Alia and Alf were frozen with fear as the wolves watched them. The bigger wolf behind Alia growled, and Alf stopped.

"Alia," Alf whispered. "Do something."

"I can't," Alia said, her voice shaking.

"Is it a monster?" Alf asked.

"Yes."

Alf looked at the bigger wolf behind Alia; its mouth opened, and its tongue licked her face. Suddenly, the wolf screamed in agony as Bob jumped on him and bit his ear off.

The bigger wolf looked at Alf, and he jumped on him. "Run!" Alf yelled, but Alia jumped quickly, at a supernatural speed, and tackled the wolf.

Bob ran after Alia, but the smaller wolf caught her and threw her aside. Alf quickly caught her, but the wolf was upon them.

The wolf growled at Alf, and he was too afraid to move. He thought of what his mother would say if she were here, but she wasn't, and she never would be.

"Why do you have to do this?" Alf asked, his voice breaking.

The wolf stepped closer, its fangs showing. Alf hugged Bob, closing his eyes, waiting for his end, but it never came.

Alf slowly opened his eyes and saw Alia in front of him, her arms outstretched, and the wolf's fangs in her hand. "Get out of here!" Alia screamed.

"Alia," Alf said. "I—"

"Now!" Alia said as she threw the wolf to the ground, punched it on its face, and ran towards Alf, picking him and Bob up and running away with them.

Alia ran at an uncanny speed until she found a hiding place in a cave. "Are you okay?" she asked Alf.

He nodded. "Yeah," he said in a shaky voice. "Why didn't you get us to the camp?"

"I didn't think," she said. "I'm sorry."

Alf looked at Alia's hand and noticed it was bleeding. "You're hurt."

"It's fine," Alia said. "Don't worry."

Bob patted her hand and pointed at it.

Alia sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't think there would be more."

"What?" Alf asked. "More?"

"Yes," Alia said. "Kenji saved me from wolves like that before."

Alf frowned. "Are they here for revenge?"

Alia looked away. "Probably."

"It's okay," Alf said. "You did your best."

"I could've done better," Alia said. "I should have been able to take them out."

Alf put his hand on Alia's shoulder. "You're doing your best."

Alia hugged Alf. "Let's wait here a little and then get out."

***

Tera was preparing a soup while Naru watched the camp from behind her. "I don't think we should let any children into the forest," Tera said. "Definitely not alone."

"Why?" Naru asked.

Tera turned around, turned her head a little, and looked at Naru. "You definitely are too old."

"What?"

"Dire wolves. There are going to be more and more."

Naru looked away. "You're right. The hurt, blood, and despair will attract them."

Tera turned around and grabbed his hand. "It's okay. You're doing your best."

Naru smiled. "Thank you."

"Dire wolves," Tera said with a frown. "I haven't seen them in a long time. I'm surprised they're still around."

"They're pretty tough creatures," Naru said. "Even harder to kill than trolls."

Tera nodded. "I heard they make great pets."

Naru raised his eyebrow. "A dire wolf as a pet?"

"Why not?" Tera asked. "They can be very loyal."

Naru sighed. "You can't control them."

Tera smiled. "You can't control them," she said. "You can earn their respect."

Naru nodded. "That's true. You can earn their respect, you can ask them to do something, you can hope that they listen to you, but it's never safe."

"I see."

"The ones in the forest are pretty feral," Naru said. "If you want a pet, I could get you one from somewhere else."

Tera laughed. "You would never leave the camp."

"I can leave the camp when Kenji takes care of the kraken," Naru said.

"You trust Kenji?"

"He's a good man," Naru said. "It doesn't seem like he's up to anything."

"I see."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Tera said. "I like Kenji, of course, but I'm surprised you do, too."

"I know his kind," Naru said. "There's no reason for him to stay here unless he genuinely cares."

Tera nodded. "That's right."

"But we can't be too careful," Naru said. "There's a chance that he might be planning something."

"He doesn't seem like the type of guy who does that."

"Appearances can be deceiving," Naru said.

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Tera shook her head. "Not in this case. I'm pretty good at reading people, and he's a good guy."

"You're right, but we have to be careful."

Tera smiled. "Yes, yes. You're right."

***

Kenji walked through the forest, looking for Alf, Alia, and Bob. "Alf!" he yelled. "Where are you?"

He ran around in the woods, searching for them. "Alia!"

Kenji heard something move behind him and turned around. "Bob?" he asked.

Something jumped at him from above, and Kenji dodged it. Kenji quickly rolled on the ground and jumped back to his feet.

"Who's there?" he asked. "Show yourself!"

Kenji saw a wolf staring at him, its red eyes glowing. The wolf jumped at him again, and Kenji dodged it again.

"I don't want to fight you," Kenji said. "More of you."

The wolf growled and leaped at him. Kenji grabbed a rock and threw it at the wolf's head, hitting it. The wolf fell on the ground, and Kenji grabbed his knife from his belt.

The wolf got up and jumped at him, but Kenji grabbed it and threw it against the ground; he held the blade on the wolf's neck and asked, "Do you have enough?"

The wolf nodded, and Kenji released it. The wolf ran away from him, but stopped and turned around to stare at Kenji before running away completely.

"Alf! Alia!" Kenji shouted. "Where are you?"

He ran through the forest until he came upon a clearing and noticed the blood on the ground. "Alia?" he asked. "Alf?"

Kenji looked around the clearing until he saw a tree with a broken trunk. Alia must have shown Alf what she learned, he thought. Damn children.

He jumped up into the air until he reached the top of the trees. "Alf!" he screamed. "Alia!"

He jumped from tree to tree while biting down on a double-headed carrot and screaming their names. He should have been more careful with them. If they die, he will never forgive himself. He should have killed that dire wolf and eaten it for its senses.

***

The cave was dark and damp, and there were rocks everywhere. Alf and Alia were hiding in a corner, hoping the dire wolves wouldn't find them.

"Do you think we can leave?" Alf asked.

Alia shook her head. "Not yet," she said. "We have to wait."

"But what if they're gone?"

"They might be waiting for us outside," Alia said. "It's safer here."

"But what about Kenji?"

"What about him?"

"If we get to him, he will save us," Alf said.

Alia sighed. "It's better to be safe than sorry," she said. "It's okay."

"No, it's not."

"We'll wait," Alia said.

Bob shook her head repeatedly while pointing at the cave entrance.

"What are you saying, Bob?" Alf asked.

"Maybe she needs to pee?" Alia said.

"Let's go outside then."

"No."

"Why?" Alf asked.

"Psh." Alia pulled Alf down as she heard something.

Alf and Alia waited in the darkness of the cave; they heard something move above them and a big drop of water landed on the ground.

"That was close," Alia said.

"You're right," Alf said. "I can't see anything."

"It's okay," Alia said. "There's nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Alia said. "I am—"

Suddenly, a wolf appeared behind them, and Alia jumped out of the way. Another wolf came from the front, and Alf fell backwards.

"Run!" Alia screamed.

Alf crawled to the exit of the cave as fast as he could, but the wolves were on his heels. Alia ran after him, but she couldn't catch up.

Alf stumbled and fell as he reached the mouth of the cave, and the wolves pounced on him. Alia ran to him and jumped in front of the wolves, spreading her arms out.

The wolves growled as they circled around her, and Alia clenched her fists.

"Get out of here," Alia said.

The wolves growled and jumped at her. Alia punched the first wolf, sending it flying into a wall, but the other wolf tackled her to the ground.

Alia kicked the wolf off of her, and it flew into another wall. The two wolves stood up and stared at Alia.

"Get me, you monsters," Alia said, with her arms spread.

The two wolves pounced on her, and Alia caught one and threw it away. The other wolf bit her arm, and Alia screamed in pain. But she scratched its eyes and punched its face, making it release her.

The wolf on the ground jumped at her, and she caught it midair. The other wolf leaped at her, but she threw the first wolf at it, hitting it.

The two wolves circled around Alia again, but they seemed afraid to attack. Alia watched them as she tried to think of a way out of the situation.

From the shadows, Bob jumped on one of them and buried her teeth deep into its neck, making it bleed profusely. The other wolf jumped at Bob, but Talia grabbed him by the neck and held him in a chokehold until she heard a snap and the wolf's body fell to the floor.

Alf looked at them with wide eyes and rushed to hug Bob. "You're safe!"

Alia sighed and Bob smiled as Alf hugged her tighter.

"We should go back to the camp," Alia said. "Before any more come."

"You're right," Alf said. "I'm sorry."

Bob shrugged as she made a dismissive sound.

"I told you to run away, Alf," Alia said. "I don't want to risk losing you, too."

Alf nodded. "I know," he said. "But I couldn't just let you die."

"Thank you," Alia said as she wrapped her arm around him. "Let's go to the camp."

They left the cave and saw a pack of wolves staring at them; there were too many of them, and Alia knew they didn't stand a chance.

"Come on," Alia said, grabbing Alf's hand and Bob. "Run as fast as you can."

Alf and Bob nodded as they followed her, but the wolves were closing in.

"Hurry up!" Alia screamed. "We're almost there!"

Suddenly, a wolf jumped out from the shadows and grabbed Alf with its teeth. "Alf!" Alia shouted.

She tried to reach him, but the wolves surrounded her. Bob jumped at the wolf holding Alf, but it bit her hand and threw her away.

"Alf!" Alia yelled.

The wolves were closing in on him, and Alia didn't know what to do. She took a deep breath and screamed; flames coming out of her mouth. Her voice was loud and echoed through the forest. The wolves stopped and looked at her.

She felt hot, hotter than the core of a flame; she felt her heart pump mana through her entire body, without even having to focus. Her fist clenched so tightly that it became a ball of green fire, and she swung her hand against the ground. The flames exploded outwards, engulfing everything in its path; two wolves were caught by it. They screamed in agony and rolled around until their bodies — what remained of their bodies — stopped moving.

Alia's gaze rolled around, trying to find Alf and Bob — her eyes had a hard time focusing, she could barely see — when she found them, both lying on the dirt, unmoving.

She saw black, but she knew where the remaining wolves stood. Her body moved, while shaking, like a broken machine, and she swung her fist into the air. A ball of green flames hit a wolf and burned it into ashes.

Alia's knees gave up, and she fell on the ground. Her body was exhausted, and her vision was blurry. She barely managed to open her eyes, but when she did, she saw two wolves around Alf. Alia pushed herself off the ground, making a small green explosion in the process, and shot herself up into the air. She crashed into one wolf and held it tight with her hands; they burned through its skull, killing it.

"Alf!" Alia yelled.

She saw him turn around, his eyes wide, and his body trembling. "Alia," he said, his voice shaking.

The final wolf pounced on him, but Alia reached her hand and grabbed it by the neck. The wolf screamed as it burned; she squeezed her hand, making its head explode, and she threw the remains away.

"Alf," Alia said, her voice low. "Are you okay?"

He didn't move or answer.