I clutched my wand tightly, feeling the cool wood press against my small fingers. "Concentrate! Concentrate!" I whispered to myself, squinting hard at the little blue water ball forming at the tip of the wand. It shone under the sunlight, wobbling like jelly. I had to do this right—just like Ori said.

"Make it boil," I muttered, imagining tiny bubbles dancing inside the ball. My face scrunched up as I pushed more magic into it, and suddenly, the water ball hissed and popped. Little bubbles burst on the surface, turning it into something fierce.

"There! Just like Ori said!" I nodded, eyes wide with excitement. The ball trembled, ready to burst, and I knew I had to be quick.

"Now... where is it?" I whispered, scanning the grass that reached up to my knees. A little green slime wobbled between the blades, leaving a sticky trail behind. It moved slow, but I knew it could spit that yucky acid stuff if it got scared.

"Gotcha," I said, lifting my wand and squinting to make sure my aim was perfect. "Shoot!" I shouted, and the boiling water ball zoomed forward, spinning and glistening. The moment it splashed against the slime, steam hissed up and the creature wobbled, dissolving right before my eyes.

"Yes!" I squealed, bouncing on my toes. "Ten more to go!" I looked around, proud but a little tired already. I saw Aria up ahead, climbing a tree with her bow slung over her back like she was some hero in a storybook. Her blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight as she climbed higher and higher.

"What's she doing up there?" I giggled, wondering if she was trying to spot more slimes from up high. Then my eyes drifted to the left, where Ori—my big brother—was sitting. He was far away, not moving, just staring off into the distance with that look he gets when he's thinking really, really hard.

"What happened to him?" I wondered out loud, my tiny feet shuffling over the grass. He looked kind of tired, maybe even worried. I wanted to ask him if he was okay, but there were still slimes hiding around here, and I couldn't let them sneak up on me.

"Stay focused," I reminded myself, trying to be brave. But my eyes kept darting back to Ori, and I felt a little knot in my tummy. He was always strong, always telling me to concentrate. But now, he looked like he needed someone to remind him, too.

So I waked towards him, wondering why he seemed so distracted.

"Five down, still fifteen to go," I muttered, adjusting my grip on the hilt of my sword. The afternoon sun cast a warm glow across the meadow, and a slight breeze whispered through the tall grass. The others were scattered around—Aria up in a tree somewhere, probably using her wind arrows to pick off slimes from a distance, and Elara, diligent as ever, working her way through spells.

I sighed, shifting my focus back to the task at hand. "I'll take down a couple more and call it a day," I thought. Who would spend an entire afternoon hunting these harmless, jelly-like nuisances?

Just then, something caught my eye. A lone slime, shimmering faintly with a translucent green hue, sat near the border where the grass met the dark line of the forest. It didn't bounce away or tense up like the others usually did. I frowned, curiosity sparking as I stepped closer.

"Huh," I muttered, tilting my head.

"Why isn't it reacting?" Slimes always reverted to their ball form at the first sign of a threat, ready to spit acidic globs or roll away. But this one just sat there, swaying slightly in the grass as if it hadn't noticed me at all.

I drew my sword and held it out, watching for any flicker of movement. Nothing.

"Alright, tough guy, what's your story?" I said aloud, lowering my blade and crouching down beside it. The slime's gelatinous surface quivered slightly but didn't change form. I reached out, hesitating for just a moment before pressing my fingers against its cool, pliant surface. It was like touching a squishy, living water balloon.

"Interesting," I whispered, a grin forming as I absentmindedly rubbed the top of the creature as if it were a pet.

"Ori! What are you doing?" Elara's voice rang out, pulling me back to the present. She stood a few paces away, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Nothing," I called back, a playful tone in my voice. "I just found a companion."

Her expression twisted into one of horror mixed with frustration. "What are you saying? Kill it already. You can't keep monsters as pets!" Her warning tone cut through the gentle rustling of the grass.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

I sighed, glancing at the slime again. It jiggled slightly, as if sensing the tension but remaining oblivious to the fate being decided for it. For a moment, a thought danced in my mind: what if it wasn't just a mindless creature? But Elara's voice snapped me out of it.

"Alright, alright," I muttered, rising to my feet and giving the slime one last pat. "Companion or not, rules are rules."

The afternoon air was thick with the scents of grass and distant trees, and the fleeting moment of wonder faded as I prepared to finish the job.

A low, mournful howl cut through the stillness of the forest—"Awooooo..."

My ears pricked up, the sound rippling a chill down my spine. "Owooooo..." echoed softer, almost like a call and response. I glanced sideways at Elara, but before I could warn her, she dashed off into the forest, her curiosity overtaking her sense.

"Elara, don't go in!" I shouted, my voice laced with urgency. She didn't even pause. Her small form weaved between the trees, disappearing into the shadows.

"Kids..." I muttered, frustration bubbling beneath my skin. Without wasting another moment, I pushed forward, the forest canopy swallowing me in an instant.

The crunch of twigs beneath my boots and the scent of damp earth surrounded me as I ventured deeper. Then I saw her—Elara, crouched low behind a bush, eyes wide and fixed on something ahead. I slowed my steps and crept up beside her.

My heart clenched at the sight before us: a small wolf pup, its fur a scruffy mix of gray and white, nuzzled against the unmoving form of an adult wolf. The larger wolf's body was still, its eyes glassy and lifeless. A faint whimper escaped the pup's throat as it pawed at the corpse, an instinctive plea for comfort.

"Monsters," Elara hissed under her breath, determination flashing in her eyes. Her tiny hands gripped her wand tightly, and I could already see the shimmering sphere of water forming at its tip. This one was bigger than her usual attempts, fueled by panic and impulse.

"Don't!" I shouted as loudly as I dared, trying to shake her out of it. But the noise startled the wolf pup, and its head snapped in our direction just as Elara let her spell fly. The water ball surged forward with brutal force, striking the pup's left side and splashing across its face. It yelped, a sharp, heart-wrenching cry that echoed through the trees.

"I hit it! I hit it!" Elara turned to me, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Stop it," I said, the cold weight of dread settling in my stomach. I unsheathed my sword, its edge glinting dully in the filtered light.

"Run, Elara. Now."

She blinked at me, confusion clouding her joy. "What? But it's down. It can't hurt us now," she said, innocence dripping from every word.

I gritted my teeth. "You immature brat! Wolves live in packs." My voice rose, tinged with anger and fear. The forest responded before she could—a series of low growls, deep and resonant, surrounded us.

"Grrrr..."

"Rrrr..."

"Grrrr..."

"Rrrr..."

The growls circled, unseen but all too present, each sound pulling my focus in a different direction. I strained to listen, counting.

"Four," I whispered, my grip tightening on the hilt of my sword. My pulse raced. "I can't handle them with my current skills."

I glanced at Elara, whose expression had shifted from triumph to wide-eyed terror. "Run, and scream," I ordered, pushing her in the direction of the village path.

Time slowed as I stood between her and the encroaching growls, hoping my presence would buy her enough time to get away.

The forest was alive with tension, each breath I took charged with the adrenaline coursing through me. The deep growls and snapping twigs behind us made it clear—the wolves were closing in. Their eyes, glistening like fierce amber orbs, locked onto us as we sprinted, their guttural snarls vibrating through the cold air.

"Aaaahhhh!" Elara's terrified scream pierced through the chaos as she ran, her small legs pumping as fast as they could carry her.

"Help! Help! Uncle Darius, help!" she shouted, her voice strained with desperation. I kept my eyes on her, my pulse hammering in my chest like a war drum. The wolves—their muscled forms covered in coarse fur—moved with a predator's grace, each step a calculated measure.

One of the wolves peeled off, staying behind with the small, whimpering cub we had encountered earlier, while the other three surged forward, their relentless pursuit echoing the savage hierarchy of the wild. The forest seemed to close in around us, the trees looming tall and shadowed as if conspiring with the beasts.

I twisted and pivoted to dodge the snapping jaws and swiping claws, each movement driven by the instinct to survive. The glint of their sharp fangs in the dim light sent a shiver down my spine. The sound of their panting breaths was too close—they were right behind us.

Elara's foot caught on a gnarled tree root hidden beneath a bed of leaves, and she crashed to the ground, her momentum halted with a gasp.

"Elara!" The world seemed to slow as I skidded to a stop. The edge of the forest, and the safety of the plains beyond, was mere meters away. But there was no time to think—only to act.

"Damn it! Just a few more meters," I muttered under my breath, feeling the burn in my legs as I spun around. The wolves closed in, their growls harmonizing in a chilling chorus. Their eyes gleamed with the thrill of the hunt, muscles coiled and ready to pounce.

I planted my feet, raising my sword in a defensive stance between Elara and the oncoming predators. The blade trembled slightly in my grip, its edge catching the faint glint of the setting sun.

"Come on," I whispered to myself, summoning every ounce of courage. The lead wolf's ears flattened, lips pulling back to reveal sharp, bloodstained teeth. The moment stretched thin, the distance between us measured by heartbeats.

"Elara, when I tell you, run and don't look back," I said, my voice firm despite the terror roiling in my gut. She nodded, eyes wide and brimming with unshed tears. The growls intensified, the wolves crouching, ready to leap.