《The Saga Of Fenrir》 Chapter 1 The fierce boy in the mountain range In the mountains in the territory of the Wolf Stride tribe there was an expedition lead by the warchief of the Wolf Stride tribe to seek out magical crystals for the new generation of warriors of the tribe, as they search through every nook and cranny of the newly discovered mountain cave they seem to find out that this is much larger than some in-grove, it''s vast and stretches far beneath the earth, there are signs of various claw marks dried blood, animal carcasses and many other signs of either a lair or just a battleground. The warchief continues his search in hope for a hefty batch of magical crystals to be able to cultivate the finest warriors and fit their every need for the coming of age ceremony, he even brought his daughter Axe''rin and son Diarge along on their first expedition to learn about the way of tracking animals and the exploration of the wild in general, his son Diarge has been born with a strong affinity with sensing life forms wich is the true mark of a hunter, so the warchief is also testing out his inborn ability to witness exactly how beneficial to his growth as a warrior it is. ¡°Diarge my son there are strong signs of combat in this area even signs of newly shed blood, are you sensing any creature nearby?¡± ¡°Yes father I seem to be sensing one species of animals to the north-west of us, through the internal energy they have they seem to be four legged creatures I would even venture to say they are of feline decent.¡± ¡°Good boy Diarge your sensory abilities are extraordinary for a soon to be 10 year old child, I might even say it''s stronger than some of our seasoned warriors, he snarled and gave a smirking look over to the group of warriors who either had a disappointing look of failure in their eyes, some were even viciously green with envy as they looked with strong distaste towards Diarge but most of the warriors laughed in joyous mood for the heir to the Wolf Stride clan¡± ¡°Wait a minute father, it seems like there isn''t just one species in the north west area, there seems to be one humanoid creature in the middle but I can''t quite be sure what it is, it seems to have a very I don''t quite know how to describe it but almost fierce inner energy, much more so than the feline creatures surrounding him.¡± ¡°Is that so... I am quite intrigued about this scenario we will follow up on this information and investigate the scene, but proceed with caution we are in unknown territory and we know not what dangers lie ahead, remember to always be humble and respectful when entering others territory my young children.¡± ¡°But father don''t we have a claim to this territory? why would we have to be respectful if we own this land?¡± said Axe''rin with a inquisitive nature ¡°Oh my dear daughter Axe''rin the only land we truly own is within the tribe villiage walls, everything outside of our wall is still the land of the animals, we need to pay respect to the creatures of the land, just the same as we do when we enter the walls of the other tribes of Agira, do not forget this my children keep these sayings close to your hearts.¡± Both Axe''rin and Diarge contemplated the meaning of these words as to truly understand why hunters should be respectful to their pray, but somehow the thought resonates well within the two childrens hearts. As the expedition team make their way down the cave the warriors are tracking with the use of the scent of the animal and the blood in combination of the wind to determine exactly which way to turn in the many tunnels and forked paths that come along within this massive cave system. As the siblings look with piercing eyes towards the scouts in the front of the party to understand the way of tracking they are amazed at the wild like behavior of the scouts, they are walking close to the ground sniffing on everything that seems to have an odor as they look from floor to ceiling to distinguish any marks left by live animals. ¡°Father we are but a few hundred feet away from the animals, they seem to be moving around alot, but they havn''t relocated which indicates that they are not resting but seem to be preoccupied with something, even the humanoid creature is still in the middle, the closer we get the more I get the feeling that he is being encased by the feline''s¡± ¡°Okay you heard the boy, time to minimize all sounds made and make our way to this strange gathering of creatures, there has to be some value to this journey.¡± As the expedition group make their way down to a corner Axe''rin gives a very frightened and nervous expression as she bites her under lip almost to the point of drawing blood with wide open eyes seeking to be as attentive as humanly possible, as Diarge lays note to this development he clenches Axe''rin''s hand and gives a bright smile that only an innocent and pure child would be able to give off as the warmth of the smile reaches Axe''rin her expression slowly changes to a more focused and calm expression. What is seen as they round the corner is an amazing sight, the cavern is naturally lit by electro crystal''s of the purple variation the blemishing light covers the cavern in a beautiful violet purple hue, there are all kinds of diffrent vegetation growing in this tranquil paradise within a mountain cave, as water flows from two openings in the cave walls into a pond that surrounds a small island like plateau that is covered in blue grass. ¡°Dad the life forms I sensed are down there around that pond look!¡± As the warchief stared with raised brows and wide open eyes upon the pond he notices a very peculiar sight surrounding the plateau there was a giant pack of stoneclaw lions that seems to piercingly stare at what seems to be a human child with long messy jet black hair that goes past his shoulders with cuts and bruises covering his entire body with Amber colored eyes that emit a gaze that is piercing with murderous intent towards the stoneclaw lions to the point that even the stoneclaw lions can''t ignore, some of the stoneclaw lions were even frozen in fear as most of the creatures are just weary about their every movement. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Father look there is a boy in the middle of the pond being threatened by the lions!¡± ¡°By the gods look at that child his gaze is more fierce than any beast I''ve ever come across during my years as Warchief it''s a wonder the kid is even standing with the wounds he has received, what is it that he is guarding with such strong intent that he would even be willing to risk his own life?¡± the warchief said with a inquisitive stare. As the Warchief looks at the center of the plateau he sees a most horrendous sight there is a Shadowflame wolf mother slashed half to death bleeding out, her eyes has the most beautiful brimming light to it as it seems to be standing over a newborn cub, there is blood leaking all over her fur as her hind legs are twitching as she is making every effort to stand and protect her newly birthed cub. ¡°What is going on here father!?¡± Axe''rin said with a distressed look to her face. ¡°Axe''rin I''ve never seen such a beautiful sight of familial love ever in my life in the wild or domestically within our tribe, the mother shadowflame wolf is giving her life to protect her cub with the last breaths she can muster from her broken down body, I can''t even believe she can stand with that amount of blood loss, also considering her weak and frail state she is in as she has just given birth, this the moment all female creatures are at their most vulnerable, remember this sight of bravery for the rest of your lives my children this will probably be the greatest show of bravery, fortitude and love you will ever witness ¡± said the warchief with a loving yet concerned smile. ¡°But father what about that child he seems to be protecting them with his life as well, he seems to be just as injured as the mother shadowflame wolf?¡± Diarge said with a very confused look in his eyes. ¡°I honestly don''t know Diarge he''s an anomaly I don''t know what he''s doing here or why he''s here at all but all I can say is that he looks more feral than he seems human he might have been raised in the wild, but we can''t sit idly by in this situation I won''t let those two brave souls or that innocent cub suffer without a chance. Warriors in the name of your warchief it''s time to begin hunt! In the name of the Wolf Stride tribe tonight we feast upon our enemies!¡± was said with a strong and daring voice to rally the troops morale. As the expedition team makes it''s way down the to the pond with weapons drawn and battle cries echoing throughout the cavern the stoneclaw lions swiftly switch their attention towards the small group of wolf stride clan warriors as battle breaks out as the warchief takes big strides as he cleaves the first of the pack of stoneclaw lions in half with his trusty almost cartoonishly oversized twin edged battle axe with a mighty strike the bloodshed commences. Strategically taking down stoneclaw lions one after another with an inverted ''V'' shaped battle formation they make their way through to the center of the pack with spears and arrows piercing while swords slashes through the feline creatures only about a third of the pack still remains as the warriors are covered in the blood of the felines and breathing heavily as the heat of battle settles in, a mighty roar is heard in the back of the gathering of stoneclaw lions. Suddenly the pack of stoneclaw lions start backing away in slow fashion as a towering figure appears, it''s a bulky stoneclaw lion approximately a third heftier than the others of the pack along with a scar running down it''s left eye, a truly frightening creature compared to the rest of the pack. Sporting a very sinister grin as he walks towards the warchief. Signaling a challenge from one leader to another the atmosphere immediately tenses up as both the pack of the felines and the group of humans are at a standstill, neither group is moving as the warchief is sizing up the stoneclaw lion and vice versa just as the silence is about to break from the engagement of the duel a mighty howl that echoes through the eardrums as every hair on the body of both feline and humans alike raise stiffly into the air for a short burst of time, striking like thunder as everyone felt an almost electric shock that rumbled throughout their spines leaving only the feeling of fear as it pierces through both animals and humans alike. The warchief and pack leader swiftly turn their gaze upon the plateau in the middle of the basin it''s none other than the frenzied human child that mustered the regal howl, as he stares at the pack leader with eyes of pure pitch black hatred the murderous intent is enough to shake everyone except for the pack leader that is either too proud or too stupid to be left immobilized who slowly turns his back to the warchief and makes his way to the edge of the pond as he starts staring back at the frenzied child with a malicious expression and a haunting grin... Chapter 2 The unleashed beast bares his fangs! The child is staring with an immense killing intent with pitch black hatred directed at the pack leader, as he is biting his under lip to the point of drawing blood, that continuously flows down the side of his cheek as it drips from his chin, Falling into the pond as it dilutes the clear blue colored water with a deep dark red color into the water. Cringing his forehead to emit the strong feeling of a furious anger solely directed towards the pack leader, with his back hunched over the edge of the plateau, in a primal stance with his knee''s bent looking as if he''s about to spring into a sprint using all his four limbs, whilst he waits for the slightest sign of an opportunity to strike for a mortal wound. Meanwhile the stoneclaw lion pack leader shows no signs of caution, standing tall with his chest is outwards, flaunting to show his pride and masculinity. His neck in a straight fashion with a disturbing expression, while he raises his right eyebrow staring at the child with a strong sense of confidence, sporting a demeaning grin that is meant to make light of his adversary. The atmosphere is so tense that not a single being in the cave is making the slightest movement. The only thing that can be heard is the sound of the wind, flowing through the tunnels as it ricochets from wall to wall echoing through the cave, as every sound is absurdly magnified to the point of it ringing through the ears of the crowd. ¡°Father what is happening, why is he ignoring you and focusing on that small child? Why are you nor any of the tribesmen not attacking him?¡± Diarge asked quietly as he couldn''t muster a higher voice due to the heavy atmosphere. ¡°It is not our place to interfere, look into the child''s eye and tell me what you see, share me your thoughts with us aswell Axe''rin.¡± The warchief said with a stern look on his face, trying to portray the importance of this question to his children. ¡°I see anger, a fierce anger. I''m also getting a strong feel of vengeance.¡± Diarge said while squinting his eyes as he tried to focus all of his attention into the gaze of the bewildered child. ¡°What I see is a lonely gaze, one of solitude it''s as if he''s crying on the inside.¡± Axe''rin said with a sad, yet not pitying look on her face, a look of pure compassion. ¡°Well my children you are both correct his eyes do portray an anger, an anger sharper than the sharpest dagger we have in our village, maybe in all of Agaria. And this dagger is a tool of vengeance, he''s seeking retribution against this stoneclaw lion. But deep within his eyes it''s just as Axe''rin has spoken, there is a deep sadness, a loneliness that seems immeasurable at this point, with a true feeling of solitude oozing out as if he''s all alone in this world.¡± As the warchief spouted these words of observation he looked to both his children and sought to see if they comprehended the words he had just spoken ¡°But father why is he feeling this strong feeling of sadness and anger? both Diarge and Axe''rin asked with a discerned look. ¡°From what I can judge that Shadow flame wolf is none other than the adoptive mother of the child, and considering the vast life threatening injuries she has received, makes me believe the chances of her surviving this encounter is no more than a rough estimate of 15% survival rate. She has also just birthed a cub which would mean a brother to this child. Shadowflame wolfs are not very fertile and can usually only get between 1-4 cubs within their lifetime and during this time they are extremely weakened and frail. This boy has most likely already concluded that his mother and newborn brother will perish tonight along with himself, which is why he is doing his best to seek retribution for his family, and offering the last bit of his life force to bring honor to his family.¡± Both Axe''rin and Diarge finally started to be able to understand at least a portion of the emotions running through the head of the child. As they started contemplating this sad yet courageous scene they started to feel deep compassion and admiration towards the zealous boy, both Diarge and Axe''rin started trying to imagine themselves in his position, asking themselves if they would ever be able to show the same amount of courage and honor towards their loved ones in the same position, they both continued to ponder on this question reviewing the scenario over and over again... Suddenly the silence broke as the warchief shouted out asking for two daggers, swiftly afterwords two archer hunters appear before the warchief, unsheathing their daggers they carry for either carving after hunting or for self defense as they usually only carry a bow and a quiver of arrows. As he receives the two daggers he overhands throws the two daggers towards the pack leader, as they swish with great rotational force past the stoneclaw lion on either side, as they very slightly cut through several strands of hair from the gray-silver mane the stoneclaw lions wears with pride. But as the daggers pass the child suddenly springs into the air with spontaneous force, whilst mid air he reaches out and grasps both daggers with a swift and dexterous movement, wielding them with a reverse grip as he lands without making much of a sound he resumes his primal stance. The stoneclaw lion suddenly changes his facial expression as the thrown weapons cuts through the silver-gray mane he wears with such pride, the daggers being thrown with such power and accuracy forces his face to become bewildered as he realizes that he could have been gravely wounded by those daggers, but then he sees the child grab the spinning flying daggers with elegance and ease, his face changes and becomes ever more flabbergasted by the skillful display, but that swiftly turns back into his sinister and domineering expression he previously wore with such confidence to once again try to undermine the opponent. ¡°Father what are you doing, shouldn''t we help him drive off the stoneclaw lions instead?¡± Asked Diarge with a disturbed and confused facial expression. ¡°I''ve already told you it''s no longer our place to interfere, as soon as the child challenged the pack leader I saw in his eyes that no matter what he will not be able to live with himself if he doesn''t fight this battle, just look into his gaze one more time do you really believe anybody can stop someone with that amount of anger and determination? His eyes have not yet left the sight of the stoneclaw lion, not even during the time he obtained the daggers mid air.¡± The warchief said as he was looking upon the child with a strong admiration and intrigue. ¡°Yes father, I see your point... I don''t believe anybody would be able to convince him to do anything else but to battle with his life pride and family on the line...¡± ¡°Look closely at what is about to transpire before you very eyes children, no warriors as well! Burn the image of this into your heads for the rest of your lives, and try to muster the same determination and honor as this child if you are ever faced with a perilous situation as this, don''t even look away for a second or blink.¡± The warchief said while steadily standing whilst holding his twin edged battle-axe upside down, resting both his hands on the handle whilst looking over the soon to be battleground with great anticipation for what this scenario will have in store for him and his tribal warriors. ¡°Yes sir warchief!¡± All the warriors bursted out as they lined up besides the warchief and his children sporting the same gaze as the warchief. The atmosphere is at the peak of tension, the air is heavy, it''s harder to breathe than ever... The silence is back and it''s stronger than ever, not a single thing is heard for approximately 2 minutes. Until suddenly a gust of wind breaks through heavy silence... As it flows through the tunnels echoing becoming the only thing that is heard, bringing with it a small rock that is flung over the edge of the opening of the cave, falling towards the ground picking up more and more speed as it finally hits the ground... The sound making it''s way through the vast cave. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. But as soon as the echoing sound of the rock finds it''s way to the child, and the pack leader... At split seconds afterwords they both gear up for a jump, and in the blink of an eye they are both flying towards each other with great force, as the child howls from the top of his lungs with a furious anger, the pack leader responds with a striking roar as they both clash claws and dagger, above the the pond that is still diluted with the blood of the child, you can hear the striking noise as the dagger hits the stone claws of the beast scraping and denting the claws, but as the child clashes with pack leader with his right dagger he swiftly uses the stop in momentum to make an upwards thrust with his left dagger as he slits open the right front leg of the pack leader. As the both land after the confrontation they are now in reverse positions from the starting point, swiftly turning their heads as they stare at each other with their teeth exposed in an angry fashion over their shoulders. ¡°Look father he managed to wound his opponent!¡± Shouted Axe''rin as she pointed towards the wound on the front leg of the stoneclaw lion with a joyous look to her face. ¡°Yes he did indeed wound the stoneclaw lion, but I''m afraid that is not nearly a deep enough wound to effect the battle greatly, this is not the time to celebrate, you never know what happens in a battle this fierce, the winner will not be able to be seen or predicted until the very end of this scrimmage.¡± He said with a stern look on his face, whilst Axe''rin''s facial expression becomes much more concerned. Both the child and the pack leader turn around while still glaring at each other with exposed teeth, this seems more so like the quarrel of two beasts than a fight between human and beast. With their eyes still fixed onto each other the child starts walking around the pond on all four limbs as he slowly begins to pick up the pace, the pack leader turning around constantly at the same spot in the middle of the plateau as the child slowly but surely makes his top speed. ¡°interesting the child seems to be well versed in the arts of combat.¡± the warchief said with a subtle smirk ¡°what do you mean father all he is doing is running around aimlessly and tiring himself out from my point of view?¡± Diarge said perplexed with the statement his father had just made ¡°no no Diarge, he is not running around aimlessly he is showing of his prowess as he is intimidating his foe with the speed and the feeling of being encircled by enemies, pressuring him into the mindset that he doesn''t have anyplace to escape to¡± Said the warchief as he wore a wide grin. The child jumped over the pond in a swift movement to not allow a chance for a counter attack as he lands whilst still continuing his previous momentum slowly running in the shape as a whirlpool as he slowly closes in on his prey. The stoneclaw lion is furious with anger only strengthened by the humiliation he faced during the first clash between the two, slowly getting impatient as he is being driven into a corner by the child he had continuously looked down upon he starts gearing up for a charge. In a fit of rage he charges with all his might towards the child as he tries to predict the trajectory of the child to be able to meet him head on, as they draw closer and closer towards one another only a few feet away from each other something unexpected happens. As the child sees the stoneclaw lion coming he stops is entire momentum by digging the daggers into the ground and making a frontwards flip as he makes his jump, in a moments notice he is now straight above the stoneclaw lion, descending onto his back while digging both daggers into the back of the beast, a burst of blood emerges from the heightened pulse of the beast while letting out an almost deafening screech of immense pain as the daggers are lodged behind the shoulder blades of the stoneclaw lion. ¡°wow the finesse and the agility of this child is outstanding, his reflexes are inhuman perhaps it''s natural talent or it might be because of the way he has been raised in the wild, either way this child has immense potential.¡± the warchief said with his eyes widened by the skills the child is showcasing In a tantrum of anger the stoneclaw lion is finally able to fling the child of his back, the child gets thrown straight into the pond with a splash as the water flies up into the air and drizzles down again. The stoneclaw lion is having issues standing up since the more pressure he puts on his front leg the more blood spurts out of his wounds. But this is not the end yet, as the stoneclaw lion scans around the area he finds the shadowflame wolf and his expression instantly switches to a heinous grin as his tongue licks his upper lips. He musters all his strength and runs over to the mother wolf, finally as he makes is approach he''s still sporting his heinous expression and licking his upper lip, as the mother howls out with a fierce look in her eyes cringing her forehead, taking up a defensive position standing directly above her cub which squeals with it''s hairs standing straight up as it''s frightened for it''s life by the villainous character that appears before him and his mother. At that moment the child bursts out of the water into the air with great force as water scatters around him drenched in water he opens his eyes to the sight of the mother wolf and cub being threatened by his foe, he instantly becomes disgusted by the act of taking hostages as a last resort within a duel between two warriors, as his face cringes and his teeth starts showing becoming like a wild furious beast he runs towards the stoneclaw lion at full speed with every intent to kill. ¡°He''s not going to make it at that pace...¡± The warchief said with a sad and discomfort look in his eyes. ¡°Why aren''t we helping him, the stoneclaw lion has already betrayed the act of the duel by attacking bystanders!?¡± Axe''rin shouts out with a muzzled sound and tears in her eyes. ¡°I''m sorry Axe''rin but even if the stoneclaw lion isn''t being honorable in this fight and resorting to such tactics we can''t help him out¡± the warchief said with a stone-cold face that you could see is almost at the verge of cracking. ¡°Why, just how could you be so cold father!? How could you let a mother and child die without doing anything about it!?¡± Axe''rin shouted at the top of her lungs with a hint of disgust towards her father. ¡°There is nothing we can do, if we attack the rest of the pack will engage as well and by no means will we be faster than them getting to the mother and cub, but that''s not the only reason for us not intervening, it will be a disrespectful act towards the child that is fighting, I don''t believe he would ever want to stoop to his level and bring other people into a personal fight, as I said from the start this is his fight alone we can''t do more than watch anymore¡± Said the warchief as his stone-cold face started to crack and you could see the the anger and sadness he felt from seeing the sight before him. Axe''rin, Diarge, the warchief and the rest of the soldiers watched in suspense as they watch the horrendous scene unfold before their very eyes as they can''t interfere or do anything at all, just helplessly standing there hoping for the best as the shadowflame wolf and her cub are face to face with death and the only chance of salvation for them is a frenzied wild child bearing two daggers in either hand and a heart split with one side filled with the feeling of hatred and vengeance while the other half is filled familial love and hope... Chapter 3 Stand-off between beast and monster AUTHOR''S NOTE : so I''d like to apologize for the long wait between the last chapter and this one, I''ve been in an environment where it is hard for me to write as I had a lot of other things to attend to and not been home for weeks, and but will probably get home within a couple of days though. This will mean I''ll be able to release chapters more often in the future I''ll try to get out at least 1 chapter out ever week but try to make time for writing more when I get a better feel for writing. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The human spectators along with the pack of wild beasts stare in silence at the unyielding child in his mad rush towards the two wolves as their lives of the hang in the balance, the scene seems to be going in slow motion as the pack leader is but inches away from the proud, protective and wounded mother, and the frightened child as it continues to cower in fear in the custody of his mother... The frenzied child has not even closed half the distance towards them yet, it seems like a futile situation as his expression slowly changes, eyes that were filled with such distaste and disgust slowly turn wide open and sorrowful, his forehead cringes turn from rage fueled into hopeless fear as his brows turn slightly upwards facing each other in an arc, even his exposed teeth showing all of his vengeful emotions become covered by his lower lip, in a matter of seconds he''s turned from a painful expression into a truly more despairing one... As predicted by the warchief the child was not able to make it in time to defend them. The pack leader has already made his way to his defenseless victims, the child abruptly stop in his tracks as he crunches down while digging both daggers into the ground beside him to stop his forward momentum, the pack leader makes a sound that can only be described as a laughter with nothing but malicious intent as he tilts his head down from his height position to take a gander at the emotionally defeated boy, with his neck standing proud the bleeding seems to have seized from his wounds and his pain dulled by the adrenaline he feels from his mighty position as he has complete grasp of the battle within his paws. ¡°?Father why did he stop in his tracks? Isn''t there anything he can do to save them!??¡± Axe''rin screams out with utter distress looking upon her father hoping for a change in the situation. ¡°?I honestly don''t know but he bought time for them at least, seeing as the pack leader is defiantly a sadistic and vindictive one, it will defiantly torment the young boy and make the most of his position as he holds the life of both the mother and cub...?¡± The warchief says as he lets out a brief sigh looking straight into the ground as he doesn''t have the slightest clue how to rectify the situation. ¡°?...¡±? not being able to muster any words Axe''rin''s eyes seem to lose the light in her eyes as she turns her attention back to the stand-off in a daze looking almost lifeless. As the proud and sadistic beast continues his gaze towards the child, he lets out a roar to show his superiority, the boy can do nothing but lower his head with the optimistic hope that they somehow will be spared if he surrenders to his will, the pack leader grows a wide grin as he feels empowered by the submissive nature of the child that has had the upper hand during the entire fight, but in a moments notice the mother wolf in a last ditch effort lashes out and attempts to retaliate with a lunged with an unhinged jaw gathering the very last force she can muster she grabs hold around the neck of the beast digging her canine teeth as far down into the flesh of her mortal enemy''s neck, a screech of pain is heard from the pack leader, as the boy hears the scream of his nemesis he lifts his head, seeing the situation he immediately lifts the right dagger trying his best to help the exhausted near dead mother wolf in her attempt to slay the beast he throws the dagger with all his strength as the dagger is heading in a true coarse towards the pack leaders jugular, in a sudden show of strength the pack leader attempts to turn his body towards the right, the mother wolf refusing to let go continues to hold the grip around the neck of the beast but without any strength left in her legs she is flung along with the motion, the dagger still flying towards them with great force does not hit it''s intended target as it pierces the lower ribs of the mother wolf... The dagger has pierced the lung of the mother wolf the immense pain makes her lose the grip in her jaws as she lets out a scream of pure agony as she falls to the ground... The boy screams out in tears seeing the bloodied body of the mother wolf seeming to lay there lifeless on the ground panting weakly, the tears continue stream down his face not being able to muster any strength he falls down to the ground pounding his fist over and over again into the grass clenching his fists so tightly he draws blood with the nails of his fingertips, continually screaming and crying in despair thinking that he has killed the very one he was trying so hard to protect... ?¡°how is this the reward for all his bravery!? He put everything on the line to save her, this is not fair father why must he suffer this much? He''s stronger and more skilled than the beast he does not deserve this outcome...?¡±??? Diarge screams out to his father in a fit of sorrow and anger towards his father with face contained with anger. ¡°?He did what he could my son, if he hadn''t thrown that dagger the beast would''ve defiantly killed the mother wolf, I don''t think there was anything more that he could do but throw the dagger with the hope of striking down the beast on the spot... He truly does not deserve the outcome we see before us but the world is not just my son, there will always transpire tragedies like this all we can do is try to avoid similar situation in the future and try to gain the strength to indefinitely defend our loved ones, the truth is just that there was nothing to be done here, Diarge, Axe''rin, do your best to become strong and learn from this and protect our home and our loved ones when no one else is able to.¡±?? The warchief proudly said with a stone face but deep inside his eyes you could see the will to pour tears for the boy that most likely has lost his mother to the injustice of the natures law of kill or be killed... ¡°?I still can''t accept this father, but I will do my best to prevent tragedies like this in the future I will train diligently for the chance to prevent every sorrowful outcome I''ll be able to stop with my own strength.¡±?? Diarge proclaimed with a proud yet saddened face as he turns around towards his sister. ?¡°Axe''rin?¡±? Father Axe''rin is not with us!? Diarge shouted as he noticed the vacant spot where Axe''rin stood only moments ago Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ?¡°Where could she have gone!??¡±? The warchief shouted frantically looking around to find his daughter. ¡°?Behind that rock!¡±?? One of the warriors of the tribe shouted as he pointed towards a rock beside the pond. During the commotion Axe''rin decided to sneak around the rocky path that leads around to the backside of the plateau in an attempt to try to help out the mother wolf, but she was too late and arrived seconds after... Looking over she sees the fallen wolf laying in the grass gasping for air by the paws of the pack leader. The pack leader starts uncontrollably laughing in a fit of madness twitching around after witnessing the child dealing a fatal blow to the one he so desperately tried to save, this event made the boy snap out of his crying and screaming once again awakening his rage as he looks towards the beast with a vengeful heart gearing up to once and for all slay the monstrous beast before him, noticing the change in attitude of the child the pack leader stops his laughter and gears up for the finishing blow as he raises his front right leg and in a sudden fierce motion he digs his stone claws into the ribs of the downed mother wolf, as the mother wolf screams out in pain but a few seconds into the painful screaming it abruptly stops... There is no more doubt she''s dead, cruelly killed in a most painful way by the sadistic beast in a fit because he had lost the one on one duel with nothing but a human child, he quickly grabs the neck of the bloodied corpse that was once a proud mother protecting her child, with a swinging motion the monster throws her into the pond as a last display of distaste towards the child that had wounded him, the corpse hits the water flinging some water up into the air in the process as you hear the body hit the water, slowly sinking as the pond slowly turns from a tranquil blue into a deep dark red color becoming more and more diluted with the blood of the mother wolf... The screams are heard from both the cub and the boy as they both screech out in pain, one with only sorrow from losing his mother as he has just been born into this world, while the other with a mixture of concentrated hatred and painful grief... The cub then does something unexpected he musters a weak yet fierce howl and turns from a scared newborn into a pillar of strength and fierce anger as he starts barking over and over again staring into the eyes of the killer of his mother, not perplexed at all by this show of courage the pack leader walks towards the cub with the intent of finishing him of as well to spite the human child that tarnished his pride. Grabbing the last dagger out of the ground the child rushes to protect his newborn brother, in an all limbs sprint hunched over he runs towards the stoneclaw lion with the hopes of saving him... But once again it doesn''t seem like he''ll be able to make it, and the cub is too weak to be able to survive a strike from the vicious beast before him, as the child runs with all his might towards the defenseless cub while bracing himself for the almost inevitably demise of the wolf cub... ?¡°Father he won''t make it, will there be not one but two horrible tragedies that will befall the boy this day??¡±? Diarge said with a fierce expression not wanting to see the death of yet another courageous soul... ?¡°It pains me but that seems to be the case Diarge close your eyes if you must, this is too painful to watch... A newly born life ends within moments of his birth... How terrible nobody is able to save the cub now.¡±?? The warchief proclaimed while no longer sporting his strong stone cold face, biting his lower lip with teary eyes. As the pack leader once again raises his claws to strike down yet another defenseless victim, he starts his swing, the human child is still too far away and not willing to chance landing yet another dagger into the flesh of his family he opts to not throw his remaining dagger, embracing that he will most likely have to take revenge for not only his mother but also his newly born brother. The claws are closing in on the wolf cub... Only mere split seconds from reaching... The claws slash through flesh spraying blood into the grass, a scream is let out, yet it''s an odd scream, it sounds feminine, the claws did not dig into the flesh of the cub but instead into a female human child... ¡°?AXE''RIN!!!¡±?? is suddenly screamed at the top of the lungs of both father and brother as they see her slumped over on the ground hugging the wolf cub tightly to protect him from the villainous beast. The frenzied child suddenly realizes what just transpired and to his relief he sees the head of his brother sticking out between the arms of the human girl, but the pack leader is not pleased at all with what just transpired, in a fit of anger he gears up for yet another slash, he stands tall on his hind legs mustering up yet another swing the monstrous lion strikes again, but in the corner of his eyes he sees a flash being momentarily blinded the beast feels a great force pushing through his throat, piercing through the throat is none other than the frenzied boys dagger, filled with his feelings of injustice, more accurately his rage sorrow and the strong drive for vengeance, it does not just lodge itself in the monsters throat, no it had much more force than that, it pierced right through leaving a gaping hole in the throat of the monster, flying a great distance the dagger finally stops as it lodges itself into the roof of the cave, as a yellow crystal drops from the ceiling onto a ridge at the far side of the cave. After a grueling conflict between the human boy and pack leader of the stoneclaw lions, a victor has finally been decided, even as revenge has been fulfilled there is not a true victor in this conflict as the so called victor has gained nothing more than the death of his own mother, pained by this there is no feeling of joy as he has slain the beast... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AUTHOR''S BASEMENT : hope you guys enjoyed the chapter this chapter finishes up the first segment of the saga, I wanted to write something interesting for the first few chapters to get you to get a true feel for the story, and not the average start where you introduce the characters I wanted to give the readers a chance to form their own opinions on the characters and let action talk more than "words" hopefully you enjoyed this style of writing, if you have any critique or thoughts on the story as I''ve finished up the first segment please feel free to express them in the comments PM''s or any other way to reach me, looking forward to writing more and letting the characters grow with every sentence I write, thank you guys for coming along with me on this journey. Chapter 4 Resting within nature Author''s note : hello was in the mood to write and had some extra time so got you guys another chapter, hope you enjoy ^^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Stoneclaw lions are in shock due to their fearless leader being struck down, but yet they all remain seated due to the immense fear they feel towards the one who had slain their leader. The human child runs over to Axe''rin with great speed with a pained and saddened expression as you can clearly see him trying to hold in the tears, as he approaches the human girl that risked her life to save all that he has left in this world, he swiftly checks if he is okay, Axe''rin lifting her head slightly seeing that the boy is standing right in front of him, starts raising her back while letting her arms free the cub from her clutch. The cub immediately runs over to the feral boy as he jumps up into his arms making whimpering sounds and curls to a ball within his grasp, as the feral boy notices there are no injuries but the emotional ones, he lets out a sight of relief as he holds him tight within his arms, tears of joy proceed stream down his face knowing that at least his brother survived the ordeal. This sight is not one that you can easily not be affected by, Diarge all the warriors of the Wolf stride clan along with even the stone faced warchief let tears roll down their chins as they let out a unified scream signaling victory and a sign of respect for what the feral boy had gone through during these past moments, the atmosphere is mixed with feelings of joy for his revenge, and for the well being of the cub, yet you can''t not feel the pain and sadness everyone is feeling, for the poor mother wolf that sacrificed her life standing up for her family even though weak from childbirth and wounds that would have no doubt been fatal to anyone else. This sight is one that will be engraved in the head of every witness for the rest of their lives, the mix of emotions is too diverse and powerful that words would not be able to describe it as it truly felt watching the family of three giving their all to protect one another with their own life. As the echoes of cheers and the sound of tears ring throughout the cave the stoneclaw lions quickly feel unwelcome and start running out towards the exit, no one pursuit them as victory has already been achieved and yet more blood spill would only ruin the memory of the duel between the Monster and the brave feral child, as the lions have exited the cave Diarge and the warchief both make their way towards the injured Axe''rin both knowing that she is not mortally wounded by the attack. ¡°Thank you.¡± is then heard from the mouth of the feral child as he musters something between a smile and a pained expression, as he faces the gaze of Axe''rin. ¡°No problem, I just couldn''t sit and watch by as an innocent newly born is slaughtered by such a detestable creature¡± Axe''rin said as she wore a confused expression not expecting the feral child to be able to speak human tongue. ¡°Kind...¡± The feral child says as he nods with a pleased face while he continues to care for his frightened and crying little brother The warchief and Diarge arrive at the edge of the pond as they look down seeing the blood red water being swept away, and the pond once again starting to become the beautifully clear and blue water it once was, as the warchief looks down even further into the water he sees the corpse of the mother wolf, his face becoming ever more resolute he looks over to Diarge. ¡°Son swim over to the other side and be ready to help me with this, she doesn''t deserve to lie there being swept away with the water being disturbed in death.¡± The warchief says with a frustrated yet saddened tone to his voice. ¡°You are right father, she deserves a final resting place befitting of the actions she displayed today.¡± Diarge proclaimed with a respectful tone trying to honor the last moments she spent protecting all that she loved. The warchief quickly dives into the water as Diarge proceeds to the other side readying himself to receive the proud mother wolfs remains, The warchief arrives at the bottom of the pond which is just 3 meters below, grabbing the remains trying to be as respectful as possible not brutingly grabbing it, as he comes up the the surface he hands over the remains slowly, Diarge puts his forearms underneath the mother wolf trying not to exert more force than necessary to hold her up, only to show respect to the remains and trying his hardest not to disturb her eternal rest. As the warchief climbs up the ridge to get up to the plateau soaking wet as water is dripping down onto the blue grass, Diarge and the warchief slowly make their way to the center of the plateau where Axe''rin, the feral boy, and the cub are situated. As they arrive in front of the now orphaned boy and cub both the feral boy and the cub raise their heads high as they gander upon the now lifeless body of their mother, both struggling their best to not cry their eyes become watery yet their facial expression both become ready to receive the remains with dignity and readying themselves to say their goodbyes. ¡°She was astounding to the very end, what your family had to go through was not justified in any way, but the bond that you seem to share was something you can''t not be influenced and impressed with. Your mother was a brave soul and sacrificed her life so that both of you could live, she gave you guys the gift of life as a final present, be proud that she was your mother, and I hope you two will carry the same values as she did until the very last moment. We of the Wolf stride clan would like to pay our respects to you and your family feral boy of shadow flame wolf lineage.¡± The warchief said trying to convey everything he had seen to honor the two children who were left, with a strong yet saddened expression, but extremely resolute with every word spoken. The feral child stood tall and gave a wide smile while closing his eyes with great force as he didn''t want show sadness after hearing what he had just heard from the warchief, no he wanted to look proud and strong as he respects the final moments of his mother. ¡°I''m deeply impressed by all that I''ve witnessed today feral boy of the mountains, we both being of similar age yet the power you hold is much greater than mine, both in heart and in strength. Treasure those strengths and grow them both to protect what you hold dear, and I will try to follow in you footsteps, if you would ever need help come to our doorsteps and I will do anything within my power to help you and your brother out.¡± Diarge said with great respect as bows his head, he hopes to build a relationship and learn from the feral boy, both in physical prowess and values that the feral boy holds. ¡°I will, thank you for words.¡± Said the feral boy as he bowed his head showing the same respect as Diarge showed him, even the shadow flame wolf cub bowed his head wanting to do the same as his brother. ¡°Protect the little one, and if you''d allow me I''d like to visit some times to see how you are doing up here in the mountains, as you just lost your mother, I''d like to check up every now and then to make sure you two are okay¡± Axe''rin exclaimed with a bright wide smile with her eyes open wide, showing nothing but strong warm emotions. ¡°okay...¡± The feral wild boy says as he somewhat avoids eye contact since he is not accustomed towards such generosity nor ever seeing a smile as the one Axe''rin bore, The shadow flame wolf cub started barking as he wagged his tail wildly looking into the eyes of Axe''rin with tremendous enjoyment hearing he''d have someone to play with. But then soon afterwards the happy go lucky moment passes by, The air becomes thicker as the silence grows ever more, as the words of respect were shown by the warchief and his children everyone knew what was coming up next, the wolf stride clan put both their right hand and left hand on their heart as they get down on their right knee, this is the wolf stride way of salute, their show of respect and even final farewell. Diarge then slowly and carefully proceeds to hand over the remains of the mother wolf to the feral boy, slowly approaching each other with their forearms spread forward as they make the switch. The warchief and his children then go down on one knee with both hands on their hearts as well, to show their final respects. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. The feral boy slowly backs away until he stands in the middle of the plateau, standing as the breeze enters the compounds of the cave, the blue grass flowing with the wind, the sound of the flowing water surrounding the plateau, overlooked by the purple hue of light emitted by the purple electro crystal cluster that lies directly above them. This utterly stunning place basked in natures wonder is the perfect final resting place for such a brave soul, there wouldn''t be a more fitting grave for the mother wolf that gave up her life so that her children would live. Gently letting the remains of his mother on the central point of the plateau you can hear the sound of the blue grass gently and gracefully accepting her, serving as a soft cushion giving her a comfortable rest, the purple light gently illuminating her body as the continuously flowing water circles around her, she is now without a doubt at one of the most comfortable resting place there is, eventually being able to become one with nature, adding onto the essence of the wonderful work of nature the cave truly is. Now that his mother has been put down the feral boy finally allows himself to grieve, his lower lip quivering as his brows arch upwards closing his eyes shut tight, crumbling onto the grass laying hunched over on his knees he burst into tears, a scream befitting a child that has just lost his mother is finally let out, having avenged and paid his respects to his mother, he can finally act his age, letting his emotions run free as a child in such a situation is supposed to do. Meanwhile his brother the shadow flame wolf cub has been whimpering and letting out howls here and there as he can also do the same, slowly walking up to the remains of his mother he stops his howling and proceeds to lick his mother face, while at the same time whimpering and shaking profusely, knowing that this will no heal his mother he continues doing so, because it feels like it''s the right thing to do. The entirety of the wolf stride clan start bawling in tears, the warchief and his children included, the emotional toll that everyone has been building up during the entire day became to much, seeing two children lose their assumed only parent is just way to painful to bear even for the most seasoned warriors. But a couple of minutes into the grieving they one by one stand up and proceed to walk towards a mountain of stones, picking up one stone per person they walk over to the water, jump in and swim over while carrying several kilograms heavy stones, whilst they climb up the ridge of the plateau they slowly walk over to the remains of the mother wolf, continuously placing stone after stone encircling the mother wolf entirely. Seeing what is happening the feral boy and his brother seem to stop whimpering and looking over at the warriors in confusion. ¡°They are building a tomb for your mother''s remains. A enclosed final resting place where she will not be bothered by anyone.¡± The warchief said as he looked the feral boy in the eyes. With a subtle smile to show him it''s okay. The feral boy follows the wolf stride clan warriors as they pick up the rocks, even the tiny shadow flame cub follows, as he sits himself on top of the feral boys head as he swims over the water. They all walk towards a very large almost completely circular stone disk, standing themselves all around the giant stone disk, they bend their knees as they get a grip around the edge they all lift at the same time. At that time the cub jumps down from the feral boys head and makes his way to collect the biggest rock he possible could, letting out a muffled bark he jumps up and sits down on top of the stone disc, looking astonishingly proud of himself. The warriors make their way to the half built tomb, as they reach the water the rest of the remaining wolf stride warriors swim over to help receive the stone disc, as they slowly descend into the water they all let out roars and deep moans as they swim across with an extremely heavy stone disc, roughing their way through the water, they finally make their way to the ridge, where the remaining warriors along with the warchief and his children grasp and slowly but surely drag the disc out of the water and onto the blue grass. The cub seemingly enjoying the ride lets out another muffled bark as his tail wags intensely left and right. The feral boy and the warriors make their way out of the water and once again lift the stone disc, Diarge Axe''rin and the warchief also help out in the endeavor to haul the heavy disc onto the tomb. As they finally let down the stone disc on top of the stone encirclement they all release a sigh as they are done with the grueling weight of the stone disc. The disc fits and sits on top with great stability as the edge of the disc extends a bit beyond the encirclement of rocks. And last but not least the cub lets down his rock in the smack middle of the stone disc, while barking proudly and running around in circle''s around the rock he so proudly placed down. Everyone proceed with their final respects as they go down on their knees once again for the final time, the feral boy does the same as the cub simply bows his head towards the warriors. ¡°We will now take our leave and let you two do as you wish, but just know that we are always nearby in the village down below the mountains, my daughter has already vowed to visit you and I would be honored if you would ever do the same, you are a true warrior and a brave soul you will always be welcome as one of our own in the Wolf stride clan!¡± The warchief exclaimed as he put his right fist into his left open palm. ¡°Bye, take care of your brother I''ll be back to visit within a couple of days with some treats just you wait¡± Axe''rin says while once again smiling wide and chuckling a bit waving her hand as she walks towards the exit ¡°I would like to spar with you sometime to test my strength once I get stronger, I believe we will be fated friends on the battlefield one day, take care of yourself and your brother, and don''t dare perish before I''m able to stand toe to toe in battle with you.¡± Diarge said proudly as he took another gander at his inner energy, seeing a warm and calm energy instead of the fierce one he felt before, knowing this he calmed himself knowing that the feral boy seems to be at peace and grieving calmly instead of in a fit of rage, honoring the memory of his mother trying to overcome the painful and even dark emotions that dwell within. ¡°Yes... Thank you... All¡± The feral boy says as he bows his head down, meanwhile the cub is barking and running around in circles happily beside him. The Wolf stride clan make their way through the exit as, both the feral boy and the cub stare at their backs with a smile, knowing that he had gained allies that will be able to protect his younger brother if anything were to happen, having that relief meant more to him than the Wolf stride clan could ever imagine. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Author''s basement : hope you liked the chapter, I honestly got a little teary eyed writing this chapter, might be a little overly sensitive but hope I at least stirred some emotions within you as you read the chapter, If you are lucky you might get another chapter tomorrow but if not then it''ll probably not be until Tuesday, but after that I should be able to write more frequently wohoo ^^ Chapter 5 Bonding of brothers Author''s note : I''m home now and able to produce chapters at a greater rate, thank you for being patient and following my fiction, I''m going to get started on the next chapter as soon as this is released so expect a new chapter either within a few hours or the next day. Hope you enjoy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As the wolfstride has left the cave the silence hits hard on the feral boy and his brother, with no more distractions the sorrow of losing their mother sinks deep into the grieving hearts of the brothers. The feral boy is sitting collapsed on his knee''s, his arms dangling lifelessly parallel to his torso, his head tilted forward staring down at his own lap, as his eyes start to gleam as his teary eyes slowly expel the tears dropping down just as rain starts pouring, water drops falling far and few between as it slowly escalates to a downpour, the tears crashing into his lap as his pelt that is tied around his waist serving as clothing, slowly creating a darker patch turning it a dark shade instead of the light brown sheen it usually has to it. His brother is sitting right next to him letting out a whimpering sound every once in a while bearing the same teary eyes as his older brother, slumped over sitting on his hind legs, with his head firmly directed forwards staring at the tome before them, they just couldn''t hold it in anymore, they have already held the funeral they both have paid their respect towards their mother, and now they felt that they could finally release the feelings that had ben bottling up inside both of them without anything holding them back. Their grieving continued for quite a while before it felt like there were no more tears left to expel, feeling a great weight lifting of their shoulders they both dried their tears with paws and hands, stood up as they both looked at each other confirming that their both at ease for now, as both of their resolute stares turned to a wide smile, as the feral boy cracked a faint laugh as the cub barked enthusiastically waving his black tail that slowly faded into purple towards the tip of his thick bushy brush like tail. ¡°now that we''ve said our goodbye''s to our mother let me take a good look at you, brother, you truly are just as beautiful as our mother having the very same pattern of jet black and violet purple hue to your fur." The feral boy said with a wide smile as he inspected his newly born brother enthusiastically. As he looked at his brother he truly did have the same traits as his mother, mainly jet black fur covering most of his body with spots of violet purple, his face covered in jet black with two purple dots that is slightly elongated and turn to a point in opposite directions of each other, looking like makeshift eyebrows that makes him seem even more animated as he already is with his expressions, pointy ears with slightly longer hair in opposite directions of each other that slowly fade into violet purple. most of his main body is jet black as well except for his spinal area that stretches a messy stripe of violet purple that slightly spread downwards towards his lower body. his legs that are jet black as the lower region also fade into violet purple covering his entire paws and a little stretch towards his legs, and his majestic bushy tail that has the same pattern. As he picks up the black and purple cub he hugs him tightly. ¡°You really do resemble our mother, the last gift she gave me was a truly marvelous one, I will do my utmost best to protect you and care for you the same way our mother would, I will never let anything bad happen to you¡± He exclaimed with exceeding joy as he hugged his brother even tighter, vowing to always protect him no matter what, as the cub let out a single bark ¡°RUFF!¡± As a sign of acknowledgment towards his brother''s vow. ¡°well we better go to sleep, we''re both exhausted¡± The feral boy said with a small yawn, holding his bother in his arm covering his mouth with the other as he yawned. ¡°But first we should get you a name shouldn''t we little brother, but what should I actually name you? I''ve never named anything in my life.¡± letting out a slight chuckle while looking down onto his brother. As the cub let out a more unusual bark than what he usually seems to do Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°SK?LL!¡± Was the sound of the bark he let out. ¡°What the hell kind of a bark is that¡± He said as he continued to look down on the cub wearing a confused smile... ¡°SK?LL!!¡± Was then again heard from the little one louder than the previous one, sporting a very determined look as he did not break eye contact with his older brother ¡°I guess you''ve already chosen your name huh, guess I don''t have a say in the matter huh Sk?ll hahaha.¡± Said the feral boy as he had a fit of laughter he hadn''t enjoyed in quite a while, lifting some of the sorrow within him. ¡°RUFF!¡± Sk?ll barked with closed eyes looking so very proud of himself, with his tail swinging wildly from left to right in a playful manner. The feral boy and his newly named brother Sk?ll both look over to the tome one last time with a subtle smile, quietly whispering ¡°goodnight mother¡± as they proceed to cross the pond and walk towards a small opening in the back wall south of the plateau, there is a faint purple light from within the opening, walking into the opening alongside each other Sk?ll becomes increasingly curious and joyous as he sniffs around wagging his tail back and forth. Inside the opening there is a very clear blue electro crystal that emits a faint light to slightly illuminate the room that is attached to the roof, acting as a chandelier lighting up the small room, also within the room is a 150 x 90 cm wooden structure that is made of logs tied together with rope that is filled up with blue grass serving as mattress, and a big dark brown pelt resting upon the blue grass. ¡°Sk?ll that structure is a bed, it''s where I sleep and the pelt is from a aggravated bear that our mother once killed, as it rampaged within our home, as she saved me from it''s clutches. I then used it''s pelt as a blanket for the cold nights as I don''t have a pelt of my own¡± The feral boy exclaimed as he wanted to satisfy the curiosity of Sk?ll, bearing a warm smile. ¡°ruff¡± Sk?ll answered as he was sitting down on his hind legs, in a slightly confused manner, not fully understanding what was said yet having a brief comprehension of the implication. ¡°Our mother was a very strong beast, one of the strongest within our lands. And one day you will be just as majestic and strong as she was if not stronger¡± The feral boy said staring into the eyes of Sk?ll with a soft smile. ¡°RUFF!¡± Sk?ll barked loudly showing the fact that he acknowledged what was just said. In normal circumstances the proud and strong mother wolf would have never been defeated by a mere stoncelaw lion, she was almost like a queen of the wilds within these parts, but taking advantage of her frail state after child birth the stoneclaw lion pack attacked her trying to overthrow her rule. But the ferral boy did not wish to disclose this as he didn''t want Sk?ll to feel responsible in any way for the death of their mother. All he wishes to do is to pass on the image of their mother onto him, wanting him to be proud to be her son, and realizing the power that he has within himself. ¡°But now I think it''s time for us to go to bed and rest.¡± He said as he picked up Sk?ll, seemingly tired from all that has transpired throughout the day, Sk?ll yawned as you could see his eyes gleam a bit. He then proceeds to let him down gently into the blue grass, crawling into bed alongside him, and pulling up the pelt blanket. Sk?ll walks around a bit as he tries to find his resting spot, stopping beside his brothers chest, curling up into a ball closely to the beating heart of his brother. The feral boy puts his arm around Sk?ll as he''s laying on his side. They both fall asleep almost instantaneously within the embrace of warmth between them. After a long day and both tragic and merry moments have passed they are both exhausted, with the loss of a mother yet the gain of a brother the worries of the feral boy seem to fade away for the moment. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author''s basement : thank you for reading the chapter I''m sorry it''s not a lengthy one but I felt like it would be better to end it of there, The pace of the story should be picking up a bit soon and more delicious action is sure to ensure. Stay tuned for it ^^ Chapter 6 Mother natures beauty Author''s note : I''m sorry that this chapter came out a bit later than expected but ran into a bit of writer''s block, but that seems to be over for now, yet will probably be back again at some point... Well either way enjoy the chapter guys! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As dusk has turned to dawn the two brothers awake snuggled up with each other as the feral boy has held Sk?ll tightly during the entire night, opening up their crusty eyes whilst unanimously yawning. ¡°Morning Sk?ll, did you sleep well?¡± The feral boy says while still yawning with his eyes squinted slightly open trying to get used to the blue light from the electro crystal. A loud ¡°RUFF!¡± Is let out by Sk?ll as he was brimming with energy seemingly not tired at all, filled with excitement towards the new day and it''s possibilities. ¡°An early bird I see¡± Said the feral boy almost with an envy for the amount of energy Sk?ll seemed to have so early after waking, while still stretching his arms in a sitting position. ¡°RUFF!!!¡± Sk?ll barked angrily with a pouting face with his purple eyebrows were slanted towards his snout seemingly angry. ¡°Sorry I know you''re not a bird, it''s an expression, an early wolf then. You happy?¡± The feral boy let out with a warm smile finding it funny how literal this two day old wolf seems to be. ¡°Ruff!" Sk?ll barked with his snout held high in the air once again sporting his proud face whilst wagging his tail. ¡°You are quite an amusing one I must say brother, you bear more expressions than most humans with your body language and tone haha.¡± The feral boy said laughing loudly. ¡°I do wonder though, how did you even understand what a bird even is? Seeing as you are two days of age and never seen a bird or heard the term before in your life?¡± Said the feral boy with a pondering face and his index finger resting on his chin. ¡°Urouh?¡± Sk?ll gnarled with his eyebrows pointed upwards seemingly confused by the question as he himself just takes it for granted being able to understand him. ¡°Well either way I guess we should get up and move about a bit, I want to show you around a bit before we go out and fetch our selves some food.¡± As Sk?ll barked once again and started wagging his tale he started following his brother as he walks out of the opening, back in the vast cave they walked towards a massive natural stone slope that stretched along the walls, the slope was decorated with violet purple electro crystals of the same variety of the cluster above the resting place of their mother, that are placed almost like torches on the wall adjacent to the slope. ¡°This road is something that our mother and father once showed me as a kid, and I''d be willing to bet on my life that they would''ve wanted to show you this.¡± The feral boy said to Sk?ll whilst he bore eyes that portrayed loneliness but, the loneliness was overshadowed by the warm smile he wore. Sk?ll walked alongside him as he looked determined, wanting to see the sight that his brother and his parents wanted him to see, he let out his usual "ruff" and looked towards his brother happily. The walk took a few minutes, the slope seemed to stretch on all the way to the highest part of the cave, snaking along the wall in a spiral, the entire path has a purple hue due to the electro crystals that seemed to almost be placed strategically to illuminate every square inch of the path. Coming half way up the path they suddenly halt to look down upon the ground of the cave. ¡°Look Sk?ll how beautiful this cave, no our home is...¡± The feral boy spoke softly while in awe of the sight. The view was astonishing, rock formations all around the ground in various shapes and sizes no rock seemed to look alike, most of the walls are covered in electro crystals that illuminate the entire cave, and in the middle there is the beautiful circular plateau covered in blue grass surrounded with the flowing pond around the outer edges, as they look to the northern wall they see the astounding waterfall with a giant vertical cluster of light green electro crystals that split the stream into two, giving the water a beautiful clear cyan sheen as it crashes into the body of water below it. And in the middle of all of this is the stone tome where their mother''s remains rests upon the blue grass which reflects the light of the violet purple hue emitting from the electro crystals. ¡°Look at all of this natural beauty, and in the center of all of this is now our mother, she cherished this place more than any other person did, she cared and protected it for most of her life. She wouldn''t have wanted any other place for her final rest than this, now she is slowly becoming one with her cherished home. She will always be here now protecting it, and we can be beside her whenever we want.¡± The feral boy said with a bright and wide smile as laying his sight upon everything before him, knowing that she is one with nature now. ¡°RUUUFF!!¡± Sk?ll barked loudly and joyously wagging his tail with his eyes darting everywhere to take in every inch of the cave. The feral boy then signaled Sk?ll that they were going to keep going up the trail, making their way closer and closer to an opening at the end of the slope. As they stand before the opening they both lock their eyes and subtly nod their heads as they simultaneously walk through the exit, they step foot onto the a small semi circle ledge overlooking the forest. ¡°This is the sight that our mother would''ve wanted you to see, this is the domain which we reside within, Agaria.¡± Said the feral boy as he took in the awe inspiring view before them. Before them as they stood upon the tall mountain was a vast green and lush forest, bird''s flying above the tree tops, the sound of them singing can be heard in the distance, large deep blue lakes are seen beyond the tree tops with creatures of various shapes and sizes are drinking from, then once again comes a spread of thick dark green forests, and farther behind that are fields of sands that stretch far beyond an opening between the expansive mountain chain that encompasses the entirety of Agaria, beyond the chain of mountains in the distance you can see a large pillar like tower. As they take in the view of it all they can slowly see the sun rise beyond the mountains, the lands become ever more beautiful as Agaria is bathed in the early rays of the sun, inching it''s way to the mountain top they are standing above, you can see the subtle shift in color of the yellow sand becoming even purer as the light reflects of the grains, the forests turn from the deep dark green into a light shade of green that screams of glistening life, even the lakes become like big blue crystals that glimmer in the rays. ¡°Never forget this sight Sk?ll, as it was shown to me as a young child it has now also been shown to you, treasure this sight as this is what we call our home, a paradise of nature brimming with beautiful life, and you and I are both apart of this, always respect and try to protect it''s beauty my brother.¡± The feral boy exclaimed as he looked deep into Sk?ll''s eyes bearing resolute and pride filled eyes. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°AUUURUUUUU¡± Sk?ll howled loudly as it echoed throughout the lands, announcing the birth of a proud wolf, acknowledging the lands before him as his home, whilst humbly showing his respect to mother nature. They both stood still for a while more, looking over the incredible scenery that is mother nature, as gusts of wind pass them by ruffling their hair every once in a while, standing on top of the mountain, feeling like kings looking over their kingdom from the top of a tower. They both felt at ease and Sk?ll was ever more excited to explore the world before him, wanting to see every sight, sniff every smell and traverse every road. ¡°Sk?ll want to go down and take a closer look?¡± The feral boy said with a small laughter knowing what Sk?ll would say. ¡°RUFF!!¡± the usual loud bark that shows his eagerness to explore came out of the mouth of Sk?ll with his tail wagging around like crazy, running around in circles not really knowing what to do with himself. The feral boy and Sk?ll started their long walk down the giant slope to get down again, with Sk?ll running far ahead whilst stopping and turning around once in a while to bark at his older brother to up the pace, not being able to contain the excitement of the adventure that lies before him. ¡°Take it easy Sk?ll it''s stil early we have all day to explore, and show you the world, it''s not like we''re pressed for time or anything like that.¡± Said the feral boy as he continued in his slow pace, whilst carrying a subtle smile the entire time knowing that Sk?ll couldn''t hold his excitement and wanting to tease him a bit. ¡°RUFF!!!¡± Sk?ll barked almost angrily as he started to get impatient, carrying a frown upon his face looking right into his older brothers eyes, not batting an eye, whilst his tail had started wagging irregularly in a show of agitation. ¡°Hahaha brother you really are too cute for your own good, I''m just teasing you Sk?ll, now let''s go see the outside world!¡± Said the the feral boy whilst beside himself with laughter holding his stomach. The two brothers then started to run down the path as fast as beastly possible, running side by side almost as if racing to the finish line, Sk?ll was breathing heavily with his tongue hanging outside his mouth, also bearing a very focused look with his brows angled slightly downwards. Moving their way down the elevated slope lit by the purple electro crystals until they reached ground floor again, not stopping to catch their breath they run into the system of tunnels, which are vaguely lit up by many different kinds of electro crystals, ranging from blue, red, green and vast majority of other hues, giving every tunnel a unique lighting and aesthetic. The tunnels branch off at every turn, spawning probably hundreds of corridors making it easy to get lost within the system of tunnels for days as there are so many branches, dead ends and giant rooms similar to the one that they live withing. It''s even said that these tunnels connect to every single mountain within the mountain chain that surrounds Agaria. as finally passing into the final stretch they can see a glimmer of natural light shining through the opening to the caverns. As they exit through the opening they are both exceedingly out of breath, as both of them have been running for quite a while. Sk?ll is standing wide legged looking straight down into the ground with his tongue hanging out hyper ventilating to regulate his body heat whilst also regaining his breath. His big brother on the other hand seems to almost be down for the count, down on both knees with his hands open palmed on the ground as well, hunched over, sounding like he is heaving for his life, eyes closed head down just as Sk?ll. This continued for a short amount of time before they regained their breath yet still breathing quite heavily. As the feral boy has regained his breath he also regained his posture and stood up straight leaning against the rocky surface of the mountain behind them. ¡°Look Sk?ll, this is, what lies, outside the caves, that we call our home.¡± He said while taking a pause every once in a while to regain his breath. As they both overlooked to the landscape before them. The sight before them was rocky formations, big boulders and branching paths between the rock formations, which lead to different entrances to the forest, they are still a bit elevated from ground level so they have to go down a curvy road that has rock formations on either side, which almost look like railings to prevent one from falling off, every rock was a simular light shade of a grayish yellow that reflected the sunlight slightly, making it look like the rocks were almost alive. ¡°Ruff.¡± Sk?ll barked with excitement once again darting his eyes everywhere, as he slowly walked around smelling and inspecting every aspect he could, until he stopped by one of the larger rocks laying around and proceeded to lift up his hind leg. ¡°hahaha already marking your territory at your age? haha, and not only that you went for the biggest boulder you could find didn''t you, you really are greedy aren''t you little brother, that''s the spirit don''t settle for anything else than excellency!¡± The feral boy said whilst trying to hold in his laughter. ¡°ARUUUUOO¡± Sk?ll howled as he was very pleased with his achievement, once again sporting his trade mark look of pride filled expression, head held high and extremely resolute eyes. After the passing of their mother both brother''s seem to be able to find some solace due to each other''s company, spending time together laughing and teasing each other. Yet the day has only just begun there is still much to happen. One eager to see the world and the other eager to see it alongside him, this is the start of their adventure ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author''s basement : Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, yet another chapter containing the bonding of brothers, a few more chapters and I promise that the story will really get going and the action will come, just want to ease in the character''s and the world from their own point of view before jumping ahead. If you enjoyed the chapter or have any concern or criticism please voice your opinions in the comment section, only if you want to though of course. I just really enjoy seeing comments from you guys and appreciate it immensely, even if it''s just a "thx for the chapter" a lengthy comment about the chapter or fiction so far, or even your negative or positive feedback. Either way have a nice day and hope you guys are well! Chapter 7 Playfully eager Author''s note : Hello again guys I''m here with another chapter. There is a little difference within this chapter, I''ve decided to do some informational paragraph''s in the start of each chapter, giving some information on the world or creature''s within the world. I will not divulge any plot points or something along those lines in the the texts. It''s either going to be about some parts of the world within the story, different creatures or legends from the past within the world. There will also be texts going into deeper detail about certain items or creatures that have already been shown in the story, for those who want a more detailed explanation and history behind it. But that will only be after the item will have been shown in the story. Hope you enjoy the chapter guys. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The stoneclaw lions are feline creatures that got their names after their stone claws, sharp and rugged claws sturdier than most rock, yet just like normal claws they grow longer with time. Stoneclaw lions usually spend a great deal of time sharpening and maintaining their claws as they are one of their most formidable weapons. But they do not only have stone claws their bones and teeth are also made out of the same stone material. And just as their claws they sharpen and grind their teeth just as much to be able to rip flesh and crush bones. They have a majestic light gray mane, the longer the mane the older the beast is. The alpha is always the oldest of the pack as they carry more power, just like any other magical beast they have inner energy which matures with age and various other factors. Their natural habitat are rocky areas, usually caves mountain ranges or sometimes even deserts, they draw strength from the rocks around them, absorbing the energies of the nature of stone. They are carnivorous creatures that stalk their pray for hours enjoying the thrill of the hunt. As they are usually very confidant in their hunting skills, they even bare fangs against much bigger foes as they attack in a pack. They are very territorial creatures and usually try to expand and take over most rocky area''s with brute force. Yet in the hierarchy of magical creatures they are far down in the ranks, but they make up for this in numbers and stealth. Even though they are usually quite weak their pack is never far behind, so proceed with caution when dealing with these felines Magical creatures of Feline decent Vol. 1. //Thoragg Thirft. ¡°Let''s get going Sk?ll, don''t you want to see something else,besides rocks?¡± The feral boy said as he looked to his younger brother, which was currently sniffing around for all the unfamiliar smells. Sk?ll quickly barked with a short ¡°Ruff¡± as he started running down the trail, and the feral boy quickly follows, as they make their way through the rocky area, they are situated within the forest, a sight to behold. Green grass covering all, thick lavish tree''s with giant crowns, rocks covered in a florescent very subtle light green moss, there are red and black birds with long curved beaks, and just about 30 cm in height. these birds where called Mahog birds, which are sitting in the tree crowns, referring to the mahog fruit, which they base their diet on. The fruit is a red fruit oval fruit with a watery substance of fruit meat, with a very sweet taste, that is a very sought after fruit within most of the land. ¡°Look up in the tree''s Sk?ll, those are Mahog birds, they live mostly of fruits and berries, they are creatures that fly through the sky, they are a species so free, that are able to see the point of view that we had on top of the mountain at any given time.¡± The feral boy exclaimed as he had his head tilted up, looking at the birds with an admiration strong enough to quell his jealousy of their freedom. ¡°RUFF, RUFF, RUFF!!¡± Sk?ll braked with short intervals while running around in circles, with his eyes fixed on the birds. As the birds extended their wings and flew to the skies due to the noise of the small wolf, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and stared blankly on the birds, being so fascinated that the birds could just take of and fly to a new scenery whenever they felt the need for it. ¡°I guess you scared them away Sk?ll, I know that all this is new to you and you are getting more and more curious and riled up by the sights you are seeing, but remember to respect nature and it''s inhabitants, we all share this place, no one reigns over the wilds, which is why it''s called the wilds, referring to the untamable thing that is nature, hundreds, thousands, even millions could live in forests if big enough. And they all co-exist with each other, yet some are more "wild" than others, unruly creatures that fight for the pleasure of it, so always be careful when you are out and about in the wilds.¡± The feral boy preached to his younger brother, in an attempt to raise his brother to be free yet respectful and not rash, for Sk?lls own pleasure and protection. Sk?ll didn''t do his usual bark this time, no he just sat there flat on his butt and listened carefully with wide open eyes. It would seem that even though playful and energetic Sk?ll still wanted to listen carefully to his brother, as a young child would sit and listen to stories told by their parents, of course his attention might not be the best with all the distractions, yet he tried his best not to be side tracked by all the new things around him. ¡°Hey, Sk?ll see that branch where the Mahog birds were just sitting before they flew away? Do you see anything particular on that branch?¡± The feral boy spoke as he pointed towards a cluster of oval objects hanging on the outskirts of a branch. Sk?ll looked up to where his older brother had pointed, and his eyes lit up as soon as he saw the oval object, instantly knowing it''s food. Becoming ever so exited yet remaining still as his nose started to twinkle, picking up on the sweet scent. ¡°That there is the Mahog fruit, it''s a fruit that the Mahog birds are named after, or actually.... It might be the other way around now that I think about it. It''s rather sweet and would serve as a very good first meal for you, to introduce you to the world of food haha, it''s quite delectable.¡± The feral boy said as he was quite perplexed about what came first, the fruit or the bird? But quickly turned into excitement as Sk?ll seemed quite excited. ¡°RUFF RUFF RUFF!¡± Sk?ll started barking as he yearned for the sweet nectar of that fruit, in a frenzy he started running up against the tree and tried his best to climb the broad and thick tree, to no success unfortunately. He then quickly turned over to his older brother, with a look of deep sadness in his eyes, they were wide opened and slightly watery, with his brows curved downwards, looking at his older brother in peril as he so badly wanted this fruit. ¡°HAHA, if that isn''t "Puppy eye''s" then I don''t know what it is hahaha, sorry Sk?ll but your expression is just too adorable to not laugh at, you really are a cute little rascal Sk?ll.¡± laughing hysterically at Sk?ll''s facial expression trying to hold back the laughter, yet he is unable to do so, holding his stomach as it aches from all the recent laughing fits he has had. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°RUFF!!!!¡± Sk?ll barked with a deep tone as his expression has turned into a more frustrated one, his forehead wrinkled up avbit, his eyebrows stayed in a similar position yet his eyes squinted a bit. This only escalated the feral boys laughing fit, becoming louder and he crumbled a bit to the ground as he was holding onto his stomach even tighter on his knees, while resting on one elbow. Not quite understanding the situation, Sk?ll still understood that his older brother was making fun of him, he started bearing his teeth. ¡°Wait Sk?ll no, no, no you don''t want to do that... it''s all in good fun right?..¡± The feral boy said as he was gasping for air, still unable to quite break his laughing fit. Sk?ll not wanting to show any mercy to anyone laughing at him started to stand up, still bearing his teeth he had his hind legs extended, wiggling his behind left and right. ¡°Wait Sk?ll can''t we settle this in a more civilized manor? please?..¡± The feral boy said with a slightly worried look to his face. A long winded¡°Ruff...¡± came out as he geared up for his lunge, his front paws digging slightly into the grass, and off the small creature leaped. ¡°CAN''T WE TALK ABOUT THIS!?¡± Came out from the mouth of the feral boy, in a higher pitch squeal as he saw his younger brother mid air on a straight coarse towards his leg. Sk?ll flew towards his prey as he bit down into the calf of the feral boy, latching on with his whole body vertically to his calf, with his legs wrapped as far around as possible for a better grip. ¡°AW, AW, AW DAMMIT Sk?ll what got into you?¡± The feral boy yelled out as he managed to stand himself up, flinging his leg back and forth, trying to get Sk?ll to loosen his grip. A mumbled muffled ¡°ruff¡± was heard as Sk?ll was still latched on to his legs, to protect his pride he refused to let go. ¡°Okay, okay, let go Sk?ll I''m sorry for making fun of you!¡± The feral boy screamed out whilst still flinging him around on his leg. As Sk?ll heard his apology he let lose of his grip and landed softly on the green grass. Whilst staring into his older brother''s eyes, with such conviction. ¡°I guess I shouldn''t make to much fun of you huh, I sincerely apologize and I''ll promise I''ll keep that in mind, haha.¡± The feral boy said with a wide grin as he chuckled towards the end, seeing as his brother seems to be a very proud and strong willed individual. Sk?ll then proceeded with his usual antic, his head held high as he had protected his pride and showed who''s boss. They then tussled around and play fight a bit whilst laughing, Sk?ll had a playful expression as he was nibbling away at his older brother, not actually feeling much as Sk?ll was a newly born wolf his teeth were not that sharp, yet he wanted to play along, and had just as much fun Sk?ll whilst wrestling around on the green grass. ¡°phew, that was fun¡± The feral boy said with a slight sigh as he was exhausted laying on the grass with his arms around his forehead trying to catch his breath. A short ¡°Ruff!¡± was let out as Sk?ll equally tired was laying next to him on all four, hyper ventilating to regulate his breathing and temperature. ¡°What do you say about getting ourselves an after workout snack to replenish our energies?¡± The feral boy exclaimed as he looked up to the Mahog fruits dangling from the tree''s. Sk?ll quickly became excited as he stood straight up and started barking at the fruit. ¡°Okay then let me just get up there.¡± The feral boy said as he stood below the tree. ¡°RUFF!¡± Sk?ll barked as he was waiting in anticipation, his tail out of control whipping all over the place slamming into the green grass. The feral boy geared up for a jump, squatting down on one knee, then suddenly kicked of the grass, leaving the grass rustling where he knelled, landing one foot on the tree, kicking of the bark of the tree trunk, making some debris fly of as he once again kicked off, quickly grabbing the branch above him, then using the momentum of the jump to swing around branch, flying up into the air and finally landing standing up on the thick branch. Sk?ll started barking and jumping in place in admiration of his older brothers agility, it happened in just mere seconds but to Sk?ll it seemed much longer than that. The feral boy starts walking over to the outskirts of the branch, laying down flat on the branch and twisted of the thick stem that holds the cluster of Mahog fruit, it resembled a chandelier but instead of lights or candle''s there were 12 oval somewhat transparent light red Mahog fruits, in the palm of his hands it felt squishy, a very thin skin around which you could see inside the fruit like colored glass, giving the yellow fruit meat a slight red shine. ¡°Think fast Sk?ll!¡± The feral boy yelled as he broke of one of the fruits from the stem, underhand throwing it lightly towards Sk?ll. Sk?ll followed the falling fruit with his eyes with great determination, gearing up for a jump he kicked of with his hind legs and cleanly clenched down his fangs into the squishy red fruit, most of the fruit was gulped down quite fast, the rest splashing in every direction in a drizzle of fruit juice and meat. ¡°How is it little brother? it''s delectable isn''t it? Haha.¡± The feral boy yelled as with a wide smile as he chuckled at how delighted Sk?ll looked. A loud burst of ¡°Ruff¡± was heard as Sk?ll looked at his older brother with a very playful smile, with his face wet from the residue fruit that didn''t fit in his mouth. ¡°haha glad you liked it Sk?ll, you really are a messy eater though, we should probably take a bath when we get home, or stop by the nearest lake haha.¡± The feral boy said as he jumped down from the tree landing infront of Sk?ll giving him yet another fruit. Sk?ll gladly chomps down on the fruit, being non the less messy about it this time either. The feral boy sits down with his back resting against the tree trunk, enjoying a fruit for himself as he looks to his over joyed little brother munching down on his first ever meal. The fruit tasted extremely sweet, and the texture could only be explained as watered down gelatin, next to no chew resistance, it''s quite a messy fruit to eat as it''s near to impossible to not spill any of the nectar within it. Yet this situation might be short lived as there was a group of predators stalking them in the bushes lying in ambush, waiting for any chance to strike, bloodthirsty and with a grudge, they wait for the kill... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author''s basement : Hope you enjoyed the chapter and wohoo, there might be some action coming around the corner rustling within those bushes next chapter, hopefully I''ll get the next chapter done within the week but can''t promise anything but just wanted to let you guys know. Hope you guys have an amazing day today, and if not I hope it''ll get better ^^ Chapter 8 A cruel god Author''s note : Hello peeps, got another chapter for you guys, Hope you will enjoy the chapter. And as in the last chapter there will be another small informational text about a magical beast. Hope you guys have a wonderful day and you are all feeling well ^^ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lightflame wolfs Lightflame wolfs are a canine species with the very same ancestry to Shadowflame wolfs, they have similar color schemes with similar markings. They are predominantly the purest of white, with yellow distinguishing marks, the most common markings are yellow paws, two yellow dots between their eyes, a yellow stripe stretching along their spinal cord covering their back, and their bushy majestic tails gradually becomes more and more yellow towards the tip of the paint brush like tail. It''s speculated why the related species became either a Lightflame wolf while the other Shadowflame wolf, but honestly there is not much reliable information about it, the only reason why we know they are very closely related is because of the study of DNA of the creatures. Proving them to almost completely identical, the biggest difference is just their inner element that is genetically passed down, and of course the different colors. Their physical make up is the same otherwise. There is a rumor circulating that the pairing of the two will breed life to an extremely powerful magical creature, as the two ancestries join together to presumably create the original species that spawned both bloodlines. This mythical creature is called the Yin-Yang flame wolf. Yet this is only speculation and has no sustainable facts behind it, more than the definite possibility that they can breed with each other, we just wouldn''t know what would come of it. Magical creatures of canine decent Vol.1 //Thoragg Thrift As the beast lie in wait for their chance to strike, both brothers leisurely bask in the summers strong warm rays of the sun. Enjoying nature to the fullest as they delight in eating the savory Mahog fruit. Yet they don''t have the slightest clue of what lies beyond the very green bushes of nature they so admire. As they revel being inside the forest which is as green and full of life as could be, it might just hold more wild life than they bargined for... As Sk?ll and his older brother have finished savoring the sweet nectar of the Mahog fruit, the feral boy proceeds to place one hand flat on the ground as he uses it to support himself as he slowly stands up, and stretches his arms letting out a slight yawn. ¡°I guess I got a bit too relaxed there, it''s such a nice day out today, wouldn''t you say Sk?ll?¡± The feral boy said as he stared up into the sky, observing next to no clouds, with a clear blue sky. ¡°RUFF!¡± Sk?ll barked as he hastily stood up, and started walk about. ¡°Huh I guess you want to explore more, you really do have too much energy you know that? We just ate, you should let your stomach settle before running around.¡± The feral boy said with his head tilted to the left, looking at Sk?ll with a brief smile on his face. ¡°RRRRGGHHH¡± Sk?ll started to growl over and over again, only stopping to sniff around vigorously. ¡°What''s gotten into you Sk?ll?¡± Said the feral boy as bore a puzzled look to his eyes. ¡°RUFF, RUFF, RUFF, RUFF!!¡± Sk?ll started barking with short intervals, facing towards the bushes as he bashed his small front legs to the ground over and over again. ¡°What''s wrong Sk?ll is there something there?¡± The feral boy spoke as he swiftly started to realize that there might just be someone or something within the bushes. ¡°RRRRGHHH¡± The short interval barks changed hastily into a long winded growl, bearing his teeth as he tensed his face fringing just about everything from forehead to snout. ¡°SK?LL GET BACK HERE, NOW!!!¡± The feral boy shouted with great haste, fearing for the life of his dear younger brother. ¡°The only reason that Sk?ll would react with such aggression could only mean one thing. There are predatory beasts hiding beyond those bushes, lying in wait for a chance to strike. But it''s not his instincts that are telling him that, he''s too young, he wouldn''t react so strongly if that were the case. There are only so many smells he''s familiarized with. And without a doubt that very smell has to be that of none other than the... Stoneclaw lions!¡± The feral boy thought to himself as he kicked up a patch of grass behind him, sprinting as fast as he could towards Sk?ll, trying to make it before it''s too late. Hearing his older brother scream out in distress Sk?ll quickly leaped backwards. The feral boy frantically running towards his now endangered little brother is only a few meters away from being able to grab Sk?ll within his rattled hands. Yet a figure appear out of the shadows, it''s just as he had expected. It''s the Stoneclaw lions. ¡°SHIT, SHIT, SHIT. I won''t make it, NO I WILL MAKE IT. I refuse to lose all that is left within my life, I won''t let what happened to our mother to happen to Sk?ll.¡± The feral boy thought to himself, briefly seeing his mother corpse lying in the tomb, but she was not alone a bloodied mangled corpse of Sk?ll was lying beside her. ¡°I refuse to let that vision become reality.¡± The feral boy thought to himself with a desperate look in his eyes. Time was moving at a turtle''s pace, his mind started blocking out the scenery, only focusing on what mattered, the background faded to white, all which he could see was three heads poking out of the bushes, the Stoneclaw lions bearing crazed expressions zeroing in om Sk?ll, mid air from his backwards leap with his back to his franctic older brother. Inch by inch the ferocious beasts came closer and closer to Sk?ll at a rapid pace. As one of the Stoneclaw lions jaws unhinged and started rotating his head to the right, lining up his jaws parallel to the exposed puny frame of Sk?ll. ¡°SK????????????LL!!!¡± Screamed the feral boy at the top of his lungs as he fought to force his eyes open, overcome by emotions wanting to close his eyes and look away. And then the dreaded moment happened... The entire scenario still moving in slow motion, two crimson red drops seemed to be suspended within the air, falling, inching their way to stain the beautiful lavish green grass with with the splattering blood of the recently born wolf. The fangs had protruded the flesh of Sk?ll, digging into the fragile rib cage, dangling from the jaws of the Stoneclaw lion with with his eyes shut tightly with a pained expression. ¡°NOOOO!¡± The feral boy screamed out in agony at the sight of his brothers limp body. Hastily stopping his advance, crumbling to the very grass that they were both moments ago admiring. ¡°I''ll do anything please, I''ll even forfeit my life if that is what you want, just please, PLEASE, let Sk?ll go, he doesn''t deserve this.¡± The feral boy pleaded to the captors of his dear younger brother. The Stoneclaw lions did not seem to honor his plea. Instead the Stoneclaw lion which had Sk?ll firmly within his grasp, signaled something to the other two, moving his head about as Sk?ll dangled along with the motion, squealing in pain over and over again. As the feral boys expression took a turn for the worse at the sight of the agony Sk?ll was experiencing, the two beasts walked slowly to either side of the feral boy, turning their face with a wide grin towards distraught boy as they softly walked. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Please, I don''t know if you understand me but please, don''t let my brother suffer for what I have done. Haven''t you guys gotten enough revenge as your leader cold bloodily drove our mother to her death!?¡± Screaming out with a furious disdain. Recalling the events that lead to their mother''s death. Clinging on to every bit of hope he could grasp with his trembling hands. Knowing that if they were anything like their deceased leader, they would not show a shred of mercy. ¡°Think, think, is there any way I can save Sk?ll, I don''t have any weapon on me... Shit I should have taken one of the daggers, but one of them was lodged into the wall whilst the other dagger was within the pond. I refused to pick it up due to it reminded me of the fatal wound I gave mother with it... FUCK there has to be a way, there just has to. But I''m surrounded, unarmed and there is at least 10 meters between me and Sk?ll, there is no way I can make that without him being slaughtered...¡± The boy thought, desperately assessing the situation. A soft "Duntss" was heard as Sk?ll hit the ground, lying on the grass trying to regain his breath. As the beast sported a sinister expression, looking disturbingly euphoric as he stared at Sk?ll frantically trying to stand up. The beast then lifted one of his front legs, planting it firmly on top of Sk?ll''s rib cage, slowly and exponentially shifting the weight onto the paw. Sk?ll starts squealing louder and louder, screaming out in pain as he feels more and more pressure of the feline, his expression becomes more and more strained, frantically kicking his legs, trying to get any footing to get out of the beast grasp, finally he strains his neck as he looks over to his older brother distraught he forces his eyes open as he locks eye contact. ¡°STOP, please for crying out loud stop, I can''t take this. He has nothing to do with this, he''s innocent. I killed your leader not him, take it out on me please!¡± The feral boy screamed out, once again pleading for his brother, with tears streaming down his chin. ¡°I have to do something, but what, damn it all. FUCK, how can I be so pathetic, he''s my younger brother, I promised myself to protect him. I swear if we make it out of this I''m going to eradicate their entire species. No matter how long it will take, first they kill mom, and now they are going to take away Sk?ll. I won''t let them there must be something, anything I can do...¡± The feral boy frantically thought to himself, as his sobbing turned into seething rage. As the tension rose higher and higher. The feral boy sat there with disdain as he stared straight into the eyes the feline beast. Preparing himself for the worst case scenario of his brothers demise. Then all of the sudden "SCHWAFF" was heard heard, seeing a projectile flying through the air. To the feral boys disbelief, the Stoneclaw lion which was which was pressing down on Sk?ll fragile body tumbled to the ground, the projectile was an arrow, that flew with a straight coarse piercing through the temple of the feline beast. ¡°SK?LL!¡± The feral boy screamed out as he ran towards Sk?ll which was trembling on the ground, breathing heavily and stained in crimson red from his own blood. The two remaining Stoneclaw lions snapped out of their confusion as they heard the scream of the boy. Immediately running in a straight path trying to cut him off and stop him from getting to Sk?ll. "SCHWAFF" another arrow was fired from the east, to the right side of the feral boy. The arrow flew through the air and graced the ear of a lion, stopping him in his tracks for a few seconds. ¡°SHIT, I missed!¡± Was screamed out shortly after the arrow struck a tree, planting itself firmly as the wood and feathers rattled. The feline that had it''s ear graced swiftly proceeded to continue it''s run following a few meters behind the other lion. Abruptly the feral boy turns around to face the feline''s as he realizes he has to stop them in their tracks if he wants him and Sk?ll to survive. With a raging Stone claw lion rushing straight into his path. the feral boy embraces for impact, lowering his stature as he bends his knees, and extends his arms in an attempt to get a grip onto the galloping beast. ¡°Watch out!¡± was heard from the bushes on the left of the feral boy right before impact. The feral boy moves forward in an instance, extending his right hand swiftly dodging the bite of the feline, he grabs a hold onto it''s neck. Using the momentum of the feline he swings himself onto it''s bare back. Proceeding with a triangular choke hold with his arms tightly wrapped around it''s neck. Exerting as much physical strength as possible he tries to choke out the beast. After a few seconds it started showing result and the feline started slowing down, whilst having issues trying to breathe. ¡°WATCH OUT BEHIND!¡± Shortly after the warning, the feral boy felt a series of cold sharp points pressed against his back, feeling like cold steel knifes, as the sharp stone claws of the lion protruded through his flesh, slashing five long stretches down his left shoulder blade all the way down to the last rib on his back. Screaming out in pain he reluctantly lost his grip around the feline''s throat. He fell to the ground as he lost the strength in his arms. As his body hit the ground, coughing and twitching his cheek muscles out of the pain, he turned his head to face Sk?ll. His younger brother was laying there with his eyes shut, not moving in the slightest, not a single twitch. The only movement that could be seen was the blood that was flowing into the stained crimson red grass. ¡°SK?LL!!!!¡± The feral boy screamed out seeing Sk?ll''s seemingly lifeless body. Once again tears started to well up in his eyes. ¡°Damn it all, he''s dead isn''t he... he''s dead... just like mom. WHY, what did I do to deserve this. no, what did he ever do to deserve this? Lying down in the grass in a pool of his own blood just one day after his birth. If there is a higher power out there, a god... Then he is one sadistic bastard, having a child lose his mother on the day of his birth and surviving just to get killed by the killers lackeys the very next day. If I survive this I''m going to spend every waking hour spitting in the face of this so called god, I''m going to kill every Stoneclaw lion I see mark my words... Not a single one shall survive...¡± ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author''s basement : Hope you enjoyed the chapter, I''m guessing most of you are thinking "finally some action" haha, I promised some plot and action within the next few chapters, just stay tuned to see it. I know my pace is a bit slow but I value scenic writing and proper explanations of actions and feelings instead of, "he was sad", or "he was angry" and I know that I might be a bit long winded with those dissertations, but that''s the way I enjoy writing it''s not perfect though, so I appreciate any feedback, please if you have any opinions I''d love to get some constructive criticism. If you have any thoughts about my way of narration or my dialogue or anything else specific, then I would love to hear your concerns to further myself as an author. Hope you guys have a wonderful day and if not It I hope it''ll get better. All the love to you guys ^^