It's so cold I'm worried something is going to drop off. Sinclair had a blanket draped over his shoulders, knowing that the cold was preferable for keeping him concentrating on guarding the camp. The sound of the trees in the breeze, combined with the occasional crack and pop of the fire, was providing a soothing harmony unlike any he had ever known. I swear, there's been a few times today when if someone had asked me about Earth, I'd have just looked at them blankly. This place is wonderful.

Sinclair could think of endless ways in which he was meant to be free. Land of the free. Free market. Buy one, get one free. But it was all an illusion. Sure, he tried to be a good person and help out where he could, but it wasn't like this. Here. he was saving lives. He was someone important. He made a difference. He was, however, alone. I wish I had my friends here. I definitely need to tell them what's going on when I get back. He thought of his friends in turn. Rose, Alice, Rose & Ed. Rose, most of all.

Aaaand that's enough of that. Let's take a look at the numbers going up!

Name: Sinclair Hagerson

Race: Human

Level: 0 (7)

Rank: F

Path: Journey of the Wolf

Class: [Blank]

Health: 520

Mana: 360

Stamina: 840

Strength: 71

Agility: 50

Constitution: 52

Intelligence: 36

Willpower: 39

Endurance: 98

Luck: 24

Available Points: 35

For the next few hours, Sinclair scanned the road, but didn't catch sight of anyone. A few hours into his watch, a lone rider appeared along the north road: the one to which they had been headed. Sinclair went to meet him halfway between the camp and the road, with a fully charged Cleave ready to go, in case the man was not friendly.

"That's far enough. What do you need and why are you out so late?" Sinclair asked in a strong and authoritative voice.

"I bring word from Jarl Torvaldr. Jarl Skagnar has set up an ambush just outside the entrance to his village's valley. There is no way through without a direct confrontation and they outnumber you almost ten to one. He received word that the ambush here failed just a few hours ago; apparently, you let the raider captain escape."

"Hold on, hold on, hold on." Sinclair desperately tried to absorb the information thrown at him like a bad case of verbal diarrhea. "Let me wake up Bjorn. I don't want to have to repeat everything you just said myself."

Walking over to Bjorn's snoring form, Sinclair nudged him with a toe... then rocked him a little with his foot... and finally gave in and gently kicked the man. That's what I call a heavy sleeper. Now back away from the potentially jumpy war veteran, Sinclair, you don't want him reacting like your uncle—the one who was in 'nam. "God's sake, Bjorn, wake up! There is a messenger here from Torvaldr with troubling news."

Sinclair could have sworn that as he started blinking, Bjorn was fast asleep, and when his eyelid reopened a fraction of a second later, Bjorn was on his feet looking like he'd been awake for hours. Huh, he must have felt really safe with me on guard. Bjorn quickly woke up another three men and sent them to stand watch; as the three men walked off, the messenger repeated his information.

Bjorn grimaced. "The rest of my men are still two or three days away, and we can't wait for them. If we wait, Skagnar may get curious and come to investigate. I do not want him attacking anywhere near the children. Sinclair, what are your thoughts?"

"A head on meeting is out of the question. Are there any other groups around that could supply more men? How many men does Torvaldr have? Is Torvaldr willing to fight if we can guarantee a win? Lastly, why in the hell do you keep looking around? Are you not capable of keeping eye contact with someone you're speaking to?"

The messenger continued to scan the area, his eyes constantly moving and failing to rest on any human face. "That is a lot of questions. I will try to answer them in order. First, you must know that Skagnar has terrorized all the local villages, they are all far too scared of reprisals to cross him. He does ... terrible, terrible things to those who cross him. Jarl Torvaldr, however, will of course join in the attack, as long as he can get his people into a position where they will not be slaughtered. He will, however, not risk the lives of his people if there is not a good chance of victory, not even for his cousin Hrondir. And in answer to your last question? Wolves. I am looking out for the wolves in the area. There are many packs in the area, and this road is infrequently traveled because of the risk of wolf attacks."

Sinclair grinned. Wolves? I have a cunning plan. With a wicked gleam in his eyes, Sinclair continued to ask questions, gathering the lay of the land and all the other details which could be of use to a tactical mind.

"I believe I can get us the help we need, and even out the numbers. However, you will have to trust me. Bjorn, I want you to take all your men, except for the minimum you need to leave to defend the non-combatants here. Get everyone kitted out in the gear from the raiders. I need you to look like a bigger force than you are, but not so much so that it actually works; I want this to be an obvious bluff. In the meantime, I am going to go and fetch aid. Please, leave at first light and get as near to the pass as you can, but don't go so near that you risk being spotted. When Chewy or Leia approach you, that will be the sign to attack. I will need you to tempt them into approaching you. All you will need to do is turtle down behind your shields and hit them with every ranged attack you have. After that, Jarl Torvaldr can move his men up and retake the pass, preventing them from retreating. That is when the aid I will be fetching will attack."

The messenger kept looking at Bjorn, increasingly agitated, but met with nothing less than a grin on the giant man's face. "If you say it can be done, Sinclair, then it can indeed be done. We will follow your instructions."

The messenger shook his head at the apparent insanity of the two enormous men, and remounted his horse. "I will relay your news. We will be ready. On Jarl Torvaldr's behalf, I give you his word that we will follow your plan. Please do not let us down." With a sigh, the messenger turned around and hauled ass back down the road. Sinclair could hear him muttering as he departed, apparently lacking confidence in the plan.

Bjorn turned around and clapped Sinclair on the shoulder. "I have work to do, and so do you. I will see you tomorrow on the field of battle. It will be good to fight beside you again, my friend."

With a smile, and a nod of his head, Sinclair grabbed his gear and whistled for his companions, who met him on the other side of the wagons. As they walked towards the woods, Sinclairexplained what he wanted them to do.

"So, first, can you lead me to some wolf scents?"

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

woof

"That's a yes, then. Can you talk to wolves like we talk to people?"

woof

"Brilliant. I probably should have asked you that before I told them to trust me. Thank you, both of you." Sinclair was planning a two-fold approach. Firstly, he had a skill that allowed him to call for aid from wolves: he was going to get close to them and activate it. But secondly, he thought it would not hurt to take the old-fashioned approach of diplomacy, and have his companions out-right ask for help from the local packs. If I can get a dozen or so wolves to come and help, that will be fantastic. Hopefully, using the skill will make them more amenable when Chewy and Leia speak to them.

Looking around at the forest, he noticed it was beautifully serene. That messenger gave it a really bad rap, but I feel really at home here. Chewy and Leia remained a consistent few paces in front of him, leading ever-deeper into the woods and occasionally stopping to sniff and listen. The trio eventually came upon a small rise overlooking an indentation in the ground. Before them, rocks and boulders were strewn across the ground, and the rocks were absolutely covered with wolves.

And behind the wolves, a hut.

That's odd.

In front of the hut was a small fire, a man sitting alongside. Entirely flabbergasted by the situation, Sinclair, Chewy and Leia walked down towards the man. They felt no danger, even as some of the wolves stood and took note. None growled. None bared their teeth. None even advanced. Instead, the wolves watched as some human interloper walked into their home, accompanied by two of their kin, but not of their pack.

This is so, so odd. Hang on, don't I know that man? Yeah, that's the shaman from the last tutorial. What the hell is he doing here?

As he approached the shaman, the older man spoke. "We meet again, young wolf."

"Y—yes, we do. I didn't expect to see you again, and certainly not so soon"

"It might seem soon to you, but for me it has been years since I last saw you. We have been waiting for you. We know of the help you seek. Indeed, we are willing to participate. For a price. Once upon a time, young wolf, the original wolves, Geri and Freki, birthed the pups from which all wolves now descend. Since that time immemorial, this forest has belonged to the wolves. However, Jarl Skagnar has invaded their territory. He has been pushing them back and cutting the trees down. He has been killing the game they feed upon. He has desecrated this land. If you promise to deal with this Jarl, the wolves will gladly aid you and, in doing so, take their revenge."

New Quest: Protect the Pack (Unique)

Description: The wolves of this region are under siege as Jarl Skagnar encroaches on their territory in his ruthless quest for expansion. The pack looks to you for protection. Whether by driving him out or ending his threat permanently, you must ensure their survival and secure their loyalty. Will you rise to the challenge and defend the pack?

Goal: Confront Jarl Skagnar and either force his retreat or eliminate him to protect the wolves' territory.

Rewards:

Allied Wolves for the Upcoming Battle x25 (Guaranteed)

Allied Wolves for the Upcoming Battle x3-8 (Variable)

Experience

Reputation with Local Wolves: Neutral → Ally

Do you accept? Yes/No

Of course I'm going to accept. How could I not? Sinclair turned to his guide from the third tutorial and spoke "I accept this offer. I will do everything in my power to rid the forest of this Jarl and his kind. I will also do my best to not waste the lives being entrusted to me."

Quest Complete

Huh, that was easy.

Nodding, the shaman turned and spoke to the gathered wolves. "It is agreed. Bring your volunteers and be ready for the hunt. There is a force of Skagnar's men even now preparing to take more innocent lives. If you stop his men, Sinclair the Young Wolf will take care of Jarl Skagnar himself."

Every single member of the pack—plus Chewy and Leia—lifted their head and let forth an almost orchestral howl towards the night sky. Not to be outdone, Sinclair tilted his head back and activated Fenrir's Rally. The sounds blended together to form one loud and perfect howl. The sound traveled further than all reason, and all who heard it responded differently. To Bjorn and his men, it gave them hope that they would see another day. To Jalr Torvaldr's men, it gave them sudden confidence that they would win their upcoming battle. And to Jarl Skagnar's men, it brought shivers to the spine, and each man pulled their blankets closer at the sudden chill.

As the howl echoed around the, Sinclair spoke. "We have a long way to go, my friends. You know the entrance to Jarl Torvaldr's valley, I assume? My plan is for my human allies to tempt Skagnar's men out of the shielded gap at the entrance to the valley. Once their flanks are exposed, we will go in quiet and fast, and take them down. At the same time, Jarl Torvaldr has promised that his men will come through the pass, boxing our enemies in. They will have nowhere to go, and we will tear them apart."

Over 30 wolves volunteered to make up Sinclair's strike force. We might be outnumbered, but we've got the planning and more than a few surprises ready. There are no complaints from me. Two of the largest wolves stepped in front of the rest, and the shaman explained that the two wolves would lead Sinclair, Chewy, Leia and the twenty-eight other wolves to the pass.

What the wolves didn't expect was for him to be able to run at a fast sprint without tiring. WIth wolfish grins (for, after all, what other way would a wolf smile?) they tested him, increasing their pace until they finally managed to push Sinclair into falling behind. With his maximum speed found, they slowed down to what was a fast sprint for him... and an easy, but brisk, lope for them. This way no one risked arriving tired.

For hours, the pack—including the human—ran, crossing hills and passing through the creepiest of forest glades. At times, Sinclair even needed to carry the pups, whose legs were too small to keep up such a punishing pace for so many hours. Their speed was rewarded; they were the first to make it to the forest edge. Carefully, the wolves lay down in a long row, hidden along the edge of a small rise, behind which they could not be seen. Not that anyone will be looking for a small army of wolves to come from the forest.

It wasn't long before Bjorn and his warriors came around the bend, marching at a comfortable pace. There were two rows of shieldsmen, five to a row, many female. Behind those came two rows of spearmen, drawn from the tallest of the available fighters. Finally the ranged attackers came into view, although they were not so much in rows as in a meandering group. Probably hunters, rather than militarily trained. Less discipline.

Sinclair was pleased to see Bjorn—and his men—do exactly as instructed, and he sent Chewy to make contact with Bjorn. Next, he turned to the largest wolf—one of the two that had led the run—and gave it instructions, "Thank you again for your assistance. It is time for us to follow through on our promise. Please, take half the wolves and hunker down next to the rock face over there. Once our enemies have all emerged, and the archers have their backs to you, I want you to attack. Be silent and fast. Tear into anyone that can shoot a bow. The remaining half will come from the other side and, all going well, we will meet you in the middle." With an entirely too-human nod, it got up and took 15 of its enormous kin with it. For such giant animals, they are disturbingly quiet.

Next, Sinclair looked down at Leia. "Leia. I know you want to help, but I need you to stay behind. Your safety is important to me, and I will not be able to focus unless I know you are safe."

Leia gave a quiet whine, but followed it with a woof of affirmation, before moving back, out of the way. In the distance, her sibling reached Bjorn and nudged his leg to gain his attention.

As soon as Bjorn saw Chewy, he started shouting commands. The sidemost shieldsmen of the second row stepped forward, forming a curved wall seven wide. Behind them, the remaining three members of the second row prepared to take the place of any of the front guard, in case of injury or fatigue. Behind them, the spearsmen spread out and took positions, half holding their shafts above and in between the shields, half at each end of the curve. Finally, the ranged warriors moved into the central space formed from the shield wall, protected from flanking maneuvers by the defensive spearsmen.

To Sinclair's surprise, Bjorn stepped out in front of his men and took a few paces towards the enemy line. Clever. If he convinces them to step closer to talk, half the work will already be done. He carried a massive shield in his off-hand, along with a matching hatchet. Even from this distance, he could tell that the ax was almost as large as his own two handed ax... yet Bjorn's had a shorter, one handed haft. Wow. It's like one of those comically large anime blades. No one's going to be laughing at him, though.

A figure in—comparatively—resplendent armor walked forward to talk. Even if I could lip read, I couldn't tell what was being said from here. And I can't lip read anyway. But boy, can I read that body language. There was hand waving—Bjorn—some yelling—also Bjorn—and copious rude gestures—the other man. Eventually the enemy leader—Skagnar, assumedly—threw his arms wide. It was a gesture that meant one thing: 'come and have a go if you think you're hard enough'. Then he walked—well, strutted, really—back to his lines.

Bjorn turned around and took point in the line. Attaching his ax to his belt, he pulled his helmet on and made the call to ready arms. Bjorn's bowmen were clearly armed with the better quality weapons, meaning it was likely they had the advantage in terms of range. They would be able to stay outside the range of Skagnar's men while raining down arrows upon them, which meant Skagnar would have no choice but to weather the storm, or approach Bjorn. And then, of course, the javelins would come into play.

As the first volleys of arrows landed—some of them even penetrating between the shields and into flesh—there were yells of pain and cries of outrage. Skagnar's lines buckled, as the people being peppered pushed forward to hide behind the shields in front of them. Hah, the shieldsmen are out of step and ... oh, there we are, the line is collapsing. Perfect!

Again and again, Björn's men harassed the enemy, trying to tempt them into exiting the mouth of the pass. While reluctant—at first—Skagnar's men quickly realized that Bjorn had no surprise reinforcements coming from behind, and they began to edge their way out of the pass. Not so well trained, it seems. That line is about as straight as a rubber band. The taller ones aren't shortening their stride to stay apace with the shorter ones.

Although Sinclair was, at first, feeling like the wolves had been unnecessary, his eyebrows rose—and continued to rise—as an almost endless column of men emerged from the pass. Even against Sinclair's 35 wolves and Bjorn's 45-or-so fighters, they were outnumbered. There are over 300 of them. No wonder Skagnar's managed to cause so much trouble. Finally, the last of the enemy trickled out of the pass, marking the time at which the wolves would ready their attack.

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