CHPT 441: Midwinters Moon…

Friday Morning, January 30th 2241. SkyHaven of The Angelo's District.

The passing days went by smoothly. Hot as all hell, but smooth, nonetheless. They kept busy. Claude and Rollan were nearly finished with their new Grove. Ursula was gaining a better grip on her control— save for a few falters due to the encroaching Full Moon, with Claude and Cassidy. And everyone was getting stronger.

A slow grind. As life is.

In Claude's freetime, he trained with Diamondback and Loba. Working drills and combat sequences to hone their discipline and ability to follow command. But also to learn when they wanted something specific from him. Chemistry was a Beast Tamers greatest weapon. Something Cassidy told him.

Naturally, strict training wasn't advised so close to Full Moons for Beast Tamers with a predator affinity. That's how they lost fingers. Claude pressed on. He used it as a way to get used to using his abilities as a Lupine Alpha.

It was hard. But he could still count to ten on two hands…..

***

Speaking of Full Moo—

SHLCK!!

Claude's spear slammed into the chest of a Medusean and pinned it to a tree tall enough to cut the clouds.

The many vibrant and venomous snakes on its head went limp, falling like real hair as life faded. The faint patches of green scales on its stone colored skin lost their magical glow in tandem with everything else.

Another close behind him struck, it's jaws open to showcase the venomous fangs dripping acidic fluids better left undescribed.

Claude raised his arm, covered in black scales. The Medusean bit down and broke it's teeth after barely penetrating the passive aura coating him. So slim it looked like it wasn't even there, only truly showing itself when he moved. It appeared low Silver Ranked Monsters had more trouble harming him than he would've imagined.

One of the perks of being Gold. Passive Aura's.

CRSH!

His free hand ripped into the creatures stomach with ease and turned every organ to red ribbons.

[+50 EXP]

There were no Monsters hungry for Druid blood left. Not for the day at least.

He wasn't satisfied. As horrible as it sounded, it was a side effect of coming Moons. Irritability, endless energy to the point of irritation…. Aggression. Hunger.

But this Moon was different than most. He knew that the second he woke up to him and Ursula fully transformed.

Arne called it a Wolf Moon. Also known as the Starved Moon. Throughout history, it was the time of year when Wolves— predators, went hungriest. The Moon learned to give them more power in times like these to end that hunger. Which meant….. this moon was more potent than most. In theory. It certainly felt that way.

Claude was taken out of his thoughts as he approached his desired location in the forest surrounding his Grove.

The Altar of Revenge. He'd made two to guard his home and empower himself. Revenge Boost was a power with potential. A flame stoked by ideals and circumstance. The greater the enemy, the greater the injustice, the stronger the revenge boost. He'd placed the pillars of power opposite each other. At the north and south end.

He waited at the north. Wooden tendrils, vine and dark flowers shaped themselves into the form of a monstrous Wolves jaws falling from above. Ready to eat the earth. They blended in with the trees. You'd feel it before ever seeing it despite its massive size. Like Fenrir— a product of deceit and shadowy stealth.

Bodies were hung up on its teeth and jaws like ornaments. The blood dripping held a power that called to Claude and his Order. Revenge was in blood. That's where it was granted in its most primal form. At the end of a life. When the enemy fell and the blood ran.

Claude tossed the Meduseans into its jaws where ten others already were. Ursula placed her hands on the wood, freezing them all solid. A sign of Ragnarok's unforgiving cold. On the southern end, Cassidy and Rollan burned the Altar and everything within.

Both would be empty by nightfall. Claimed by Fenrir, and in exchange, he'd be closer to truly getting even.

Ursula shivered when it was all said and done. Odd since it was over ninety degrees Fahrenheit.

"This thing gives me the creeps." She said.

"I'm with you on that….. but this is what we have to do." Claude said as Loba licked the Monster blood from his fingers. His Reptillian—Feline form made her spiked tongue feel like little more than the wiping of a cloth.

"You know he spoke to me last night?"

Claude froze on the way towards the Grove, "What did you say?"

Ursula walked up to him, causing them to continue walking, "He entered my dream…."

"I didn't know that was possible…" Claude said, "What did he say?"

"He asked me if I knew your fate."

Claude felt himself cringe internally. He and Ursula hadn't really had the "grow strong enough to kill a god." Talk.

Well, now was better than never. "Ursula I—"

"I told him fate can kiss my ass."

Diamondback hissed humorously from behind them. The Berserker with enough charisma to make a dinosaur laugh…

Then again maybe it was because Loba was messing with him.

Claude stared.

Ursula continued, "It was kind of difficult though because my throat wouldn't open up. Being around him is suffocating in the worst way."

Claude relaxed, "Sounds like he reminds you of somebody."

Ursula shook her head, "No actually. He said he likes me….. "

Claude didn't like the sound of that. Not at all. He also didn't like Fenrir entering Ursula's mind, but he considered it the day he asked them all to be part of his Order. Fenrir must've been getting a feel for everyone. He'd have to talk to Cassidy about that. Soon enough he'd be asleep for two weeks. If Fenrir hadn't already spoken to him, he would then.

After the eye opening discussion came to a close, they remained in silence. The Moon was talkative enough for them both in other ways.

After a few minutes of travel, the forest opened up and the Grove welcomed them.

The grass shortened, giving a tight and neat feeling. Allowing the true nature below easier access. The faintest outlines of Druidic markings were burned into the earth. Thick wooden beams rose from all around Claude's fathers cabin to support the new living space made above. A tree house like Rollan's home, but suited for battle. SpellBlooms lined the windows, hook briars hung from below like curtains ready to shred whoever came too close. It was easy to spot from inside, but Claude and Rollan had grown the forest every night. The trees doubled in height for miles and made the new development go unseen by anyone beyond. A home over the old. Like scar tissue over an old wound.

On the ground below there were even small homes suited for every Tamed Beast Claude had met since he'd left. None of them used them though. Loba preferred the trees. Frosty preferred Claude's forehead. Diamondback preferred flat ground. They all had their own ideas.

Speaking of ideas, they needed to plan for tommorow. A Full Moon was coming.

He could feel Ursula's anxiety. But when she spoke he realized it wasn't entirely due to the moon.

"It's Friday…. Tangent Exploration day. I hope Maris and the others are alright."

"I know they are. Now come on, let's head inside."