Rage and anguish brought the hounds to the spiders’ fortress where they brought death, and death brought them running. The [Dungeon Hounds] who made up the dungeon’s population ran behind Howl, both into battle and out of it, compelled by a primal instinct. None of them could place it, but the feeling was strong and told them what to do harder than any other personal desire. Even if it cost them everything.

Howl panted as his legs carried him as fast as they could to the other side of the cavern, away from the spiders. He blazed a path that the other members of his species followed, a veritable beacon to bring them to safety, just ahead of them like a kind parent.

Here, safety. He let out a small grin and turned around to look at his subordinates.

Nobody was there.

Fear flashed through his mind for a moment as he considered the worst, and how he would live as the last of his kind, but the feeling was unfounded.

Within half a minute, the first of the hounds came into view. It was an adolescent, a regular [Dungeon Hound] whose own body was sculpted of thick ropes of muscle. Behind it were several other similarly aged brethren.

Howl visibly relaxed when he saw them, but the full tension didn’t leave his mind.

Another two minutes passed as the rest of the hounds scurried over. The smaller adolescents first, followed by the [Juvenile Dungeon Hounds], and finally the veritable runts of the litter and the smallest of even those tiny members.

The [Alpha Dungeon Hound]’s eyes softened as he saw the survivors of the attack. Those horrible spiders, first killing his parents and then his brethren! Howl wanted to swear revenge for them and charge back in, but as he took a step towards the spiders’ fortress, he felt a sharp pang of pain at his side.

Howl tripped ever so slightly, but stood up straight again after only another step. The adrenaline coursing through his body was beginning to fade, and with it, its pain suppression effect.

Health Points

52/204

Numbers. Howl didn’t understand them yet, but he understood the concept of ratios well enough, and knew that he only had a quarter of his health left. Well to be accurate, he didn’t really understand the concept of ratios all that much either. He just knew that his health was very low, and through whatever System-magic that let it integrate itself with his instincts, he knew that he was getting close to death. He wouldn’t succeed in his quest for revenge like this, not after what the spiders had shown they were capable of.

So instead, Howl sat. He and the other surviving hounds had dealt plenty of damage already, and even gotten their bellies’ fill during the fight. Now all there was to do was to rest up and recover. Just close your eyes and…

Howl opened his eyes some time later.

Health Points

72/204

It went up a bit. He thought to himself. Not much though.

The [Alpha Dungeon Hound] tried to close his eyes again, but sleep would not come this time. He was feeling too fresh. He did try to close his eyes and lay motionless, nonetheless, but after half an hour, they shot open wide.

Health Points

73/204

Howl grimaced as he slowly raised himself to his feet, fighting through the pain. And then, he took his first step. It didn’t hurt much. He took a second, and then a third, and he was walking. A little bit of pain went through a paw or his side every few paces, but it didn’t bother him much. Not like just lying down doing nothing did.

[Observation] he called out while walking amongst the other [Dungeon Hounds].

Health Points

25/31

Health Points

24/26

Health Points

16/19

Their health is almost fully restored. Howl smiled.

The others, after having rested alongside their leader, were now up and moving around their makeshift camp. Many were playing games of tag, tug of war, or even fake wrestling. I was… peaceful. Howl smiled even wider as he made his way past everyone and out into the fringes of the gathering. There he saw older members, though that wasn’t saying much for this particular group, snuggling together or softly whuffing at each other.

Everything was perfect… save for one [Juvenile Dungeon Hound].

It sat on its own, far away from the others. It wasn’t playing, or doing anything to enjoy itself. It simply sat.

Howl trotted over to the small hound and sniffed at it before nudging it to play-wrestle. He knew he was much larger, but would go easy on it, maybe even give it a win to boost its confidence!

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But the tiny hound ignored him. It barely even blinked when the [Alpha Dungeon Hound]’s wet nose gently poked it on the side.

[Command Subordinates], thought Howl while activating their Skill. Why don’t you want to play? Everyone else is happy!

It only looked downwards, left and right, to two larger indents on the ground. They each fit the profile of a [Dungeon Hound], and could only have been made by lying on those exact spots over the course of several days. There was a third indent right where the hound was sitting, clearly belonging to it.

Howl’s eyes slowly narrowed in trepidation. [Command Subordinates], those two, tell me where they are.

The [Juvenile Dungeon Hound] didn’t rise to its feet. It instead lifted its head and looked at the other side of the cave, towards the spiders’ fortress.

[Command Subordinates], Howl issued the Skill more slowly. Were they… your parents?

The hound nodded.

Howl’s expression fell. His previous smile began drooping until it turned into a sad frown, but quickly transformed into a furious snarl.

I am not alone, then. I swear, we will have our revenge, our parents shall be avenged! Righteous fury filled the [Alpha Dungeon Hound], filling his chest with a bravado that re-inflated his smile. But as of now, I shall be your new parent, I will take care of you like I take care of the others, and we will make those spiders pay!

In a final symbolic gesture, Howl stepped forwards into one of the indents and lowered himself down onto one of the indents with a confident smile. He closed his eyes in contentment, and…

He yowled in pain and rose back to his feet. His front leg hosted a bite mark that still leaked drops of blood, and the [Juvenile Dungeon Hound]’s teeth were stained in the same red as it delivered a terrible low growl.

Why are you angry at me? Howl asked with another use of [Command Subordinates]. The spiders are the ones who you should be mad at, they’re the ones who killed your parents!

The young hound looked back into Howl’s eyes, two orbs that beheld pure rage and… accusation. The juvenile didn’t need to know how to speak to get the message across. It was plain as day to Howl, who looked on in shock.

M-me? You think I killed your parents? I’m the one who’s trying to avenge them!

The [Juvenile Dungeon Hound] spit the blood onto the ground, away from the indents, and laid back down. Its eyes never left Howl.

The [Alpha Dungeon Hound] wanted so badly to demand an answer, but he knew that the smaller hound would be unable to answer. It couldn’t speak, and how would any kind of charades or pointing get across something such a complicated concept? How he had somehow killed two hounds who died by spider traps and poison.

Howl simply glowered at his smaller brethren and walked off to find some more sensible company. He walked past several groups who were happily playing games, and were even looking for another member! Howl filled that role for them, switching between games and cliques, being that last wheel or two for what would otherwise have been a broken cart.

The [Alpha Dungeon Hound] felt great that he was wanted by so many, that he could fill in gaps that… hadn’t existed before today.

His mind went to the spiders, of the pain that they had obviously caused by fighting back!

But the realization had tainted his fun, and Howl no longer felt like playing. He continued on, looking for other groups of hounds that were doing something else.

For the most part, the [Alpha Dungeon Hound] encountered small friend and family units, larger hounds taking care of smaller ones by showing them how to ambush an armored beetle, or simply grooming them.

It was sweet. It reminded Howl of the parents he never really knew, of what he missed out on. His heart panged with hurt, with envy, but also with love.

I would never let anyone get in the way of the happiness my brethren here are experiencing, what I could not have myself. I will do all I can to defend their joy!

And then, as if from a bolt from the blue, it hit him. Howl realized his folly.

I-it was me. He looked around the gathering, and felt lonely. There were many hounds gathered there, but there used to be more. Sure, it was the spiders who delivered the killing blow, but who had led the hounds to their fortress? Who had sworn revenge and commanded the hounds to fight for a cause that wasn’t theirs? I’m responsible for their deaths.

All the missing spots he filled in for with the other hounds playing games? He dug those holes. He dug those graves.

It was my battle, my sworn revenge, and I had my brethren pay the ultimate price for it.

With a single howl, the [Alpha Dungeon Hound] called forth their Skill on every member of his species he saw and commanded them to follow him. What started with a small handful of hounds multiplied into dozens, until a massive group followed behind him into the outskirts of their settlement.

They gathered up the few stragglers on the outside and added them to their own swarm. And finally, they found who they were looking for.

The lone [Juvenile Dungeon Hound] sat in the same place, still looking down at the two indents. As the massive group approached, it almost jumped in surprise, but only bothered moving its head. As they all approached, and Howl showed himself at the front, the little hound began to growl.

Howl did not set foot on the two indents. The other hounds made their way around the juvenile and settled down, the [Alpha Dungeon Hound] himself finding a seat in front of the smaller one. But none of them even touched the depressions on the ground.

Howl and the [Juvenile Dungeon Hound] made eye contact. Rage was still present in the little one’s eyes, but they were being overtaken by confusion.

Howl let out a small whuff and activated their Skill. You are right, I killed them. All I wanted was revenge for my parents, and I didn’t think what would happen to yours. Or anyone else’s for that matter. I swore I would stop something like that from happening again earlier, and I swore it again just now.

The smaller hound stared back, not reacting.

I can’t bring the dead back to life, and your parents may be gone, but the tribe will adopt you as if you were our own. We can’t replace your parents, but we can at least try to be the family that we lost. The family I cost you all. We’ll all be that for each other.

The ice around the [Juvenile Dungeon Hound]’s heart was beginning to melt, but it still looked at Howl with uncertainty.

You and everyone here is my family now, and we’re all your family too. I wasn’t able to protect my parents, they died before I was born. But now I have all of you, and I promise to protect my new family. Howl let out a deep sigh and felt like he was letting a piece of his soul go. And that means no more raids on the spiders.

It felt good to say it, though.

The hounds all got up, and got close to the two.

The [Juvenile Dungeon Hound] got up as well, slowly strode over to Howl, and liked him on the nose.

The [Alpha Dungeon Hound] couldn’t help but smile and lick it back. Now come on, the spiders have a fortress to protect themselves, let’s make one for ourselves too.