The forest seemed to come alive with the haunting echoes of wolves. Ravenna tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword, her palms slick with nervous sweat. The lessons from earlier flashed through her mind, but they felt inadequate in the face of an unknown threat.
Damien moved with calm precision, extinguishing the fire and gathering their supplies with an efficiency that spoke of years of experience. He slung his pack over his shoulder and turned to her, his dark eyes steady.
"Stay behind me," he said, his voice low but firm. "No matter what happens, don't run. Wolves will chase anything that flees."
Ravenna nodded, swallowing the lump of fear in her throat. "I won't," she promised, though her heart pounded like a war drum.
They began to move, their steps careful and deliberate. Damien's gaze swept the trees, his every sense attuned to the forest around them. The howls grew louder, closer, and Ravenna's skin prickled with unease.
"Why are they following us?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Could be hunger," Damien replied. "Or territory. Either way, they see us as intruders—or prey."
The underbrush rustled, and Ravenna's breath hitched. A shadow darted between the trees, too quick to identify. Her grip on the sword tightened, her knuckles turning white.
"They're testing us," Damien muttered, his tone dark. "Trying to gauge how dangerous we are."
Ravenna's mind raced. She had read about wolves, how they hunted in packs, using strategy to wear down their prey. The idea of being outsmarted by animals sent a shiver down her spine.
A low growl rumbled from the shadows, and a wolf stepped into view. Its eyes glowed amber in the dim light, its sleek fur blending seamlessly with the shadows of the forest. It was massive, larger than any wolf Ravenna had ever imagined, and its bared teeth gleamed like ivory knives.
Damien drew his sword in one smooth motion, the blade gleaming in the faint light. "Steady," he murmured to Ravenna, positioning himself between her and the wolf.
More wolves emerged, their growls harmonizing into a menacing symphony. They moved with a predatory grace, circling the pair like phantoms.
"Three… four… five," Damien counted under his breath. "Stay close to me."
Ravenna's heart thudded against her ribs as she inched closer to him. She tried to focus on her breathing, to calm the rising panic that threatened to overtake her.
One of the wolves lunged, its jaws snapping inches from Damien's arm. He sidestepped, swinging his blade in a wide arc. The wolf yelped, retreating with a shallow cut along its flank.
The pack hesitated, their growls deepening as they regrouped. Damien glanced at Ravenna, his expression tense. "This isn't good. They're not scared enough."
Ravenna's mind raced. She thought back to their training, to the moments when Damien had spoken about reading an opponent's movements. Wolves were intelligent, but they were also animals. If they could be outsmarted...
"Fire," she blurted, the idea forming as she spoke. "Wolves hate fire, don't they?"
Damien's eyes flicked to her, then to the pack. "It's worth a try."
He grabbed a branch from the ground, its end still smoldering from the extinguished fire. With a quick motion, he fanned the embers until they flared to life. The wolves flinched at the sudden light, their snarls faltering.
Ravenna grabbed another branch, following his lead. She held it out in front of her, the small flame casting flickering shadows across the trees.
The wolves hesitated, their amber eyes locked on the flames. They growled low, their bodies tense, but they didn't advance.
"Back away slowly," Damien instructed, his voice calm but firm.
Step by step, they retreated, the wolves watching their every move. The flames seemed to hold them at bay, a fragile barrier between predator and prey.
As they moved further from the clearing, the wolves began to peel away, their growls fading into the distance. Finally, the forest fell silent, save for the crackling of their makeshift torches.
Ravenna let out a shaky breath, her legs trembling beneath her. "That was… too close."
Damien nodded, his jaw tight. "Wolves are smart. If they come back, we'll need to be ready."
They continued walking, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the pack. When they finally stopped to rest, the sun was high in the sky, its warm rays filtering through the trees.
Damien glanced at Ravenna, his expression softening. "You did well back there. Thinking of the fire—that was quick thinking."
Ravenna managed a small smile, though her hands still shook. "I just remembered what you said about using what you have. It's nothing compared to what you did."
He shook his head. "It's everything. Survival is about adapting, and you're proving you can do that."
His words settled over her like a warm blanket, easing some of the lingering tension. For the first time since the encounter, she felt a flicker of pride.
But even as they rested, Ravenna couldn't shake the feeling that the wolves weren't the only danger lurking in the forest. The wilderness was vast and untamed, and they were only beginning to scratch the surface of its perils.