With a strong swing of her arm, the female hunter, whose name I now know is Yvonne, threw a wooden stick far toward the trees. The stick spun through the air, a fleeting shadow against the dusky sky before disappearing into the underbrush with a soft thud.

She then turned her gaze toward me, her sharp, storm-gray eyes meeting mine. I felt the weight of her expectation, though her expression remained calm, almost unreadable.

What did she want from me?

Oh, I knew all too well.

With a quick bound, my paws touched the soft, damp earth, and I sped off toward the trees. The wind rushed past me, carrying the faint scents of the forest—moss, pine, and distant rain. My ears twitched, instinct guiding me to the stick's location.

I found it half-buried beneath a patch of ferns and clamped it between my jaws. My small legs carried me back to Yvonne, the stick held high like a trophy. Dropping it at her feet, I waited, chest heaving from the short burst of effort.

[Ran 10 meters + 1 stamina]

For those who don't know, this Yvonne person has decided to keep me as a pet.

Me, a wolf.

But since she gives me free food and shelter, I don't really mind.

Yvonne's lips curled ever so slightly, a hint of approval. She crouched to meet my eyes, her hand resting gently atop my head. The warmth of her touch stirred something in me, a feeling of recognition, perhaps even trust.

"You learn quickly," she murmured, her voice low, almost to herself.

These days, Yvonne had been playing with me like this, tossing sticks and encouraging me to fetch them. At first, it felt like humiliation to have to do this for free food.

After all, I wasn't a dog—not that I dislike dogs, mind you!

At first, I wanted to protest, but she waved her hand in front of me again, making my resolve dwindle.

It's definitely magic. In her hand, there is a Ruby ring. Maybe that's got something to do with it.

Unable to defy her, I played along half-heartedly at first, but soon after, my stats began increasing steadily; my agility, my strength—everything was sharpening with every run and every retrieve.

Stats which I can't see for some reason, but can definitely feel changing.

It became clear that Yvonne had decided to keep me as her hunting hound of sorts. Hunters' pets aren't merely there to look cute and eat; they have a purpose.

Maybe she had similar plans for me. Having to fetch the dead birds she shoots down doesn't sound all too appealing to me.

But alone, I couldn't find a single thing to eat on my own.

I am waiting to grow up soon.

As I ran back to her with the stick once more, my mind raced with thoughts of what I might become under her tutelage.

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I dropped the stick at her feet again, waiting for her next command.

Time passed as we played, but Yvonne was out of it for almost the entire time.

She was lost in deep thoughts of something.

As the sun had begun its slow descent, casting long shadows across the forest floor, and as the sky deepened into twilight, Yvonne's footsteps became more measured.

Her once confident stride had faltered, weighed down by the gravity of the day's events. She had been quieter than usual, her thoughts distant as we made our way back to the village, me the small wolf cub at her side, and I could sense something was wrong. Her usual sharpness, the playful glint in her eye when she tossed the stick for me to fetch, had dulled. She seemed lost in her own mind, troubled by something beyond my understanding.

"Let's go home now," Yvonne said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes, usually so fierce, carried a sorrow I couldn't comprehend.

Today had been a strange day for her and her fellow hunters. I had watched them that morning as they gathered in a group of five, their faces serious as they set off on some task, leaving the village in a tense silence.

Now, as we followed the winding path home, we encountered them on their way back, their expressions grim and heavy with the weight of whatever burden they carried. The wooden carriage they rode in creaked to a stop, and without a word, they motioned for Yvonne and me to join them. I leapt into the carriage alongside her, nestling by her side as the horses resumed their steady pace.

There was silence for a good while. I didn't growl, though I wanted to, since Yvonne was suffocating me on her lap.

The air inside the carriage was thick with tension. Soon they began conversing in their rough, guttural language, one that I didn't know a word of. But I could hear the edge in their voices, the worry that seemed to cling to every word.

"No, they aren't letting up," one of the dagger-wielding men from before said, his tone frustrated and anxious. "They insist that the weekly quota has to go up four times, no matter what. There's high demand due to the ongoing war."

"They said they need leather and food, and it's for the kingdom," another added, his voice hard. "But they were not polite about it—almost threatening."

"If we don't meet the quota," another hunter chimed in, his voice thick with worry, "our hunting license will be revoked. We'll lose everything—our land, our homes, our rights to the forest."

Yvonne, sitting in the corner, crossed her arms, her face set in a hard line. "It's not right. We've done our part, and more. The forest can't keep up with this level of hunting. We're already seeing the game dwindle. If they push us harder, we'll break the balance."

"They don't care," another hunter said bitterly. "All they see is what they can take. And if we don't give it to them, they'll send the mages. They'll mass hunt, and that'll ruin everything—far worse than anything we could do."

Yvonne shook her head, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. "Maybe that's what they want. The mages have always eyed this forest, looking for an excuse to get in. It was supposed to be our tribe's forest, protected by our laws. Now they want to change the rules, to take it from us."

"To hell with that new princess," another hunter growled. "Before her coronation, the king protected the forests. He cared for the land, respected the tribes. Now, with her on the throne, all she cares about is feeding the war machine. She doesn't see the lives she's destroying."

Yvonne's fists clenched, her knuckles pale in the dim light of the carriage. "It's not just about us. This forest is our home, but it's also alive. We can't let them tear it apart for the sake of greed. For the sake of our goddess Elara, we have to protect this forest no matter what."

I couldn't understand their words, but I could feel the urgency in their voices. It was clear that something serious was happening. I pressed closer to Yvonne, sensing her worry.

My head hit something soft as it sank further back.

The conversation quieted for a moment, the hunters looking at one another, faces drawn with the weight of their dilemma.

Yvonne's gentle caresses on my fur roughened for a bit as her tension took over her cognition.

"There's only one way to save this forest," Yvonne said, her voice clear and resolute, cutting through the lingering tension. "We have to complete the quota, no matter what. Let's go on a week-long hunting expedition. We'll take as many people as we can, set out at dawn, and cover as much ground as possible. We have the treaty with the king as long as we do the quota; they can't send outsiders to hunt."

The others nodded, though some faces remained troubled. One of them, a tall man with a scar running down his cheek, asked, "If we hunt four times as much, doesn't that defeat the purpose of saving the forest?"

Yvonne didn't hesitate. "We'll need to bring back at least forty large beasts and eighty small ones. That's the bare minimum to satisfy the guild and keep the mages out of the forest. It's no joke, and we'll have to cover the entire forest with traps if we want to meet the quota."

"That's a lot," another hunter murmured, running a hand through his hair. "But you're right. If we don't act now, it's over for us. We will be kinder than the mages, at least, who will likely burn the whole forest to drive out each and every one of the beasts."

"I'll scout the eastern ridge," one of the younger hunters volunteered. "There's always game there if you know where to look. We can set snares and get a good number of rabbits by the end of the first day. They fulfill the small category, don't they?"

Yvonne nodded approvingly. "Yes. I'll lead the group into the deeper woods. There's a clearing I know where the deer gather at dawn. We'll set up strategically, so we don't waste any time."

"We'll all need to rest tonight," another hunter said, his voice calmer now, resigned to the task ahead. "It's going to be a grueling week, and we'll need our strength."

The carriage rolled to a stop as we reached the edge of the village. The hunters began to disembark, their faces still etched with the tension of what was to come. Yvonne and I stayed behind for a moment, the quiet settling between us as the others prepared to return to their homes for the night.

I nestled against her side, feeling the warmth of her presence, though the air around us was thick with worry.

As Yvonne rose to leave, she looked down at me, her hand resting on my head. "Tomorrow, we start something big," she murmured, her voice soft, but firm. "Get some rest, little one. We're going to need every bit of help we can get."

She took me back to the barn where I saw Cub A still asleep. He was curled up tightly in a ball and covered with a thick blanket.

Apparently, he is sick. He vomits and has a fever. Yvonne did give him some green liquid, but it didn't seem to have worked.

I touched my forehead to his to check his temperature.

It was still too hot.

Get well soon, my brother in species!