CHPT 36: Questions

"YoU'LL maKE A grrEaT LuPinE oF ReeEMuS, CLAUDE."

CRSHHH!

Claude opened his eyes, whatever Dolion said to him startled him awake. "Did I even win? Did I avenge my father?....did I save Ursula?" He wondered. He lay numb in the cold grass— looking up at the night sky with a hateful indifference as he bathed in the feeling of defeat, unbearable sadness and other, more violent emotions.

He started to feel an intense burning on his left arm. He raised it towards the stars that filled the night sky. He noticed a bite wound on his arm that was glowing a bright and ominous red, steam flowed from the wound like it was really as hot as it felt.

He sat in silence making the occasional grunt as the pain came in uneven waves. After it subsided he lay in a pool of his own sweat, wondering a multitude of things. He brought his arm up again wondering if it somehow healed now that the pain was gone. "What the fuck?" He said after inspecting his arm.

His whole forearm was covered in short but thick black hairs that seemed to spread from the bite wound...like it was the source.

He sat up after a while and instantly recognized where he was. He looked at the entrance to the Forest of the Chosen and met 6 pairs of eyes staring at him intently. "Well don't be weird, come on out." He said.

The much healthier looking Phantom Wolves trotted out of the shadows with their tails wagging as they left trails of black smoke in their wake. He petted them individually as the other smelled and observed him noticing how different he looked, even though he himself did not.

After reuniting with them he received a quest.

DING!

[New Quest!: Increase understanding of your animal affinity by living with them and like them.]

[Rewards: Beast Tamer skills levels increase, +100 EXP]

[Bonus Reward: Undetermined.]

[Bonus Reward Requirements: Lead your pack in taking down a FlameHorn!]

"I could really benefit from those rewards, especially that bonus even though I don't know what the reward is." He thought for a moment before getting up and heading into the forest with the wolves following closely behind.

As he ran through the thick forest, his mind kept wandering back to the Deviant. He kept having to remind himself to focus on the quest so he could get back to the real world, he still couldn't believe his father was gone...

After running for about a mile he noticed he was keeping up with the wolves with ease, in fact he felt like he could go faster.

So, he did. He let his anger fuel him as he ran. Flashes of Samuel and Tai's face appeared in his mind, taking him to new inhuman speeds.

After sprinting for an hour with the wolves, Claude was now out of the forest and by a river that spanned for as long as he could see. The stones under his feet felt cool and solid, the river water looked incredibly refreshing.

He dropped down to his knees and began scooping handfuls into his mouth, the wolves soon followed suit as they lapped up the cold river water.

They drank for a few more minutes until Claude noticed something in the air. He raised his head and scanned the forest, his nostrils flared as he took in the smells of the area around him. Slowly Claude and the rest of the wolves found themselves looking across the river.

Deeper into the forest across the river they all watched a deer slowly emerging from the forest, it didn't seem to notice them since they were all just face first in the river, Claudes stomach growled while he watched the deer continue it's journey to the river, to its death.

It froze for a second once it noticed it's usual drinking spot was "occupied" and then it took off as its natural flight response kicked in.

Claude moved without thinking and leaped across the 20ft wide river with the wolves close behind. He tore up the moist forest ground as he ran aggressively after the deer that bounded and dashed in front of him.

They chased the deer for a mile, the wolves would occasionally speed up and snap at the ankles of the deer but none of them went in for the kill, that was Claudes job.

The deer began to tire after a mile or so of running, Claude felt his senses becoming clearer as he got closer to the deer, the more it's sweet scent of fear filled his nose the more he wanted to kill it.

He used "(Beast Trait)" and began to grow claws and fangs made for this very scenario.

He saw a fork in the natural path they ran on that went up a hill. He turned and went on that path while the wolves stayed on the deer. He now ran above the deer with barely contained violence.

He leaped from his spot above the deer and tackled it causing them to roll and tumble all over the forest floor. The last thing the deer saw were wild bright green eyes before it's throat was ripped from its neck.

A half an hour later and Claude had a fire going in an open space within the forest where there weren't too many trees. He ripped a piece of deer meat off the corpse and put it on a stick he sharpened with his claws, he held it over a fire as he waited for the meat to cook. The rest of the wolves ate after Claude had his first piece of the kill.

He sat in relative silence, finding tranquility in the steady harmless sounds of the crackling fire and the wolves eating to the left of him. His sadness seemed to eat away at his mind as he looked up at the night sky.

One wolf trotted over to him, he could somehow tell the difference between this wolf and the others despite their very similar appearances. This wolf was the one that tried to take his position as leader before, but in the end it submitted and even offered him food.

It sat next to him and dropped a red slimy piece of raw meat at his feet, it's tail wagged faintly while it looked at him with unnatural intelligence.

"T-thank you." Claude said while holding the wolfs gaze. Despite the simple and even barbaric offering, Claude felt grateful that the wolf offered him anything. It was the first act of kindness he received since his fathers death, and it meant a lot.

The wolf bowed its head in an all too human gesture that seemed to say "your welcome." He somehow knew this wolf was a female after seeing the gesture. "You can understand me?" He asked in surprise.

The wolf bowed its head again. Claude was so surprised he couldn't speak, "canines can learn and follow simple commands, but this one understands full sentences and can copy human gestures!???" He thought.

The wolf turned and headed back to the deer to eat. Claude suddenly wondered something.

"Wait."

The wolf turned and waited for him to speak again.

"Do you have a name?"

The wolf shook its head and rubbed its feet in the dirt like it was ashamed.

"Alright, how does Ashe sound?"