2 CHPT 2: FROSTY

Frosty is a PitWolf pup Claudes father rescued after a group of heroes accompanying his father in a Tangent killed Frosty's family/pack and left him to die. Claudes father Gil snuck the pup out of the Tangent and brought him home to Claude where he was healed and has lived in the forest that surrounds their cabin ever since. The only remnants of Frosty's tragic past is a ring of missing hair around his back leg where he was caught in a snare.

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Pit-Wolves are descendants of wolves that wandered into open Tangents and integrated themselves into the battle hungry lives of whatever species resided in said Tangent, whether it be Orcs, Goblins, Kobolds etc. This resulted in the wolf species reproducing with any canid creatures that were native to the tangents, creating a remodeled hybrid suited for survival in the new chaotic zones appearing on earth. Pit-Wolves come in a variety of colors and sizes but on average they're around 260-300 lbs as adults and what isn't solid muscle is iron-like dense bone,(so dense in fact that they cannot swim, only sink.)

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"Frosty, what's the matter with you? I almost had a heart-attack you bonehead." Claude explained, knowing there was a good chance the pup would sneak attack him again tommorow morning anyway.

Frosty replied by sitting and raising his right paw in an attempt to shake Claudes hand, which is how Frosty usually greets him in the mornings.

Claude got up and dusted himself off removing sticks, dirt and other debris. He went over to Frosty and gladly shook his oversized paw which he swore felt heavier every day. After he shook with Frosty he connected his head to the muscle bound pups in a show of affection taking in his natural wild scent of pine, wet fur and blood.

After Claude got his usual greetings with Frosty over with he continued the rest of his forest run now accompanied by an overgrown pit-wolf pup.

Once Claude completed his run through the forest he headed back to the cabin where the workout equipment his father got him was. It was nothing luxurious or anything like what was at the C.S Academy, but for Claude it was more than enough, "I really don't know where I'd be without you all.", he said while eyeing his weights and equipment with excitement.

Once he filled a bowl of water for Frosty, Claude began his usual morning workout of 50 squats, 10 pull ups, 10 push ups and 25 strict muscle ups.

"Twenty three....tweeenty four....tweeenty five". Finishing the 25 muscle ups concluded Claudes early morning workout. After a short while he realized he didn't feel the need to lie on the ground and catch his breath and his arms and legs didn't feel as if they would explode, Instead he felt a light refreshing sting in his muscles..they felt alive.

"I know you see the progress Frostyyyyy!!", Claude said in an energetic tone. After he didn't hear any movements or huffs of acknowledgment he realized he was talking to himself and felt a little red with embarrassment, "Well goodbye to you too, damn."

Claude headed inside the cabin and looked at the clock above the front door and realized he had 30 minutes before he needed to leave for the academy. He looked around the living room of the cabin taking in its homey essence, the living room had shiny dark wood floors and in one corner stood a sturdy metal desk right below a bay style window, the metal desk was riddled with his fathers notes and hand drawn depictions of the Tangents, some looked like real life nightmares while others just looked like serene snowy biomes. Claude couldn't wait to explore them.

Claudes daydreaming was interrupted by a familiar smell that made a small earthquake erupt in his stomach..."CHICKEN!", Claude looked deeper into the cabin where the dining room sat and saw on the oak wood round table there was a steaming plate of chicken with rice and a whole lot of spinach. Claudes favorite meal, all he could do was silently praise the chef who made it, "Dad...you are a HERO!"

After a few minutes of eating Claude noticed a piece of paper, a note from his father next to his plate, it read, "hey kid, I had to leave for work early today but I'll be back tommorow. Also, I saw your armor....it looks like Orc excrement! So, I left some coppers for you to get a new leather set, have a good day at the academy and kick some ass!"

Claude ran over the last line again in his head, "have a good day at the academy....what is that a joke?"