[Auro]

You don't need native enfeebling skill at low levels. iirc, using Sprout Smack on a mob at that level is more likely to get you killed than save the day.

Don't you have to wait until well in the 20s to start meleeing with the pet safely?

[Malacite]

Depends on what you're fighting, and cocoon is a life saver early on.

[aegina]

If you're having problems, try going to tahrongi canyon. Charm dhalmels and sic then on everything else. (Specifically, bees, mandies, and rabbits.) Dhalmels destroy all in that zone, and it should get you to level 19 without much risk.

At 19, head to buburimu, charm one of the sylvestyres(sp) by mhaura (not the ones by the outpost. They're weaker.) Then, run back to the outpost and use the sylvestyre to kill all the bunnies and mandies you see. Your Decent Challenge pet should have no problem mass decimating all those weakling easy prey by the outpost, and you can even repeat FoV quests while you're at it. Watch for undead at night, and try not to let your pet get killed, or you'll have to go get a new one, lol.

At 21 or 22, stay in buburimu by the outpost, and switch to charming birds. Watch for links when they uncharm. Also, keep your hp up if possible, in case the bird uses a tp move when it uncharms. Birds kill faster than mandies, which means you can keep killing those same easy prey mobs but still get good xp/hour. That can last you till ~24 ish.

If birds get you killed (sometimes they will. They link when they uncharm, and they have annoying tp moves) an alternate pet at that level could be the crawlers on the other side of the zone. I believe they are decent challenge at that level. Dhalmels might work, too, but I always use birds. I just had to learn not to fight right next to another bird, to prevent the chance of links.

That is a pretty safe way to get to level 24.

edit: when I do this method (It's my usual route when leveling other jobs as /bst) I usually melee alongside the dhalmels and mandies, but not the birds.)