His mind was in disorder, it was alive with many thoughts jumbled and infested. He ran his legs capable of propelling him forward in great bounds. The forest passed him in a blur as his focus was withdrawn elsewhere.

「 Please be safe! 」

He repeated this thought over and over in his head, unable to bury his unease.

✦

As he arrived he almost couldn't comprehend what scene his eyes had laid upon. He took heavy uneven breaths trying to control his hysteria. No, what he had witnessed was almost too gruesome, the forest floor was laden with dark red blood leaking from the corpse of his father. His father's corpse was riddled with injuries and his head was torn from his body, the head laid at his paws the eyes dull and lifeless.

「 No...This is a nightmare. 」

He assured himself. It could only be a nightmare before he had left everything was as should be and now his father corpse decorated the ground. As he was filled with grief his eyes turned to a strange sound coming from inside his home. He could tell from the pleading that it was his mother's voice. He looked away from his father with heartache and guilt, guilt for being unable to save him.

《 Hold on mom! 》

He declared to himself before rushing into the cave. Once again he was meet with shock his mother was pinned to the ground by a larger blue wolf. He blinked trying to rid himself of the sight of him having his way with her. He stood blankly his legs and his whole body frozen. The wolf stopped and turned his head to him, its eyes had the same disposition as the elder wolf he had killed before. Yet, this wolf radiated a red hue it was a cultivator of the spirit emergent realm. However, its red hue was murky its level was just consolidated meaning it had only recently broken, though. If he caught the wolf unawares he might be able to save his mother.

「 L-Let her go! 」

He teeth chattered, he was afraid yet he knew he had to face the wolf head on. He tried to build his courage by soothing his fear. The wolf gazed at him at ease he stepped forward and as he did the chains on his neck rattled. Ah Zhong now knew his brave front was a joke with just this wolf’s aura alone he could feel his body sink in pressure.

「 That’s enough number one. Let me have a look at it first. 」

From the shadows a bulky man appeared on his face he had a scar that ran from his temple to the edge of his chin, he couldn’t tell if it continued because the man grew an unruly beard. He wore an aged leather tunic and matching leather pants and boots. This was the first time Ah Zhong had seen a creature like this, however, he knew the rumors he thought of them as stories to scare new pups. But he was wrong this human was the very creature that all these stories were centered around. As the man grew closer he, however, sought to step away.

「 Tsk, just a mortal wolf I got my hopes up for nothin'. Not even a female. 」

The human stood by the wolf and gave it a quick glance.

「 Number one you know what to do. 」

The wolf began creeping towards him. Ah Zhong was shaking he couldn't even lash out with his powers. Every time he gathered the qi towards him it dispelled. The man crouched and patted his mother’s fur she couldn't move she could only let out a soft whimper. The man took out of his pocket a small metal ring he bites his finger and place it on the metal then threw the ring towards his mother. The metal warped and wound around his mother's neck growing until it was the same size as the wolf in front of him.

「 Number one finish it we're leaving. 」

「 As you wish, master. 」

The wolf gathered its essence to its paw before swiping at him. Ah Zhong flinched and closed his eyes after a few seconds when the pain didn’t follow he opened them. An Ling was barely standing on her paws in front of him she had blocked the wolf's attack and now had an ugly gash on her abdomen.

「 An Ling!! 」

He called out to the hare.

「S-Stupid…..wolf...」

She said weakly before collapsing. He glanced towards his mother and the wolf before him. He had a choice look for help for An Ling or give his and her life away in an attempt to save his mother. He was a coward not and idiot he took the hare gently into his maw and ran.

「 Number one forget it! we got what we came for. 」

The wolf was going to follow but halted at its master's orders.

✦

He charged through the forest look for any inhabitants there was no a sound and all he could hear was his own breathing. It was dark as night had beginning to settle. He could see no stars he felt as if the world were as high and depthless as the night sky and deeper than he could know. He understood, that he was small just like an ant and the world around him was filled with the powerful. If he wanted to protect anyone he had to become powerful he vowed he would. No longer would he cower even if he could not resist he wouldn't go down without a fight. This was his martial way.

He shoved those thoughts away as he began looking anew.

「Somebody! Anybody help!」

As these words left his muzzle this time he was greeted with a return. From a tree above him stood a three-legged crow it glanced down at his with its multiple eyes before opening its beak to call out.

「Young one, come here.」