Ezer was impressed, as were the knights. It seemed as if the world had stopped and only the wolf could move freely. Although the moment lasted less than a second and the knights recovered by facing her with serious faces.

“I can't believe they followed us.”

"These wolves are not simple, I sense it."

“I knew we didn't have to bother them.

“You were one of the first to suggest we attack them.

“I never thought they were so deadly... But now there is only one, we can finish it without problem.”

"Yeah, let's get around it." They set up a plan with a bit of anxiety in their voices.

The animal's eyes were fixed on Ezer, though they lingered on him for a few seconds. A great intelligence was transmitted through his gaze, it was as if a person and not a wolf were observing him.

Ezer was on the ground, lost before the depth and magnitude of the blue of those eyes. His pulse stabilized as well as his breathing, something in his blood told him not to be afraid... something in his blood told him that those eyes were trustworthy.

The knights surrounded the wolf, leaving her at a distance from their swords. She simply averted her gaze and bent her knees slightly into an attack stance.

The knight on the right made the first move by slashing down diagonally. Which was quickly dodged by the wolf, who then assumed the same stance.

The match stopped momentarily, both sides testing their skills and reactions.

“Erk, this beast is definitely level 5 or higher.” The one who made the first move speaks with a serious face.

"Yes... I think so too. What worries me the most is his intelligence... it's abnormally high.”

The magic that circulates through the beasts not only nourishes their muscles, but also their brains. Making some of them able to have intelligence comparable to that of a human, although that is only seen in the legends of the elders.

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“This is no longer just about catching the boy, we have to give the signal.” Erk with his brown beard as well as his hair takes a red crystal from his pocket, the same one that the Viscount gave him, and breaks it in his hand at the same time that he throws it into the sky.

A huge ball begins to glow reddish well above treetop level, visible for kilometers.

"It shouldn't take long. We just have to buy time until they arrive.” Erk lowers his arm which has little wisps of smoke on its gloved fingers.

"If it's just one we can take care of him."

"Don't be over confident, I saw dozens die for it. Also, wolves move in packs.”

Seeing the sign in the sky, the wolf narrows is eyes and raising her head makes a sharp howl that bounces off the slopes of the mountains and valleys and then charges against the knights, she seems to realize that she doesn't have much time.

Attacks at the foot, crouching as low as she can to avoid the reach of the swords, the soldiers respond with defensive postures repelling his teeth and claws.

The beast was much faster and more agile. However, every time she managed to get behind one of the knights to deal a fatal blow, the other immediately responded to avoid it. Both worked in perfect coordination watching each other's backs.

The combat reaches a stalemate, neither side is outmatched, now it's a fight of wits. She attacks again this time throwing a bit of snow with her tail towards the enemy's eyes.

This blinds Erk for a moment, but that's all it takes for the wolf to break through his defense, sink her teeth into the leg through the leather greaves, and slice through the flesh. As fast as attacks, she retreats preventing the other knight from making a counterattack.

"Shit, how are you Erk?"

"It wasn't serious, the greave did its job, it just bled a little. I didn't expect him to be able to use tricks like that, that's why intelligent beasts are so dangerous.”

The wolf fulfilled its objective, to create a weakness to exploit and gain an advantage. Blood could be seen on his teeth as she growled before attacking again.

The combat drags on with constant attacks and retreats, resulting in minor injuries to both the knights and the wolf. The men began to breathe heavily, showing their tiredness.

She takes advantage of this by performing a deadly and decisive, yet dangerous attack. Erk is among a tree that did not lose its leaves in the fall, therefore it accumulated snow. His partner uses this by hitting it hard in the trunk with his sword.

"We can use tricks too!"

The snow falls on the wolf slowing her speed and movement. Erk launches a deadly thrust straight to the neck, which she manages to dodge by centimeters, however, her front leg receives a deep cut from which blood oozes that stains her fur.

Erk does not miss the opportunity and continues to press, launching attack after attack cornering the wolf, which added to the other knight's attacks, leaves her with no room to escape.

Ezer, still on the ground, looks dumbfounded at the fight. Seeing her cornered, his blood begins to boil and a strange instinct told him to help her. Pick up the dagger from the ground and run in a straight line wielding it.