Chapter 2: Eating the Giant Bee
Day 1
I sat in the deepest part of the wolf den, a cave nestled near the creek—the modest home of the wolf pack. As the suns dipped below the horizon, the female wolf herded the cubs into the den, chasing them inside. I was no exception.
The wolf overseeing me, a majestic creature of nature, was about two-thirds the size of the already rotting corpse nearby. She approached me slowly, nudging me with her nose toward the den's entrance.
At first, I didn't understand her intent and stepped away. She pushed again, more forcefully this time. My newfound legs wobbled, and I stumbled to the ground.
Bitch!
I tried to curse her, but only a low growl escaped my wolf throat. It was a strange sensation—no matter what I tried to say, only growls emerged.
Before she could nudge me a fourth time, I got the message. I wasn't blind.
I saw the other female wolf roughly handling the cubs, grabbing them by the scruffs of their necks and tossing them toward the cave while growling like a beast possessed. She was rough with them. Fearful she'd treat me the same, I scrambled toward the cave and darted inside.
I was surprised at how fast I could run in this body—easily three times faster than before.
Inside, the cave was dimly lit by the fading twilight, with the musty scent of earth filling the air. Twisted roots and dried leaves formed a makeshift bedding in the center. The solid black rock walls offered a sense of protection, while distant chirps occasionally pierced the quiet.
To think I'd end up sleeping in a wolf den. Life sure has a way of surprising you. I'd slept on trains, streets, under bridges, even in trees—but never in a cave.
I dragged myself to the farthest corner, wanting to avoid interaction.
Why?
Well, not long ago, I was human. The fear of wolves, especially after dying by one's fangs, still weighed heavily on my mind. Years of surviving an apocalyptic world had made me brave, but human instincts are hard to shake.
But I'm not human anymore, so I'm sure that fear will fade soon.
After a bit of fumbling, I folded my legs into a comfortable position. I took note of it for future reference. I wasn't tired, but since the cubs were settling down, I followed suit.
There were six cubs in total, including me. Each looked slightly different, but I could tell they were the same species. How? Instincts, I suppose. This new body's heightened senses let me differentiate between male and female easily.
Two of the cubs were already asleep, curled up in the center. One sat at the entrance, possibly waiting for the females—or maybe it couldn't take its eyes off the corpse. Who says animals don't have empathy?
The last two were play-fighting, biting and pushing each other, kicking up dust. I guess they were trying to release pent-up energy. Understandable.
I decided to give them names. I was going to be living with them for a while; it'd be inconvenient not to.
"Let's see. The one at the entrance is Cub A. The sleepers are B and C. The fighters are D and E. That makes me, the outcast, F."
I didn't put much thought into it. In the wild, most of them wouldn't survive long. Without a leader, there wasn't much hope for them.
The females weren't just fooling around outside. They weren't hunting either—they were disposing of the corpse. If it stayed near the den, it'd attract predators. I saw how big that bee was. Who knows what kinds of beasts roam this world's forests?
Even if no predators came, the stench would soon make life unbearable for the wolves, with their heightened sense of smell. Not to mention the swarm of insects it would attract.
The females knew what they were doing.
After a couple of hours, the den was pitch dark. If not for my new body's superior eyesight, I wouldn't have seen a thing. The two females returned, covered in blood and dirt. The alpha female, who had nudged me earlier, held the giant bee in her mouth. It looked pitiful—its wings withered, and a gelatinous substance oozed from its round, foot-wide body. Its once-yellow hue now appeared gray in the darkness.
The final gift from the male wolf to his family.
The smell was overwhelming. Even with my new heightened senses, it made me nauseous.
The alpha dropped the bee onto the floor with a low growl, signaling the cubs to accept this "gift" of compassion.
Was that even edible?
The beta female moved to the entrance, shoving Cub A aside to take up guard duty.
The other cubs stirred. B and C, now awake, made their way toward the food. The smell must've reached them even in their sleep.
What do wolves dream about, anyway?
The cubs weren't picky—they approached and began eating the bee, using their paws and teeth like primitive utensils. The sound of chewing filled the cave.
The alpha's expression softened, as if experiencing a mother's pride watching her children eat. But then her eyes landed on me, and a chill ran down my spine.
Did I have to eat this too?
Reluctantly, I stood and joined the others. I had eaten far worse in my human days. A giant bee corpse wasn't the worst thing, as long as it didn't carry any diseases.
I wasn't human anymore—I couldn't expect cooked meals. I hadn't eaten since my rebirth, and I was hungry.
The cubs made room for me without hesitation, accepting me as one of them.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Smell and sight can affect taste, so I braced myself.
I bit into the plumpest part of the bee. My mouth filled with a cold, slimy liquid. I swallowed without chewing, barely suppressing my disgust.
It was vile. Imagine taking a piece of cheese, flushing it down a toilet, then fishing it out of the sewer and eating it.
[ Consumed: Giant Bee Flesh. Energy: (+3) ]
A system notification popped into view.
One bite for 3 energy points. I had no idea how to check my total stats, but I guessed I'd figure it out later.
I ate a few more bites, gaining 12 more energy points. 15 in total now. I did feel a bit more energetic, but it felt like such a waste—time to sleep. It was too dark to even see the food anymore, even with my enhanced vision.
"I just hope my stomach's strong enough to handle this. I'd rather not vomit."
The nausea lingered.
To be continued.