When I calmed myself down from the fight, I started to examine the wolf corpse.

That thing was freaking scary. It looked like it took too much steroids. There were many tumors on its body etc. I paid most attention to its head. There were, I suppose, at least five or six direct bullet holes.

[Bloody hell] I told myself, remembering one certain FPS hero.

[Shapeshifting]

With using my mana, the skin and the bone started to slowly reshape, discovering the brain. Or what remained of it.

There were several injuries, partially jellying the brain matter. I continued, disconnecting the upper part of brain.

What I saw next, gave me goosebumps.

The Rhombocephalon (lower part of brain), was totally changed. There was weird white matter, probably collection of nerves, which were connected to other parts of creatures' brain. There was clear cut, made by my sword, dismembering the white something from rest of brain. This finally killed it, so, it means this part was responsible for controlling the creature.

I almost squaked, when I removed the nerves.

There was completely black gem, looking like a volcanic glass, but with zero albedo.

It was totally black, and it made me feel uncomfortable.

[Scan]

"Dark beast core. Core of dark magic infestation. No more info available."

[Heck. Wtf is this? Its some plague or something? Could it be dangerous?]

Dark magic is pretty disgusting.

Yet, I still kept the core stored in Inv, maybe it could be useful.

The owl mother was unexpectedly still breathing when I approached her. She was but lethally injured and living from the last remnants of power.

"Thank you for help, I would be goner without you, even though you just protected your child. You know, I'll take care of it, protect it and raise it into big owl. Once again, thanks.

....."

I then raised my sword and finished her agony with one preciously aimed stab.

The xps I got from it were very bitter.

Because of it, I decided to bury her and planted two seed from Spirit tree as her grave.

[Hope they'll grow up into mighty trees

Am I not too emotional just for animal?

Huh, maybe. Whatever]

I then started my search for young owl.

It didn't take me long because it probably started to be hungry, as it chirped around nervously. I gave him/her (oh, damn, how could I find out if its boy or girl) three pieces of dried meat, which were ravenously devoured.

[What now, how am I supposed to convince it to go with me?]

Tried to call it, going without it and many other ways, but it just sat there, unwilling to go anywhere.

[Haa, you are not making it easier, ya know?

Lad, cooperate. Or is it lass?

Hmm, what if I scan her? Could it help?

Nah, the attemtp cost nothing]

[Scan]

"Great dark owl- Female. These big owls belong to bigger birds on this world. Being as big as taller goblins, even some monsters fear them. They aren't too common, only in more dangerous parts of the world. With their superior strength, armor like feathers and great talons, they are able to kill animals bigger than they themselves. Dangerous even for armed humans.

With various subspecies, Great dark owls live on every known continent, except Devil continent."

[Hey hey hey, what the actually fuck?

Wasn't Scan supposed to use mana as sonar or something? Why is there info like from some encyclopedia? Wait, if I remember correctly, there was some book about animals, in one of these Mystery boxes.

Oh, I understand. Scan could provide known information of subject, but could still be used as magical sonar/ chem analysis.

That's convenient. Yaaay]

When I looked on the window again, I spotted a small arrow on it. This lead on the other page. There was detailed physicochemical analysis of my little buddy.

[Wow, this is insane]

Yes, there were many things, that missed, but the main stuff was there. I think there will be more when I level this skill up or when I get better image of this world.

[Well, whatever. This much to my question of gender]

But this didn't solve the main problem. How do I convince my dear owl to follow me.

She probably still awaits her mother.

However, her mother won't come. Never.

For some hour or so, I tried, I failed and I tried again.

Yet, nothing worked. My new pet didn't even seem to consider me as living being.

"Sad, rejection from girl usually doesn't hurt so much, huh"

[Hey lass, you know what? Let's try the old method of courtship]

Because of the owl didn't want to go with me on her own, I had to take her with me on my own. And because of it, I started to build small backpack for her.

Nothing too complex. Just several sticks as skelet and leather sewn to it. The Leather craft blueprint made it piece of cake.

[When I think about it, I must be pretty lucky to be still alive. I dunno. When I had been on Earth, I was just normal teenager. Yet, when I got my first task, the one to kill goblins, I didn't even hesitate. What's wrong with me.

Before, the biggest thing I have ever killed was maybe slug on the garden. These bastards had it coming, they ate so many leaves. Oh, maybe this is it... whatever.

Now, I can be considered as freaking killing machine. That's creepy]

The pack was done. I just added some dry moss and grass into the leather pouch and put the young lady inside. Unexpectedly, my new companion didn't even resist.

I took the bag, put my hands and shoulders into the straps and resumed my journey.

A week later

I was walking. As usually. The forest changed from what it was before. Then, it had been very dense forest, somewhere between subtropical and moderate climatic line.

Now it is much sparser. This kind of forest is so much typical for Central Europe. Somewhere are lines of thick old forest and somewhere small meadows with groups of dense bushes. Even though this place is colder and higher placed, it is more comfortable to go through. I could always find the path without need of bulldozing the vegetation. Animals are also different.

I've met deer and does, something, what looked like a hairy cow.

In comparsion, the animals here were overall smaller. So no giant hedgehogs again. Or lizards or something like this.

Deer on Earth is about 2 meters tall. Deer here, even when they are really different looking is "only" about 2.5 meters tall.

They are just bigger, not freaking overgrown.

I also have had several unpleasing encounters with predators. For example lynx.

On Earth, lynxes are averagely about 65 cm high. Lynxes here are 90 cm high.

That's quite a lot. But I had to look scary or something, because when we met, lynx was pretty cautious about me, not to say he really didn't want to attack. We stared at each other for a while and then I moved. Lynx was very unnerved. I decided to continue my walk, still carefully watching lynx's actions.

It was probably scared and move away from my path.

But man, it was pretty unnerving for me too.

This thing was dangerous. One leap and I would be screwed.

I had still been thinking about name for the little lady here. But haven't been able to think something up.

Anyway, my new pet had been doing fairly well. She had been eating quite well.

There were even first attempts of flight.

Ok, its just I threw her into air and she somehow managed to land, but recently, her flight started to look more like flight than barely controlled fall. Also, her old down feathers started to transform into normal adult one. She probably took on some weight too.

Recently, the amount of predators lowered and the land started to be more hilly. It was barely noticeable, but the middle European plains started to be hills. There was a plain and then some hill. And so on. This didn't help to my progress. But, the good song aways helpls. On the list of the day was old good rock and r'n'r. There was song "All along the watchtower" or so, but it was too sad, so I was glad to play "Rock around the clock" and "I love rock'n'roll". Happy song always makes my day better. Staying mentally health is pretty important, when you are alone im some God-forgotten wilderness. And when good song plays, it makes your hill climbing instantly easier. And about theven more confusing was the fact, that some areas were really dense, while others were a bit rocky.

[Whatever, at least there aren't so many predators]

That day, I get to know why there weren't any.

And it changed my world completely.

As I went, I spotted drips of blood.

I decided to follow it and it led to place, where grass was pushed. There probably the injured animal stopped and died, according to pool of blood everywhere. And there were very weird footprints, I haven't seen for a long time.

Humans' footprints.