“Pick up the pace, Dior. I want to finish patrolling our border before the sun sets.”

Fraeya eyed the newest member of the Wataki Soma tribe’s patrol unit. Ever since Trivana, her mentor, died years ago at the hands of the now-banished tribesman, it became her responsibility to lead the newest members on their first deployment outside of the town.

She stood tall for a wood elf with a lean, fit body from years of training and combat experience against the local wildlife.

Beluar, a seasoned warrior joined the team. As Chiyan's only son, he took every opportunity to search for the outcast and exact his revenge. Beluar never admitted it, but most of us knew better.

They walked into a clearing splattered with blood. One wolf lay dead.

Fraeya held up her hand and halted her two companions. She knelt and scrutinized the ground surrounding the deceased animal.

“This wolf attacked another only to have its throat ripped open.”

She stood up and continued to scan the impressions and recount the events.

“Two more wolves entered the clearing, but only one attempted to attack. It must have failed since they retreated. One must have been limping according to the trail.”

Dior tried to keep up with her assessment without stepping on any of the animal tracks as she roamed the clearing. The stoic wood elf Beluar scanned the forest for threats.

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Fraeya walked to the edge of the clearing and then faced her unit. “We need to move. There’s nothing left for us here.”

Travel became slowed by the thick foliage that clouded the forest floor. Wildlife ambushes were common in this stretch of the route.

“We are not alone.”

The female elf kept her voice low but stern. Fraeya felt an unknown presence circle around the patrol. Hidden in the foliage. Wood elves respected the forest. Unless provoked, they did not engage with the wildlife.

Howl!

A tan-brown-furred wolf darted out of the bushes to her left only to disappear inside of a thicket.

Roar!

She dashed around the dense population of trees in the disturbance's direction. Beluar and Dior stayed by her side.

To Fraeya’s astonishment, a bear stood in front of her, already up on its hind legs. Only the teeth and claws of their brown-furred defender stood between them and a bloody encounter. How did I not sense it?

Her would-be furry protector held his ground against the bear towering over it. He turned his head, eyeing Fraeya.

She held the animal's gaze before looking back to the beast as it lunged forward, claws leading its charge.

The wolf dodged the attack and circled its foe away from the elves. The bear whipped around ignoring Fraeya and her companions.

She took a moment and scanned the forest.

I won’t be caught off guard again.

The two animals shifted position revealing a cub hidden behind a bush. That wolf now stood between a mother and her child.

Dior reached for his sheathed blade.

A firm hand on his shoulder from Beluar and a disapproving head-shake from Fraeya dissuaded him from such action.

“Have you already forgotten your vow to never harm unless provoked?”

He took the reprimand from Fraeya without complaint and let his hand fall to his side.

Massive paws lashed out at the creature forcing it back.

Dior shifted around nervously and then asked, “Did the attack hit?”

Howl!

After one final cry, their protector retreated.

Fraeya made eye contact with both men before falling back towards home.

Why did that wolf protect us?