Rhys: [Hey Wolf…!
There’s some deer over here…!]
Wolf poked her head through the opening Rhys had made and watched as the deer unknowingly wandered around.
The plan that Rhys had conjured up only worked because of Wolf’s stealth magic that she cast on the two of them.
As long as they don’t make any big movements, they’re undetectable.
Rhys: This’ll probably be enough for both of us for a week if we catch most of them.
He then whips out his left hand and counts down from five.
That’s the signal for the two of them to pounce on their prey and bite down hard enough so they can’t get away.
5
4
3
2
1
Rhys: [Go!!]
They rushed out of the bushes at top speed.
Catching the 5 deer off guard.
Even with their advantage, though, the deer were quick as well.
Damn near out-running the two.
Rhys was still faster, especially being the only one not on two legs.
He first starts off with the weakest one, catching up with it quickly, and using his teeth to bite down on the lower part of its back.
It howled as he left it to fall onto the grass, not being able to get back up.
The next one was a lot faster than the first.
He had to go through a lot more branches and bushes to find that one again.
When he did, though, he bit down hard.
Hard enough to almost tear its lower back completely off.
Its screech echoed throughout the forest.
Having birds and other small critters scurry away.
Rhys darted his eyes around and sniffed the air for maybe a third deer, but with no luck.
Rhys: Dammit!
He grabbed the second deer by its hind legs; it tried to wiggle its way free, but Rhys smashed its head in with a rock.
Luckily, killing it in an instant.
Rhys almost puked when he saw the damage, but you have to do what you have to do for food.
He found the first one he chomped on was still alive as well.
So with not wanting to see head trauma once again, he sort of ripped its entire head off with his hands.
Also, killing this one in an instant.
Rhys: [Sleep well, deer.
Your sacrifice will be rewarded in paradise.]
Now dragging two deer carcasses across the ground in each hand, he makes it back to their planned meet-up spot.
Wolf also comes back just in time, only to have one deer in her possession.
You know, even I wonder why he brought along Wolf for this thing; she’s still only a puppy after all.
Rhys: [Well… shit.
I thought you’d get way more deer with your magic!
That’s why.
Rhys: [I mean, at least I got two.
We should be fine on food for a couple days at least!]
He hoists his two deer onto his back.
Rhys: [C’mon Wolf!
Let’s find our way back!]
The two tried to retrace their steps to get back to their campfire.
The only problem with that is how dark the sky was getting.
Make each second harder and harder to see in.
The only thing not making them lost was the smoke in the distance; also, the faint glow in the distance was a tremendous help.
Rhys: Thank God I lit that fire…
Wolf: Woof…!
It was pretty much nighttime by the time they got back, with the campfire still going strong.
Rhys dropped his two deer on the left side near the campfire.
Wolf put hers on the right.
Rhys: [You think we should keep the skin on?
Just cook and eat everything?]
Wolf: [Woof!]
Rhys: [Everything it is!]
He picked up one of his catches and threw it onto the fire.
Firewood jumped back at him for his stupid decision.
Rhys: [OW!
Goddamn fire…]
He puts the sticks back into place and takes a seat right next to their fire, looking at the eerie scenery.
Wolf again plops her butt onto the ground next to Rhys, also letting drool and her own tongue hang out as she waits for her meal.
Rhys: [Hey… do you know how long I should cook this for?]
Wolf: [Woof…]
Rhys: [WELP, I guess the thing’s either gonna be undercooked, or burned.
I don’t even know why I said that.
That’s kinda obvious isn’t it]
Wolf: [Woof!]
Rhys: [Oh, fuck you!
I heard what tone that was!]
A loud spark and crackle shut them up, as it almost landed on Rhys’s pants.
Rhys: [I’ve never tried deer meat before; I heard it tasted bad, but who knows.]
Wolf stayed silent this time, too focused on the deer meat to care.
Rhys: [Hey… what do you think is out there in this world?
I’ve personally only seen a fraction of it.]
Wolf secretly listens in, whilst using the other half to drift off to the encroaching smell.
By the way, movies are like visual stories, if you didn’t know.
Like automatic cave paintings.]
Wolf didn’t know what a cave painting was.
Rhys: [I imagine that there’s some sort of kingdom, or empire far off in the distance.
I wonder what it’s like over there…]
Wolf finally looked over at his face and tried her best to express the words: “What?
Do you want to go journeying to find something…?”
Rhys: [But I don’t know if they would accept me in the body that I’m in right now.
If only I still looked human.]
The skin on the deer meat crisped and glistened in the moonlight.
Rhys: [It took me a long time for the people where I used to live to accept me.
But even then, some of them only saw me as a tool to use.
What I’m trying to say is, I think you and I will be just fine in these woods forever and ever.
Ain’t that right?!]
He patted Wolf on the head with considerable force.
Since she didn’t catch half of what he said, she bit him out of instinct.
Rhys: [OW!
Fuck!
Why’d you do that—]
Then he remembered the deer that looked to be pretty crisp.
Rhys: [Aww, Godammit!
I knew this would happen!!]
He frantically grabbed the charred meat off the fire, making sure that his gloves didn’t burn his hands from the inside.
Rhys: Hopefully the meat inside was okay…
He thought before digging his hands into the carcass like a drill and ripping some meat out before taking a bite.
Rhys: [Wow!
They were… not… wrong.
This tastes like coal.
Probably because I cooked it too long, but lemme just blame the food okay!]
He tossed Wolf some meat for her to eat, and she chomped the deer out of the air before ripping it apart like an animal would.
After their little feast, the two themselves lay back down on their healing leaf bed.
The leaves again felt tingly on Rhys’s skin.
Rhys: [Ahh, what a day, huh.
You still awake, Wolf—]
He tilted his head down and found Wolf was sleeping peacefully on his chest once more.
The sight gave him a sort of feeling that he’d never felt before.
Rhys: Sleep tight, Wolf…
The very next moment, Rhys was out like a light.
The two of them snored loudly and disturbed the surrounding forest.
He didn’t care, though.
They had each other.