I wonder what my training is going to look like with The Vampire. My ribs are going to feel pretty bad for a few weeks, but at least my shoulder is already better. I wonder why we’re all the way out here though.
The Vampire had driven them into the countryside away from Storongzinburg City. They’d driven for a good portion of the day and ended up in a place unfamiliar to MC.
Dense forest surrounded them as they parked and started up a steep and muddy trail. It looked like at one time it might have been a frequented hiking trail, but it was surely neglected for at least a decade if not more.
Sure is different being way out here. The air feels cleaner and it has a nice smell to it. It’s been ages since I did something like this.
“Not much farther now,” said The Vampire. Almost three hours and a completely lost trail later, they seemed to have arrived at their destination.
“Where exactly are we,” asked MC.
“Where do you think we are?”
“I have no idea. I’m lost as hell. It’s going to be way past dark by the time we get back to the car. I’m lucky I still have a bit of battery left on my phone so I can use a light to see the ground later.”
“Let me see your phone.”
“Sure, but why?” asked MC, handing it over.
“Your gun too. And any weapons you’ve got on you.”
“I just have this pistol,” said MC.
“Perfect. Now I’m heading back to the car and taking this stuff with me. You’re going to do a bit of camping.”
“Camping? How’s this supposed to be training?”
“I think in time you’ll come to find out.”
“How long is this camping going to be for? I thought we were going to do some real training or go on missions or something.”
“We need to start with this. It’s one of the ways that I got as good at the job as I am now.”
“Camping?”
“Wilderness survival is probably a more accurate term.”
“What is this the Boy Scouts?” MC sighed.
“I’ll come back and get you when your training is done. If I were you, I’d focus on finding some food or water first. Good luck.”
“How will you know when I’m done? Is there a certain amount of time I’ll have to be out here?”
“Just trust the process.”
This guy is more like GM than I thought. Some stupid abstract training. Never know exactly what’s going on in that weirdo’s head either.
Two days later MC woke on the ground after using a rock as a pillow and some pine branches as a blanket. His clothes were torn and tattered as well as filthy from sleeping on the ground and trouncing through thick brush. He’s had trouble sleeping due to hearing several howling sounds that were a little too close for comfort. His belly growled at him for having not had a proper meal since he left the city.
Wilderness survival. Probably the most stupid pointless thing I’ve ever done in my life. Look at me I’m covered in dirt and filth and I’m starving. Haven’t eaten anything out here except a handful of mushrooms and some berries. I’m lucky it’s the warm season or I’d be freezing too.
He got up and went out in search of more berries. In places, the foliage was thin and he was easily able to walk steadily for miles, but in others, the brush was so thick his pace was slowed to a crawl. He feared an injury to his eye or a deep cut from an unseen jagged branch or rock. Caution was among him as he was out of his element.
After hours of trekking through the fir and pine he came to a creek. Water hadn’t been too hard to come by in his excursion and he’d found several other creeks like this, but he took advantage of the moment and drank his fill straight out of the babbling flow.
Upon lifting his head, he was startled to see an animal not far down the creek from him. It was a large black wolf. It had yellow eyes and massive front legs with claws that protruded into the muddy riverbank.
MC was frozen in fear. He didn’t know whether to run or to stay still. He observed the beast as it also drank its fill and was eventually joined by several other wolves. MC continued to be still, naturally camouflaged with patches of dirt all over himself and the scent of being in the forest for two days. He remained completely still until eventually the wolves all went on their way. They were keen predators when they wanted to be but, this was not one of those moments.
That was a close call. If those wolves wanted to make me their dinner, there’d be little I could do to stop it. I’ve never seen an abnormally large wolf like that first one. Better be careful when I go to sleep tonight. Wouldn’t want to make up in the mouth of one of those things.
It was at this moment that he decided making a fire tonight would be a good idea. He wouldn’t necessarily need it for warmth, but more to keep away whatever might lurk in the night.
MC spent the rest of the day putting as much distance between himself and that creek as possible, only stopping to graze on little bits of berries here and there. By the time the sun was only a few fingers over the horizon it began growing dark under the thick canopy of the forest.
He took a little while gathering a bundle of logs and then found the straightest stick he could along with a slab of cedar. He was going to attempt making fire by rubbing the sticks together. I’ve seen this on those survival shows. It can’t be that hard right?
Long after sundown, MC remained in the darkness. His hands were worn raw from rubbing the wood with such force. His chest and ribs were aching. In the end he was only able to produce a small amount of smoke. He eventually decided it was time to rest and laid up against the trunk of a tree. At least if something did come to attack him, it wasn’t going to come and get him from behind. Feeling tired, he began uncomfortably nodding off before being startled by the howl of a wolf. It was close. Much too close for comfort.
MC instantly stood up and grabbed a nearby branch off the ground. Moonlight sporadically peeked through the clouds allowing him to catch small glimpses of fur and yellow eyes. The pitter patter of paws on the ground seemed to circle all around him. He held steady, makeshift weapon in hand.
By the time morning came, he was barely able to stand. Sun shone through the trees and lit up patches of shrubs. He hadn’t heard or seen the wolves for what felt like at least an hour so he figured it would be safe to get moving.
He thought about why The Vampire sent him out there and when he was planning on picking him back up and how he was even going to be found way out in the middle of nowhere. Maybe he was just being toyed with and left in the middle of the woods for some kind of sick joke. Was he even going to be picked back up?
For breakfast, he ate a few berries and foraged for water like the days before. Upon his search, he suddenly found the carcass of a deer. The bones were licked clean of any scraps of meat. It was a reminder that if he was going to survive, he'd need to find a reliable source of food like this. After searching the ground he found a large stick and attempted to bend it around his knee. It didn’t budge. This ought to be strong enough. He returned to the deer remains and gathered what looked like a bone from one of it’s legs. He whacked the end against a rock to create a sharper tip and then sacrificed his shirt to tie the bone to the end of the stick. He held up and examined the primitive weapon he’d created. “This’ll never do,” he said out loud. “There’s no way I could throw a shoddy spear like this through the hide of a deer. At least it may offer some protection from the wolves. I’m just hoping I don’t need to use it.”
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His hands remained sore and raw from the night before and he made a decision on what to do for tonight. I could go up in a tree and try to sleep there, but I’d probably fall down while sleeping if I don’t set up some sort of base to lay on and I don't have any tools to use either. Maybe I should try making a fire again.
He settled on the idea of trying to make another fire. This time he was going to start much earlier in the day. Just like before he found a stick on the ground and a slab of wood. He started spinning the stick between his hands and fought back against the pain. Each turn set his palms ablaze with a stinging sensation. It took a while, but he eventually saw smoke. Ok this is how far I got before. I just need to keep going. He paused briefly to shift a pile of twigs and dry grass closer to him before resuming the task. With some more rubbing a small ember formed at the base of the stick. He piled on the grass and twigs and blew a steady and soft breath into the ember. Small flames shot out of the bundle and he stood up with it in his hands. He was so panicked he almost didn’t know what to do. Fire was now bursting to life in his hands. He carefully set it on the ground and piled a few larger sticks on top and watched as they lit up. “Yes I did it!” he yelled.
I may not have food in my belly, but I’ll be safe from the wolves tonight. If I build it up, this fire is sure to keep them at bay. It was a small win, but a huge morale booster.
That night, MC stoked the flames into a great bonfire. The warmth was so strong that he needed to stand back aways from it in order to avoid getting burned. His stomach ached and he felt oddly tired for the time of day. The lack of nutrition and sleep was getting to him.
The sun began to set and it didn’t take long for the sound of howling to start. He would have been afraid to admit it but that piercing howl struck primal fear into his ears. He grabbed a long stick and stuck it into the fire until it was burning on the end and held his makeshift spear in the other hand. He turned around and faced the darkness that surrounded him. Deep in the brush were glowing yellow eyes and dark shadows that seemed to flicker and move before he could tell exactly what or where they were. He squinted and tried to make out details, but all was lost in the dark of the night.
A low growl came from the side and MC turned just in time to see a huge black wolf creep into the edge of the light. “Raaaaghhh!” he yelled, attempting to scare it off to no avail. He waved the torch around, but the beast did not budge. Two more wolves, slightly smaller, closed in from the sides. MC stepped back closer to the fire Feeling the heat on his back. Why isn’t this keeping them away? Are they that starved that they’d ignore a prominent danger just to try and eat me? If that’s the case I’ll have to fight this head on. They’re a lot different than fighting humans that’s for sure and I have no weapon aside from this makeshift spear. This isn’t good.
The largest wolf lunged in and MC evaded by quickly dodging and rolling to the side. The other wolves stayed back as if letting the large one handle the catching of their dinner. MC felt like he was going crazy. How is this happening? I’ve lived in the city my whole life and now I’m stuck in the middle of the woods fighting for my life against a pack of wolves.
The alpha wolf lunged in again. MC dodged to the side and smacked the wolf in the head with the torch. It only seemed to make it angry because it instantly turned around and swung a hefty paw, knocking his legs out from under him. This was like nothing he’d experienced in a fight before. The wolf was literally made to kill. Thousands of years of evolution had piled together to create a predator much larger, stronger, and faster than a human.
He lost his grip on the torch and it rolled away on the ground, but he made sure to hold his spear tight. The monster bared its teeth showing rows of long fangs perfectly made for eating flesh. The wolf crouched slightly and pounced, aiming its jaws for MC’s face. MC braced the spear on the ground and pointed it up towards the savage animal. He felt the bone pierce the wolf’s stomach as warm liquid instantly spewed from the wound. He pressed harder, feeling not only more liquid but a reeking hot breath on his face. The wolf snapped its jaws and struggled like a writing worm. MC twisted the spear attempting to kill the animal as quickly as he could. It continued to thrash around for another few seconds before becoming dead weight. The Spear must have pierced its heart. I can’t believe I got so lucky. If it had landed in it’s stomach or even missed completely, the wolf would have completely crushed my head between its powerful jaws.
He struggled himself free and stood up to see an entire pack of wolves at the edge of the bonfire light. They were all looking at him and a few stepped back as he fully stood up. He reached over and grabbed the torch that had rolled away, relighting it in the fire. MC tensed his body and roared ferociously at the pack. He expected the pack to jump in and attack him, but they didn’t. They just stayed where they were like some sort of primitive standoff.
He waited, feeling the wolf blood that coated his body becoming cold and crusted. His senses were alive and he heard the trees swaying in the night time breeze while the fire crackled behind him. He felt the hard ground under his feet and bent his knees in preparation to move quickly upon an attack.
“Come on! I’m not afraid of you!” MC yelled. One of the wolves responded with a long and low howl to which the other joined in. They slowly retreated into the darkness.
I must have scared them off after taking out their leader, the alpha wolf. Just hope they don’t come back. He relaxed a little and looked over at the dead wolf.
The next morning MC was clad in a wolf skin pelt. He held a long and jagged that he’d extracted from his foe. His stomach, full of wolf meat. Now this is an upgrade. I have a weapon and I’ve got a shirt back. How many days had it been since I’d eaten a meal that filled my stomach?
That day, he remained fairly close to his fire to camp there again. It was more work than it was worth starting a new one. He felt more prepared with a better weapon and some of his energy returned from the food he ate.
He spent a good portion of the day roasting meat to preserve it and just lazing around falling in and out of light sleep. He wasn’t sure what the next night would bring him, but his instincts told him it wasn’t going to be good. The next alpha wolf in line may be back for revenge against him. The whole pack might try and attack him all at once. He tried not to worry about it, but thought about how to be prepared for a variety of different scenarios.
That night a sound woke MC from his light sleep. Paws on dirt alarmed him. Here they come.
He took a defensive stance as the pack circled in, dual wielding his weapon of bone and spear. The pack did laps around him in a circle. The sound of their steps were almost rhythmic together until they all backed away leaving behind a large portion of a deer carcass.
At first he was confused. Was it some sort of threat signaling what they would do to him? When he didn’t move, a single wolf came close and nudged the deer towards MC.
“Is this for me?” he rhetorically asked the wolves. When they still didn’t attack he started to realize that they didn’t mean to harm him. They just stood back and watched. He reached out and grabbed some meat off a bone and pinned it to a sharp stick to roast over the fire and within a few minutes he was ready to eat. Saliva dripped out of his mouth as he raised the tender meat to his mouth and bit down. It was heavenly. Much better than the tough and wolf meat that he’s planned to survive on.
He kept watch over his shoulder to make sure the wolves weren’t planning some sort of unexpected attack, but they just observed and kept their distance.
Once he had his fill, he picked up the remains of the meat and tossed it over to the wolves where a few of them savagely gnawed meat from bone.
“Not so much different from regular dogs are you?” He covered himself in the pelt and went to sleep by the fire.
The next morning, MC found himself awoken by the sound of wolves howling. He quickly sprang up into a ready position, but realized he was not in danger. The wolves all seemed to be looking off into the distance in the same direction. What’s going on? Their noses are all up. Maybe they smell something. Maybe they’re already going to go on another hunt.
The pack started off into the forest and MC followed with pure interest leaving his smoldering fire behind. He struggled to keep up with the wolves through the thickets and rough terrain, but managed to stay within sight of the pack. The thick fur pelt he wore helped keep most of the sharp thorns and branches from scratching him.
Branches continued to stutter his pace and he was falling behind until he found what the pack was after. A few hundred feet in front of them was a massive herd of elk. There must have been at least twenty of them. The wolves tucked down low to the ground and watched the grazing giants. They seemed to be waiting on something. Almost like they were waiting on a leader to start their attack on the prey. MC got low to the ground and started crawling, spear in hand. The wolves stayed low until they were close to an elk that was slightly secluded from the rest of the herd. They popped up out of the grass and startled the elk along with the rest of the herd. They formed a circle around it, but their alpha wolf who would have taken it down, was gone. The task was up to MC.
MC stood up and got as close as he could and then hurled the spear. It was a direct hit. The elk tried to turn and run, but the wolves blocked its path until it collapsed onto the ground while the rest of the herd scattered away.
MC went straight to work. He cleaned the elk and separated meat from bone. He tossed great hunks to each wolf and finally saved a bit for himself to cook on the fire tonight.
Two weeks later, The Vampire strolled through the woods in search of MC. Let’s see if that kid is still out here. He may be dead. That would be a waste, but if he did, it just shows that he wasn’t cut out for this anyway.
Early morning light shone through branches as The Vampire navigated the terrain with ease and seemed to be walking just as easily as if he was strolling down the sidewalk. It was almost as if his feet floated above the ground.
After a bit of searching, he came upon a pack of wolves. His presence was almost non-existent as he strolled right into the middle of their pack. MC slept on the ground with the pelt covering his body.
The Vampire nudged MC with his foot and MC shot up, startling the wolves awake. He relaxed when he realized it was The Vampire and the wolves didn't seem to mind him.
“Looks like you made it through the first part of my training,” said The Vampire.
“That easy, huh?” said MC with a smirk.