Cold and wet from the rain, Axel trudges along. The densely packed trees in the forest outside of Toran did little to stop the water from soaking him through. His clothes became heavy and made it harder to move stealthily. Careful not to disturb the foliage, Axel continues on his hunt. The Omutiel he had been tracking was close, and he couldn’t afford to spook it now as it was almost 5am and quite dark out still and he might not be able to find it again. “I should have waited till morning to do this.” grumbles Axel to himself. Having been traveling for 5 days since receiving the letter from his father, Axel was just outside of his destination but had decided to make a slight detour once he noticed the telltale signs of an Omutiel. Catching an Omutiel would fetch him a pretty penny as breeders greatly desired them for their benefits later on. The money, while not necessary for a minor lordling such as himself, would allow him to live in luxury slightly longer while completing his rites. Axel had been expecting the letter for some time now, and as it happens, he had been almost home to Ward when he received it. His father demanded that he take a sabbatical from his work with the Byakko’s Fangs, the mercenary band he had been with since the war, to finally complete his Rites which were long overdue. Usually the Rites are begun when children reach adulthood, sometimes slightly earlier. In Axel’s case though, he had already begun work and had fought in a war, so he didn’t place much importance in the Rites, but he would not disobey his father. Suddenly a rustle in the branches ahead of him caught his attention. “Shit, it sensed me.” Axel thought. “Chu, use your Kusarigama to chain it down now!” He shouted! From the darkness came a whirling sound as Chu broke through the brush beside him in a charge towards the tree in front of him. Chu had been tailing in case Axel needed assistance during his hunt. With dexterity much greater than his own, Chu leapt and released the Kusarigama towards the treetop. A loud and frustrated “Caw” sounded as a now bound Omutiel fell to the forest floor. The chains had trapped its left wing to its body and it now could no longer fly. Giving Chu and Axel a glare, it succumbed to its binding and just stared at them both, refusing to struggle. “Thanks for making it easier little guy. Don’t worry, I won’t be hurting you.” Axel announces. “I’m merely going to be giving you a new home. Who knows? Maybe you’ll enjoy it more.” Holding his left arm out, the stones on his arm band begin to glow. With a few practiced words, the stones flash brightly and then begin to dull. A new stone had been added to it and the Omutiel was no longer there. The new stones colors were a swirl of green and grey, complimenting the other 5 he had of varying designs and colors. “Alright, finally time to head into town. I wonder where I can get a good meal?”