Hunting in the Forest

Five months later. Scattered snowflakes were already drifting across the sky above the Pokhara Forest. This heralded the onset of winter on the Anzeta Plateau, and beasts had begun hunting in packs, preparing for the long, bitter cold ahead. Rustling noises echoed through the woods as a succession of gray figures darted swiftly between the trees. Prominent muzzles, inverted-triangular eerie blue eyes, and razor-sharp fangs left no doubt as to their identity: dire wolves. Among the forest's apex predators, they were the absolute masters of pack-hunting tactics. Ahead of them was a panicked herd of deer, hooves flying as they bolted for their lives. The wolves, however, seemed in no rush. The largest and strongest dire wolf at their head let out a long howl, and the others responded with low cries. The pack numbered over a dozen. Working in concert, some drove the herd from directly behind while others outflanked them on the sides; still others had already vanished from sight, gradually forming an open, pocket-like formation. After tens of minutes of pursuit, the wolf pack held absolute control. Without exerting too much stamina, they drove the disoriented deer toward a mountain pass. Hemmed in by the relentlessly advancing wolves, the terrified forest deer took the pass for their final escape route, pouring inside all at once like drowning creatures clutching at a straw. In the chaos, smaller fawns were even trampled to death. Little did they know that what they thought was their lifeline was actually a trap. "Awoo—" Once the entire herd had filed into the valley, the wolf alpha gave an excited, drawn-out howl. The dire wolves that had previously vanished reappeared at the other end of the gorge, trapping all thirty-odd deer inside the narrow pass. Thoroughly panicked, the deer scattered blindly in all directions, only to find predatory wolves glaring hungrily from every side. Eyes gleaming with an eerie blue light, the wolves swarmed forward without waiting another second. For a time, blood splattered and wails rang out continuously as the gorge filled with the stench of gore. In the end, the lead stag used his massive antlers to smash through the wolves' blockade on the other side, leading a dozen or so deer in their escape and leaving behind more than ten fresh carcasses in the valley. The wolf pack had achieved its objective. The dire wolves jostled and lunged forward, tearing into the deer flesh. They wanted to gorge themselves before winter set in to survive the bitter northern cold. The alpha chewed on the choice entrails, savoring the hard-won meal he had so meticulously orchestrated. A mist began to billow across the gorge. At first, the wolves paid it no heed. But as the fog grew thicker and thicker, plunging the entire pack into a hazy, chaotic gloom where they could barely see one another, unease began to set in. Mysterious dark silhouettes flickered through the fog from time to time. *Crunch, crunch.* It was impossible to tell whether it was the sound of the pack crunching through deer bones, or the sound of wolves themselves being crushed. Then came erratic howls echoing out of the mist—now a hunting command, now a call to attack, now a signal granting permission to feed. To the wolves' ears, the sounds lacked all logic, yet carried distinct meanings. Had a knowledgeable wizard been present, he would have easily recognized this as mere Prestidigitation, a cantrip used to conjure minor sounds and sensory effects. Unfortunately, the beasts knew nothing of magic. Driven by raw instinct, they grew terrified of the unknown, edging closer to madness. "Awoo—" The alpha rose warily to his feet and let out long howls, calling to his packmates. Puzzled, the other wolves howled in return, attempting to verify one another's general positions. Yet the dense fog obscured their sight, and bizarre, dissonant noises kept erupting around them, leaving them disoriented and unable to glean any useful information. Suddenly, the alpha detected an odd sound from the sky. A whoosh like rushing wind. He reflexively looked up, only for his pupils to reflect roaring flames... *Boom—* [Killed adult male dire wolf; gained 200 XP] [Killed adult male dire wolf; gained 200 XP] [Killed adult male dire wolf; gained 200 XP] [Killed adult female dire wolf; gained 200 XP] ... [Killed dire wolf leader; gained 700 XP] "A bumper harvest. Not a single one got away." Cassius released a brisk puff of sulfurous hot air, then spread his wings. A crimson silhouette swept over the gorge, circling above the mountain forest. Transformed into a fearsome hunter, the red dragon gazed down at the forest's many creatures, searching for his next quarry. Fierce beasts that ordinary folk fled from were nothing more than walking experience packets to him. ... Down on the ground beside a patch of shrubs, an enormous dire boar was rooting up the dirt, searching for anything edible. Be it the succulent rhizomes of ferns, a small snake about to hibernate, or clumps of earth containing trace minerals, everything served as food for this boar. Standing well over two meters tall at the shoulder, the dire boar resembled a miniature hill from a distance. Its tusks jutted out from either side of its jaws like a pair of scimitars. Beneath its thick hide lay a heavy layer of fat, while the exterior was caked in hardened mud accumulated over the years. Ordinary iron blades could not even scratch this natural armor; only the most seasoned hunters dared to challenge such a terrifying beast. "Oink, oink..." The dire boar let out a snort. Blowing out a puff of dirt, it rooted further with its rough snout. After rooting around frantically, it finally unearthed the pupa of some unknown insect. Treating it like a prize, the boar hastily gulped down the precious protein. Suddenly, it spotted what seemed to be a small snake slithering forward through the nearby grass as if fleeing. "Hrnph..." The dire boar trotted after it at a brisk pace. The snake flickered in and out of sight, luring the boar toward a cliff wall. When the massive beast scurried forward in short, eager steps, ready to snap it up and feast, the snake's figure vanished into thin air. A dark shadow fell from atop the cliff. Magic Missile. Several arcane force darts struck the boar's thick hide directly, dealing irresistible and virtually unblockable force damage. The dire boar let out an agonized squeal, immediately followed by the frenzy of a wounded beast. *Beast Rage!* Its eyes flushed red with fury, and the bristles along its humped back bristled upright. It spun about in search of its assailant, hooves churning up clouds of dust. "Huff, huff—" This state was similar to a barbarian's rage, granting the boar terrifying bonuses to its Strength and Constitution. Even more frightening, it became numb to pain and fatigue. Countless adventurers who thought they had mortally wounded such a beast had ended up gored and snapped in two by its tusks in its furious counterattack. Yet no matter how many times the enraged beast looked around, it could find no target and no sign of where the attack had come from. Left with no recourse, it vented its raging fury indiscriminately upon its surroundings. *Crash!* *Crash! Bang!* It slammed its massive body violently against the cliff face, shaking loose fragments of rock, and gored the earth and splintered trees with its sharp tusks. Several minutes passed. When the rage finally subsided, the behemoth slumped to the ground, utterly exhausted. The surrounding area was left in ruins, littered with shattered rock, churned-up earth, and a cracked cliff face. Having recovered from its wounded outrage, the boar began leisurely chewing on grass roots from the ground. "Ignis (Fire Bolt)!" A blazing bolt of fire plunged from above, charring its hide black. Immediately after, a crimson silhouette swooped down from the sky, latching directly onto its humped back. "Awooo..." The dire boar let out a whimpering wail, no longer possessing the strength to rise and fight back. It could only lie helpless as the red dragon upon its back snapped its spine with razor-sharp fangs, ending its life with swift finality. The former forest tyrant, once feared by all, died in utter ignominy. [Killed adult dire boar; gained 1,100 XP] [Your level has increased to Level 2] Tearing through the tough hide and scraping away the thick fat, he exposed the bloody fresh meat beneath. Cassius did not bother heating it. He simply tore off a choice cut of tenderloin and shoveled it into his mouth, chewing greedily. A red dragon possessed a unique digestive system that could consume virtually anything. Most of what was ingested was converted into nutrients for growth, while the remainder became abundant elemental energy, leaving little to waste. "Chewy pork. A bit too tough, though." Mouth dripping with blood, the red dragon still found the time to critique his meal.