BOOOOOOM!!!!!

That last blast must have been the Wolf King's final move!

I can’t see anything!!

Ever the cautious one, Greenie flips the both of us under the vine blanket and then immediately after smothers me with his body.

All I could see was white, and then the smell rushed in.

Blech. Euch.

In addition to not being able to see, it was hard to breathe!

Scent Detection at times was more a curse than a blessing.

Now that, was a goblin’s scent. Coming in next quicker than a one-two punch was the foul Antora stench we’d preemptively caked ourselves in.

Crackle crackle. Swoosh.

While these thoughts ran lightning fast through my brain, it finally registers.

Though I couldn’t see or smell well at this point, I could still hear. And all I heard now was the low crackling noises and occasional pop of wood burning.

Was Crixus alright!?? Who won??

Crixus!

Tap tap.

Greenie!

Not wanting to accidentally stab Greenie with my sharpened Nachtkrapp beak, I jump straight up and down, banging the top of my head against Greenie’s stomach.

Come on, open up!

Tap. Tap tap tap.

The goblin smothering me with his body doesn’t budge. Instead, his rough hand crawls in the space between the ground and his chest to gently press me down.

Wait, Master.

But we don’t know if Crixus survived that! He might be badly hurt!!

Shivers roll down my spine when my vision slowly begins to return.

The colors coming back to my eyes, I stare at the two glowing lamplights that seemed to have been there all along.

…and then at the upside down yellow crescent that curves over it.

It only takes a moment for me to register it as Greenie’s face, smiling reassuringly at me.

Greenie look first.

Another reassuring pat on the head.

Cool air rushes into the blanket when Greenie pokes his head out, allowing me to take a mouthful of much-needed fresh air.

Smack-smack.

My, this air was smoky.

Cough.

Throat choking on the dryness, I peer upwards when Greenie finally peels the vine blanket backwards.

Crixus!

Skittering out, I call from what I think is the edge of the Siphon Bush hedge. It was still hard to see clearly coming out from inside the blanket.

Silence.

With the setting sun painting the skies orange, everything, including the wolves’ grey furs were dyed in that same hue.

The only difference lied in the intensity of the color coming from the surrounding trees. For the forest was burning. There was a gap in the area where Crixus had stood for the last attack, The trees mowed down by the giant fire orb the Wolf King had cast.

Light burns against my eyes till I can almost feel my pupils dilating into pinpricks.

I can finally take in the mass of shadows lurching forward towards me.

Crixus?

A rough groan and a cough, then the shadow stands up into a rough humanoid shape.

Crixus? That must be him! He must have charged through the orb, the curls catching tendrils of curly hair alight. The mane that flowed down to his back was badly singed, while the human parts of his body was covered in large pink spots that oozed red. Terrible burns that made me wince just looking at them.

Blood trickled down his dark chest, intermingling with heavy drops of sweat. Breathing heavily, Crixus shakes his head back and roars.

GROOOOOARRRR!!!

The long tail behind him didn’t move, barely hanging on from the deep serrations that almost separated it into two.

But he was alive!!

Pounding his hoof into the ground, he nods his head in the direction of a heap, and then turns to me and grins a sharp white smile. The soot on his bullish face makes the white teeth stand out even more, the fire dancing behind him making his hair wave back and forth.

Boy, was I glad he was alive!

Relief pools in my belly, and I grin back.

You did it, Crixus!!!

The mass he’d bowed towards stirs, and I can hear something in the Wolf King’s body pop as he forced himself up. With both his forelegs snapped backwards and a massive hole in the meat of where his foreleg met his chest, it was clear.

The Minotaur had put himself on the line for a final attack, and it connected. He’d been gored by the unbroken horn.

One look at Crixus’ gleaming horn, painted with the Wolf King’s red.

Another soft groan, and then Wolf King growls, his one eye unfocused.

Crixus, lowering back into a ready position once again. Leg muscles coiling tightly like a spring, powerful muscles rippling.

Would the fight continue?

With baited breath, I watch.

Blinking once, twice.

But the Wolf King doesn’t move.

That. Was a good fight.

With one last heavy breath, the Wolf King collapses, the ever-burning fire that brightly lit the area around him dimming into what looked like dull embers glowing on his back.

The fight was finally over.

Alpha!!!

From the circle of wolves spectating, the female wolf limps out coughing dribbles of blood while circling around the Wolf King, whimpering with her tail pointed straight behind her.

YES! We won!!!!!

Since I couldn’t rush towards Crixus without the protection of the blanket covering me, I yodel out a cry of victory and flap the good wing.

Naturally, I go hopping towards Greenie for the blanket. Too bad he misunderstands and starts spinning me around and around, roaring out his approval for the fight.

Tucking me between his arms, Greenie finally stops.

Master victory!!

Cupping me in his hands, he holds me high up in the air towards Crixus.

What was I, the trophy belt?

Ignoring the awkwardness I felt, I mimic a trumpet call to herald Crixus’ well-earned victory. Crixus noticed Greenie waving me at him and gives him the slightest of nods.

Aaand then Greenie starts with his dance again. Spinning around and around and around.

All I could see now were hues of green and orange, the heat of the burning trees blowing hot air in our direction.

BLERGH.

Something tangy makes my throat seize as I dry heaved.

Finally noticing what he’d been doing, Greenie breaks out of his exultation and lowers his raised fist that had been punching the air, clamping his lips tightly over large yellow canines that try and succeed in peeking out.

Master, sick?

No, I’m afraid it was just a bit too much spinning.

Mmmrgh.

Greenie feel sick. Same, Master.

Settling his hands on his concave stomach, Greenie crouches down, patting his somewhat muscled belly.

Was it a trick of the setting sun, or did Greenie look just a smidge greener?

Maybe our bond was a little too strong. Greenie felt what I felt if he focused on our bond, it seemed.

You.

The weakened voice of the Wolf King makes Greenie set me down again.

Ground slowly spinning to a halt before me, I can finally see that the downed wolf was addressing Crixus.

Oh, he was still alive? Was he still wanting to fight?

My shoulders tense up, trying to figure out if the Wolf King was only faking his injuries.

Nodding his long snout at me, his one eyes glares over to rove between Crixus and I.

Kill me then. The Challenge cannot be honored if my life is not taken.

Mate!

The female wolf screams out her protest against his words, only to be ignored. His sharp gaze was focused between Crixus and I.

His ears tucked flat back to his angular head, the Wolf King drags himself onto his back, baring his throat.

I lost the challenge. Kill me, as is your Right.

Weak howls of sadness are pierced by one of distraught anger, calling all attention upon the regal mate of the Wolf King.

No! Alpha!

Growling, she barks to the other wolves.

Pack! Follow me!

In contrast with the aura of weakness depicted by the blood staining her coat, the female limps forward, growling menacingly at Crixus.

The other wolves whimper and yelp in disagreement, inching closer towards Crixus. Some circle around behind him and lower themselves on the forelimbs, ready to launch themselves towards him at any moment.

Wha-!

All that talk she’d done of a challenge, and she was going to cheat!!

Now that called for-

Before I can move on to the next part of our attack plan, the Wolf King interrupts.

Hold.

Alpha!!

Ears peeling back, the female whimpers, rubbing her snout down his bloodstained cheek.

I said hold. We lost.

Turning back to Crixus, he asks again.

Do it.

Kill me.

Glancing between the two-

These wolves were more than animals. They were very human like in the way this female grey wolf tried so hard to protect her fallen mate.

I’d thought they would kick him out of the Pack the moment he was defeated. Their bonds were much stronger than what I imagined.

KILL ME!

NO! No, Mate! You must live.

Bang!!

A short bang breaks up the family argument; Crixus casually shrugging off dirt from his hoof.

Heavy breaths heaving out through his large nostrils to catch his breath while shaking his head at the two wolves:

The decision is not mine to make. It is the Lady’s.

All eyes turn back to me at once.

What say you, Lady?

Wordlessly, I turn and start grooming the white feathers on my neck. I was trying desperately to hide my utter confusion.

What should I say?? What did Crixus want me to say?

I wish he didn’t give me the difficult decision. He was the one that won! Clacking my beak a few times, I ignore the one gaze that grows fiercer, the female wolf pawing at the ground for my pronouncement.

No matter how much she tried to pressure me, I would ignore her!

I had the life of a sentient being in my hands! On one hand, he and his pack did attack us, starving us out all so he could ‘challenge’ me. On the other, that challenge was kind of my fault because I’d so stupidly tried out 『Taunt』on him.

What to do. What should I do!

If I said kill, I knew Crixus would do it. But then it would stick with me forever. I would be no better than a dictator using people to kill for him.

I didn’t want that.

But if I did kill the Wolf King, then the wolves theoretically wouldn’t bother us?

Biting my wing, I casually turn my back to the group, tapping a talon on the ground.

No, there was no way that killing the head of a pack would prevent the wolves from attacking us again. At the very least..

Peeking back to the group, my gaze crash into the female wolf who spits blood in my direction. What the heck. Why all the animosity to me..Yeah, she would definitely try and have her revenge on me.

Aha!

The lightbulb finally goes off in my head.

My head pauses from the frantic stroking of my feathers. I was lucky one hadn’t fallen out in the process.

Bam!

Thrusting out a wing at the Wolf King, I proclaim the decision.

Instead of killing, I’ll take your life instead!

.....

All the wolves, plus the Minotaur and a goblin look at me confused.

If you can’t beat em’ join em!

Eh-hem!

Puffing out my chest with pride, I rest my good wing on my hip and nod.

Pardon me, my Lady, what is the difference between killing and the taking of a life?

Uh… The Wolf King’s life, will be mine, in a way?

I tried keeping it grey but it was too difficult. Since the wolves were listening to our conversation, it wasn't like I could outright say I was twisting their definition of a challenge.

Is that- slavery?

Crixus shakes his head, face twisting in distaste at the word.

I rear backwards.

Oh no- no no!

Definitely not!

Never!

Crixus looks relieved hearing my firm rejection of the idea.

Nothing good ever came of slavery. And it made me feel gross, just remembering the states Caissa,, Crixus, and Andvari came to me in. No way was I going to support something so terrible.

Turning back to the Wolf King:

You will remain as Pack Alpha. All you need to do is provide our Unkindness with meat every moon. In essence, you’ll be buying time.

By making you my Kin, I can tie you to me! Your life will then be mine!

Easy peasy!

Snap!

I look down at my wing-fingers in surprise. Wow, I could snap them now too!

How does that sound??

Cocking my head towards them, I give them my best puppy dog look, batting my eyes towards them.

For something that I’d come up with on the spot, I thought it was a pretty swell idea..though I wasn’t sure if the Wolf King would accept it.

I hoped he would..

I thought about rubbing my wings together, smarmy sales-man style, then realized looking down at my clay encased wing that was impossible, I switch to the next best thing.

Be classy. But also sassy, I tell myself, sending waves of warmth and welcome towards the wolves. Don’t know if that would help but I tried it anyways.

Looking up from lowered lashes, teasingly like the southern belles would do on tv, I test the reactions of the wolves before me.

Hmm. That would hold in the Challenge. The Challenger would be taking my life.

The Wolf King nods towards me, beckoning me forward with his giant paw. Accepted.

They bought it!

Keeping a lid on my jubilant emotions, I nod back once in response, cool Crixus style.

Only to be mentally interrupted by a disgruntled dwarf:

Lady, no signal yet? When am I to pull the release??

Lady?

Uhm… I don’t think we’ll need it, Andvari.

A long pause.

Oh.

......

He felt a bit upset.

Alright, Lady.

[You have won the Alpha’s Challenge. The Wandering Wolf Pack pay obeisance to you as Pack Alpha. Do you accept?]