The next few weeks passed quietly.
At least, that was how they appeared from the outside.
To Tolu and Ore, every day was another step toward the same goal.
The Ironfang Wolf.
They did not rush into its territory.
They watched and learned.
And most importantly, although they expected the outcome, they failed.
Their first attempt at observing the pack from the edge of its territory lasted less than an hour.
Ore had barely settled into the branches of a tree when the pack suddenly changed direction. "Tolu."
He looked up. "What?"
"Don’t move."
Tolu froze.
Below them, several Ironfang Wolves emerged from the trees. The leader wasn’t among them.
They had been discovered. Ore slowly reached for her bow.
"Don’t shoot."
"I wasn’t planning to."
The wolves sniffed around the base of the tree. One raised its head.
Tolu held his breath.
The wolf stared directly at them.
Ore’s hand tightened around the branch.
Then a distant howl echoed through the forest. The wolves immediately turned. They followed the sound and disappeared between the trees.
Tolu waited several seconds before breathing again. "That was close."
Ore looked down. "You nearly stepped on the branch."
"I know."
"You almost got us killed."
"I know."
She looked at him. "Then why are you smiling?"
Tolu couldn’t help it. "Because now we know something."
Ore sighed. "You are unbelievable."
"The pack responds to calls from the leader."
"That’s your conclusion?"
"Yes."
Ore shook her head.
"Fine. Next time, don’t step on branches."
"I’ll try."
"You’d better."
Their next attempt went better.
They watched from farther away and discovered the first important pattern.
The Ironfang leader rarely remained in one place.
It moved around the edge of its territory, inspecting the area and occasionally stopping to interact with members of the pack.
Tolu recorded everything.
Time.
Direction.
Distance.
The number of wolves accompanying it, the places where it stopped, how they reacted to the direction of the wind. Even the weather.
Ore found some of it excessive.
"You’re writing down the weather?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because yesterday it took the northern path when the wind was blowing from the east."
"And?"
"Today the wind is coming from the west."
Ore stared at him. "You think it’ll take a different route?"
"Maybe."
She smiled. "You’re actually enjoying this."
Tolu looked at the notebook. "Maybe I am."
For Tolu, it was unlike anything he had experienced before.
He wasn’t simply fighting something stronger than himself. He was studying it.
Learning how it lived. Learning how it thought.
Every small discovery made the creature feel a little less impossible.
And Ore was beginning to understand why he found it fascinating.
She also began contributing her own observations. "The leader checks the western boundary more often."
Tolu looked at her. "You noticed that too?"
"Yes."
"Why didn’t you tell me?"
"I was waiting to see if you noticed."
Tolu smiled. "You’re becoming annoying."
"I learned from you."
Their first trap was a complete failure.
Tolu spent nearly an entire day preparing it.
They found a narrow passage between two large rocks and dug a deep pit beneath a layer of branches and soil.
The idea was simple.
Lure the Ironfang into the passage.
Let its weight break the covering.
Then restrain it before it could escape.
They waited.
And waited.
Nothing happened.
Eventually, a rabbit wandered across the trap.
The covering collapsed.
The rabbit fell into the pit.
Ore stared at Tolu.
Tolu stared at the rabbit.
The rabbit stared back.
"Don’t say anything."
Ore covered her mouth.
Her shoulders began shaking.
"You said don’t say anything."
She burst out laughing.
Tolu sighed.
"At least we know the trap works."
"Yes."
She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
"Very effective."
Tolu shook his head.
"We’ll fix it."
The second attempt taught them something more important.
The Ironfangs avoided areas where the ground smelled wrong.
Tolu discovered that the leader would stop whenever it noticed unfamiliar scents.
They had accidentally made the trap too obvious.
So they abandoned the idea of simply digging a hole.
Instead, Tolu began thinking about the creature’s behavior.
They needed something that wouldn’t look like a trap.
Something natural. Something the wolf wouldn’t question.
Ore suggested using fallen trees.
Tolu suggested combining them with the terrain.
They spent hours discussing different possibilities.
Sometimes they agreed.
Sometimes they argued.
Sometimes they abandoned an idea entirely.
But they always returned the next day.
One afternoon, they rested beneath a large tree overlooking the territory.
Ore sat with her back against the trunk, her bow resting beside her.
Tolu was lying on the grass with his notebook resting on his chest.
For once, neither of them was talking about wolves.
The silence wasn’t uncomfortable.
It had stopped being uncomfortable some time ago.
Ore glanced at him.
"You know..."
"Hm?"
"You’ve changed."
Tolu looked at her. "How?"
"When we first met, you barely talked."
"I still don’t talk much."
"You can’t stop blabbing with me."
Tolu smiled. "Maybe you’re just impossible to ignore."
Ore laughed quietly. "Is that supposed to be an insult?"
"Maybe."
She nudged his leg with her foot.
Tolu moved away slightly. "Hey."
"What?"
"You’ve been doing that lately."
"Doing what?"
"Acting like you’re comfortable around me."
Ore raised an eyebrow.
"I am comfortable around you."
Tolu paused.
He hadn’t expected such a direct answer.
Ore smiled.
"You thought I wasn’t?"
"No."
"Then why are you surprised?"
"I don’t know."
She looked toward the forest. "You’re not as difficult to be around as you think."
Tolu laughed.
"That’s probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me."
"Don’t get used to it."
"I won’t."
They sat quietly again.
The wind moved through the leaves above them.
For a few moments, neither of them thought about the dungeon.
Or the coming war.
Or the Level Two creature they were preparing to capture.
They were simply two young adventurers resting together.
And neither of them noticed how natural it had become.
As the days passed, their observations became more precise.
They learned that the Ironfang leader preferred to patrol alone during certain hours.
They learned that it became more aggressive when unfamiliar creatures entered the eastern side of its territory.
They discovered that the pack had a secondary resting area.
Most importantly, they discovered that the leader occasionally left the pack completely.
Not for long.
Usually only several minutes.
But it happened.
Tolu circled the information in his notebook.
"This is it."
Ore leaned over his shoulder.
"The northern ridge?"
"Yes."
"The leader leaves the pack here."
"Exactly."
"How long?"
"Eight to twelve minutes."
Ore frowned.
"That’s not enough time."
"It is if the trap is already prepared."
She looked at him.
Tolu turned the notebook around.
"I’ve been thinking about the terrain."
He pointed to the map.
"The ridge narrows here."
Then he pointed farther down.
"And there’s a steep slope on the other side."
Ore studied it.
"If we force it toward the ridge..."
"We don’t force it." Tolu corrected her. "We make it choose the route."
Ore smiled. "There’s the Tolu I know."
"What does that mean?"
"It means you’re finally learning."
Tolu rolled his eyes. "I’ve been learning this entire time....Slowly. You’re lucky I need your help."
She laughed. "You’re lucky I’m willing to give it."
Tolu looked back at the map.
This time, neither of them spoke for several minutes.
They both understood.
They finally had something.
Not a guarantee.
Not certainty.
But a plan.
They would prepare the northern ridge.
They would observe the leader’s next patrol.
And when it left the pack, they would be ready.
For the first time since beginning their hunt, Tolu closed the notebook without immediately finding another flaw.
He smiled."We’re getting close."
Ore looked toward the forest. "Yeah."
She picked up her bow. "But don’t get excited yet."
Tolu stood. "I won’t."
Ore gave him a doubtful look. "You already are."
Tolu smiled. "Maybe a little."
They began walking back toward town.