Cornered 1

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They had just gotten on the way, as a wolf jumped out of the forest towards them. It looked emaciated, scarred. Yet, its claws gleamed, a deep ravening growl emitting as it charged at them. Those eyes, they were cold, feral, hungry for slaughter.

The three quickly got into defensive stance. Fatty twisted and his shield was in the front, with Lester right behind him.

"Dagger to protect the mage."

She was dual wielding her knives, already at the back and to a side, lowering herself and scanning around for other threats.

The wolf's rush had come to a halt as Joyo angled the shield and smacked it right into the beast, bouncing it away. It stopped, slowly circling and growling as it looked for an opening, not at all feral as it had first appeared.

It feinted attacks, jerking forward and stopping, observing their actions. Not at all like a mindless beast. In fact, it was quite passive having failed the first attack, as if formulating a plan.

After a couple tries, it managed to bat aside the shield with an uncanny swipe, some sort of innate skill. Yet, Lester filled the gap, sending a piercing blow which the beast avoided, leaving Fatty safe from harm. The stalemate continued.

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Tommy found himself bewildered. Not by the attack, no. In fact, the hike - no the quest, had been too quiet and peaceful. His caravan had faced enough of pesky pack monsters to feel truly safe in the woods. He had personally seen people dying, and the guards slaughtering the attacking beasts.

Only, he now had power to contribute. He wasn't afraid, rather a smile appeared. Blood raced, that familiar freshness reaching his head and limbs.

'I am crazy.'

Without waiting for a signal, Tommy sent forth a mana bolt. The same one he had practiced in the first practicum. They wolf tried to dodge but got hit in the hind quarters. Which was obliterated.

The others gaped at the scene. The wolf went flying away, having exploded in a bloody fireworks. It's head, front limbs, and torso were quite shattered, like a rag doll, and the rest of it - gone.

Drops of blood and bits of gore had splashed them, specially Fatty who had been the closest. Silence. A stark contrast with the previous flurry of activities. The party was dazed, including Tommy.

Until the dying wolf howled, a harrowing song of grief and rage and pain.

Fatty stepped forward but Lester grabbed him.

"Run!"

Answering howls rang far in the distance.