I kept walking.
Slowly.
Every step felt heavier than the last. My legs moved, but my body protested with each breath. The forest around me stayed quiet, but not in a comforting way. It wasn't peaceful. It was watching.
Leaves rustled without wind. Branches creaked softly, then went still. Somewhere far away, something stepped on dry wood. The sound was faint, but it made my shoulders tense.
My stomach still felt empty, though the bread I had eaten earlier helped a little. The sharp hunger was gone, replaced by a dull weakness that sat deep in my bones. Not pain. Just the kind of tired that made you feel slow, like your body was running on borrowed strength.
I followed a narrow path between the trees.
It didn't look like something people used often. No footprints. No signs of carts. Just flattened grass and packed dirt, like animals had passed through again and again. The trees here were closer together. Their branches tangled overhead, blocking most of the light.
I tightened my grip on the sharpened branch in my hand.
It wasn't a weapon. Not really. Just a long stick I had worked on earlier, scraping the end against a rock until it was pointed. It made me feel slightly safer. Slightly.
I stopped.
Something felt wrong.
The forest felt… still.
Too still.
No birds. No insects. No wind.
I realized I wasn't breathing properly. My chest was tight, and my breaths were shallow. I forced myself to inhale slowly.
Then I heard it.
A sound.
Low.
Rough.
A growl.
It wasn't loud. It wasn't close. But it was real.
My body reacted before my mind caught up. My fingers tightened around the branch until my knuckles hurt. Every muscle in my body tensed.
I turned slowly.
Between the trees, something moved.
Two yellow eyes reflected the light.
A wolf stepped forward.
Grey fur, dusty and rough. Its body was lean, all muscle and bone. Bigger than the wolves I had seen in books or pictures back home. This one looked real. Dangerous. Its ears were pulled back, and its lips lifted slightly, showing teeth.
My heart slammed against my chest.
"…Okay," I whispered.
The sound of my own voice felt strange here, like it didn't belong.
The wolf didn't rush me.
It watched.
Its body stayed low. Its head tilted just a little, eyes locked on mine. It circled a step to the side, testing me.
I took a slow step backward.
The wolf stepped forward.
My foot hit a root hidden under the leaves. I stumbled, barely catching myself.
The wolf froze.
For half a second, nothing moved.
Then it charged.
I raised the branch without thinking.
The impact was violent.
The wolf slammed into me, and pain exploded through my arm as the branch struck its shoulder and slid off uselessly. The force knocked me backward, and I lost my balance completely.
I hit the ground hard.
The air rushed out of my lungs in a sharp gasp.
The wolf turned fast.
Too fast.
I rolled to the side just as its jaws snapped shut where my arm had been a moment earlier. Pain burned across my forearm as its teeth grazed me.
I screamed.
Warm liquid ran down my skin.
Blood.
I scrambled backward, pushing myself up with shaking legs. My heart felt like it was trying to tear out of my chest. My arm throbbed, the pain sharp and screaming now.
The wolf didn't give me time.
It came again.
I focused.
Create.
The pressure hit my head like before, but stronger this time. It felt like something heavy pressing down on my thoughts. My vision blurred, and my ears rang faintly.
The branch in my hand changed.
Not much.
But enough.
The tip grew sharper. Harder.
The wolf leaped.
I pushed the branch forward with everything I had left.
The point sank into its side.
There was resistance. Then a sickening give.
The wolf let out a sharp, broken cry and twisted away, crashing to the ground. Blood soaked into its fur, dark and thick.
I dropped to my knees.
My breathing was loud. Ragged. Too loud in the quiet forest.
The wolf tried to stand.
Its legs shook.
It collapsed again, whining weakly.
It looked at me.
Just for a moment.
Then its body went still.
I stayed where I was.
My whole body shook.
I didn't move. I didn't breathe properly. I just waited, staring at the unmoving shape in front of me, expecting it to jump up again at any second.
Nothing happened.
Slowly, the forest returned to life.
Birds chirped in the distance. Leaves rustled gently. The air moved again.
Something appeared in front of my eyes.
Level Up
Level: 2
I stared at it.
I didn't smile.
I didn't feel proud.
I felt sick.
My stomach twisted painfully, and I looked away, breathing hard. My hands trembled as I glanced down at my arm. Blood ran freely now, dripping from my fingers onto the dirt below.
The pain hit fully.
I hissed and pressed my other hand over the wound. My fingers came away red. I tore a strip from the bottom of my shirt and wrapped it around my arm, pulling it tight.
My hands wouldn't stop shaking.
I tied the cloth clumsily, my vision blurring again, this time not from the skill.
I stood up slowly.
The world tilted.
My legs almost gave out, and I had to steady myself against a tree.
That was when I heard a voice.
"Don't move."
I froze.
Every muscle in my body locked up.
A girl stood a few steps away.
She held a bow in her hands. The arrow wasn't pointed at me, but it wasn't lowered either. Ready. Her stance was steady, balanced, like she knew exactly what she was doing.
She looked about my age. Maybe a little younger. Dark hair tied back tightly. Simple clothes, worn but clean. Her eyes were sharp and focused, scanning me carefully.
She glanced at the dead wolf.
Then back at me.
"You fought it alone?" she asked.
Her voice was calm. Careful.
I swallowed and nodded once.
She lowered the bow slightly.
"You're bleeding."
"I know," I said.
She stepped closer, slow and cautious, and looked at my arm.
"You'll live," she said after a moment. "But you're lucky."
I didn't argue.
She looked at the wolf again, her expression unreadable.
"Come," she said. "You can't stay here."
I hesitated.
The forest suddenly felt much more dangerous than before.
Then I nodded.
I followed her.