[ Ding, Killed normal shadow wolf ]
[ Extracting life force ]
[ Life force extracted ]
[ Life force conversion ]
[ Noticed Host intelligence is that of a newborn ]
[ Converting life force to intelligence ]
[ Conversion complete ]
[ Host intelligence increased to that of a 3-year-old]
"Argh!!" the little girl screamed in fright and shock as she noticed the skeleton behind her, its bony fingers in the wolf's mouth, blood seeping out of it.
Ossa, who had just gained the intelligence of a 3-year-old, jumped back, frightened by the girl's scream.
Uncaring of the shenanigans going on, the remaining shadow wolves melted into the darkness created by the almost night sky, with escape on their minds.
Shadow wolves are cowardly predators by nature, employing assassination methods unlike other species of wolves that are more straightforward. They are weak by nature, but due to their ability to easily sink into shadows, with the more evolved ones turning into wisps of shadowy smoke, they become an annoying and dangerous bunch.
After witnessing the brutal demise of their comrade, they fled in fear, with thoughts of revenge foreign to their cowardly minds.
"Huh, why did it jump back... Did I scare him, but he scared me," the little girl thought to herself as she looked at the skeleton behind the shadow wolf's corpse, seemingly hiding from the girl who had frightened it.
"Hey... Don't be scared... I... didn't mean to scare you," the girl apologized as she approached the frightened skeleton. Despite its expressionless bony face, its eyes screamed fear as they gazed at the small, seemingly vulnerable, defenseless child.
Afraid the girl might hurt him, it moved back once again, creating further distance as she had gotten too close for comfort.
"Why is it behaving like this? It's acting differently from before... It shouldn't be scared of me... No... How can I die if it is so scared of me," she thought to herself as she approached the creature once again. Feeling a sense of betrayal from the creature that should have claimed her life.
"Hey, don't run," she said as the creature moved back once again.
"GET OVER HERE!" Frustrated, she screamed, cutely pouting at the skeleton.
The skeleton, feeling a sense of kinship with the girl, quickly rushed towards her, kneeling in front of her like a child kneeling in front of an angry mother.
Its head dropped as its eyes showed remorse.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout," she apologized, noticing the sad look in the eyes of the skeleton.
"Mr. Skeleton, don't be sad... Oh, I forgot we have not introduced ourselves... I'm Bel, and you..." She introduced herself, pausing as she waited for the skeleton to give his name.
"...Ahh sorry, I forgot you cannot speak... You don't have a name, right? It's not nice to not have a name; I need to have something to call you by..." She said, pondering what name to give it.
"WOLF!!!" The pup, who had been forgotten, jumped onto the skeleton, its jaw locked on the creature trying to take a bite out of it.
It gnawed, but to no avail, as the creature was made of bones.
"Hey, stop that, he's not a bad skeleton," Bel said as she pulled the pup off the skeleton, who was still kneeling, unfazed by the small creature.
She pulled the creature from the skeleton, "How come it didn't move... It didn't even flinch... Well, that's given he is made of bones... Bones, yeah, his name..." A smile blossomed on her lips as she thought of a name for the skeleton.
"OK, I have decided, I will call you Ossa. It means bones, you know because you are made of bones," she announced, feeling rather proud of herself.
Ossa, who could hear his new name, raised his head, happy about his new name.
"Ossa, don't be afraid anymore, I will take care of you." She got closer to the kneeling skeleton, behaving like a mom, as she had given Ossa his name.
"I guess I have a reason to live now... If I die, who will take care of Ossa," she thought to herself, finding a reason to live as someone finally needed her.
"Ossa, Ossa, if you can understand me, nod," she inquired, remembering that Ossa could not understand her earlier.
Vigorously, he nodded, bringing a smile of relief to Bel's lips.
"WOLF!!! WOLF!!!" The pup, feeling left out, rubbed its head on Bel, trying to get her attention.
"Ah, I almost forgot... Ossa, let's help this pup out. Little puppy, I'm not gonna die anymore, so when we meet your parents, don't let them kill me, okay," she said to the pup, which turned its head in confusion as it could not understand her.
"Ossa, let's go."
They got up, with the pup in the lead, and ventured into the deeper parts of the forbidden forest.
The night sky shimmered as countless stars glittered, illuminating the night without a primary source of light like the day which has the sun.
The stars aligned forming countless constellations of the Gods. Providing the greatest luminance was the galaxy of stars that spiraled around my constellation, a group of stars that looked like a tree.
"I like trees; Most if not every life on Terra depends on trees one way or the other."
The night sky looked more dashing than the almost plain day sky.
The brilliance of the numerous stars provided visibility for the three creatures looking for shadow wolves.
SCREECH!!! MEEW!!! HISSSS!!! HOWWWWL!!! GROWL!!! HIKHOK!!! RUSTLE RUSTLE!!!
"Ehm... Ossa, I'm scared..." She paused, turning to Ossa who walked behind her.
"I can't be scared; I should be tough so that he does not become scared," she thought, moving back and holding Ossa's bony hands.
"Don't be afraid; we will get there soon," she said, comforting herself more than the skeleton, who, despite having the mind of a three-year-old, did not feel threatened by the numerous sounds and stares that fell on them.
His emotions could only be triggered by Bel, while anything else couldn't, as his emotions were as cold as his body but his cognitive prowess that of a three-year-old.
"WOLF!!!" The pup exclaimed, excited as it noticed its parents.