Chapter One

"Red!" A pink haired dog woman screeched in horror. "You haven't just bet all our money that you would win this quiz have you!"

Her disdain was being directed to a similarly furry creature, who was grinning from ear to ear, a bone hanging precariously from his mouth. The young dog man who had glossy blue eyes and long brown hair seemed as calm as still water. His short red cape fell just above his elbows, the collar turned up.

"Don't worry, Chocolat," he said to the terrified dog woman. "There is no way I can lose."

He raised a fist and grinned even brighter at the pink haired caninu who glared back.

"How can you possibly know that?" Chocolat screeched. "You're up against, Collie, no one knows more about Basset than him."

Red peered around at the old wooden ships that mostly made up the island of Basset. It had an odd archaic beauty to it, the old rotten ships towering into the crimson sky. Beautiful but also saddening that such vessels had once had such life but were now still and dormant. It's misty air seemed to whisper secrets of the past. Suddenly he wasn't so sure he could win against Collie after all.

"Listen quiz-"

"NO!" The quiz master shouted making everyone jump. "It's too late to back out now, I've already planned all the different colour shoes I'm going to buy with the money when you lose."

"Right…" Red said raising a furry eyebrow. "I guess there's no stopping now, let's get this thing started then."

"The question is this…" the quiz master spun around several times for effect before pointing a finger towards the crimson sky. "A long time ago in Basset there was a Battleship Fishing competition, and a ship was fished out called the Blue Star. Who was it who fished out the ship?"

"WHAAA?" Red exclaimed the bone slipping from his mouth. "That is such a random question!"

"What were you expecting?" The quiz master shrugged before spinning around three times and doing a star jump "I'm a random kind of guy."

"…" Red stared open mouthed.

"The answer is Reggie Benji," Collie said smiling.

"That is correct! Collie wins the quiz! Sorry Red or should I say green as you are probably full of jealousy at Collie's great win!"

The quiz master did three star jumps before counting out Red's rings and pocketing them.

"RED!" Chocolat screeched.

"Green!" The quiz master chuckled counting out Red's rings.

"Uh oh…" Red muttered as Chocolat stormed towards him.

Flicking her pink hair over one shoulder and grabbing Red by his left ear she dragged him back to their ship the Asmodeus. The bemused residents of Basset watched as Chocolat marched off in the direction of their ship pulling Red along with her.

"I'll earn the money back easy, a few Hunter's quests and we'll be on our way!" Red said defiantly when they were back on the ship.

"I really hope so, because we've got work to do, Red. Elh and Beluga are depending on us." Chocolat said. "Also until you've earned back the money I'm cutting your allowance to five rings a day."

"WHAA?" Red exclaimed. "That will barely get me a piece of bread!"

"Tough!" Chocolat said walking away.

"Ugh…" Red sunk down into one of the comfy cabin chairs and closed his eyes. What had seemed like a great way to win money at the time had turned into a disaster. Stretching out on the coach he began to slip into the dream world when a ringing sound disturbed his sleep and reluctantly he answered the call.

"Yep," he said yawning.

"Wake you up did I? Come to the quest broker in Shetland."

"Huh? Why? Who is this?"

The phone cut out.

That's strange… Red thought dragging a furry hand through his brown hair.

"Well, a quest is a quest!" he said grinning. "Hey Chocolat, our next destination is Shetland!"

When they arrived in the mining island of Shetland everyone was running about and muttering to themselves. One miner was so absentminded that he dropped his pickaxe on his foot. With painful consequences… after screaming his head off the Caninu (dog person) resumed running around aimlessly. One Shetland inhabitant was weeping silently to herself near the entrance to the mines.

"Odd…" Red muttered to himself.

He climbed onto his robot, Dahak, whose metallic surface was glimmering in the sun. When seated comfortably, Red rode Dahak pass the people to the quest broker who immediately called him over.

"Oh Red, I'm so glad that you've come. We need a Hunter desperately." The cat woman said her huge eyes shimmering with tears.

"What's happened?" Red asked.

"One of the miner's daughters have been kidnapped by nasty sky pirates. You have to get her back, Red!"

"I'll do my best," Red said clenching a gloved fist.

"So you'll accept the quest? The pay is 5000 rings."

"Those sky pirates will wish they'd never laid eyes on Shetland once they're done with me." Red said grinning.

"I knew you would help! Talk to the miner, he's drowning his sorrows with a pint of ale on Pickaxe Street."

"Sure thing,"

"Well then, good luck!"

Red and Dahak thundered down the streets until they reached Pickaxe where Red immediately knew which miner he had to speak to. All the miner's looked sombre but one in particular looked like his whole world had been destroyed. He was a chubby, dog man, with a fringe of black hair hiding his furry face. Climbing off of Dahak Red approached carefully.

"Hello? Um… are you the one whose daughter has been kidnapped?"

The miner raised his head and nodded sadly. "You must be the hunter who has taken up my request. Sit down and I will tell you everything."