Into the woods

Ren turned towards the party.

"Michael, you're on scouting. Use your agility and shadow talents to blend into your surroundings, and try to find the beasts trail. Alice, support magic. Stay behind me, and keep your eyes open. You're the most intelligent one here, so your perception should be the highest. Leo, try to use that nature magic of yours and feel for anything off in the area." With that, Ren drew his sword and slowly entered the woods.

"Who made him leader?" Michael muttered, as he drew a set of knives and muttered a short incantation, shadows forming around him, obscuring his figure.

"Stay next to me, okay Leo?" Alice said with a small smile.

Leo walked into the woods, his wood staff at the ready.

-

They had been scouting the forest for three days, with nothing gained. But today, something felt off in the woods. There were no birds chirping, no insects buzzing. It's as if the entire forest was holding its breath, hiding from some great danger. The thick underbrush obscured his view, and the stillness surrounding the party was stifling.

As he focused his mind on the natural life beneath his feet, Leo immediately felt something was off. The gentle flowing energy seemed to be rushing forwards, like a rapid stream falling down a cliff.

"Guys, there's something wrong here," he said quietly.

Ren nodded, looking around cautiously. "Which way?"

"It's just ahead. And it's coming this way."

With a sudden crash, the underbrush split and a strange wolf leapt at Alice, snarling as it snapped it's fangs.

"Get down!" Leo shouted, rushing forwards to push Alice aside. He felt his foot catch on an unseen root and was sent sprawling on his face, his hand pushing her slightly forwards.

Alice stumbled for a moment, as the wolf leapt between her and Leo. If not for his stumble, it would have crashed into him, ripping into him with it's sharp teeth.

Ren immediately charged into the wolf, swinging his broadsword at it's back. With an agile movement, the wolf spun, dodging the strike and backing up several paces.

"What the hell is a dire wolf doing out here?" Alice wondered.

Ren turned his body, keeping himself between the wolf and Alice. "You won't get past me that easily." He focused his attention on the wolf, channeling his blessing into his sword. With a swing, a bright red energy shot forwards at the wolf.

It howled in rage as the energy struck its shoulder, cutting into it's fur. Suddenly a pair of knives flew into it's legs, as Michael appeared behind it.

Howling in pain, the wolf staggered sideways, unable to move with it's former agility and swiftness.

Alice was not idle while her party attacked. Chanting constantly, Alice cast her spell, and a sword of white light flew from her hands towards the wolf, striking it in the chest.

Leo, picking himself up from the dirt, saw the wolf, a gaping hole in it's chest, collapse onto the ground. The dire wolf gurgled out a final breath, and dissolved into black smoke before condensing into a small stone on the ground.

Alice turned to Leo. "Thank you. If you hadn't sensed it coming and pushed me, this could have turned out very differently."

Ren bent over and picked up the magic stone on the ground. He nodded to Leo, then turned and began heading out of the woods.

"Let's head back. We're done here."