-White Bunny POV-
The hunter's chest finally stopped rising. She stumbled backwards, her fur matted into knots that dripped scarlet. The hunter was little more than a mess of bloodied flesh and white bone.
The wolf.
She dragged herself towards him, the deadly-tip-branch still clenched between her teeth. The wolf had somehow regained consciousness again, and desperation twisted across the strange bond between them, hints of agony bleeding through.
Given how fast he was losing blood, she didn't even know if he would-
She forced the thought from her mind, forced the taste of bile back down her throat. She kept herself moving forward. Now that the adrenaline from [Time of Death] had worn off, the wounds on her back stung as badly as when she had first gotten them.
Finally, she made it back to the wolf. The eagle and the wolf were still struggling against each other, but the wolf's eyes were dull, barely seeing with pain.
The eagle was the first to notice her. He screeched in rage, beak snapping wildly in her direction, then-
She didn't know what he saw. Perhaps it was the blood dripping from her fur, or perhaps it was the dead look in her eyes. Either way, the scent of fear spilled into the air, just as potent as the scent of blood.
The eagle's movements grew frenzied. He thrashed against the wolf, beating his remaining wing against the dirt in a desperate attempt to get away. He screeched for help, but every animal in the next mile had already been driven off by the hunter's screams.
She stalked closer. His eyes were locked onto the deadly-tip-branch between her teeth, terror glinting in them. She wondered, with vicious satisfaction, if the eagle understood what it meant that she had returned and the hunter hadn't.
She raised the tip above his left eye. It didn't matter how much the creature understood, really.
He could ask the hunter for himself.
She plunged the weapon through his eye, pushing it until the tip emerged from the other side, and the [System]-
The [System] laughed.
[System: Tell me, little monster. How would you like to make a deal?]
━━━━━━━ ● ━━━━━━━
-Black Wolf POV-
He blinked slowly. The world was a strange blur of colors, deep greens and verdant shadows and everything he loved the most about the forest and-
Scarlet.
He slowly looked down. He couldn't see very much, but if he focused hard, he could make out the beginnings of an arrow, punctured through what was once an eye.
[Tutorial Quest: [Hunt or be Hunted] has been completed! Click to claim rewards!]
The eagle was still under him. The eagle was dead. There was blood, everywhere, and-
It wasn't all his blood, he thought dazedly, right as the world began to tilt sideways. He barely felt the impact of his body hit the dirt. The world was ringing in his ears, and the dirt was soft.
[You have unlocked the Hidden Quest: [The Heart Within]! Accept?]
Something scarlet stood in front of him. Something he distantly recognized as once brown, once white.
The bunny.
Weakly, he pushed his bloodied paw against her body, trying to turn her away. The forest was still dangerous, and he wouldn't be able to protect her anymore.
Another blue window appeared in front of him, but he was too tired to keep on reading. He closed his eyes. The darkness wrapped around him slowly, a tide that washed him in and out, knowing it would inevitably drag him into its depths. He let himself drift through it, knowing he would be returned to the earth soon.
A voice spoke into his mind. He couldn't hear the words, but it sounded so… lovely. Yes, that was the word. It was a lovely voice, the kind he could've listened to forever.
His thoughts grew more scattered. Mother, he thought distantly. He would join his family soon.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
The voice grew louder, more insistent. Just a trick of his mind, the wolf thought, pushing it away. There was no one he had spoken to in years, no one who would call him back.
[- and I did not just make that bargain with the damned [System] for you to give up on me here. I know you can hear me, so open your fucking eyes, or I'll descend into the earth to kill you myself-]
He took back everything he said about the voice being lovely. No, this voice... this voice was mean.
He told the voice as much. It earned him a huff of laughter in return.
[White Bunny: Survive first, complain after. You should have a window about a hidden quest. Start the quest. Actually, you better have a window about a hidden quest, or I'm gonna fucking-]
The following description was so horrific that it might haunt his nightmares forever. The wolf didn't know how any of it could be applied to an intangible [System], but he didn't dare to question her. She might just make it happen.
Slightly terrified, the wolf looked towards the other windows. Sure enough, the [Hidden Quest] awaited for him. He strained his paw towards the window. Agony mounted with every inch of movement, but finally- he reached the window, pressing start.
╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗
-Hidden Quest: The Heart Within-
There are few humans truly guided by their heart. You have shown yourself worthy of walking among them.
Time Remaining: One week
Requirements for Completion: Enter the [Dark Forest] with your party
Reward: The permanent ability to shift from your animal and human form.
Penalty for Failure: Death
*While the quest is active, you will be able to shift from your animal to human form.
**Your skills will be transferred to your new form.
╚═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╝
Huh, he thought. Without warning, a tingling sensation shot down his spine, and his entire body started changing. His muscles twisted into new shapes, new joints snapping new bones into place with audible clicks. His fur sunk back into his skin, and his fangs shrank into small, flat teeth.
The transformation finally ended, and he swayed unsteadily, trying to adjust to all the strange sensations that came with his new body. The world looked so… different, the green leaves suddenly so much brighter in comparison.
He took a deep breath in, and then… nothing. He could no longer taste the scent of the wind. Instead, the forest just smelled slightly… bitter, with none of the earthy and sweet undertones he had learned to call home.
Great. As if she could hear his thoughts, a message came from the bunny.
[White Bunny: You can't shift back.]
[Black Wolf: … I'm cold.]
He muttered. He knew he should be grateful that he had miraculously survived, but this body sucked. Why would he want to see when he could smell?
Amusement danced across their bond.
[White Bunny: You are naked.]
He scowled at her. She didn't need to remind him that his majestic black fur was gone, gone!
[Black Wolf: What am I, even?]
He examined his body. Lizards were the only creatures he could think of that didn't have fur, but he wasn't a lizard. He hoped so, at least.
[White Bunny: You're a human.]
[Black Wolf: Why?]
He managed to keep his voice level, suddenly overwhelmed with the truly terrible wish that he was a lizard. His body was different, but his memories stayed the same.
The sickly sweet scent of fire, the choking smoke-
[White Bunny: Because the [System] has an awful sense of humor.]
She informed him. At first, he thought it was one of those weird-funny things she said, but she sounded completely serious. No, not just serious- angry.
Bargain, the wolf remembered. He didn't know what the word meant, but he knew that the only thing the [System] did was take.
He inhaled sharply. What had she-
[White Bunny: We need to move before other creatures start poking at the bodies. Also, I'm tired. You carry me.]
She demanded. The eagle lay dead beside her, and despite it all, his lips twitched upwards.
[Black Wolf: Sounds... not like request.]
He observed. She tilted her head to the side, the gesture uncannily similar to a wolf. The message was clear: Do you really want to fight me on this?
He huffed a quiet laugh, bending down to her level and scooping her up.
[Black Wolf: Happy?]
He asked, holding her so that he wouldn't accidentally brush against her wounds.
[White Bunny: We should get moving. Your body won't last forever, not unless we complete the quest. Start walking towards the grasslands.]
She answered, ignoring his question entirely. Still, her head rested against his body. He hid a smile.
[Black Wolf: To the grasslands, then.]
He agreed. He lifted his leg up, taking his first wobbly step as a human. He repeated the same motion again, slowly making his way forward. Each step felt more stable than the last, instincts quickly taking over his body.
When he reached back the edge of the clearing, he glanced back at the eagle. His chest tightened.
Death was a familiar sight in the forest. Everything died, from the smallest ant to the mightiest tree. It was a simple fact of being alive.
Still, there was something truly sickening about the sight of the eagle. His wings were warped beyond repair, and an arrow stuck through his skull where his eyes should be.
The eagle had died needlessly. The hunter, too. Beyond them, countless more deaths would happen within the next hours because of [Hunt or Be Hunted].
[Black Wolf: He's dead.]
The wolf said quietly, committing the sight to memory so that the eagle could haunt his dreams. The eagle had died so he could live, and it was only right that the wolf to give part of his life back in return.
[White Bunny: We're alive.]
The wolf took a deep breath in. Once again, he wished that he could smell, so that he could carry the eagle's scent with him, too. He closed his eyes, opening himself up to the trees around him.
[Black Wolf: May you drift with the leaves in the skies above.]
He whispered to the forest, the Old Words flowing smoothly despite the years since he had last recalled them. His mother had always spoken them aloud, but it did not matter.
The forest was always listening.
Dozens of roots slowly emerged from the dirt. The roots wrapped around the eagle's broken wings, reclaiming his body and returning him to the earth once more.