Chapter 7 – The Failed Hunt
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Morning crept over the Forbidden Forest like a shroud of mist. Dew clung to the roots of ancient trees, and every rustle of leaves carried the whisper of hidden predators.
Altair stood at the cave's mouth, his green claws clenched tight. Behind him, six goblin males shifted restlessly, their eyes glowing yellow with hunger. Lila and Mira lingered close, their frail bodies trembling but their gazes fixed on him.
Stomachs growled. The smell of rot hung thick in the air.
Altair raised his voice, forcing strength into his small lungs. "Listen to me. Today, we hunt. Not with blind rage, but with a plan."
The goblins growled impatiently. One licked his lips. Another spat.
Altair's glare cut through their noise. "Obey me, or starve. Those are your choices."
That silenced them. Lila and Mira nodded, their trust quiet but steady.
Altair turned toward the forest, his heart pounding. "This is our first step. If I cannot feed them, I cannot lead them."
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He crouched low, pointing at the soft earth where fresh hoofprints marked the soil. "Deer passed through here. We will circle. Three from the left, three from the right. I'll drive it forward. Lila, Mira—stay back. Watch."
The goblins scattered clumsily. Branches snapped beneath their feet, leaves rustled loudly. Altair winced. "They're wild, undisciplined… but this will have to do."
Minutes later, they heard it: the sound of grazing. A young stag stood ahead, its hide glistening in the shafts of sunlight piercing the mist. Its antlers were small, but its body fat, perfect prey.
Altair raised his hand. His pulse quickened. "This will work. It has to work."
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"Now!" he barked.
The goblins screamed and charged.
"GRAAAHHHH!"
The stag bolted instantly. Its hooves tore through the undergrowth, faster than any goblin could dream of running.
"After it!" Altair shouted, sprinting forward. His lungs burned, his legs weak and short. His body was nothing like the one that once cleaved dragons.
The goblins stumbled in chaos. One tripped over a root, another was kicked square in the chest—the crack of ribs followed by a shriek of agony. Blood sprayed across the dirt.
Altair tried to steer the stag with shouts, but no one listened. The hunt dissolved into noise and panic. Within moments, the stag vanished into the mist, leaving behind only goblins gasping, some wounded, all empty-handed.
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Altair collapsed to his knees. His claws dug into the soil, trembling.
"Once, I slew monsters that blotted out the sun. And now… I cannot even take a deer."
Lila and Mira hurried to his side, their eyes wide with worry. Around them, the goblins snarled angrily.
"Meat!" one hissed.
"You promised!" spat another.
Altair's heart twisted. Their hunger was his failure. His promise broken.
But then the forest itself answered.
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From the mist came a low growl, deeper and sharper than their voices.
Two yellow eyes glared through the trees. A forest wolf stepped into view—its body sleek and black, muscles coiled with killing power. Its fangs dripped saliva as it stalked forward, drawn by the smell of goblin blood.
Panic surged. The goblins screeched, stumbling back.
Altair raised a jagged stone, his jaw tight. "Even beasts see us as prey. No. I will not die here. Not like this."
The wolf lunged.
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Altair hurled himself sideways. Fangs snapped shut where his throat had been. He rolled through mud, scrambling to his feet, stone gripped in his claws.
The wolf spun, eyes burning. It charged again.
Altair swung the stone with all his strength. It struck the wolf's snout, drawing a snarl but little more. The beast clawed at him, raking his shoulder open. Green blood spilled, hot and stinging.
He screamed, staggering back.
One goblin tried to intercept, shrieking wildly, but the wolf's claws ripped through his belly. Entrails spilled onto the ground. His scream curdled into silence.
Lila clutched Mira, muffling her cry. Altair's vision blurred with fury.
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The Counter
The wolf leapt again.
Altair dropped low, thrusting the stone into its eye.
A crunch. A howl split the night. Blood gushed from the ruined socket. The wolf staggered, snapping wildly.
"Now!" Altair roared. "Together!"
For once, the goblins obeyed. They jabbed with crude sticks, biting, clawing, striking. The wolf lashed out, scattering them with brutal swipes, but its body bled. After a tense struggle, it snarled one last time and retreated, vanishing into the mist, leaving the ground slick with gore.
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Altair stood shaking, his shoulder bleeding, his chest heaving. The goblins whimpered, licking their wounds. Hunger still gnawed at them. Their hunt had failed. Their pride was shattered.
Altair clenched his fists, eyes burning.
"With this body, I cannot catch a deer. With this pack, I cannot even defeat a wolf without loss. But…"
His lips curled in a grim smile. "…I still have my mind. I still have my oath. I will turn this weakness into strength. I will forge a disaster from the lowest filth."
The night closed in, the forest whispering. And in the heart of a starving goblin pack, a single ember burned brighter than ever.
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#wanD48.