Elder Cultivator

Despite continual efforts, Fuzz couldn’t manage to persuade Spikes that it was possible to be in a pack with humans. In fact, he couldn’t even fully convince her that they could be in a pack, and they were both wolves. Of some sort. But they were a pack whether Spikes accepted it or not, because they fought and hunted and ate together.

Fuzz searched the world for his people. So far, he had not found any of them, but it had only been a short time, and planets were large. Nearly his whole life he had been with his pack, and while that made some years of separation a harsh idea, it was something he already knew he might have to handle. Many of the pack were already here and strong. Catarina and Timothy had been among the first, and Alva would no doubt have followed after. He knew she would, which was why he had done what he did.

On the other hand, Spikes was looking for a new people. Her pack had perished, so she intended to seek out other great stone wolves. That was her choice, Fuzz supposed, but he thought it would be much easier for her to just join his pack. He had to find them first though, so the travel was necessary regardless.

“You wait here,” Fuzz communicated to Spikes. “I will check the city.”

“For those humans?” Spikes asked.

“Of course. Eternally, until I am reunited with my pack.”

There was no discussion to be had about it. Spikes would wait, or she would not- though if she ran off, Fuzz would likely track her down for her own safety. Her power was strong, but as with the ice cats insufficient to survive alone.

Instead of slinking around, Fuzz strode confidently towards the city. He felt no powers of concern, and if he were spotted hiding the people might get the wrong impression. Visibly striding towards the city of course resulted in arrows being flung towards him, as well as bolts of lightning and other sorts of energy techniques. Fuzz batted them aside, and the guards on the walls recoiled. The barriers on the wall would not be able to stop Fuzz- his knowledge of formations was not terribly great, despite Catarina’s work on him- but he knew more than that.

Instead of storming through the gates, he stopped, sniffing. None of those he sought had passed through these gates. Deeper into the city… still nothing. He patrolled around the walls, increasing his pace as he sensed humans gathering. Despite their relative strengths, they could eventually overwhelm him. But after he determined his pack was not in or near the city, he pulled away from the city. The humans had one chance to attack them, but one thing he was sure of was that they could not catch him. These humans appeared to be sensible, simply watching him leave instead of provoking him. They might send a hunting party later, but he would be leaving the region regardless.

Spikes waited for him where he asked, or close enough at least. She seemed to have caught a creature akin to a deer- thin legs, antlers, and the like. With a snort, fire flowed from Fuzz’ mouth and nose, roasting what remained of the creature.

Spikes nodded in thanks. “One thing humans are good for is making food taste good. Raw meat is delicious, but always the same.”

Fuzz thought much the same about cooking meat, though he understood it was troublesome for humans to digest meat that was uncooked as well. Cultivators could handle it, but that didn’t make it their preferred option. Fuzz didn’t care about parasites or whatever, if they tried to live in him he would burn them up.

The two wolves continued their travel, sniffing for people and wolves. Humans in the wild they avoided, and only Fuzz approached cities. Consuming large quantities of wild game and battling other beasts helped Spikes grow stronger, but she was still in the same rank. Life Transformation.

“How did you grow strong?” Spikes asked.

That was a topic hard to communicate with simple language. Fuzz wasn’t sure if his whole explanation would be possible, but he could give a summary. “I can’t help you with that,” Fuzz said. Spikes appeared hurt, perhaps Fuzz not having properly communicated a difference between ‘can’t’ and ‘won’t’. He pawed the ground, drawing a rune. It was one of those that rested upon him. “A human saved my life and empowered me with these. Along with my own efforts, I grew. You would not accept this help from her, and my talent would be insufficient.”

Spikes snorted begrudgingly. “Humans again.”

Fuzz nodded. After some time passed, he continued. “If you wish to grow strong, continue to seek that strength. Know what you grow strong for.”

“To live.”

“To live for what?” Fuzz asked.

There was no answer for that. Spikes had no pack, and perhaps did not consider life on its own a sufficient reason. Or chose not to answer for other reasons.

Then, after much travel, Fuzz smelled it. A familiar scent, though not the one he wished for. Instead, it was more like Spikes. Others of the great stone wolves. Fuzz did not think they felt particularly great, but he would not insult his companion by saying so. “I smell traces,” Fuzz said.

It took Spikes somewhat longer to pick up the scent- she was a wild beast, after all. Fuzz had been trained by humans, and while a beast might grow stronger in all the ways they needed to survive, humans trained intentionally. They improved weak points and enhanced particular strengths, Fuzz’ nose being one of those things. He knew how to concentrate his energy to enhance it temporarily, or to grow it slowly over time. Spikes had a nose no human could ever match, but it could be more.

Spikes wagged her tail in excitement. “Good. We have found them. A pack for me.”

It was a pack, that Fuzz agreed. But for her? He was not so sure. That was not always a choice for the seeker.

Soon enough they caught up to the pack. The initial meeting involved much growling and posturing. Despite some intelligence, beasts had no formal language. Fuzz had a feeling he was also more intelligent than the others, or at least taught to think differently about things. Eventually, Spikes communicated her intentions. She brushed up against the members of the pack… males and females. The former looked upon her with interest, the latter with less goodwill.

Then there was a fight. One of the females felt threatened, perhaps. The strongest among them. Fang and claw fought against each other, as well as the stones themselves. Spikes of earth pierced upwards, not breaking through the tough hides of either Spikes nor her opponent… but making use of a technique Fuzz showed her, Spikes forced the other onto her back. Her teeth clamped around the vulnerable neck… just hard enough to be painful. The female whimpered in surrender.

The rest of the pack continued to look cautiously at Fuzz. He was concealing his energy somewhat, but they still felt caution. He looked at Spikes. “You have found a pack. Farewell.”

He heard something akin to a thankful bark as he left, but Fuzz didn’t stay to look. Instead, he continued onward. He was alone again… and Fuzz was not a lone wolf.

-----

Several days later, Fuzz did not believe his nose when he came across a familiar scent. It was different, but certainly carried the energy signature of the Hundred Stars. Several scents intertwined, crossing with others he didn’t recognize. At least a handful, perhaps another group moving in a similar direction.

Fuzz did not run, but neither did he linger in his place. He adopted a pace that should be swifter than those he followed, based on the depths of their prints and the freshness of their scent. If they were looking for him, he would find them. If they had some other quarry, he did not wish to scare them off with undue haste. And there was some small chance his nose deceived him. Not much, but Fuzz didn’t know if he could afford getting excited only to face disappointment.

The trail led off into the middle of nowhere- and that was saying something, with Fuzz having traversed the wilderness for a very long time now. It was a rather odd place to go, and even more odd for two groups to go the same direction. Or three, though Fuzz wasn’t really a group. He was just a wolf.

He very much hoped this was his pack.

Despite his efforts to maintain a consistent pace, he found his limbs moving on their own, increasing in speed. When he felt the raised energy of combat, he turned into a full sprint. Each stride pushed him tens of meters forward, tearing apart the ground beneath him. Who dared to attack his pack? And if it wasn’t his pack, who dared to smell like them?

As he got closer, there was no doubt he was confused about the source. His speed continued at its utmost, closing the kilometers between them. With such haste, he could hardly conceal his approach. Five arrows suddenly launched towards him together, but three were shot by amateurs. No way would they match Alva or Anton. The other two were of some concern, but he flared his energy, fire surrounding him. He swerved towards the faster of the two, intending to face them one at a time. His paw batted the arrow out of the air while he pushed past the other. It tried to turn to meet him, but was not swift enough.

Fuzz wanted to continue forward to meet with his pack, but he’d underestimated the enemy’s numbers. A foolish mistake. It was not one or two individuals, but one or two sorts of cultivation styles. He let his excitement make him stupid, and because of that he almost landed facefirst into a spear. Almost. Instead, he stopped himself, and then bit off the head of the spear. Life Transformation cultivators dared get so close to him?

Maybe it was a ploy. Either way, his focus got him an arrow stuck in his side. It wasn’t deep, but it was the first wound. Fuzz couldn’t face five archers- two in the Integration stage- and another handful of spearmen all alone. When an arrow struck one of the spearman in the back of his knee, nearly taking the limb off, Fuzz remembered that he wasn’t alone. Just not fully reunited with his pack. He howled to the sky, summoning the best of his energy.

Despite their weakness, the spearmen accomplished the task of limiting his movement. They positioned themselves around him so he couldn’t face all of them at once, nor could he immediately kill any of them. He took three stabs for two lives, but the wounds would slow him. Arrows continued to assist him from Alva, but they were only occasional. Alva had her own opponents to handle, no doubt.

The remaining two functional spearmen coordinated their attacks with a barrage of arrows, drawing great power at a moment of his distraction. They stabbed in unison, and though Fuzz moved to dodge he knew he could not avoid them. Yet their spears didn’t reach him, instead stopping short- then yanking away, as stone spikes grew from beneath the topsoil.

A wonderfully familiar howl came from where one of the groups of archers had been- one weaker and one stronger. Now there was only the latter, and the element of surprise had allowed Spikes to wound them.

Fuzz immediately wanted to run to her, but instead he simply responded with another howl of his own. The opportunity she provided could not be squandered. He had three more archers to deal with, and Spikes should at least be able to delay long enough. Once they won this battle, he could introduce her to the pack.