We were back in the forest, sitting and waiting for Devon to tell us what to do next. The man in question stood with his eyes closed, leaning against a tree, his hood up. No matter how many questions I asked, he remained dead silent.

"Devon, seriously. What's the game plan?" I demanded.

"The plan is to wait," he grumbled.

"You don't think that's silly? All things considered? Especially with what happened yesterday?"

"Have you paid zero attention to what I've been saying?"

Instead of responding to my anger, I knocked my head against the trunk behind me and slumped to the floor. "Maybe I'd prefer not having to rescue another literal child from the clutches of some monsters."

"Alice. Explain."

She sat up. "It's because of the cores. They're too small, and the corrupted bear you fought yesterday," she said, glancing toward Devon. He remained silent, so she shrugged and continued. "The cores are small, too small. That means the elementals are new. The bear wouldn't last for long; its body would break down. That means the mana leak from the seals is only just starting to affect the area."

I looked between them both and eventually settled on Alice. "Okay, I get that. But why wait, then? Wouldn't it be better to search for the monster now while it doesn't have other mobs to back it up?"

"Where would you search?" Devon interrupted. "Where would you look, for a creature you know almost nothing about, who has the ability to create more monsters?"

"I… don't know. I sort of thought you would."

"This isn't the last hunt where the creature responded to anything entering its territory. If it's related to the seal, that means whatever is kidnapping people will be looking to break its prison open."

"Oh. Ooh. And getting a horde of monsters is a good way to do that?"

"Possibly. Now, silence. If nothing comes to mess with us in the next few hours, we'll head back."

And just like that, Devon went silent until my stomach made noises again, and we began to head back to town.

The whole wait felt useless as if we sat out there specifically to do nothing, even if Devon said it was for a reason.

Once we were back in the church, sitting alone in the feasting room, I stood up and sat in front of Devon. "You've been tight-lipped, and I want answers. One, and I really should have asked this, but how do I induce the shift? I already did it once. Can I do it again? Two, are we going to sit here all day?"

"And for a pup who was little more than a traumatized kid less than a week ago, you sure changed a lot."

I growled. "That's not the point."

Or maybe it's because I'm getting too exhausted to be shocked by everything anymore.

"No to the first. When you can bring out your claws, you'll know how to proceed from there. It's instinct. Don't bother asking me to teach you instinct," he said calmly. "And yes, we will sit here if that's what's required."

My head sank until it rested on the table.

I don't know why I'm feeling so antsy, but I am. It just feels wrong to sit here.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

A glance at Alice, mimicking Devon perfectly, only pissed me off further, so I switched my focus to munching on another piece of venison.

At least I'm getting fed gloriously.

—--------------------------------------

The crackle of fire woke me up, and I blinked my drowsiness away to stare at the stable flames.

Right. Forest.

Another wasted day; yesterday, despite all of our waiting, nothing happened. No monsters came, no kidnappings, no terrifying screeches of the damned clawing at innocent souls.

Nothing.

I should have been happy about the peace the town received, but sitting still, knowing something so dangerous and malicious enough to capture children stalked the forest, did not sit well with me.

Yet, no matter how much I protested, Devon stood firm in his reasoning. What could we do? Even if we combed the forest for the creature I still didn't fully understand, it guaranteed nothing.

If only talking to the two didn't feel like pulling teeth. I might relax a little if I could hang around normal people.

Speaking of the living abrasives, Devon was in rare form. His head hung low, and his hood covered his eyes while he sat motionless. Alice slept as she did the last time, back straight, leaning against the trunk of a tree, with her hand hovering near her axe, ready to grab it at a moment's notice.

I waited, but Devon didn't speak up. Standing up slowly, I paused again, but he remained asleep.

I guess he has to nap sometime.

Bending down, I added another stick to the fire and walked away from the camp. With their insane sense of smell, I had to go a fair bit away. When I finally reached a nice secluded spot, I relieved my bladder and watched the night sky.

The moon stayed hidden behind the clouds, but enough light shone down that I could just barely see myself in the dark. The coverage from the clouds must have been nice for all the nocturnal denizens of the forest.

After finishing up, I turned and headed back to the camp. My boots crunched loudly on some leaves and dirt, but if Devon hadn't woken up when I left, I doubted it would be a problem now.

When I returned to the campsite, the two were still sleeping, so I sat back down on my trunk and resumed resting. The silent night was comforting, punctuated only by the steady crackling of the fire.

I've never been outdoors this much. Hooray for new experiences.

My sarcasm was rewarded with a mirthless chuckle that I barely managed to muster. Surprisingly, alone time sucked. I didn't want it.

Pop!

A small fleck of ash shot across the ground and landed next to my boot, and I stared at it. The ash mixed with the dirt as a gentle breeze blew it off the leather. It was a mundane thing, entirely dull.

Screw it, get some sleep, not like much is going on right now.

I closed my eyes, only to open them again before they fully shut.

I waited and listened, continuing to listen. But the only sound I heard was the campfire. I saw a breeze shake the leaves overhead, yet no sound of rustling reached my ears.

My axe slid from its sheath, and I slowly stood up while scanning the surrounding trees. Alice continued to rest, her chest rising and falling rhythmically. Yet, my fingers tightened their grip when I looked toward Devon's resting form.

He no longer breathed.

"Devon. Tell me you're awake," I said calmly.

No response.

My heart rate quickened as the hairs on my neck began to stand.

We were in a forest filled with wildlife even during the day, one packed with birds that sounded calls at all hours. And now, I could only hear the crack and pops of the fire.

"Alice, get up. Now."

I kicked a rock her way, but it bounced off her leg without reacting.

I called for my wolf, but again, no reaction. I didn't even feel a stir through the connection.

"Get up—both of you. Get. Up."

A strong gust howled through the forest, and the orange blaze cooled before winking out. The area became bathed in shadows that the moonlight struggled to banish.

I summoned the rune in my head, calling to the mana in my chest. It bubbled and stirred, rising to my demand. But as I pictured the void filling with teeth and claws, the rune sputtered, and I felt a tug in my core.

The strange recoil made me sputter and cough. The lava that kept me perpetually warm burned like acid reflux. I growled and powered through the discomfort. There was something there; I felt the connection, but it blipped out of my senses before I could trace it.

Another gust, and my cloak wrapped around my sides. The protection from the sharp wind abated, and I tossed my hood on, feeling it ripple, extending around me.

The familiarity of my cloak anchored me back to reality, and I took a step back while raising my axe. Alice was gone.

Across the now cold fire, hidden underneath a cascade of shadows, stood the tall, looming form of Devon. His hood covered his eyes, and I couldn't see his face. But his hands slowly flexed, each finger clawing at the air.

I didn't know what to say, so I did the only thing I could. "Cut the games. Can you speak?"

The creature pretending to be my mentor flashed a bright smile that cut through the dark, the white shining as if the moonlight bent solely to expose its glory.