite a bit more quiet, but when Ben was asked about the various camps he had made and seen, they listened well, likely so they could get better information on how prisoners might hide.
Speaking to the large group, Ben realized two things. The first was that both Claire and Max were well respected and very popular in their respective circles. And the second was the fact the neither the Hunters nor the Guards got much interaction with normal people. Some of the questions they asked were about things Ben now took as granted. They asked about his brothers and then were not able to understand that Ben and William did not get along. Most of the Hunters were related somehow and the Guards often traveled in family packs. They would fight, yes, but they never held grudges like William seemed to or mistrust for one another as Ben mistrusted William.
Claire eventually broke up the group and told them to give Ben some space. They broke off into groups and, while most stayed in the immediate area, wandered off. Ben, Toby and Claire all went to sit down on the rim of the fountain. Ben decided it was a good time to give Claire the book, so he did,