While the forest was in total chaos.
On a high rise of considerable size, a boy and his cub stood in their well-earned peace, oblivious to what was going on inside the forest.
"Um? Someone's here!"
Suddenly, the puppy's small ears pricked up.
(Where?) the news immediately caught the boy's attention.
"In front of us, it's approaching at a great speed."
Thanks to his heightened senses, the cub immediately spotted the presence, but still had difficulty pinpointing its precise location.
From the darkness of the forest, a silhouette emerged at great speed.
"It's that commander from the capital..." said Kiba with an inquisitive look.
(Commander Evan, you mean? What's he doing here?) Rada's eyes widened.
Wasn't it forbidden for anyone who wasn't a participant to enter the forest? He could only think of some likely hypothesis with an expression of doubt.
In a flash the silhouette immediately revealed itself to the two.
"There you two are, I see you're doing great in spite of the great danger ahead!" the commander spoke in a stern tone.
Kiba and Rada gave each other doubtful looks, they had no idea what was going on.
"Commander, I have no idea what you're talking about," Rada said, scratching his head in puzzlement.
The commander waited a few moments before speaking. He looked at him from head to toe, as did Kiba.
There were no particular signs that would reveal anything special about the two, yet he couldn't help but look away from the boy and the cub.
At that moment, Rada had a flash.
(Oh no... you're not going to tell me that this one... has strange intentions for me?)
He started to break out in a cold sweat and instinctively backed away.
"Hey, what's going on?"
Kiba saw Rada's pale expression.
(I-I think we'd better kick up our heels!) Rada answered him hastily.
"Huh?"
Kiba was forcefully grabbed by Rada who hurriedly backed up.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing!?" complained the puppy of the sudden gesture.
(I know that look, and it's nothing good!) Rada interrupted him.
"What look?"
Kiba glanced in Evan's direction but didn't notice anything strange, which made him even stranger.
(Y-you can't understand!) complained Rada.
(Shit! He wants to do me!) he shouted inwardly.
"Hey, where are you going?" asked Evan with a strange face.
"There's a danger looming so I'm leaving, I totally understand. Thank you for your thoughtfulness commander!"
Rada finished his preparations and left without waiting for Evan's reply, who looked at him with astonished eyes.
(The Elder's pupil really is on another level...) the commander thought to himself.
At first he admired the boy's decisiveness, but his opinion changed soon after.
"Wait, there are still many things to talk about!" Evan followed him.
"We have nothing to talk about, and now if you'll excuse me, we'll be going!"
But Rada didn't seem to want to know anything about him, which irritated him.
"What the hell! is this the thanks I get for my help!" ranted Evan.
"Far from it," Rada replied without even turning around.
"I think I've done this enough," he waved his hand, having no intention of standing next to a likely pervert. But in a moment, he felt a strong pressure coming from behind him.
"Listen to me kid, I'm coming with you whether you want me to or not! Hmpf!"
Evan's tone was so commanding that it shook the ground.
Rada found himself caught off guard by the commander's destructive force and began to break into a cold sweat.
"Okay... but don't stand behind me..." he said in a weak tone.
"Oh? I knew you were a reasonable guy..." the commander's face changed in an instant. He had a sunny expression on his face.
Stunned by the sudden change, Rada could only shake his head.
"Oh good lord save me..."
"Yawn!"
Bored by the unlikely duet, Kiba turned around and tried to fall asleep. He didn't care in the least about his companion's inner conflict.
"Well, shall we go?"
With a smile as beautiful as the sun, Evan invited the hesitant Rada, who was still cursing the fact that he hadn't escaped.
"As I was saying, it seems that some strange creature has crossed the barrier protecting the forest and is spreading panic."
Evan began to explain the general situation to Rada.
"I see, was it clear who or what it was?" the young man asked disinterestedly.
His semi-apathetic behaviour created a few black lines in Evan's forehead who took a deep breath and continued, "They seem to be wolves" meanwhile he watched for any kind of reaction that might come from him.
Kiba's eyes suddenly widened, as did Rada's expression, which didn't seem auspicious at all.
"It's them!" the puppy's voice confirmed.
(Could it be?) Rada asked worriedly.
"No place is safe, it was only a matter of time" Kiba's eyes shone with a strange glow.
"I can sense them, they're not far from us, they must have scented us."
(What? Already? What do we do now?) asked the companion, surprised by the news.
"What a question! Let's run away, shall we?" Kiba had no hesitation in saying that.
(Run away!?) asked Rada instinctively.
"I sense another presence besides Scarn, and if I'm not mistaken, we're really in trouble!" said Kiba in a serious tone.
(Are there others more powerful than that mangy dog!?) Rada could hardly believe it.
"Scarn is just a grain of sand in the desert," Kiba replied.
Each of Rada's expressions were under Commander Evan's close observation.
(Looks like Encar hit the jackpot...)
The commander said inwardly, amazed at his subordinate's wit.
"By the looks of it, you two seem to be hiding something, am I right?" Evan jumped any approach and asked out of the blue without any qualms.
"Huh? Who us?" Rada feigned naivety.
"Yes you, in your arms you hold a puppy that despite its harmless appearance hides great powers, plus the invaders are wolves" But Evan didn't fall for his little game.
"You mean to tell me that's a coincidence?" he asked with a smile that at the same time didn't look like a smile.
"Heheh, who knows? I am a wolf lover after all, none of them can resist my charms, heheh" Rada continued to pretend with her puns.
If there was one thing he was good at, it was fiddling with words enough to make people dumb. But it had a different effect on Evan, who seemed irritated by how brazen he could be, even though the truth of the matter was right in front of him.
"You are shameless! You dare to say that they have nothing to do with the puppy you are carrying?"
"Puppy what puppy? This isn't a puppy, it's a little ball of fur," he said again, a smile on his lips. He exposed with outstretched arms little Kiba, who had a far from happy expression.
"Idiot."
"Idiot."
Both Kiba and Evan found themselves agreeing on that point.