The Quiet Hunter (Mao Mao AU)

Sorrowful Morning

A black cat dressed lightly in yellow open their eyes and sees a ceiling before sighing lazily laying on their bed.

They hear a few knocks on their door before glancing to their left seeing the door opening and spots another black cat dressed in orange gi.

"Hey Ziyou?... you feeling well?" the cat in gi spoke softly with concern which ziyou merely nodded "i'm fine Kowarenai" she replied in a soft tone.

Before kowarenai could say something she glance to her right before moving out of the way while the door opened wider.

Another black cat wearing an green robe with a tired look on their face "ziyou" they said "Zhihui" ziyou replied before the silence returns.

"Well... any luck finding him zhihui?" she broke the silence while zhihui merely shakes hear head slowly.

"Oh" ziyou continued before looking back up towards her room ceiling "Minori went out again" zhihui spoke.

With a sigh of resignation "tell her to stop" ziyou replied "what... why?" zhihui asked her ziyou looks at her with a sad smile before facing back up.

"Its been 16 years since he vanished" she replied before her smile became wobbly and tears leaking out of her eyes "I-I'm st-starting t-to th-think h-his n-not h-here a-any m-more" she stutters as she sniffed.

She bit her bottom lip as more tears and sniffs can be heard as she clenches her paws while shaking before she starts to cry quietly.

Zhihui merely stares at the ground while kowarenai looks at her with a sad look before nodding and heading out of the door.

...

Elsewhere a black cat wearing blue armor swung their golden spear at a giant beast as it lets our a dying roar at them.

The beast falls while the villagers cheer at them before the head of the village walks towards them.

"Thank you legendary hero Brunhilde... how can we repay you?" the chief thanked while brunhilde bows at them "your praise is enough... but I have a need of a few supplies for travel" she replied.

"Oh... where you headin of to?" The chief asked "the Pure Heart Valley" she replied to which the chief eyes widen.

"Thats nothing more than a legend" the chief said while brunhilde glances around trying to find someone.

She than looks at the chief "very well... than i guess I will head out" she simply said and started to walk away.

"Wait" the chief said making her stop and looks back at the chief "at least bring this with you" the chief continued while holding out a few leather bags.

Brunhilde smiled slightly before grabbing them "thank you" she thanked them at headed out.

...

Another place where a black cat dressed in a purple kimono with part of their face covered by their golden hat walking into the tavern where the same bull from where tanya and badgerclops were at.

The cat headed straight towards the bull which said bull took notice of the cat "any news?" the cat asked in a monotonous voice but a hint of hope in their eyes.

The bull shook his head "sorry Minori" he replied and minori's eyes dulled the spark of hope completely gone "oh" she simply said.

She stared at the floor "if it makes you any better two bounty hunters came here eariler and accepted the bounty to bring him back" he continued.

She looks back up at him "ah... I forgot about that bounty poster" she thought to herself glancing at the poster mocking her at the image of her brother back when he was a child.

His bright smile while hugging his stuffed plushie and innocent eyes looking back at her.

She turns away as she noticed her heart tightened when looking at the poster and with a sigh "thats good news" she finally replied.

"But I doubt that they and those before them will be able to find him" she continued while looking back at the bull.

The bull sighed "could ya atleast have a little hope for them" he asked to which minori glares at the floor "been having that sliver of hope for a really long time" she countered before heading out of the tavern.

"Who knows... maybe this time they have chance of finding him" he replied but minori merely remain silent and exits the tavern.

...

Badgerclops kicked a pebble and it landed into the lake while crossing his arms.

He deeply sighs before glancing at tanya up in the trees searching around for the so called pure heart valley.

Which is nothing more than a legend and probably wasting time chasing something that is not real.

His stomache grumbled and he groan before looking up at tanya "hey tanya can we take a snack break" he asked.

Tanya glance down at him from above "sorry munchy~ but till we find him no snack breaks" she replied.

"Come on tanya i'm starving and I don't think I have the energy to do anything anymore" he retorted.

Tanya rolled her eyes before scouring the forest searching for the pure heart valley "fine but make it quick... the sun is goind down" she gave in.

"Finally" he replied before sitting down and grabbing his sandwich while nearby in the bushes have green glowing eyes watching them.

"Why are this bounty hunters here?... they better be not searching for me?!" mao mao thought to himself.

"So..." he stopped to take a another bite "when we find the pure heart valley will it help us find him" badgerclops spoke to tanya.

Mao mao narrowed his eyes "why are my family looking for me?" He thought before shaking his head "it does not matter... after all they seem to be doing just fine without" he gloomy thought.

He took one last look at them before quietly headed deeper into the forest.