Raiji walks into the forest.
CLEO:"Be careful. When you're done, we'll be waiting in the truck. You still need a way to carry the beasts."
She pauses.
"Are you sure you want to do this alone? We'll just watch. Just in case."
Raiji thinks for a second. Then decides.
RAIJI:"Sure. Tag along. On the tracking part. That's what I'm not good at."
He heads off into the forest.
CLEO:"You should look for footprints. This creature will be slightly larger than an average wolf."
EVA:"Also... smell. This one has a bounty for hunting people that hunt it."
She scans the trees.
"Due to that... it's very territorial."
They find the footprints.
Bear-sized prints. But wolf-like.
They see the wolf.
Bigger than an average wolf. Three times the size. Grey fur. Red eyes.
Then it disappears.
RAIJI:"Was that him?"
He smells the air.
Tense. Faint smell of heat in the air. Also dirt.
EVA:"That's him. He's hunting us now. We're in his area."
Cleo steps forward.
CLEO:"Yep. Let's find him."
Eva grabs her jacket from behind and pulls her back.
EVA:"Nope. He's on his own. We watch from the tree."
She jumps onto a branch. Carries Cleo up with her.
CLEO:"Buzzkill."
Raiji touches the ground. Closes his eyes.
Smells the air. Fur. Hears movement.
He takes out his blade.
Somehow... he smells the steel of his own sword.
Then he hears it.
The launch.
Coming at him with speed.
He blocks with one arm and his sword
The blade meets the wolf's big fangs.
He gets pushed back.
Raiji opens his eyes.
RAIJI:"That's a big boy."
He picks the wolf up with his blade. While pushed back, couldn't lift him fully. Then used his hand under its chest and threw the wolf.
But cut one of its smaller teeth off. Still big, though.
The wolf lands in a tree. Midway, it turns invisible.
Raiji looks where its paws landed. Can't see it.
Tries to hear it.
CLEO:"Nice. If that was me, I wouldn't have gotten away. More hunting experience."
Raiji tries to slow his breathing. Checks for smell again.
Sees a faint trace of the wolf.
Wind slice.
Sends a broken tree flying.
The wolf dodges. Lunges with a paw right for his chest.
Raiji's other blade back of it hits him.
Sends him flying into a tree.
Raiji looks at him.
RAIJI:"I win."
Cleo and Eva get down.
CLEO:"Well done. So... you taking him back?"
Raiji kicks the wolf gently.
RAIJI:"Nope. I think I found a pet."
He holds up the tooth.
"And I got his tooth."
He looks at the wolf.
"What do you say, big guy? Be my pet. You'll still be free."
Eva looks surprised.
EVA:"This would be a first."
The wolf wakes up halfway. Nods.
RAIJI:"I'll call you Fen."
RAIJI:"It's short for Fenrir. The mythical wolf. So I can call you Fenrir."
CLEO:"I was going to say that's a garbage name... but linked to a strong wolf? Then it's a strong name for a strong wolf."
EVA:"Are you taking him home?"
RAIJI:"Have to. But I'll claim this area someday as my main territory. So he can hang here again."
The drone above them. Red eye. Reading all their movements.
They return to the city. No more trees.
They take a lift up.
Cleo sells the stuff and comes back.
RAIJI: "So... how much did that sell for?"
CLEO: "A lot. Like 150k. And you get 30k. You did take down a few of them, so you get a good percentage. But still low."
RAIJI: "Good enough for a lesson."
He pauses.
"I should be going."
Raiji leaves.
Eva watches him go.
He returns to Veyra.
VEYRA: "Welcome back. We're doing a heist. Early morning."
She crosses her arms.
"Seems like both of your training is finished. And you made good money. But there's millions in the Pastor's hideout. All his stolen money from other 2"