"There's a bunch of dead goblins back there, so why are these guys after me instead?" Jason muttered as he heard the sound of pursuit all around him. Whatever pack of K-9 beasts was hunting him had him completely surrounded. As he readied his spear, they began to emerge from the surrounding woods.

"Dingos?! Were they always pack animals? Doesn't matter. I need to find the alpha and take it out fast if I'm going to have a chance here."

Standing atop a cart to gain higher ground, Jason swapped his spear for a sling and scanned the pack for his target. Meanwhile, the dingos circled him, edging closer with every second.

Finally, he spotted the largest one. Jason let loose a stone, but the alpha, startled by his sudden movement, leapt away before the rock left the sling. Jason adjusted midswing, landing only a glancing blow that made the beast yelp.

"Damn it!" he hissed. The rest of the pack seized the moment and lunged at him. With the dingos now too close for the sling, Jason quickly swapped back to his spear, swatting away an attack from the side just in time.

He followed up with a 360-degree spin, knocking back several attackers in his range. The maneuver ended with a brutal thrust, skewering one dingo through the mouth and out the back of its head.

The pack halted, momentarily stunned by the loss of one of their own. A tense standoff ensued. Moments later, Jason decided to bait them by exposing an opening. One unfortunate dingo took the bait, only to have its brain pierced through its eye socket.

The second kill made the pack more cautious. They kept their distance, content to wait for him to tire. But Jason wasn’t having any of that; he wanted out of the forest as quickly as possible.

Switching back to his sling, he prepared to pick them off one by one. But as soon as he did, the pack surged forward. Though he managed to repel the attack, it left him with cuts and scrapes for his trouble.

"They’ve sealed my ranged options and are staying out of my spear's reach," Jason muttered, frustrated. "They're hell-bent on making this a battle of attrition."

He tried a different approach. Swinging his arm, he materialized a cadaver and flung it a short distance away. The sudden distraction caught the pack’s attention, splitting their focus between Jason and the corpse. A handful of dingos, including the alpha, broke rank and pounced on the body.

"Perfect," Jason whispered, spotting his chance. He shifted his stance, holding his spear as if it were a shotgun. The pack didn’t seem alarmed, a mistake that would prove fatal.

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In an instant, the spear vanished, replaced by a crossbow. Jason fired, the bolt piercing the alpha's chest and hitting its heart. The beast let out a final whimper before collapsing.

For a moment, silence blanketed the area. Then chaos erupted. Some dingos fled, others dragged the cadaver away, and a few attacked Jason with reckless abandon, consumed by a berserker rage.

The sudden onslaught caught Jason off guard, but he quickly swapped back to his spear. Leaping over one lunging attacker, he drove the spear into its skull. Landing back on the cart, he blocked another dingo's bite with his spear shaft before quickly materializing the crossbow again. He fired a point-blank shot into the creature's throat, dematerialized the crossbow, and yanked the spear free.

One by one, he dispatched the attackers, though not without cost. A particularly vicious dingo bit into his leg, causing him to cry out in pain. Gritting his teeth, Jason stabbed it through the neck, but before he could recover the weapon, another attacker lunged at his face. He barely managed to shield himself with his arm, screaming as teeth sank into his flesh.

Enraged, Jason released the spear, summoned a dagger, and brutally gutted the beast, twisting the blade before kicking its lifeless body away.

The rest of the pack retreated, leaving only the fallen behind. Breathing heavily, Jason scanned his surroundings for any remaining threats. When none appeared, he assessed his injuries. The wounds were deep but not life-threatening. He’d survive, though it would be painful.

Without tending to his injuries, Jason hoisted the alpha’s corpse onto the cart and resumed his journey. He made it out of the forest without further incident. As he approached the Clarkson property, he grimaced at the thought of dealing with Samantha.

"I'm in no mood for drama," he muttered. "I’ll drop these at the guild and come back once I’ve cooled off."

Decided, he dragged the cart past the house and toward downtown. The streets were quiet, most people having retired for the evening. As he neared the guild, the sound of running footsteps caught his attention. Turning, he was surprised to see Quinn, the young bookstore owner.

“Quinn? What are you doing here?” he asked, startled.

Quinn skidded to a stop beside him, his eyes scanning Jason’s bloody form. “You’re hurt! Are you okay?”

Jason scoffed. “I’m fine. Just a little roughed up. I’ll drop these at the guild and call it a day.”

Quinn didn’t seem convinced. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.” Jason tried to brush off Quinn's concern.

Still, Quinn hesitated, glancing between Jason and the cart. Before Jason could walk away, Quinn grabbed the cart's handle.

“What are you doing?” Jason asked.

“I’m helping.” Quinn replied.

“You don’t have to.” Jason urged.

“I want to.” Quinn insisted.

Jason sighed. “Suit yourself. Just don’t overdo it.”

“Like you?” Quinn shot back with a wry smile.

“Touché.” Jason couldn't argue with that.

Together, they made quick work of the journey and arrived at the guild. Once the cart was processed, Jason almost collapsed from exhaustion. Quinn caught him just in time, insisting he come home with him to treat his wounds. Though reluctant, Jason finally agreed after a quiet "please."

At Quinn’s home above his bookstore, Jason showered while Quinn prepared a meal and first-aid supplies. After eating and tending to his injuries, Jason lounged on the couch, feeling the effects of the healing tonic and bandages.

As they sat in silence, Quinn finally broke it with a simple question.

“So, how was your day?” He asked sheepishly.

Jason smirked. “What are you, my wife?” he asked in jest.

Quinn blushed but smiled. This warmed Jason's heart to no end, so he answered straight up. "Pretty shitty day, but I'm beginning to feel much better."

“That's good. I’m just glad to see you back to your usual self.” Quinn spoke with relief in his voice.

Jason laughed, pulling Quinn into a side hug. “Thanks, Quinn. I’m lucky to have someone like you watching my back.”

“Me too,” Quinn murmured, leaning into the hug as they sat together, enjoying the quiet camaraderie.

Tatter Town, Dakota Dukedom.

World: 33 days.

Clarksons: 28 days.