I barely walked to my hideout as the wolf's body was just too exhausted from all the moving around even with my awesome new wooden exoskeleton, as the wolf was still sick and weak so I barely could move around.
So the distance I walked wasn’t that far away from the hideout, but right now I had a different problem. Right now I was stuck in the tunnel as many orange fruits that resemble mangoes were sticking out of my body, as I got lucky and found a Mungo tree not so far away.
“One more push!” I shouted as I tried to push my way through the tunnel but I didn’t succeed, I could only sigh as I placed a few of my roots to the walls and used the *Dig* skill to make my path a little bit bigger.
A few moments later I shouted, “I am inside!” As my fat ass popped out of the tunnel while looking like a really badly decorated Christmas tree that a wolf stole.
“Now I just need to wash those tasty fruits and eat them, *Gulp*.” Saliva slowly dripped from my mouth as I smelled the fruits, “Surely they were filled with sweet sweet juices.” I said to myself as I smiled like an idiot.
“I was imagining eating them all my way here and soon, soon I will have them!” I laughed as I limped in the direction of the pond.
I washed them in the water with a few stalks of healing grass that I found on the way to the hideout, I was going to make more paste for the wolf and use some of it on me too with *Forced Absorption* skill, I was a little bit afraid about the side effects that it mentioned but I would deal with them in the future if they pop up.
I smashed the grass and made it into a paste, surprisingly after I got the alchemist skill it was a lot easier for me to do that as if I knew where to cut and how to hold the grass so all its medical properties will be preserved as I turn it to paste.
“Skills are so convenient, I should get more.” I smiled to myself as I thought, ”Hmm interesting is there a skill for cooking, making some legendary meals would be fun!” I said with a happy smile on my face as I imagined eating a stake from dragon meat.
I finished the paste and placed it on the wolf’s body, my heart ached with concern, every time I didn’t focus on it and tried to ignore the pain it whimpered as if the control got back to the wolf that was still sleeping inside the dark small world in my head.
“Don’t worry little guy, I will heal you…” I said as I smeared the paste on the wounds, eating some with its mouth and using *Forced Absorption* on the leftovers.
“Alright now for the main meal.” I said with a big smile as I sat in front of the big piles of Mungo fruits, it was the same kind of tree that I saw when I just walked down from a cliff as I appeared in this world. I always wanted to taste those juicy fruits but never could for obvious reasons, but now that I have a body it would be possible.
“Bon appetit!” I said as I took a bite from a fruit, sweetness filled my mouth and I slowly started to ascend to the heavens.
“I wasn’t sure if wolves can taste sweetness but I guess they do!” I shouted as I started to devour all the other fruits, in the end falling on my side with a big full belly and a big smile on my imaginary face, as I rooted myself to the ground and went to sleep.
***
As I was sleeping I had a weird dream. In this dream, I was running down a forest with my family but the family wasn’t humans, they were wolves just like me. The father wolf was on the lead running after a big deer with really huge antlers, he had a black coat of fur with a metallic glint to it and brown eyes that reflected the whole forest in them.
While the mother wolf was by his side she looked completely different, her fur was white as snow, her demeanor elegant and gentle and her eyes silver and pure like the stars. I was a few meters behind them with two other young wolves, they were my siblings, one of them was female and the other one was male.
The male fur looked like fathers, while the females looked like mothers. The only difference between them and my parents is that they were a lot smaller and weaker, and even their eyes didn’t have that feeling of power to them as my parents.
We continued to rush after the deer and in a few maneuvers we split and surrounded it from all sides. Its face became twisted and its antlers started to shine with bright yellow light as it charged at our father but stopped a few meters away from him as he got stuck by a white light that came from the mother’s silver eyes.
As the deer was frozen and couldn’t move, father took this opportunity and jumped at its throat. Blood splashed everywhere as the deer struggled for its survival but it was all futile, as the light from its eyes slowly vanished and it passed away.
The parents started to eat first and then after they finished we ate too, while they watched over us. As we finished eating, father released a howl and we started to follow him, into a familiar environment before I noticed we stood in front of a very familiar small tunnel barely enough for me and my siblings to enter.
The father's wolf eyes shone with earth-like color as the tunnels started to slowly open up, and we all walked into the tunnels without fear as this was normal. A few moments later I saw a familiar tree and a pond appear in front of me.
“It's the hideout…” I said as I woke up.
I looked around before murmuring, “What a weird dream…” I looked around the hideout and was one hundred percent sure that I saw it in my dream. I looked at the wolf I was still rooted in and asked him, “Was that your dream?”
But of course, he didn’t answer and was breathing heavily a lot more than before. I immediately checked his status and saw that his condition had gotten worse, and he even lost another health point.
***
-Young Wild Wolf Lv10-
Experience: 31/100
Health: 4/40
Mana: 4/4
Stamina: 9/18
Health regen: -2/day(-6)
Mana regen: 0.2/hour (-1)
Stamina regen: 1/hour (-2)
Race: Canine.
Status: Weakened(Extreme), Sick(Strong), Symbiosis
***
“Shit his sickness got even worse, and by the looks of it the healing grass will not be enough, if it goes like this he will surely die… We need to find some prey and fast.” Many thoughts crossed my mind but no matter what came to my mind I just hadn’t had enough time.
“I think I need to take a risk…” I told myself as I knew that the smaller monsters are just too fast for me to catch with the state I am currently in, making traps is possible but the chances for monsters to fall into them are just too small. So the last thing I can do is to try to catch something bigger and slower, my target was already decided and it was the huge rabbit.
“The big question is how…” I murmured to myself as I knew what I was about to do was a big gamble. If that thing would catch us and give us a bite I wouldn't be surprised if both of us would die, so my plan should be perfect so with some more thoughts I started to prepare.
*****
I was back in the forest around the area where I saw the huge rabbit, I smelled the air and followed its scent. My movement became slower than before but I still could support it with my *Wooden Puppet* skill but just barely.
“This is my last chance if this fails… I will need to abandon the wolf and survive by myself.” I said as I closed my eyes and looked at the small wolf inside the flame, he was still sleeping and not moving. I wasn’t sure if it knew what was going on with its body or not but I still felt sad for it, as its chances for survival were smaller than mine.
I moved closer and closer to the source of the smell and came to a big burrow near one of the trees. “So this is your home.” I came closer to look inside but couldn’t see anything and saw only darkness. I thought about sending a root into it and checking what was inside but chose not to, as I didn’t want to waste my mana and stamina for nothing.
“I can smell only one of you there so I guess I just smoke you out.” I said with a sinister smile as I picked some dried leaves and grass from the area and removed the three spears I prepared for this hunt.
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
“I thought that you would be in the area and not in your house but now that you are here, how can I miss this chance.” I said as I started to hit one spear end at another, they were made from Gravis stones so it wasn’t so hard to get some sparks from them.
After a few tries with the correct direction of the wind and the help of the *Wood Element Control* skill a small flame appeared.
“Interesting will I be able to use magic, and send flames around in the future or do I ask for too much?” I said to myself as being cheeky and trying to see if the voice of god will bless me with a fire-bending skill, but of course, that didn’t happen.
As the fire was getting stronger I used my dig skill in front of the burrow and moved as much dirt as possible to block all the sides creating only one passage making it so that when the rabbit will run out of the burrow he will have only one direction to run too, and in front of the burrow I started to place the two Gravis spears pointing straight to its center.
“Perfect now when that fat thing will run out, it will be immediately pierced by these spears, and its speed will decrease from the wounds. That will give me the ability to overrun it with the help of the wolf adrenaline skill.” I started to repeat my plan to myself as I buried the spears into the ground.
“With that, I will be able to hold distance from it as I attack it with my spear and slowly chip at its health until it won’t be able to do anything anymore.” As I finished reaping the plan in my head I picked up a small burning branch with a few leaves from the fire I made and threw it into the burrow.
“As I said, I will smoke you out.” A sinister smile once more appeared on my imaginary face, which reflected on the wolf's face too making it even more creepy.
*A new Title has been acquired “Pyromaniac”*
I read the title name for a moment before shouting in anger, “Really?! Why am I only getting shitty titles!” I screamed at the annoying system that always made me out to be a fool or a villain as I inspected the title.
*Pyromaniac* - There are some people who just want to watch the world burn and you are one of those. Gives a small chance of success in making fires from starting a campfire to burning your best friend's house, doesn't matter if you try to do it on purpose or not. Increase the affinity with fire by a small amount.
“Goddammit, another shitty title!” I screamed as I felt cheated once more, but then my attention was stolen by a big puff of smoke that shot out of the burrow.
I looked at the small inferno that spread in the bottom of the burrow, “Didn’t I throw only a small burning branch…? I guess the title isn’t that bad after all…” I thought to myself with a confused expression on my imaginary face.
*SCHEEERREE!!!!!* A strong screeching scream of the huge rabbit came from the depths of the burrow.
“It's coming!” I shouted as I took a little bit of distance from the burrow and used my detection skill until I felt it running to the direction of the exit. I waited for the right moment and used the wolf *Adrenaline Rush* skill to run at full force straight at the burrow exit while holding my spear forwards.
Just as the huge rabbit popped out of the burrow it immediately ran at the two planted spears in front of him, they pierced through the rabbit skin around the abdominal area and broke by the base.
*Screeee!!!* It released another disgusting screech as it stood there in pain, at the same time I appeared riding the wolf in front of it with my spear pointing straight to its throat, getting ready to give him a fatal blow.
But just when I was a few more inches away from it, the monster looked at me with bloodied eyes and stood on its hind legs, which made me miss its throat and hit it around the left area of its chest.
“Tch not deep enough to do any real damage.” A thought crossed my mind and immediately after the impact, I fired the inspect skill on the rabbit while I started to back off.
***
-Ignes Rabbit Lv9-
Health: 36/53
Mana: 2/2
Stamina: 29/34
Status: Burn(Mild), Bleeding(Weak)
***
But of course, it wouldn't let me go away so easily, the rabbit sent its front claw at me from the right. I immediately used the *Grow* skill to create wooden roots around that area, which should have shielded me from the blow, but they exploded to smithereens as the wolf and I flew to the side.
“Shit it used a skill, *Self Awareness*!” I opened my status to see the damages and of course, mine weren’t that bad as the grow skill roots don’t count as being part of my body, but the wolf got a hit and lost whole three health it wouldn’t be a problem if it had full of health but right now every health point was important as gold.
***
-Visavil Bush Lv3-
Experience: 56/60
Health: 3/13
Mana: 12/44
Stamina: 1/11
***
-Young Wild Wolf Lv10-
Experience: 31/100
Health: 2/40
Mana: 4/4
Stamina: 12/18
***
“*Sigh* Abort plan I have failed…” I understood that I didn’t damage the rabbit enough to overcome it with our strength alone and now that the wolf was hurt as never before I just didn’t know if I would be able to outrun the rabbit for long enough time.
I used the *Adrenaline Rush* skill once more and started to run to our hideout. “Sorry friend looks like I won’t be able to save you in the end.” I said sadly to the wolf as I ran without stopping, even breathing through its body became almost unbearable. I wanted to take a moment of rest to take a breather but the disgusting screech came from behind.
*Scrrrrreeeeeee!!!*
“It's following us…” Many thoughts crossed my mind at this moment, I didn’t expect it to be this fast and persistent now there was a huge chance of getting caught by it, but at the same time I had a chance of catching it too, it all depended on how angry it was.
So as I continued to run to our hideout I looked back at the huge fat rabbit and started to curse it using the *Soul Link* skill. “You fat ugly piece of shit I can’t believe you were able to exit that huge burrow! Your mom is so ugly that she could go out at night as all the monsters of the night run away from her!”
*Scre!?* *ScccRREEE!!!*
At first, the huge rabbit was confused but then it understood the meaning of what I said and immediately started to scream louder and run faster.
*Skill learned “Taunt”*
“Perfect skill for a perfect bush!” I shouted happily as I continued to throw profanities at the huge rabbit that was closing in on us, but I wasn’t worried as we almost got to the hideout entrance.
As I was running around the area where I placed the traps for the smaller monsters I saw that one of them was actually broken and quite *whimpers* of a small animal were coming from it.
“You motherfucker! I am risking my life for nothing here?!!!” I looked back once more and released more profanities at the huge rabbit to extinguish the rage that I was feeling inside my pure heart and just like that before I didn’t even notice before I appeared in front of the tunnel to the hideout.
I looked at the rabbit and said, “Catch me if you can, you ugly freak of nature!” And immediately jumped into it.
*Scrrrrreeeeeee!!!* Another disgusting screech came from behind me as the *Taunt* skill was successful and the huge rabbit ran head straight into the tunnel with insane red eyes.
After moving through a few tunnels turns it was getting more and more cramped, even I just had barely enough space to turn around. I stopped there and turned around to face the rabbit, shouting in his direction with *Soul Link*.
“Hey, ugly face I am here!” I shouted while releasing a howl through the wolf's body so the rabbit would know which direction the sound comes from as I didn’t know if *Soul Link* even had a directional feeling.
While waiting for the rabbit to find us I send all the spare roots from my body to the walls in front of me and used *Forced Absorption* skill to replenish my stamina and then used the *Grow* skill to increase their count.
The rabbit heard me cursing and ran straight to the direction of the howl, as it came closer and closer I could hear it starting to dig into the walls just to squeeze through the tunnel. I just stood there and looked at the upcoming fat Rabbit in front of me that was getting slower and slower, barely squeezing between the walls.
Just as he was a meter away from me its speed almost completely stopped as it couldn’t squeeze further at all.
“Got you!” I said with a smile, as I used the *Dig* skill through the roots that were above the tunnel exactly where the rabbit was, and just like that the tunnel collapsed at the rabbit sending dust and dirt everywhere.
The last thing I saw in the rabbit's eyes was fear and confusion as it tried to release its last screech.
After the dust settled and I coughed a few times through the wolf's mouth I looked at the only part visible from the rabbit in front of me and it was its head.
*Scre…* It tried to release a screech but all that came was barely the sound of a mouse rather than a rabbit, I smiled at it and said to it, “Told you that you were dumb.” As I started to cut off the grown roots and returned my original roots to my body, as I did so I went around the tunnel and came back on the other side of the rabbit.
I couldn’t even see its hind legs because of the stones and rocks that fell on him, so I started to dig through the rubble using the wolf's paws, and I found out that using the *Dig* skill through him was even easier than using my roots.
I dug up the rabbit's legs and sat in front of them while I rooted myself to the walls and ground to slowly recover my mana as I used a big chunk of it in the run, and I didn’t want to waste the rabbit's health from the bleeding that it would experience soon enough.
I waited for over a day, waking up and inspecting the rabbit's status once in a while just to be sure that it wouldn’t suddenly die from the weight of the stones on him, but luckily for me that didn’t happen.
As I waited I noticed that the wolf was getting closer and closer to death's door, its health was already at one.
***
-Young Wild Wolf Lv10-
Experience: 31/100
Health: 1/40
Mana: 4/4
Stamina: 5/18
***
“I guess it's time.” I said as I barely moved to the rabbit hide legs that I dug up, as I found out that the wolf's body couldn’t even move and all the movement I was doing was through the *Wood Element Puppet* skill.
“Don’t worry buddy the medicine is here.” I said as I gave the huge rabbit hide leg a bite while using my roots to move the wolf’s mouth.