5

You jump back, narrowly avoiding the brute's fist as he crashes by to your left. Maybe this will be easier than you thought! You attempt to dodge through the press of fighting wolves, but you're unable to evade him entirely.

Your assailant charges again, knocking friend and foe alike to the floor in his clumsy but surprisingly effective strategy. You keep backing up, but suddenly find yourself up against a wall with nowhere to run. You quickly try to muster a defense, but you're too late and the beast slams a meaty fist into your cheek. You're spun around with the force of the blow and you sink to your knees, head throbbing. You wait for the next attack, but it never comes. Instead, you see a hand extended toward you, palm up, in a gesture of aid. You groggily follow the arm upward and are surprised to see the grinning face of the brute offering you a hand up.

"No hard feelings, pup. It's just a game. They did it to me when I got brought in here too."

I push his hand away and rise on my own power.

I grab his hand and allow him to pull me up.

He's distracted. Now's my chance to bring him down!

Next

You reach out and grab the offered hand, allowing the brute to pick you up off the floor.

"No hard feelings?" he asks, an almost playful look in his eyes. You can think of multiple ways to respond to that, few of which are polite.

"Yo, Havok!" a voice calls out from behind you.

The brute's ears perk up and he turns his head. You follow his gaze and meet eyes with the giantess who leaped from the table earlier. It looks like the fighting has stopped for now. There are a few growls back and forth, but everyone seems to be restraining themselves better than you would have expected.

"Fine job on the fish," the gigantic wolf says to Havok. "I'll front you a few caps for the next game. Let me talk to him."

"Sure thing boss," Havok bows out and lumbers leisurely back to the cafeteria table.

Hmm, she must be the leader of this group of wolves, you think to yourself.

"That was a good fight," she says with a lupine grin, long pink tongue lolling out of her mouth as she pants. "Hope you didn't mind the welcome committee; we don't get too much action down here. Anyway, welcome to the Nail. I'd tell you to enjoy your stay, but you won't." She grins a mouthful of razor-sharp daggers, clearly amused at her own joke. The more she talks the less intimidated you are by her, even though she towers above you.

"Name's Inferi. What's yours?"

"I'm Holstein. Why did you attack us?"

"I'm Holstein. I'm glad to see that the wolves down here still have some fighting spirit!"

"I'm Holstein. Glad to meet you."

I don't give my name, but I remain friendly.

I don't give my name. I growl and turn my back on Inferi to check on my packmates.

Next

"Glad you new fish are taking the welcome ritual well," Inferi says with a smile. "It can get crazy boring down here without a little fun now and again."

"What the hell was the meaning of all that?" Sonoma yells, barging in on Inferi and staring at her fearlessly. Blood drips from her knuckles and her hands are curled up into fists vibrating with nervous tension.

Inferi seems taken aback. "It was just a bit of f—"

"You can take your fun and shove it up your ass," Sonoma rages. "After what I've been through today, after what all of us have been through today, this is how you greet your kin?"

"It's just a ritual."

"You're not the ones in charge down here, are you?" Sonoma asks, looking over Inferi with a critical eye. She seems to be calming herself down.

"No—the Circle is, but—"

"Circle?"

"The Circle of Chiefs."

Sonoma sniffs. "Once I get my pack fed you can bring me to them. I'd have words about this business."

Inferi frowns and her canine ears flop down.

"It was just a bit of fun."

Next

You barely have enough time to start eating before a handful of riot gear-clad soldiers march into the cafeteria and line up by the door opposite the one you arrived through.

"Mess is over!" one of them shouts brusquely. "Some of you know the drill, but most of you are new, so listen up! We're forming a line. Single file. We'll be taking you back to the habitat. Remain calm and orderly at all times. Acting up will get you sent to solitary for the night. New arrivals come up to the front."

I queue up with the rest of my pack. There's nothing to be gained by making waves this early.

Enough is enough! They starved us and now they won't let us eat! I tell them that we're going to finish our meal.

I pretend to behave, but if the humans give me any crap, they're getting their asses kicked. I'm not in the mood.

Next

As angry as the humans sometimes make you, it will benefit you nothing to allow them to goad you into lashing out. A night in solitary, possibly more, could also jeopardize your mission here. You take your position along with Sonoma and the others of her collective pack. A soldier looks you over, eyes darting back and forth from a clipboard as he does so. Satisfied that you're all where you're supposed to be, he waves you on through the door.

You pass through a small checkpoint that you can only guess exists chiefly to keep the prisoners from raiding the pantry—werewolves can be ravenous, after all—and into a gigantic circular room. The habitat is carved out into several barred rooms following the curvature of the outer wall—the cells, you presume—with a brightly-lit common area in the center. Scorchingly bright artificial lights shine down from above with the intensity of a small sun, bringing light to every nook and cranny of the habitat.

No Place to Hide