Demon Wolf

What do I do now? Wolf slowly inhaled, then exhaled, leaving his lungs empty for ten heartbeats before repeating the process.

He was finally alone. Kira went to sleep in a separate tent, and he naturally ignored the catcalls and invitations from a bunch of daring women. In fact, the whistling and barking crowd was so big, Wolf started considering them average, while those who merely winked at him passed for timid.

Maybe I should’ve taken one as company?

Stop bullshitting. Focus on your immediate problem.

That immediate problem was the hunger threatening his sanity. Wolf swallowed the bacon he had been chewing, took out his father’s heatingstone and began preparing more diverse rations. He had gnawed at jerky the whole day, drawing weird looks from Hare Tribe’s refugees.

In truth, he himself started giving his dry rations weird looks around early afternoon. He had grown sick of them, so he decided to prepare a different snack. While chopping Lioncrab flesh into bite-sized cubes, Wolf contemplated the question weighing his mind.

How do I get back home? If rifts collapse when I draw near them, I can’t return. I’m stuck here. I can’t cast Reforge Mind to search locals’ memories, and if I ask how to enter Treasure World without using a Treasure Rift, I’ll blow my flimsy cover.

Wolf stopped chopping and grit his teeth. He ran his fingers through his hair, somewhat calming when he caught a sweet floral scent during his breathing exercise.

But how else am I supposed to return? Can I punch a hole between worlds? He shook his head. I can’t find these answers here. I need to reach proper civilization and ask someone erudite, like a Seeker or Truthspeaker. So, I should leave Forsaken Wastes and cross the great wall separating the Unholy Empire and Forsaken Wastes… Who the hells came up with these names?

Wolf resumed his cutting, considering the queasiness in his guts and trying to sort his feelings. As usual, when faced with an important problem, he felt anger, and he wanted to beat the person responsible until they cried.

My conscience is clear. I owe nothing to these people. I escorted Kira to safety, kept my word, and helped as much as I could. There’s nothing I’m obliged to do.

And yet his neck muscles twitched.

She’s not my kid. They aren’t that pathetic and they don’t need help. Nor did they ask for my involvement.

This whole bloody coup weighed on his mind. What if someone was there years ago to intervene, to save his father?

I wouldn’t have been born. That’s what would’ve happened.

While Wolf enjoyed his solitary argument, Fiona and Ronit bounced their thoughts and ideas in a duet deep into the night.

“It makes no sense, no matter how you look at it,” Ronit repeated, for gods know which time. “They are greedy and selfish bitches, but they aren’t stupid. If the tribe weakens, others will attack us and try to devour us. If we fall, everyone in Qi Gathering realm will be enslaved while those who have reached Blood Saturating will be executed. Only idiots would keep powerful outsiders close. That’s begging to get assassinated—”

“Ronny, we’ve been through this six times already.” Fiona interrupted the pointless monologue. “There’s critical information we’re lacking. Since the elders severed three heads and exiled us, the only reasonable assumption is Mona somehow has enough power to make up for it. That means she either reached the middle stages of Blood Saturating, or she nurtured five initial Blood Saturating realm warriors in secret.”

“But you paid close attention to her.”

“I have.” Fiona nodded. “She got herself four decent servants two years ago. They are young, but my lieutenants beat them in ten moves when they sparred, so they remain low threat.”

“Maybe she helped them advance?” Ronit offered. It was a risky move, trusting your back to outsiders, but during extreme circumstances, elders could accept new members into the tribe.

Even though Ronit guessed the correct answer, Fiona shook her head. “She doesn’t have the resources. Even if she pooled everything she saved since those four joined her, it wouldn’t be enough to advance three of them. And we know she’s also been trying to advance her own realm, so she almost certainly has no savings worth mentioning.”

Ronit pursed her lips, pacing around the room. “Do those escapees know anything?”

Fiona shook her head. “Nope. I asked, despite knowing they couldn’t escape a Blood Saturating warrior’s pursuit. Naturally, they saw nothing. Even the guards were ignorant. Elders and their families did this in private. As for the survivors, their knowledge boils down to blood, smoke and panic.”

“What if—” Ronit began, but a sudden shout startled her, cutting her words short.

“Stampede!” a mighty voice bellowed outside, forcing everyone awake to jump and threatened all sleepers with a heart attack.

“I hear nothing?” Ronit said, but Fiona, her mind as nimble as ever, dropped to the ground.

She sprawled motionless, her ear pressed against the coarse skins. Then Fiona paled. “Ten, it’s a tide. And we’re on an open field.”

***

Wolf felt the skins beneath his butt vibrate. He focused on his hearing and caught distant howls in the night.

Really? Monster Beasts are attacking? He resisted rolling his eyes at his horrible luck.

Instead, he stored fifty kilos’ worth of boiled crab, as well as the pot of soup in which he cooked the meat. He drew a deep breath, preparing to yell. Back home, he would have infused Anima into his voice without thinking. Here, he believed his body was enough to warn everyone. 

“Stampede!” he roared.

They are far away, but there’s a whole bunch of them. Wolf rubbed his face with his left, feeling nervous. If these Monster Beasts are tenth order or lower, I can punch my way through and protect Kira.

Why are you thinking about protecting random people you don’t care about? he asked himself and immediately knew the answer. Because my third Truth is Protection and because I can’t protect Sky right now, so I’m projecting that instinct onto Kira.

Dammit. I’m every bit as crazy as those old kooks. Wolf cursed and kipped up, rushing towards Kira’s tent.

“Beasttide!” Ronit’s shout entered his ear just as he reached his destination.

Their perceptions aren’t horrible. They confirmed it in less than ten seconds.

“Kira!” He barged into her tepee. The naked girl was bent, putting on her underwear. She froze, standing on one leg, but Wolf did not skip a beat.

“Get dressed quickly. A bunch of Monster Beasts will attack in minutes.”

Kira blushed in her crouch, almost toppling over. Her arms trembled, unsure whether to grab the blanket and cover up or stand up and boldly face Wolf in nothing but her panties.

“I’ll wait for you outside.” Wolf noticed her awkwardness and helped by leaving the scene.

Why didn’t you just shout from outside? Kira bit her lip, wanting to scream. There was literally no reason to burst in.

She had washed herself and oiled her skin before sleeping, just in case Wolf stopped by and wanted… He didn’t even pause! Have some damn decency and give me one stunned fucking look! I’m athletic! I’m attractive! Wait…

Kira blinked, her momentary flare of embarrassment and indignation giving way to the icy terror which gripped before Wolf’s fleeting diversion.

“H-how big is the tide?” she stuttered, snapping her borrowed underpants onto her butt.

“Fairly large.” Wolf’s calm, disinterested voice would have infuriated her, if not for the immediate threat to her life.

“C-can we make it?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. Now, get dressed, and I’ll carry you to…” Wolf’s confident voice trailed off. “Dammit. We’re surrounded.”

Kira, who was hurriedly donning her clothes, faltered.

A long moment of awkward silence followed, then Kira resumed dressing.

“Kira!” Bridget’s voice came from outside, and Kira rushed out, straightening her jacket.

“Au— Warrior?” She started with a personal greeting, but changed to a formal address, since they were in the middle of a warcamp.

“Warleader ordered you to go to the matriarch’s tent.” Bridget had the presence of mind to glance towards Wolf after winking at Kira in acknowledgement. “And you, boy, we need capable hands on the walls to fight the beasties.”

Wolf glanced at the woman. Two ugly scars marred her face, but she was ugly even before someone hacked at her skull. She was built like a bull, with wide shoulders and a thick neck and she looked down at Wolf, half a palm taller than he was. And yet, Wolf could slap her dead right there.

The moment he looked at her and evaluated her a chirping insect, Bridget’s hair stood on end. The friendliness Wolf radiated around Kira became cold indifference when facing her.

Bridget held her breath, then the terrible judge turned his gaze away, pardoning her insolence.

“Fine. I’ll go with you,” the terror assented, leaving Bridget confused. She did not know whether she wanted Wolf to obey or disobey and stay blessedly away from her.

It was too late for regret. She nodded and led the way, forgetting to say goodbye to Kira, who watched her aunty depart with a bewildered expression.

Wolf arrived at the wall shortly. He glanced into the darkness of a cloudy night. The dark did not bother him. His elven eyes scanned the scene with ease.

“Fuck me,” he muttered.