The homunculus stood above Arash as he lay in bed. The sheets were soaked in sweat and Ar hash was breathing heavily.
"There's nothing I can do to heal him dearest Zara" the homunculus stated in a cold and coarse voice, "this is not some meager sickness that medicine can treat. His soul is going through... A metamorphosis of some sort."
"Like a butterfly?" Zara questioned with a look of doubt on her face, "how could that even be possible? Gato, you've gotta tell me what's going on with him!"
Gato chuckled, "well I could scry into his mind's eye and show you, but it's dangerous to do so. Much like poking a hole into the butterflies cocoon."
Zara stood in silent thought as she weighed her options.
"I think..." She hesitated, after all, Arash was under her protection and was quick on his way to becoming a very trusted Ally, "we should do it. He could need our help."
Gato purred in amusement and his yellow eyes sparkled in pleasure as he went into his bag to retrieve his tools. He seemed to enjoy danger, especially when it wasn't his life on the line.
When he finished rooting around in his bag, he had pulled out a vile of viscous purple liquid, a clear crystal, and a knife. He dashed back to Arash's bed and quickly poured the purple liquid onto his forehead, pricked his own finger and mixed the blood into the spread of odd goo, then placed the crystal on top of it all.
Gato put his hands together and chanted in some strange language, "protegas me ut et ego audio, ut deum paris, in haec temptaturum facere mortalium confringetur meam."
With that, an image appeared on the crystal, faint at first. Then it grew larger and showed more detail as Zara and Gato squinted into the crystal that was barely the size of the palm of one's hand.
The image was of Arash, beaten and bloodied as he fought against a wolf. Arash spoke but the image was without sound.
"That's a dire wolf!" Zara shouted, much to the chagrin of Gato, "they are the familiars of the god of the hunt, does this mean that he has chosen my aunt's side in this blasted game?!"
Just then Arash charged at the wolf.
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Despite the aching pain in his joints and the deep slashes across his chest and head, Arash charged ahead. His lungs burned hot but his fury and rage pushed him forward.
The wolf had stopped using it's quick speed a while ago and was simply sidestepping Arash's attacks. Not one had connected in what felt like the hours they had been in battle.
Despite all of this Arash kept lunging and slashing at the wolf, becoming more like an injured beast than a man.
Then, everything stopped. Arash was frozen in midair mere inches away from the beasts hide.
"Why did you stop me!" Arash screamed, "I almost had you damn it!"
"No, you didn't." The wolf stated, "but you fought tooth and nail, even after your body was screaming in pain and falling apart."
"What does it matter!?" Arash shouted between his heavy breaths, "I did all I could and it wasn't enough! Just... Just like before!"
"No Arash, this test was never about your skill in battle." The wolf said as it circled Arash, "It was about your will to fight. Whether you were enough to be called a warrior of the hunt!"
Arash stared in astonishment at this hulking beast as it stood proudly before him.
"Arash," it said as it saw his face flush with relief, "have you ever seen a wolf journey alone and survive more than a week? No. We rely on each other to survive, each wolf supporting the other in battle so that we may all eat and live. Apart we are weak, but together, together we are strong!"
A smile rose on Arash's face as his mind went to Zara. She was the only pack member he had to speak of since his fall.
"You have proven yourself a worthy leader Arash," the wolf said, "now I ask, may I join your pack?"
Arash fell to his knees as the movement spell was lifted, and to his astonishment, the wolf was bowing its head to him.
"Your words are a kind wolf." He said outstretching his hand to the wolf's forehead, "I accept you as a member of m-"
Then, before Arash could even finish his sentence, he woke up with two figures staring down at him. Recognizing Zara, and marveling at the new, very cat-like face.
"Welcome back to the waking world"