Over the years time that had passed, each of those around Pixel had made a name for themselves in their own way.
Ash had learned a lot from watching Cat Viper fight so she had developed her own acrobatic and flexible way of fighting on land and while in the air after jumping high up.
Misty had become a fearful opponent for many that were unable to sense her, the way that she hung from above and ambushed her opponents had been refined enough to deal with many experienced Minks her own age or some in a slightly higher age group.
Harley's swordsmanship had improved under the teachings of Dogstorm and her high talents had allowed her to advance quickly through the Musketeers when it came to rankings for skill with the sword.
Old Swifty had improved his mastery of the sword but he had also taken lots of time to rest so most of his time was spent on mental training and contemplating the sword when he was not carving wood figurines.
Liquorice had improved her footwork and goring capabilities along with her Electro so she was gaining more control of it to allow it to cover the thick fleece on her body.
After coming back together they were happy to see the changes in each other as they had improved in strength but in many other ways like spiritual and intellectual growth.
They all found themselves outside of a forest area along with many others as Rufus spoke. "You have all been gathered together for a purpose. Today is the day for the children of the nobility to experience their first hunt. It is very important that everyone can experience this and they can come back after proven themselves a strong and capable leader or warrior."
Rufus added. "You can all work as teams or you can go alone but one animal must be killed for every person involved. I need you all to prioritise your teams safety over getting good results, only by doing that will you not bring shame to yourself."
There were those that had stood back and pushed others to complete their task so many at the forefront were harmed or died as a result of the lack of cooperation and a noble child hiding behind a wall of people while offering no aid.
In order for a good leader to show their true qualities, they needed to know how to use others but also direct them to complete tasks safely and efficiently within the dangerous environment they were placed in.
Only then could they prove that they were fit for the role as a leader, it was one of the tests of Rufus but it was also part of the customs of the nobles so that their children could experience taking a life for their first time so that they did not hesitate when their life was in danger or when they needed to kill.
Although the nobles would often be on the backlines or avoiding combat wile others would be dealing with threats, there was always a need for them to be prepared for any possible threat whether it came from within their own family home, their own island or from outside.
There was also a test for the warriors and others within each of the groups or that went on their own to test if they could fight in a way that assisted the others or they fought smart enough to overcome their hunting target.
Each had their own role and they would be required to perform well enough to provide enough support and not drag their team down.
Pixel looked around as the many groups started forming then she turned to her allies. "Misty, Harley and Liquorice.. with your experiences, I believe that you are all more than qualified to act without me."
Harley frowned. "You mean that you are leaving us already?"
Pixel rolled her eyes. "Do not worry. I just have the confidence to move around without the need of support. For me this test has no real importance, for my brothers and sisters… they are the ones that need to prove themselves to grandfather."
Each of the groups had the children of different noble families of different ranks but among those within her own family, there was a large amount of supporters for each of her brothers and sisters.
Pixel rolled her eyes and sighed. 'They get the quantity but.. is there anyone with quality among them? I will find out soon.'
Some taunts and mocking voices came from far away which she picked up so she then thought to herself. 'They really do not change!'
Pixel was contemplating knocking them down from their high place and shattering their great pride but then she shook her head. 'No.. today is already a tough enough day for them. I cannot make it harder for them all.'
Rufus and many family heads of different families had gathered together along with the elders and other vassals that served them.
The ladies of the houses were sitting while having a tea party outside of the forest area while the men were standing around and conversing.
The children between the ages of seven and fourteen had been split up into their groups.
While some were equipped with a bow and arrow or another type of weapon, others did not carry anything like Pixel.
They all entered the forest and went deeper as they split up and searched for prey to hunt.
Pixel looked at them all disperse and looked towards the groups that belonged to her siblings. 'Felice had many supporters from a variety of different families which shows the amount of political power she has gained over this time. Max.. while he does have a decent following, they do not seem to respect him all that much. Cleo is stuck with her brother again in this test so the teams have merged from the small amount of support she has. Milo looks like he has gotten a little more used to using others but will he make a good leader? If I placed my own judgement then… I would still favour Felice.'
With a slight flicker of Electro that surrounded her body, her movements became faster as she disappeared into the forest area.
She jumped up to the tree branches and leapt from tree to tree quickly as she made her way through the forest as she overlooked the ongoing competition without being detected.
Her mastery of stealth had already reached a very high level thanks to her training in the Night Guards and it was often difficult for more experienced Minks to detect her so the small children that were within her age range did not notice her as she watched them from above or passed by without a sound.
Sounds of fighting had started as some Minks were yelling and weapons made loud noises as they came into contact with what they were hunting.
Rightrump Forest was where they would all undergo their first right of passage which was also connected to the Deep, Dark Swamp where many kinds of wild hairless animals and dangers lurk but for the Minks, it was something that their children could survive so long as they worked together and remained cautious.
While everyone was searching the Rightrump Forest, Pixel headed at a high speed towards the Deep, Dark Swamp where the danger was much higher.
She soon found herself before a large creature that was surrounded by many smaller ones of its own kind.
They were a type of creature that looked like a hybrid between a crocodile and a boar.
Pixel looked down at them all from above within the swamp and sighed. 'This may be difficult. If it was one of them then this would have been much easier. Should I shock them all or should I lure the big one away from the others? What should I do.. hmm..'