As Jamie marveled at his newfound human form, a pressing thought crossed his mind. "What are your plans for the future?" Srides asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Jamie's response was immediate and resolute. "First and foremost, I'll pay a visit to the wolf tribe to see how they're doing."
Srides's eyebrows furrowed in surprise. "I had no idea you were acquainted with a tribe."
"How would you know? I never informed you or rather couldn't speak before," Jamie exclaimed, already preparing to leave the house.
"Can you tell me when you'll be back?" Srides called after him, a hint of concern in her voice.
"It depends, Srides, but I'll attempt to return as soon as possible," Jamie replied, his hand on the doorknob.
With that, Jamie vamoosed for the forest, running in his human form. However, he quickly discovered that bipedal locomotion was more challenging than he anticipated. He stumbled and fell numerous times, his body unused to the mechanics of human walking. Despite the setbacks, he pressed on, driven by his determination to reach the wolf tribe.
As Jamie neared the forest, a wolf's howl echoed through the thick foliage, reverberating off the ancient trees. The sound spurred him on, and he quickened his pace, following the mournful cry. Upon reaching its source, a heart-wrenching scene unfolded before him. Many wolves lay injured, their bodies sprawled across the forest floor.
The wolves regarded Jamie with bewildered expressions, unable to recognize their former companion in his human guise. As Jamie's gaze swept across the clearing, he spotted a familiar figure—Fear, the wolf he had befriended, locked in combat with the mystic wolf that had previously terrorized the tribe. A mischievous smile played across Jamie's lips as he realized he could finally repay his debt to the tribe that had accepted him.
Without hesitation, Jamie strode towards Fear, positioning himself between the battling wolves. He gestured for Fear to back off, his stance radiating confidence.
"Who are you, human?" Fear growled, his smoky voice laced with suspicion.
"It's me, Fear," Jamie replied, clenching his fist in anticipation of the impending fight.
Recognition dawned in Fear's eyes. "My lord, is it you?"
"Yup, it's me. You can rest now that I'm here. I'll take care of this as quickly as possible," Jamie assured his old friend.
The mystic wolf, momentarily taken aback by this interruption, snarled, "Who are you, human?"
Jamie couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. "Did you forget about me already? I expected better from you since you made me an enemy," he quipped, shifting back into his wolf form to jog the mystic wolf's memory.
"You! Jamie! I thought you were dead," the mystic wolf exclaimed, surprise evident in its voice.
"Why did you think that?" Jamie asked, genuinely curious.
The mystic wolf mumbled something incoherent before speaking clearly. "It's none of your business. I guess I'll have to do the deed of killing you."
Jamie, ever the diplomat, attempted to diffuse the situation. "Before that, would you mind telling me what's the deal with you and the people of this wolf tribe?"
"Okay then, I'll tell you if you can block one of my attacks," the mystic wolf proposed.
"Alright, I hope you won't break your word," Jamie agreed.
"I won't. I can vouch for that," the mystic wolf assured him.
The mystic wolf's eyes bore into Jamie, studying him intently. Then, without warning, it charged at full speed, unleashing one of its skills. In his previous form, Jamie knew he would have struggled to block such an attack. But now, after his evolution, the mystic wolf's movements seemed almost laughably slow. Jamie dodged the attack with effortless grace, much to the mystic wolf's chagrin.
"It seems you have grown stronger than before. Great job blocking my attack. I guess I'll tell you why I'm doing this," the mystic wolf conceded, a note of respect creeping into its voice.
"Coming back to our senses, are we?" Jamie teased.
The mystic wolf began its tale, its voice tinged with ancient sorrow. "It all started a few decades ago. This forest was the home of our kind, but you wolves ruined it."
Jamie shrugged. "Well, I have no clue since I came to this forest some months ago."
"One day, the ladies of our tribe were taking a bath in the nearby river," the mystic wolf continued. "Suddenly, the men of the wolf tribe came and peeped while we were bathing."
Jamie, still adjusting to human sensibilities, responded glibly, "So, what's wrong with that? It's a man's nature to peep."
The mystic wolf's eyes flashed with anger. "The women of our tribe felt defiled, and they all committed suicide."
Jamie winced at the tragic overreaction. "Now that's stupid. They should have demanded to see the peepers naked. Then it would have been equality for all."
"As I thought, men are despicable creatures, no matter what the place or being," the mystic wolf spat.
Jamie sighed, realizing the depth of the mystic wolf's hatred. "Look, I don't have anything against you, but your brain's messed up real bad."
"Like hell I will ever forgive you and the people of your tribe," the mystic wolf snarled, its fur bristling with rage.
"Okay then, come and fight," Jamie challenged, bracing himself for battle.
"As you wish," the mystic wolf growled, activating one of its skills.
Suddenly, Jamie felt his body becoming heavier, as if the very air around him had turned to lead. "It's my unique skill, Gravity Room," the mystic wolf explained. "You'll have trouble moving, but I'll be able to move swiftly."
The mystic wolf studied Jamie for a moment before lunging forward, its claws slashing through the air. To its surprise, Jamie evaded the attack with ease.
"How can you move?" the mystic wolf demanded, incredulous.
Jamie smirked. "It's quite simple. I'm stronger than you."
Undeterred, the mystic wolf launched into a flurry of attacks, its claws a blur of motion. Yet, none of its strikes managed to land on Jamie, who dodged each assault with fluid grace.
"You gotta do better than that," Jamie taunted, effortlessly evading every attack.
As the battle wore on, the mystic wolf's movements became increasingly desperate and erratic. Its attacks, once precise and calculated, now bordered on wild flailing. Jamie noticed the change in his opponent's demeanor.
"You're more persistent than I thought. I quite like that about you," Jamie admitted, a hint of admiration in his voice.
"Stop blabbering, you vermin! I'll end your life myself!" the mystic wolf snarled between labored breaths.
Finally, exhaustion took its toll. The mystic wolf's legs gave out, and it collapsed to its knees, panting heavily. Jamie approached his fallen foe, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Tell me one thing," Jamie began. "Is Safila your real name, or is that a made-up name?"
"Why should I answer your question?" the mystic wolf snapped, defiant even in defeat.
Jamie's voice softened. "I'm about to kill you, and I think a warrior should get a chance to state his or her name before dying."
The mystic wolf hesitated before answering. "It's my real name. I don't tell lies about my name."
With the battle concluded, Jamie turned to Fear. "Get her chained, Fear. I'll talk to her later."
"Okay, my lord," Fear replied, invoking his "Chained Maiden" skill to restrain Safila.
"Are you going somewhere, my lord?" Fear inquired, noticing Jamie's distant expression.
"No, I'm not going anywhere. It's just... I need some free time for myself," Jamie replied, his mind wrestling with the implications of what had transpired.
"Okay then, I'll leave you be," Fear said, respectfully withdrawing.
Jamie found himself alone, gazing up at the blue, cloud-dappled sky. He sighed deeply, pondering what to do with Safila. Despite their conflict, he couldn't shake the feeling that under different circumstances, they could have been good friends.
As time passed, Jamie returned to question Safila. However, he was unprepared for the sight that greeted him. Instead of the mystic wolf, a girl with cat ears sat before him, still bound by Fear's chains. Jamie blinked, trying to process this unexpected development.
Fear, noticing Jamie's confusion, quickly explained. "It's the mystic wolf, my lord. She was a cat people tribe member all along, who left the forest decades ago as their numbers diminished."
Curiosity piqued, Jamie approached Safila. He reached out, gently touching her ears to verify their authenticity. After a moment of inspection, he was convinced they were real.
"Don't worry, she won't attack since she hardly has any strength left," Jamie assured Fear, instructing him to release Safila from her bonds.
Once unchained, Jamie sat beside the cat-girl, his expression a mixture of curiosity and concern. Safila, still wary, broke the silence. "Why didn't you kill me?"
Jamie's response was simple and honest. "I'm not a killer, or rather, I don't like killing children and women."
Safila's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying you didn't kill me just because I was a woman?"
"Well, you're quite right and wrong at the same time," Jamie replied cryptically.
Fear evident in her voice, Safila asked, "Do you intend to rape me until my soul breaks apart?"
Jamie recoiled at the suggestion. "No, I won't. Your brain is truly messed up."
"Then what are you planning to do with me?" Safila demanded, her tail twitching nervously.
A mischievous glint appeared in Jamie's eyes. "You'll be my honey."
"Honey?! How dare you?" Safila spluttered, her face flushing with indignation.
Jamie chuckled. "I'm kidding," he said, reaching out to pat Safila's head gently. "What are you doing?" she asked, bewildered by his actions.
"Petting you since your ears look cute," Jamie explained nonchalantly.
Safila's face turned as red as blood, and she instinctively stepped back from Jamie's touch. Noticing her discomfort, Jamie's voice softened. "Don't worry, I won't do anything wrong with you," he insisted, hoping to put her at ease.
As the tension slowly dissipated, Jamie realized that this encounter marked the beginning of a new chapter in his journey. With his newfound human form and the complex relationship developing between him and Safila, he knew that the road ahead would be filled with challenges, surprises, and perhaps even new friendships. The forest, once merely his hunting ground, had become a place of intrigue and possibility, and Jamie was eager to unravel its mysteries.