After a few days as the silver light of the full moon cast eerie shadows around his campsite, Amukelo settled into his makeshift bed for the night. The quiet whispers of the forest at night, usually a soothing balm, tonight carried a tinge of melancholy as his thoughts drifted back to his mother. These moments of quiet reflection on her memories were becoming a common occurrence in his solitary nights. Just as the weight of his thoughts began to lull him into sleep, a piercing howl shattered the stillness, jolting him back to alertness. His heart raced as he scanned the darkness, the primal sound echoing ominously through the trees.
For several tense minutes, he remained vigilant, his every sense strained for any hint of movement or further disturbance. Eventually, the forest returned to its nocturnal chorus, and Amukelo, reassured but still uneasy, allowed himself to relax again. However, just as sleep began to claim him once more, the crackling of underbrush and the rapid, heavy footsteps of something large approaching snapped him back to full alertness.
In a reflexive motion, Amukelo rolled away just as a monstrous claw tore through the blanket where he had been lying. Scrambling to his feet, he barely had time to register the creature before him in the moonlit clearing. It was like something out of the darker kinds of folklore—a towering, bipedal wolf, its fur matted and eyes glowing with a predatory hunger. Its back legs were muscular and ended in grotesquely large paws that seemed capable of crushing stone, while its arms, ending in vicious claws, were raised towards him in a clear threat.
Caught without his sword, Amukelo cursed under his breath. "Tsk... How am I supposed to fight this monster without a sword?" he muttered as he eyed his blade, inconveniently positioned right beneath the looming shadow of the werewolf.
With no time to reach for his preferred weapon, Amukelo had to rely on his instincts and the small dagger he always carried. As the werewolf lunged at him with astonishing speed, its claw grazed his cheek, leaving a trail of blood that dripped down his face. The creature's movements were swift and relentless, giving Amukelo barely any time to react.
Stepping back to gain some distance, Amukelo pulled out his dagger just as another swipe of the werewolf's claw came hurtling towards him. His movements were frantic and unpolished, driven by pure survival instinct. Remarkably, his desperate block not only stopped the claw but redirected it, causing the beast to awkwardly adjust its trajectory. Instead of a deadly blow to the head, the claw scratched across Amukelo's waist, where his leather armor absorbed some of the impact, leaving another shallow wound.
Breathing heavily, his back against the cold night air, Amukelo knew he had to give his all to survive this encounter. With the werewolf recovering from its thwarted attack and preparing to strike again, Amukelo tightened his grip on his dagger, readying himself for what might be a decisive confrontation. The moonlight cast his shadow long and distorted behind him as he faced the beast, his resolve hardening.
As the werewolf prepared for another ferocious attack, Amukelo's training under Syltar kicked in, his instincts sharpened by the immediate threat of death. He mirrored a move he had seen Syltar executing on him—aiming not just to block but to disarm. However, instead of a handgrip that Syltar used during his training, Amukelo's weapon was his blade, and with a swift, precise movement, he slashed at the beast's wrist. The blade cut deep, blood spattering the leaf-covered ground, but the injury did little to deter the creature's violent frenzy.
Almost immediately, the werewolf's other claw came swinging in a wide arc towards Amukelo. Caught off balance from his initial strike, Amukelo could not fully evade the attack; he twisted his body just enough to avoid a lethal blow. The claw raked across his left shoulder, tearing through flesh and fabric alike. The pain was sharp and immediate, but it was his non-dominant arm, leaving his fighting arm free—a small mercy in a dire situation.
With the beast momentarily recoiling from its strike, Amukelo seized the opportunity. He jabbed his dagger into the creature, aiming for a vital area. The blade sank in, but it was too small to inflict a critical wound. Nonetheless, it bought him precious seconds to reach for his sword. As the dagger embedded itself in the werewolf's flesh, Amukelo dashed towards where his sword lay just out of reach.
The beast, enraged and hurt, was quick to recover and lunged at him as he dove for his weapon. Rolling on the forest floor, Amukelo managed to wrap his fingers around the sword's hilt. Just as the werewolf's claw descended upon him again, he rolled onto his back, lifting the sheathed sword between himself and the attacker. The claw struck the scabbard, but the sword remained unharmed, a testament to its craftsmanship and durability.
barely able to unsheathe it properly, Amukelo swung his sword with all his might, striking the beast across its stomach. Althougt not accurate, the blow was enough to cut through the sheath and the creature's flesh, delivering a deep, painful wound. The werewolf howled in agony, a sound that echoed through the trees, and then, with a last baleful glance at Amukelo, it turned and disappeared into the darkness of the forest.
Breathing heavily, Amukelo sat up, assessing his injuries and the situation. His left shoulder throbbed painfully, the blood warm against his cold skin. He inspected his sword, putting it back to its sheath, which, remarkably, showed no signs of the attack. The sheath, remained as new, only small scratch was barely visible on it.
Realizing the gravity of what he had just survived, Amukelo stood up slowly, his body protesting with every movement. He packed his few belongings, a grimace on his face as he noted the torn remnants of his blanket and realization that his dagger stayed in beasts stomach.
With no intention of sleeping further and knowing that staying in one place was too risky, Amukelo decided to keep moving. He needed to put distance between himself and the spot of the attack, in case the werewolf or its kin were tempted to track him down. As he moved through the forest, his steps were cautious and his senses on high alert, every shadow a potential threat.
The forest around him seemed alive with the nocturnal sounds of nature—a stark contrast to the silence that followed the beast's retreat. Amukelo's mind raced, not just with the adrenaline of survival, but with the realization of the many challenges ahead. Each step took him further into the unknown, each breath a mix of pain and determination. As the night wore on, the forest seemed less a refuge and more a vast, open arena in which he would either prove his mettle or fall to the mysteries hidden in its shadows.