8 The first sign of Wolves.

They passed through more territory without trouble and reached a forest line.

Within the forest they found an outcrop of rocks and lit a small fire.

When the glow of the setting sun had left the sky, the distant sound of wolves could be heard from within the forest. It was far away and infrequent enough to not cause them worry.

Vladimir and Recoil slept with their knives at their sides and with the rocks to their backs with the fire between them and potential prowlers.

Following several pleasant hours sleep Vladimir woke and stretched by the fire.

He stoked it and turned the logs feeding the small blaze. Recoil murmured in her sleep but didn't wake.

Vladimir sat by the fire sipping on a cup of tea. He was enjoying the peace, sitting, relaxing when again the howls of wolves began, this time the sound was closer and to him more ferocious.

Taking his knife in hand, glancing at Recoil sleeping peacefully. Vladimir slipped away into the forest towards the sounds of the predators.

This was a part of his new enhanced self, no longer one to wait for the prevalent danger - he would seek it out first. After running for perhaps a half hour Vladimir reached an outcrop of rocks, the wolves were quite close, now he could hear them moving too.

They are chasing a prey, perhaps deer, or some other small game, and Vladimir too ran behind them.

Caught up in their hunger they did not notice as he cut down the stragglers of their pack.

Reducing their numbers and their threat. In time they caught up with their prey and it turned to face them, cornered.

It was not as he had expected, their prey was a large beautiful wounded Ovcharka Mountain Dog, larger than the wolves who chased it. It limped - as it faced its prey bravely.

Vladimir said to himself, I will give this brave dog a chance, and with that he rushed in to join it fighting the wolves.

With Vladimir's attack a new threat tore into them from the rear of their already reduced numbers.

Soon with two further wolves at his feet, they retreated. The Ovcharka's wounds had increased, it snarled at him as he approached. After some time, he had gained some of its trust, had taken meat from the wolves, fed it. Given it water, he slowly led it back thru the forest to where Recoil lay camped. Then it too joined them by the fire.