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Afriel woke up but wasn't feeling good. He felt like he had not slept at all. He was still feeling tired and his head was a mess. He got up from laying down threw up where he had once slept.

However, he didn't move away from disgust. He put his hand into the warm liquid before it started freezing. He could feel his hands again and could even move his fingers.

It didn't take long for it to begin freezing. He was sad, tired, and angry. But he had no choice, no one would listen to his complains right now.

He just had to survive. And that's what he did. He got out of the cave and started walking towards the village. He thought that he wolfs had already left and, that he could find some warmth or food from there.

The snowstorm had stopped but the ground was still covered in snow till knees. His speed wasn't fast and if someone ambushed him know, he could not escape.

He arrived at the village in about an hour. Luckily wolfs were not like goblins who destroyed the village. They just ate what they could and then left and would come back for more.

He entered the closest house to him to check for food or fire. Neither were found. He continued searching. The search was not pleasant as he saw blood and limbs everywhere.

He decided to skip the houses furthest away and walked straight into the mayor's house. It was the biggest, and luxurious house. It had two floors and it looked completely new.

And he knew that he had made the right choice when he felt the warmth as he stepped inside. He saw the fireplace and it seemed to hypnotize him. He dived close to it.

His hands almost touching the still warm coal. After he could feel touch again, he grabbed some logs and tried to start the fire again. He needed some time and breathing but it luckily started again.

Without wasting anymore time, he took off all the clothes he had and put them near the fire to warm up.

He observed his naked body a little bit and noticed frost bites on his legs, ears, and hands. He wondered how he could heal them, no one had taught him how.

When he felt warm enough, he got up to look for some food, and food he found. There was dried fish and potatoes in the drawer, he grabbed both and went back near the fireplace.

He didn't do anything for the potatoes yet but he ate the fish while warming up. Next, he went to search for two things. The first thing he found easily, bandage. He grabbed four rolls but didn't put it on yet.

He also tried to look for another thing and that he found easily too. It was in the mayor's office under his desk. It was full of important looking things like money, papers and so on.

He also grabbed money, even if it wasn't on the list. The main thing he was looking for was clear liquid like thing.

It was in a glass bottle and on the side read. "Absolute vodka", it was a drink Julius showed off once. He told stories like, how it was made out of potatoes, it was from the rich and you could make something called "cocktails" with it.

But those didn't sound important for Afriel. Julius had also heard that it could clear wounds. He didn't want to get an infection but didn't want to pour hot water on his leg either.

So, he took the bad and the alcohol and went downstairs. He sat down in front of the fire, which was starting to stop already.

He took the alcohol and poured it on his knee. It felt a bit bad but nothing unbearable. He didn't pour the whole bottle, only a glass and then he put it away.

Next, he grabbed bandage roll and covered his whole knee with it. He did the same for the rest of his limbs. The reason? He couldn't stay in the village. It would take at least two weeks for the villagers to return and he couldn't live that time.

Or maybe he could but the main reason was, they tried to kill him. So, if they stayed, they would do it again. And when mayor saw what had happened in his house, he would suspect Afriel.

His clothes were a bit wet still, so he didn't put them on yet but the fire had gone away. He put one potato in and waited.

Of course, he didn't just sit down and waited. He grabbed a bag, an axe, a bottle, and more food. He put the vodka bottle in too. Those were going to be the things he needed during this journey.

The axe he didn't put in, that he was going to carry in his hands the whole time. He took the potato then and ate it. It was a treat he had tasted once with mom.

Tears almost started coming. He imagined how hard time his mom would have, but he knew she would have even harder time if he stayed. The clothes were ready to wear.

He put on the same clothes, with which he had left. Now he would start a new journey.

He imagined all the things he would do and learn during this journey. He imagined the amount of money he would earn and after some years show to his mom.

He left his home village through the back gate looking at it once again and the leaving. He was coming near the gate of the village when he heard it.

"AWOOOOOOO!"

Howling. He looked back and saw it. It was a meter tall, completely black wolf. It was smaller than the wolfs that attacked but it was still a wolf.

He started running. Thoughts were running in his mind. Was his journey ending already. More tears were falling down his cheek. He was thinking about mom.

This was worse than him running away. In that case, mom would think of a chance that he was alive. But if the hunters found his bones. There would be no mistake of whose they were.

He didn't glance back but then the worst happened. He fell down. He could take a glance at his feet and saw chain at his feet.

It took him up the branches and at that moment he could see the wolf coming closer and closer with sweat dropping down to its feet.

He quickly cut the chain with the axe and then dropped down. He quickly took of the chain and at that moment the wolf was already jumping towards him.

He rolled to the right and dodged it. He know had an axe on the right hand and chain on his left one. The odds of surviving were small, but he had to try.

The wolf was again coming closer. Afriel stood up to head on. When the wolf jumped at him, he jumped more on the left and followed up with a whip from the chain.

He hit the leg off the wolf and it seemed to take a bit of a hit. The wolf seemed to be started and not in its full health. Otherwise, he wouldn't stand a chance.

He was ready for another exchange.