Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Pack Mentality Part One
Jake watched in agony as the wolves began to descend upon them. His breathing was laboured and harsh and the pain in his arm began to throb an unbearable amount. He clutched onto it tight as he surveyed the situation before him.
The smaller members of the wolf pack, though not lacking in size by any means, were in the innermost circle of the ring that encased both Jake and the unicorn. The larger ones stood at the outskirts of the group.
His attention was snatched from them when the unicorn in front of him made a grunting sound, its nostrils blared in fury and with its massive hooves it stomped on the ground.
It seemed to pay no mind to Jake anymore, rather focusing on the surrounding wolves as it darts its wild eyes to and from each of them. The wolves themselves seemed more interested in the unicorn than Jake, perceiving it as the greater threat as they snarled at it.
Quickly and all at once the smaller wolves charged at the unicorn, biting and clawing at it as they tried to push it towards the entrance of the cave, but it would not move. The unicorn used its massive body and sharp horn to defend and attack against the threat.
He watched as it stabbed and stomped at the wolves, letting out a loud cry as one of the smaller white wolves sunk its teeth into the unicorn’s leg, and with one particular hard jab the unicorn picked it up and flung the smaller wolf across the open cave space and against the wall. Jake winced as it let out a whimper and fell limp.
The unicorn’s eyes followed the smaller wolf as it flew through the air, its eyes trained on that particular one that still had its blood dripping from its mouth.
He didn’t know what possessed him to, but he quickly moved from his position at the centre of the room to the side where the fallen wolf lay, scanning it for any sign of mortal injury.
His head quickly shot to the sound of trembling that came from behind him, and noticed the unicorn had managed to fend off the wolves that had attacked it.
The unicorn never took its eyes from the unconscious white wolf, and Jake stayed rooted in his position between the maddened beast and the small wolf.
Head bowed and legs apart, he noticed the muscles in them flex with tension and a wild, savage look was portrayed in its bloodshot eyes. A deep chill raked through him then, not from fear, but it seemed almost as if whatever had affected this creature to behave so wildly now leaked from its body into the cave.
Shadows leaked from its body as the unicorn stood there in the midst of the wide passageway and dark tendrils seemed to reach out to grab him; he felt as though something was so wholly un-right he couldn’t even pinpoint the source.
But something else reached out to him from that ravaged unicorn, something not malicious, and something more peaceful and calm than he had felt in ages grappled him. And for a split second the bloodshot eyes of the unicorn turned clear and wide-eyed, he swore he saw something kinder in them than the lust for blood.
Then it disappeared, and the calmness that had settled over him evaporated like smoke and a whining from behind him tore him from the trance.
And all at once the unicorn’s eyes were bloodshot and savage again and it was charging at him.
This time he didn’t shut his eyes or brace for the oncoming impact. This time he stood up on his feet and charged at the unicorn, forcing himself to forget the burning of his legs and the throbbing of his arm as he flung himself onto the neck of the unicorn once again.
With a loud yell he swung his body to the side as he gripped the unicorn’s neck with his arms and legs and swung it off of the path of the fainted wolf.
A pained scream rang through the air as he fell onto his side with the head of the unicorn on top of him, the sharp pain of his arm now too unbearable to ignore. Despite the pain, he quickly pushed the heavy head from him and stood up.
He was breathing heavily now and his vision was blurry from fatigue, but he still stood between the unicorn and the injured wolf despite it.
He watched as the larger wolves stood from their seated position at the side of the passageway, then as the largest black one gave out a bark.
He continued to watch in horror as the next three largest wolves, each competing with each other and even the unicorn in size, seized its hind legs and tail and began to drag it out.
Blood dripped from its side where it had fallen onto sharp rocks and Jake couldn’t move even if he wanted to as the wolves left nothing but a bloody trail behind them.
The large black wolf from earlier began slowly walking towards him before he knew what was happening, and it took all of his strength to remain wide eyed and vigilant. But his energy was draining fast and his head began to spin.
The wolf made a half circle around him and Jake followed his movements with his entire body, not caring that his back now faced an entire pack of vicious predators.
The black wolf sniffed at the smaller one laying on the ground, then gave one shove, then another, before it began to stand back up on its own paws. The black wolf grabbed onto the back of its neck to steady it, then released it as it focused its attention onto Jake.
Wide blue eyes stared at him menacing and calculating, and Jake wasn’t sure whether wolves were capable of such emotions or if it was the lack of air in his lungs, but he saw it all the same.
And the wolf took a step forward and approached him, up close the wolf was much larger than he expected. It stood almost near to his own shoulders and was much broader than he was. Long, thick fur covered muscle and bone no doubt refined over long hunts and preying, Jake couldn’t help but swallow down hard.
Then a beeping sounded out and the neon screen flashed before him.
COMMUNICATE WITH BEAST?
YES or NO
He stared at the blinking neon screen of the system before him, then to the wide blue eyes of the wolf and back again. The choice was the easiest thing he’d done all day.
He hovered his hand over YES and waited until it accepted his answer, then-
“H-hello?” His voice was a lot weaker than he’d have liked. The wolf took a step back, whether it was from shock Jake didn’t know.
The wolf huffed at him, and then turned to leave the cave with the rest of the pack.
Jake blinked once, then twice, and anger settled over him as he chased after the retreating pack. Jake knew the wolf had understood him; there was no way it couldn’t have with that reaction, so why did it leave him there?
“Hey! Come back!” He called after them, but they never stopped walking. At the end of his wits and irritated, Jake yelled out again, “Hey fur-face!”
The wolves stopped in their tracks and Jake stumble to come to a halt as well. “Ah, well, I mean… respectfully?”
“Who do you think you are, coming in this part of the woods and causing such a ruckus? And then the audacity to be so rude! My, times sure have changed, that’s for sure and certain.” Jake watched in shocked amazement as the smaller wolf that had been injured spoke.
“D-did you just-“He stumbled to get his words across, “Speak?”
“Of course I spoke!” The wolf said exasperated, “You chose this didn’t you?” It shook its head to the side and regarded the other members of the pack, “Honestly it’s as if they become dumber and dumber each generation.”
“No- I mean, yes. But how could I have chosen it? What’s happening?”
“You chose it through your system, I believe,” the large black wolf spoke now, its voice deep and reverberating against that of the smaller wolf, “It has been some time since someone was able to communicate with us.”
“My system?”
“It is a power of sorts that allows you to communicate with creatures other than humans; your system.”
“I… I see…”
The wolf looked at him for a long time and seemed to regard him closely, “You are not from here.” It wasn’t a question.
“No sir- ah, I mean… wolf. Um, I woke up here only hours ago and I have no idea where I am. I’m lost.”
The wolf turned from him as it spoke, “All who wander the woods in these times are lost.” And the pack began to move again.
Jake felt a nudge at his back and turned to noticed some of the smaller wolves were guiding him along. Not knowing what else to do, he followed the wolves further into the woods.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone