The Wise One(3)

'How terrifying these humanoids are,' The Wise One thought as it surveyed the battlefield, 'even with the entire pack, we've been forced into a battle of attrition.'

The battle had started approximately how The Wise One had expected. The initial engagement had been bloody since they didn't know the abilities of the new humanoids, but the element of surprise was too valuable to give up. After giving out an order, they were able to suppress the two dangerous ones while being able to go after the wounded one more effectively.

Then the one from across the river entered the fray, and the situation changed again. Being able to kill at a distance, The Wise One had no idea that such a thing was even possible, but it didn't think that creating fire was something that living creatures were capable of either.

'These humanoids, is there anything they cannot do?'

Even so, the situation was currently in The Wise One's favor. Three of the humanoids were surrounded and being constantly harassed by the pack, they had no opportunity to relax and as long as the wolves were patient, they would eventually become too tired to fight. It was a strategy available to the pack only because of their sheer numbers, but it was one that would inevitably win any fight.

'The other two are unfortunately out of our reach though,' The Wise one acknowledged bitterly. The ranged one was able to kill any wolves that tried to cross the water too easily, and the tough one in the water had begun using its durability to ignore the attacks of the Moss Wolves and drag them into the deep water. The Wise One nearly ordered those by the water to stay away from that one, but the situation wasn't so hectic as before and they learned to avoid it themselves.

'These humanoids might not be worth it,' The Wise One considered.

The pack survived by hunting in small groups while sharing territory so that they could come together in the event of a crisis. Although the pack could hope to kill them, unlike the small, hard predators, they could not do so without gathering the whole pack. There wouldn't be enough meat to go around, and they would lose too many for the hunt to be worth it.

'Although…. perhaps, when our numbers recover, we should try again while giving up on the element of surprise…'

This hunt was certainly a failure, but the fact that they could still kill these creatures made The Wise One want to surpass them, especially considering that killing them would probably strengthen the pack.

It decided that, if they ever chose to hunt these humanoids again, they would approach slowly, and recreate the situation where the creatures would be singled out and pestered until they collapsed. There were still other problems, such as the low rewards and the ranged creature, but The Wise One was confident that, with practice, they could use this strategy while hunting in smaller packs. The ranged creature was still a problem, but it would be less of an issue as long as the water was avoided.

'If nothing else, we cannot let them have our territory,' The Wise One thought firmly.

The Wise One watched as the battle continued. The two by the water had given up on their efforts to kill more wolves and now could only wait as the pack wore away at the other three. The remaining creatures fought ferociously, but as seconds turned to minutes their once deadly movements were becoming sluggish and dull. The wolves began to strike with more confidence, and various cuts and bites began to appear on the bodies of the tall creatures.

'Even if it is small, we will have our reward!'

*THWIP*

Suddenly, The Wise One heard a strange sound and felt a slight response from its [DANGER SENSE] Skill. The sensation was barely recognizable as a threat, but The Wise One would not have survived for so long if it were not willing to treat all things as possible threats, and so it moved to avoid whatever this might be.

But The Wise One did not move quickly enough, and something managed to stab him in the shoulder.

'WHAT!?'

Frightened, The Wise One turned to face the direction the pain had come from, but nothing was there. Even when The Wise One focused its senses in that direction, there was nothing but songbirds and empty woods.

'This, this isn't possi-' the thought vanished from The Wise One's mind as it realized what was currently buried in its shoulder.

'This is one of the humanoids' ranged weapons!' The Wise One thought as it used its teeth to pull out the projectile, letting the moss heal the wound. 'Did the one across the water see me?'

*THWIP*

Suddenly the sound returned, coming from the direction The Wise One was facing, and it had just enough time to see the arrow flying through the air. Dodging was much easier this time.

'No, these weapons they use only seem to move in straight lines, meaning the creature is in front of me. But where could it have-'

The Wise One was struck with realization as it recalled the current state of the battlefield. Two of the humanoids hiding by the water, and three are surrounded by the pack.

'....There were six!' The Wise One had assumed that the last of the humanoids, the one with the dark green fur on its head, seemed to disappear after the battle started. It had been assumed that the creature was the weakest of the humanoids and fell during the initial engagement. That seemed to be the logical assumption because the alternative was that this last creature had managed to escape the encirclement of one hundred Moss Wolves and the detection of The Wise One, without any of them noticing.

'I still can't see it!' The Wise One thought fearfully, 'HOW?! I can tell the exact position of a songbird over one hundred feet away with my eyes closed, how can I not see it?!'

A third arrow came. It was dodged again, but still, the origin of the attack was out of sight.

'Are you there?'

The arrows all came from the same direction, and after dodging a few times The Wise One felt that it had worked out the position of the creature.

*WOOowowO WOOOwoooOwowoOo WoooowowoOowo*

The Wise One commanded a group of ten wolves to break away from the battle to deal check out the location.

'Once this creature is dealt with, we can slowly wear down the rest.'

It only took a minute for the wolves to reach the location, during which The Wise One dodged another arrow from the same direction.

'It's not even running. As dangerous as this creature is it must be as stupid as the small, hard predators…Why are those idiots just standing around?!'

The Wise One expected that the wolves would immediately begin tearing the humanoid apart the moment they got to the location, but instead, they milled about in confusion. Some looked about, others sniffed at the ground or air, but they did not engage, for there was nothing there.

'The trail just ends?!' The wolves reported to The Wise One with their more primitive howls, telling it that there was the scent of a humanoid here, but that it ended at nothing. As if there was never anything there.

'....Damn the rewards, we're leaving!'

*WooOowooOwOoOowOoO WOwoooowoowooo*

The Wise One sent out an order to retreat. These humanoids were strong, but more than anything else, they were utterly unpredictable. Everything that The Wise One had seen from them thus far were things it considered totally impossible, but these creatures did it anyway. Perhaps if it was only the other wolves that were in danger they would remain, but The Wise One had always placed its own safety far above the others, and these humanoids were threatening it in ways it didn't understand.

'The pack will disperse and avoid them,' The Wise One decided, 'we will not engage until I understand them.'

The Wise One needed to know how these creatures accomplished these things, holding on to the hope that they could be hunted once the secrets were discovered.

'Especially that green one,' it thought frustratedly. 'Nothing can simply vanish into the air, there must be a trick. And if that trick can be recreated…'

The Wise One let out a series of low, soft barks. Any human that heard it would recognize that the beast was chuckling.

'But that will be later, for now, let us find easier prey.'

The pack and The Wise One retreated to the east, hungry, bitter, and waiting to return.