DISCOVERY PART 1C

Day 18; 1507 (Afternoon)

Focus: 513

513’s words of sarcasm reignited the flames of amusement for the wolf. In its eyes, his stubborn defiance was worthy of being dismantled and destroyed.

With a reason to continue its fun, it resumed wagging its tail in the air, while keeping its gaze fixed on 513’s position.

Wolf: "Creature, why is it you live?"

The wolf questioned 513 with a mischievous grin.

513: "Why not?"

He stiffly responded, irritated by the question.

Wolf: "Oh?"

Even though the wolf had succeeded in provoking 513 with its inquiry, his particular response was unexpected -- as-if to say living was a natural fact, a universal truth.

It was a strange concept for a being who saw life as a reward, and not a right.

The more the wolf looked deeper into 513's words, the more it came to conclusions. [How long has it been, since a lowly creature dared converse with me on equal footing?] The wolf mused inwardly.

It overvalued 513's words, perhaps to his benefit.

Unfortunately, the same could not be said for 513. His interest in the wolf was not out of curiosity, but fear. He barely held his nerves together in the presence of the beast.

His only saving grace was his poker face and ability to speak confidently in duress. He kept his responses short, as speaking more than just a few words would unravel his deception -- that he was a terrified wreck.

Moments pass in silence as the two -- the wolf and 513 -- stare at each other in deadlock

[How do I get out of this?] He worried.

Talking himself out of the situation was a no-go. His skills in bullshitting were nowhere near the levels required to charm his way out of danger.

A head-on battle was also off-the-table, but he'd fight if there were no other options.

So what was left for him to do?

Wolf: “Too much thinking.”

The wolf interrupted.

513: “Is that so?”

He calmly retorted while masking his ever-growing anxiety.

It was a reply that surprised even him. [Fuck!] He panicked. [Shut up stupid mouth!] He cried out in his thoughts. He couldn't believe his own uncontrolled sarcasm.

The wolf, who only saw 513 for his calm and composed exterior, took his response to mean more than what it was.

And so, the misconceptions continued.

*THUMP* *THUMP* *THUMP*

Wolf: "KUAHAHA! How entertaining!"

The wolf audibly laughed in delight as its tail vigorously thumped the ground in excitement.

Wolf: “A philosopher!”

The wolf exclaimed.

It had misinterpreted 513’s words to suggest that, rather than thinking too much, it had thought too little; that the man in-front of it had thought so far ahead, that fear was no longer an obstacle. [Perhaps my ruse has been uncovered.] The wolf thought, assuming 513 had figured-out the purpose of its visit.

Sadly, the wolf’s high-praise for 513 would soon disintegrate.

513: "What. Do. You. Want?"

Speaking through clenched teeth, 513’s anger at himself leaked out into reality -- a true blunder.

The sound of hostility in his voice did not escape the wolf's ears. Its joyous display and genuine interest in him quickly turned into contempt upon hearing his response.

513 had effectively soured relations.

As such, the wolf responded in-kind with intimidation.

Wolf: "Would you like swift death, or a slow one?"

The wolf growled as it got-up on all fours. It did not appreciate being at the receiving end of another’s malice, especially from a being much lower than itself.

Seeing the change in atmosphere, 513 started to panic. [Ah, fuck…] He relented.

Wolf: "Your decision?"

Seeking to end things, the wolf pressed for an answer as it bared its teeth at 513.

In turn, 513 flinched in reaction to the wolf’s threat -- a costly mistake.

The wolf immediately noticed the change in his posture -- the subtlety of fear in the form of body language. It was at that moment the wolf understood its mistake. [I was naive to fall for such antics.] The wolf admitted. [What folly, to think I had been deceived.]

513: "Neither. I’d prefer neither option."

513 responded in haste.

Though his voice wavered at the start, his answer was full of conviction. [Initiating an attack is a death wish...what should I do?] 513 questioned.

Wolf: "KUAHAHAHA!"

The wolf let-out another audible belly-laugh, this time causing the ground to shake in the wake of its power.

The laugh itself was void of any joy. Instead, it represented the resentment the wolf had for being tricked -- even though no trickery was involved.

Wolf: “FOOLISH!”

The wolf snarled-out in 513’s mind -- the intensity of its intimidation causing small cracks to appear beneath its feet.

As it menacingly paced around 513, its grin changed into a scowl. Its snow white body became charcoal in color, and the tips of its fur turned blood-red. Its claws, hidden from sight by the fur on its paws, revealed themselves like blades being unsheathed from their scabbards. They gleamed in the daylight like jewels -- jewels used as sharp implements for evisceration.

The wolf had readied itself for combat.

Sensing impending doom, every part of 513’s being screamed-out for him to flee.

Without warning, the wolf dashed towards 513 at blinding speeds. The cloud of dust and debris left by its kick-off, warped the stationary afterimage it left behind.

513, who had locked his gaze onto the wolf, saw its body begin to warp and twist in the midst of a large dust cloud, and instinctively leapt backwards.

*FUWOOOSH*

The wolf swiped at 513, aiming to cut him down in a single strike, but it missed. 513 had managed to react in-time, avoiding certain death.

Wolf: "Cute."

The wolf muttered, as the wind pressure from its swipe blew 513 backwards.

[Shit. I can’t-] 513’s complaint was cut short as his body was slammed by something heavy -- a crushing blow from the wolf.

*CRUNCH*

He was still caught-up by the wolf’s wind pressure when it closed the distance and landed a direct back-handed paw strike, crushing his shield and launching him into the air.

There was no time to react.

While he was momentarily airborne, the only thing he could think of was his life ending by impalement on a fallen tree branch or his body splattering across the face of a massive boulder.

Objects whizzed passed his periphery in a blur as he flew through the air until inevitably touching ground. His short-lived flight ended chaotically as he tumbled and bounced off the hard dirt floor like a skipping stone.

The spear that he had gripped tightly with his left hand was gone. It was pried from his grasp after burying itself into a passing stump, disarming him indefinitely. [Fuck…] He cried-out in his mind, having lost his only weapon.

Rolling to a stop, he sluggishly pushed himself onto his knees, then up to his feet; if he didn’t act quickly, he risked being completely defenseless.

His body swayed in the still air like a rickety, old building. A light breeze could easily push his body over, but he stayed firm. He was determined to fight. [Not over...it’s not over yet…] He murmured to himself while spitting blood from his mouth.

The wolf, upon seeing 513 get-up after taking the full-force of its relatively weak attack, closed the seventy-meter distance that separated the two of them, in a blink of an eye.

The sight of him staggering, barely holding-on to life, reminded the wolf of its own struggles of survival during its younger, tumultuous years.

*WHEEZE* *WHEEZE*

As 513 struggled to catch his breath, the wolf spoke.

Wolf: "...OOPS!"

A playful apology.

513: "...wha-"

*THUD*

The wolf immediately pinned 513 to the ground with its large paw and stood over him like a child playfully tormenting an ant. The wolf’s act knocked away what little breath remained in his lungs.

*WHEEZE* *WHEEZE*

513’s vision began to fade, but he willed himself to stay conscious. He felt woozy, like he had one too many drinks, and his head throbbed like he’d been hit by a forging hammer -- symptoms of a concussion.

Wolf: "Ah...ehehe…"

The wolf nervously laughed as it decreased the pressure on 513’s body.

Despite his condition, 513 wriggled underneath the wolf’s paw to get free, but the wolf put a stop to it immediately.

Wolf: "Cease!"

It growled while leaning into its paw, reapplying pressure to keep 513 pinned.

513: "…Gah."

513 wheezed out.

Wolf: "...Tch."

Annoyed, the wolf lessened the pressure on 513’s body once again, but this time just enough so he could breath.

Wolf: "Weak."

*WHEEZE* *WHEEZE* *WHEEZE*

513: "...fuck...you..."

513 responded, causing the wolf’s ear to twitch in irritation.

*THUD*

With the same paw used to pin 513 to the ground, the wolf stomped on his body like a tenderizing mallet.

513: “GAH!”

513 gasped in pain before losing consciousness.

When he woke-up, his face felt sticky from dried tears and sweat. Opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was the wolf’s intimidating face uncomfortably close to his own. [Was this fucker about to eat me?] He mused.

Wolf: "KUAHAHA!"

After seeing 513 wake-up, the wolf laughed, blowing hot air into his face.

513: "...stupid...laugh…"

513 chided.

The wolf made a complicated face from the insult.

Wolf: "Wha-what did you say?!"

513: "...really...dumb…"

He wanted to say something more complicated, but it took too much effort.

Hearing another insult, the wolf tilted its snout off to the side and brought its left eye closer to 513’s face. It looked into his dark brown eyes like it was searching for his soul, but it saw no ounce of fear. [Has he broken?] The wolf mused.

513 inhaled deeply and began to laugh. He was trapped, had no way to defend himself, and his life was at the whim of his attacker. Nothing mattered anymore.

513: "Uuhuhuhu...uhahahehehe…"

Wolf: "..."

513: "Ooohohohuhuhuhahaha."

The wolf stared at 513 in disbelief. [Has this creature gone mad?] The wolf mused as it quietly observed 513 laugh uncontrollably for quite some time.

When his laughing fit ended. He stared right into the wolf's giant silver-blue eyes and repeated the question he had asked it twice before.

513: "What do you want?"

Wolf: "Tch."

Like a human stubbornly refusing to answer, the wolf moved its head away from 513, avoided eye contact, and it clicked its tongue.

[Strange.] 513 thought.

513: "So?"

Wolf: "Hmph!"

This time, the wolf turned its head off to the side, avoiding 513's inquiry. It then lifted its paw off of him and sat down a few meters away. While seated, its fur slowly transitioned from charcoal back to snow white.

513: "Well?"

Lifting his head from the uniquely shaped crater that outlined his body, 513 continued his questioning.

Wolf: "HMPH!"

Again, the wolf turned its head away, avoiding eye contact.

513: “...”

Moments pass in silence as neither the wolf nor 513 utter a single word.

Strangely, while 513 worked to free himself from the crater, he noticed the wolf sneaking glances at him whenever it thought he wasn't looking.

513: “...”

[The hell is going on?] 513 wracked his mind, unsure what to make of the situation. [Wait, don’t tell me…no, it can’t be...]

---Chapter End