A loud howl was issued by the Alpha Fenrir as it reared back onto its hind legs, clawing the air above it. The sound bit into my bones, and I flinched, fighting the incoming fear effect I expected.

You’ve resisted a status condition: [Terrified].

My ears shook, but the noise passed and I shook my head weakly as I stared at the xaptors. They now looked far more nervous as the wolves closed in around them. The group growled, and the feathered dinosaurs cocked their heads, their trademark grins replaced with straight lines.

The large wolf barked, and two members from opposite sides of the circle dashed in, each swiping a paw tipped with sharp claws at the legs of their targets. The xaptors jumped, snapping forward at their attackers, but their teeth gnashed at empty air. The wolves had rejoined the circle.

The three xaptors hooted angrilly, hunching forward and lifting their feathery arms high. One rocked its head from side to side, calling out into the night. Probably a plea for help. The wolves continued circling, and one of the xaptors jumped forward, biting into the wall of fur.

A cry erupted from the targeted wolf, but two others were upon the xaptor almost instantly, tearing it to shreds as its friends watched helplessly. With half the pack distracted, one of the xaptors clicked its teeth, hooting at the other, which looked somberly at their dying ally. The xaptor hooted again, shouldering the distracted one and causing it to shake itself, its eyes locking back on the Alpha Fenrir and two free wolves.

The xaptor hooted once more, and charged the alpha. With a high-pitched roar met by a ferocious bark, the xaptor was absorbed into a furry ball of teeth and claws. Feathers erupted into the air as the two dying dinosaurs screamed, and the third turned tail, sprinting away into the forest, back toward the Giant Tree Worm's corpse.

I watched as the two xaptors were torn apart, the alpha and his two allies swiftly dispatching the suicidal xaptor. Then, he looked around, sniffing the air and howling once more. The pack members swiftly gathered, and then dashed into the woods after the third xaptor.

I guess nobody gets to escape, huh? I asked the vanished canines, letting my head fall back to the dirt and exhaling in a sigh. Or, they really hate xaptors, not that I blame them.

My stamina had regenerated a bit, slowly, and I started climbing to my feet tiredly. As much as I appreciated the Fenrirs for dealing with my pursuers, I certainly couldn't lay around in the open. What if they decided that three xaptors wasn't enough? Then I was a free meal.

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I stumbled forward, the darkness and thick undergrowth making it near impossible to see anything, and at this point, I was too tired to try to. With only the moonlight, which was often blocked by the trees, I struggled to escape to safety.

Eventually, I collapsed, falling into a thicket of large leaves and reeds and letting the stealthy grasp of sleep claim me.

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I woke to a dim morning light shining through the leaves and into my face. Blinking away sleep, I stretched, groaning. The leaves and reeds under me were comfortable, but I was sort of cold so, after a bit of indignant huffing, I stood to my feet and carefully stepped out of the mess of sticks, brambles, and bushes I'd found myself in.

I reviewed my status, noting that my health and stamina were back to full and, after checking over my body, nodded. Once more I stretched, as I stepped out into the unrestricted air, peering around the area cautiously. Several furry forms lay limply across the ground.

Fenrir [Lvl 16]

Wait. Are they dead?!

No. They couldn’t be. Not only had Observe not stated that the bodies were corpses, as with the worm, but also, they were breathing. It was hard to see, as their black furry forms broke up their shapes, but I could just barely discern the repetitive light movements.

Alright… Time to go.

I crept carefully across the ground, away from the wolf-like creatures. I was happy they hadn’t noticed me, but it confused me that they would simply sleep out in the open like this.

Don’t wolves--I don’t know--sleep in a den or something? Or is that bears?

Well, they were each also almost three times the size of the labrador I had as a child-- oh I missed Murphy, with his big floppy ears--and who says this world’s creatures have to follow the same rules, anyway?

A sudden bark startled me, and I froze, turning slowly toward the canine that released it. The creature lay sprawled across a rock, his legs in the air, kicking. Another bark, this one quieter, and I realized he was sleeping.

I exhaled a sigh, not even realizing I was holding my breath, and a rush of cool relief washed over me. Swiftly, I made my way out of the range of the wolves and, as soon as I was confident they wouldn’t hear me, I sprinted, being sure to avoid any Blessed Glades I came across. Though one had saved my life, none of them were getting a personal thank-you from me.

Maybe I can send a note by mail. Something like, “Hey, this is the Baby Dino with pictures from this year! Look how much the family’s dino’s grown! Thanks for the life-saving experience! You’re invited to all the family parties!"

Mmm.

Then again, maybe it would be best not to invite the all-consuming plant of death. As I pondered, I heard a familiar call.

“Skraaaaaw!”

You’ve got to be kidding me! What’s my luck?! Did I roll a Nat 1?!