"The patriarch, just up ahead..." James Drake's voice was sharp and focused. The previous day, while tracking the barbarians, he'd marked the surrounding trees with his stone spear. Those marks now served as guides, allowing the group to easily find the enemy tribe's location.
Ethan Drake motioned for everyone to stay low, the group pressing themselves against the snow-covered forest floor. They'd hidden among the trees to observe the situation first. From their vantage point, Ethan surveyed the enemy settlement and frowned.
"What kind of idiot sets up camp here? No river, no food sources, surrounded by barren snowbanks... Just sitting around waiting to starve or freeze."
The poor positioning only bolstered Ethan's confidence. A tribe in such a miserable state would be easy to subdue. Once their combative forces were taken out, it wouldn't take much to intimidate the survivors into submission.
Ethan grinned, gripping his stone spear tightly. "Brothers, this is it! Let's move! Kill!!"
The warriors, led by Rio Drake, roared their war cries, surging forward like wolves descending upon prey. The barbarian tribe below erupted into chaos, their shouts of alarm echoing across the frozen landscape.
A ragged group of barbarians burst from their crude shelters, wielding wooden clubs. But the sight of Rio's stone axes and spears sent panic rippling through their ranks. They recognized the weapons immediately. The memory of their devastating power was fresh—and terrifying.
Ethan smirked. He didn't charge in with the others. That wasn't his role. He was the commander, the strategist. The battle didn't need him fighting in the frontlines, especially when his tribe had the advantage of preparation and superior weapons.
At the forefront, Rio Drake was a force of nature. With twin stone axes, he cut down a barbarian warrior in a single devastating blow. The man crumpled into the snow, crimson spreading beneath him. Rio's ferocity only grew with each strike, and the enemy warriors faltered, their morale rapidly crumbling.
Just as Ethan was savoring the inevitable victory, a bone-chilling howl ripped through the air.
"AWOOOOOOO!"
"What the hell?" Ethan whipped his head toward the sound. His stomach dropped. From the direction of the forest, a pack of wolves emerged, their eyes gleaming with hunger.
"Shit! Did the blood attract them?!" Ethan cursed under his breath. These weren't ordinary wolves. They were massive, their gaunt frames suggesting a desperation that made them twice as dangerous.
Rio's expression hardened. Even he looked uneasy as the wolves closed in, their snarls reverberating in the freezing air. The rest of the Mirror tribe warriors exchanged anxious glances, their earlier confidence wavering.
Ethan clenched his jaw. Fear would only lead to disaster. He couldn't let his people fall apart now. "No running!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the growing panic. "You think you can outrun wolves in snow? Stand your ground!"
The barbarian tribe had also noticed the wolves and had frozen in place. Ethan locked eyes with their leader, then pointed his spear toward the man.
"Listen! If we keep fighting, we'll all be wolf food. Truce for now. We kill them together or die together."
The barbarian leader hesitated, glancing at the approaching pack. His men were already retreating from the fight, fear etched on their faces. He nodded grudgingly.
Ethan wasted no time. He activated his 'enhance morale' ability, his voice booming with confidence. "Listen up! These wolves are just beasts. We've got spears, axes, and brains. Tonight, we feast on wolf meat!"
His warriors erupted in a rallying cry, the morale boost reinvigorating their spirits. "Kill the wolves! Eat wolf meat!"
The barbarians stared in shock at the sudden shift in the Mirror tribe's demeanor. Their leader could only gape as Ethan's warriors formed a tight circle, spears ready, yelling their defiance at the encroaching predators.
"Gather close!" Ethan commanded, his voice steady and sharp. "Spears out! Keep them at a distance and strike hard. These beasts aren't unbeatable!"
The Mirror tribe warriors quickly tightened their formation, their spears bristling outward like a deadly hedgehog. Across from them, the barbarian warriors scrambled to organize themselves, but their leader had already fallen into stunned silence.
The wolves didn't wait. They charged, their powerful legs propelling them forward in a blur. One leaped toward the barbarian leader, jaws snapping.
He froze, terror written across his face. "This is the end..." he muttered, despair choking his voice as the beast closed in.