Chapter 3: Destabilization
Day 2
Growl Growl
Splash Splash
The sounds outside the cave woke me. Something was stirring out there. I had actually slept pretty well, considering it was my first night as a wolf.
I guess the apocalypse has made me more adaptable.
I rose from my spot in the farthest corner and surveyed the cave. Cubs B and C were still fast asleep in the center, nestled together. Cub B lay on her side, letting Cub C rest her head on her belly. They were breathing softly, their little bodies relaxed.
Both female. Maybe that's why they seemed so comfortable around each other.
Rolling my eyes, I dragged myself out of the cave, carefully stepping through the tangled roots jutting from the ground. Now that it was daylight, the cave looked even worse than before—more chaotic. A pungent stench of urine clung to the walls on the left, while inexplicably, green vines crawled up the right side.
I hurried out.
Outside, I found the source of the noise: the females were fishing in the creek.
Alpha's silver-white fur gleamed under the sunlight filtering through the dense canopy of trees. She crouched by the creek, eyes locked on the water's flow, waiting patiently. Next to her was Beta, her head submerged in the water, motionless like a lump of snow. Every 40 seconds or so, she'd pull her head out, gasping for air.
Meanwhile, Cubs D and E played in the tall grass nearby, tackling each other.
Idiots.
Did this creek even have fish? And why were they fishing? Hadn't they hunted last night? This method didn't look efficient.
I walked over to the creek and took a sip. The water was foul and murky, but it was all we had. After what I ate last night, nothing could disgust me anymore. It had a sour, acidic taste, but I gulped it down.
No system notification. So drinking water didn't grant any points. Figures.
SPLASH!
Beta yanked her head out of the water, splattering me in the process. Still no fish in her jaws. I sighed. It seemed I'd need to find food on my own today—maybe some mushrooms or berries, if I could find them.
Huff Huff...
I turned to see Cub A darting towards us, panting, rustling through the tall blue grass.
What had he been up to? And why the rush?
Growl Growl.
He was making strange noises, but the others understood immediately. Alpha, Beta, and the cubs all stopped what they were doing and ran toward him, growling and exchanging signals in their beastly language. Then, they started howling, eyes fixed in the direction Cub A had come from.
"Hooooowwwll!"
Even the little ones tried to join in, but their tiny voices were drowned out by their mothers' howls. Soon, answering howls erupted from the other side of the forest. That's when I realized what was happening.
A wolf pack showdown.
Wolf packs are territorial. When a leader dies, a new one takes over, but if they're weaker, other packs will attack to claim territory—and females. It seemed another pack had learned of the male wolf's death.
The distant howls grew louder, and I could hear approaching footsteps. They were closing in fast.
"What am I still doing here? I need to leave."
With no adult male in our pack, a fight seemed unlikely. Females could lead packs, sure, but watching Alpha and Beta struggle with fishing didn't inspire much confidence.
"HOWL!!~~"
The females continued their howling, trying to intimidate the approaching pack. I admired their bravery. Maybe I'd stick around, just to see how things played out. After all, the apocalypse had made me tough.
Soon, the rival pack came into view—a group of grey wolves, darker in color than ours. One, two, three... Eighteen in total, quickly surrounding us. Behind us was the creek.
Alpha and Beta fell silent as a massive male wolf—easily eight feet tall, with battle scars covering his face—stepped forward. Clearly, he was their leader.
Now, what was his next move?
HOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLLLL!!!~
His deafening howl pierced the air, louder than an explosion. If he hadn't directed it at the sky, I'm sure my ears would've bled. When he finally stopped, all the wolves—ours and theirs—fell silent. His strength was undeniable.
He locked eyes with Alpha and Beta, baring his teeth, testing their resolve. They held his gaze, standing firm.
After some growling, the leader broke eye contact and scanned the pack. His gaze fell on Cub A, who was trembling with fear. Cubs D and E growled weakly in protest, but it was Cub E who made the foolish mistake—meeting the leader's eyes directly.
"No, don't do that," I thought, sighing inwardly. Eye contact was a challenge in the Beast Kingdom.
The leader raised his paw, and in an instant, blood soaked the grass.
Male cubs from rival packs were worthless—too dangerous to let live.
My heart skipped a beat. It happened too fast. Alpha and Beta lunged at the leader, desperate to save at least one of the cubs, but it was no use. Another swipe, and more blood flowed.
The air filled with mournful howls. Beta fought with everything she had, but she couldn't lay a scratch on him. Alpha had already retreated, racing back to the den to find Cubs B and C. Cub A had disappeared.
The leader's gaze turned toward me.
I was male. I was next.
Without hesitation, I ran. The creek wasn't wide—maybe four feet across. I took a few steps back, then sprinted and leaped over it.
[Mundane stunt bonus: +1 XP]
I didn't stop. Behind me, I heard the howls, the growls, the cries. My heart pounded, but I kept running.
[Ran 100 meters: +1 stamina, +1 speed]
Before long, I vanished into the blue grass.
To be continued...