A/N: These are short stories just for fun and feels. Don't think about them too much. (Possible) light novel spoilers ahead. This fic is also available on Ao3.
The very next day, before the sun had even risen, the small team of six werewolves and their human guides stood ready to leave, fur ruffled and coats zipped up to protect them against the chill. They would be riding with the brothers in Alfons' truck, heading for the mountainous region the target was located. Once there, they would begin the operation.
As this was not an official mission, farewells were not expected to be exchanged. All the same, the few people awake and aware of the plan came to see the group off.
"Be careful out there," Dustin said. He addressed all the wolves, but his eyes lingered on one silver-blue coat in particular.
She gave a small nod in assent.
Annette was also present, which came as a bit of a surprise.
"Didn't think we'd see you out here this early," Raiden remarked. "Thought you'd be asleep or back in the lab right about now."
She was part of the research and development team responsible for analyzing the Legion and their capabilities, and through that, hopefully, a way to stop them. As such, she was usually preoccupied with something.
Annette was also constantly tweaking the RAID devices, expandable radio collars he and the others wore to communicate with headquarters and each other over long distances. After doing her part for the banquet preparations, she had gone right back to work.
She merely shrugged in response to Raiden's inquiry. "How would I look if I was the only one who didn't come to see you guys off? Even if you are just going to fetch a pig, we should all be here."
"Well, what do you know? I was starting to think you didn't have a heart at all in there," Theo quipped, tail swishing.
Annette ignored him. "Keep an eye on that one," she told Raiden. Her voice was neutral, but he thought he saw a trace of something akin to concern in her eyes. He blinked, and it was gone.
"Will do," he said, deciding not to dwell on it.
A little ways away from the rest, Lena and Shin–currently human–stood together, talking in low voices. Raiden turned his attention elsewhere, not wanting to eavesdrop–this time.
The other wolves began hopping up into the truck one after another, until it was Raiden's turn. After jumping in, jostling Kurena and Shiden in the process, he turned in place until he had a good view of the outside, just in time to see a black wolf lope away from the silver-haired girl and neatly spring into the seat next to him. This time, Shiden was completely unseated.
"Oi, watch it!"
Shin didn't answer. Even as the vehicle revved to life and started down the road, he remained lost in thought. Unlike the many other times, however, the silence felt light, almost pleasant, like a young boy enjoying a fond daydream without a care in the world.
"I take it last night went well?" Raiden ventured.
"You could say that," Shin said cryptically. "There's still…that thing I need to do, but I think things are starting to look up."
"Good to hear," Raiden said. "Now let's get this pig so we can really have something to celebrate."
–––––––––
Alfons and Arnfried managed their farm together, having inherited the land from their parents. Arnfried was especially proud of it, and he never lost the opportunity to boast about the uniquely rich soil, the large crops, or just the general scenery.
Even knowing next to nothing about farm life, Shin had to admit that the brothers possessed an impressive amount of property. All around him were fields upon fields of seemingly every winter crop imaginable, their leaves and stalks swaying in the wind, creating a massive ripple effect.
In the distance he spotted silos and tractors, and a large shed with a water mill, and even at this time there were people tending the land with all sorts of machinery. It had a rustic, yet industrial sort of feel, and Shin thought he could understand why the brothers were so concerned about the wild pig situation. He would hate to see a place like this fall to ruin.
He looked back at his team, who were also marveling at the view. As much as it captured their attention, the wolves couldn't stand around to enjoy it. They had a job to do.
"Alfons?" Shin prompted.
"Right." The man in question stepped forward. "It took us a bit longer to get up here because of the snow and whatnot, so there's not enough light out for us to go hunting now. Tomorrow we'll head to the forest. That's when the real game begins."
"Anything we need to know about this porker, besides what you already told us?" Shiden asked.
At this, Alfons gave an exasperated snort. "If you want to know more, you should talk to Elise. My sister's kid. She's the pig expert on hand. Believe me, she'll answer every question about wild hogs–including the ones you didn't ask."
The wolves glanced at each other.
"Well, I'd rather know more than less, I suppose," Anju said thoughtfully.
She would come to regret that statement.
–––––––––
"–I mean, we're talking three to four times the size, like Uncle Al's truck! And did you know that the boars' hooves are tougher than stone? And every summer they go to…"
The werewolves were gathered inside the main house, waiting to be called to dinner. While they did, the twelve-year-old, ginger-haired Elise had decided to get acquainted with them. For better or worse.
"'I'd rather know more than less', right, Anju?"
"Hush, Theo," she mumbled.
They had been told that food should be ready in thirty minutes. And for thirty minutes, the young Elise had regaled them with tales and tidbits about the wild hogs of the mountain regions. And she had done it entirely without prompting. It seemed everyone on the property had heard about the mission at some point, and she appeared to think that this was her way of helping.
For the first ten minutes, the werewolves had tried to be active and engaging with the girl. After that, though, they slowly sank into the couches and sofas, only half-listening as she went on and on. Elise herself didn't seem to care about audience participation. As long a person was present and conscious, she had no problem talking until she ran out of breath. Which hasn't happened yet. Now, Shin knew more about Giadian hog breeding cycles than he ever cared to know in his life.
He kept telling himself it might be useful somehow, but the longer he listened, the more he doubted it. The only bits she told him that might have helped were things he already knew, such as their great size and tough hides. All the same, looking into Elise's bright, freckled face, he couldn't bring himself to cut her off.
So he and the others spent that lengthy half-hour in pained silence until Alfons' sister came to collect them. She did so with an amused smirk on her face.
The team took their cue to leave gratefully and began filing out of the living room, though they still made sure to thank Elise for her impromptu lecture. Shin was the last to go, and he patted Elise's head before deciding to risk a question, more out of courtesy than anything.
"Anything else you want to say?"
She thought about that, idly swinging her arms as she likely tried to recall any facts she hadn't shared. Shin braced himself, feeling he might have roped himself into another seminar, but the young girl shook her head.
"No, I think that's it."
Relieved, Shin made to leave.
"Oh, wait! I just thought of something!" Elise said suddenly, grabbing his arm.
"...Yes?"
She looked up at him and said, deadly serious, "If you find a mated pair, kill the boar first. And then the sow."
Shin wasn't expecting that, or the dark tone in which she'd said it. "We're only after whatever's coming up and tearing up the fences and fields. Two is too many for the team I have, so we'll steer clear of anything that comes in pairs."
Elise spread her hands in a helpless gesture. "Okay, but just saying, if you have to take out one or the other, it's probably best if you take the boar. Well, you'll have to kill the other eventually anyway, but if you–"
"Why both of them?" Shin asked. "Isn't that a little much?"
Elise looked puzzled, as if she didn't understand why anyone would ask such a question. "It's better for them that way, isn't it?"
Before he could ask what she meant, Elise's mother called her name, and she wished him luck before scampering out of the room.
–––––––––
"Huh? Ah, I wouldn't worry about it. Eli can be a little dramatic sometimes." Alfons shouldered his rifle as he and Shin trekked up the mountain path the next day, behind the rest of the werewolves. They were all transformed and walking single file up the narrow trail. Arnfried was not with them, but rather staying with the truck near the base of the mountain.
Having the keenest sense of smell among them, Raiden had taken the lead. He held his nose close to the ground the whole time, deep in concentration. Snow was falling, which hindered his progress, but Raiden hadn't survived so long in the Eighty-Sixth Sector by letting weather conditions deter him. He stayed right on the path, never slowing his steps.
Anju, with her sharp hearing, was second in line, followed by the clear-sighted Kurena. Theo, the fastest, trailed behind her, as he wouldn't be needed until later. Shiden, the largest wolf and the most powerful, would also not need to exert herself for the time being, and leisurely strolled after him.
As for Shin, he was responsible for delivering the killing blow. He might not match Shiden in size, but it was a well-known fact that he had the strongest bite out of everyone in the Strike Package, and likely even the Eighty-Sixth Sector. He knew better than anyone the importance of a quick dispatch, be it enemies…or allies.
"She sounded pretty serious," Shin murmured.
But Alfons shook his head, adamant. "We're only hounding the one pig. Doesn't matter if it's a boar or sow or whatever. After that, we're taking you lot and the porker back to the base. Nothing changes that."
"What do you think she meant, then?"
"Well," Alfons said thoughtfully, "Giad's pigs are different in that they only take one mate in their lifetime. I'm guessing she thinks it's poetic if they can be together in death, or something. But we can't afford to do that."
That was true enough. They had to focus on the mission. Prolonging it for any reason was not a good idea. Lena was counting on him to return safely, and he would.
"By the way, you sure you guys didn't want one of these?" asked Alfons, gesturing to his gun.
"Werewolves hunt with their fangs," Shin said simply. "And not all of us are experienced with guns. If we need any assistance, we'll let you know."
"If you say so."
Just then, a sharp bark caught their attention. Up ahead the path widened, marking the true beginning of the forest. The wolves had fanned out and were gathered around something on the ground. It was Raiden who'd called. Shin and Alfons exchanged glances before walking over.
There they saw what the rest had found; a large, hoof-shaped footprint stamped into the soil. The thing that made it must have been quite heavy to make such an impression when the earth was so solid on account of the cold.
"Yeah, that looks about right," Alfons stated. The scent of wild pig had grown significantly stronger, too, enough that they all detected it now. Tails lifted and ears pricked all around, and a wild light sparked to life behind their animal eyes. The thrill of the hunt was upon them.
Still, he had to make sure they didn't lose themselves to their instincts, so Shin addressed his wolves in a low voice. "You know the drill. Keep the noise at a minimum from here on. Kurena, switch with Raiden. Anju, with her. If you see or hear anything, call. Everyone else, as soon as Alfons gives the signal...you know what to do."
Finding the pig wasn't the hard part, as it turned out. Roughly ten minutes into the search, Kurena yipped to alert the team. She and Anju were several yards ahead, crouching at the edge of a clearing. Shin and the others crept forward, and they all stared down at the scene before them. A large animal with coarse brown hair was rooting around the base of a nearby tree, undoubtedly looking for food.
It grunted and huffed as it easily pushed aside shrubs and fallen branches with its short tusks, oblivious to the change in its situation. Even though they had to enact their plan immediately, the wolves still balked. The pig was larger than any they'd ever seen; it was clear one wolf or even two wouldn't stand a chance against it. It was in line with what they had been told, but that didn't reduce the shock. Even Shin could only stare, the hairs along his spine rising in apprehension.
He felt something tap his shoulder, and he jerked his head in that direction. Alfons put a finger to his lips, and urgently gestured towards the hog. The time for hesitation was long past. They had to act now. Shin gave a single nod, and one by one, he roused the rest out of their stupor. Quietly, carefully, they spread out. Shin maneuvered through the trees, circling around until he was ahead of the beast. There he crouched, awaiting the fateful moment his skills would be put to the test.
A minute passed. Then two. The dense forest kept out a portion of the falling snow, but flakes still landed on his pelt. Still, Shin waited. It wasn't easy, but he knew there was no room for impatience during a hunt. Another minute passed, and just when he was starting to wonder about his team…
BANG!
The sound of a gunshot rang through the trees, and all hell broke loose. A sharp, high-pitched squeal pierced Shin's ears. Branches snapped as they were trampled underfoot by a massive creature. Two more gunshots sounded, shouts and howls accompanying them.
Shin raised his head in time to see the great hog charging past, tossing its wide head to and fro, eyes wide and rolling with fear. It was already wounded, both from the rifle and the wolves' fangs. Theo zipped by in a flash of golden fur. He was everywhere at once, weaving between tree trunks, bushes and sometimes the pig's own legs, snarling and snapping as he tried to herd it in the direction he wanted.
Anju, Raiden and Kurena were right on his heels, and together they drove their quarry deeper into the woods. Right where the trap lay waiting.
Cornered against a cluster of trees it was too large to pass between, the hog had done an about face and was stamping its hooves in a desperate attempt to fend off its attackers, brandishing its short but deadly tusks whenever they got too close. Anju yelped as a sharp point grazed her side, making Shin bristle with anger.
Still, he didn't move. He had to trust them.
Sure enough, seconds later, Shiden sprang onto the scene. Whereas the pig hadn't been able to slip between the trunks, she had done so with ease, using them for her surprise attack. With its back to her, it never could have seen her arrival. She dug her claws and fangs into its haunches, using her weight and strength to drag it down.
Completely blindsided by the attack and now more vulnerable than before, the hog turned its head and tried, unsuccessfully, to gouge her with its tusks.
Leaving its neck exposed.
Shin's eyes glinted. He moved without a sound, a black blur against the snowy landscape. One, two, three strides, and he was there. Having hunted with him for so long, the other four parted to let him pass. Shin did not stop or even slow. Dodging and ducking, he narrowly avoided the thrashing hooves that could easily crush his skull.
Eyes trained on his target's weak spot, Shin bared his teeth and lunged. Normal wolves, and in fact even most werewolves, couldn't hope to be able to cleave through the hide, muscle and bone to dispose of such large prey. But like the embodiment of Death after which he'd been named, Shin's strike was dealt swiftly and without resistance.
It was over in moments.
–––––––––
"I'm a little surprised," Anju said thoughtfully. She and Shin were at a nearby stream, Anju cleaning her cut, and Shin washing the blood from his muzzle.
"About what?" he asked, stepping out of the water and shaking himself.
"Well, after everything we've heard about Giadian wild pigs, I guess I was expecting something terrible. I was worried one of us might get hurt. But all things considered, the hunt went rather smoothly," she said. At Shin's quizzical look she added, "It's not that I'm not grateful. I'm glad everything turned out alright. I think I'm just a bit annoyed that everyone back at the farm went out of their way to scare us with their tales."
Shin snorted, half-amused, half-irritated. "I know what you mean. It's not just Elise; apparently that whole family is dramatic. We didn't even need Alfons that much."
"Maybe it's because he's never hunted with werewolves before?" Anju suggested. "He may have underestimated us."
Shin saw irony in that. "Funny. We've been overestimated as kids, with people making us out to be more dangerous than we were. Now we're older, and they do the opposite. I don't know if I'll ever understand humans," he muttered.
At this, Anju gave him a light, teasing nudge. "Oh, I wouldn't say that. In fact I think you've come to understand certain humans very well lately."
"Not you too," Shin groaned.
"You should have expected it," she laughed.
Shin shook his head, exasperated, and the two began making their way back to the clearing, where the other wolves and Alfons waited with their kill. It was quite a walk, but with all of them around no predator would even think about trying to steal a bite of the meat, and so the two hunters spent several minutes trotting in companionable silence.
"Well, what about you?" Shin asked suddenly.
Anju looked over at him. "What do you mean?"
"Aren't you getting pretty comfortable around 'certain humans' nowadays?" he prompted.
Rather than getting flustered or hesitant, Anju smiled softly. It was a small, tentative smile, one he hadn't seen on her in some time. "I suppose I am," she admitted.
"I'm glad," Shin told her. He meant it, too. He knew someone else who would also be happy for her and the steps she was taking, but he decided against bringing him up. Anju was making progress in her own way, and he didn't want her to feel like he was trying to push her into anything. For now, he was content to just observe.
And, if necessary, rip a certain human to pieces if he ever broke Anju's heart. Shin doubted he would need to, though.
The mood had lowered a bit during their conversation, and Shin was thinking how best to lighten it again when Anju suddenly stopped in her tracks. Shin paused as well.
"What is it?" he asked, frowning.
Anju said nothing for a long moment. She was staring off in another direction, ears twitching. "...I thought I heard something," she whispered.
"Like what?"
"Like, I don't know...a rustling, I think? I'm sorry," she said, lowering her head. "I couldn't pinpoint it before it stopped."
"It's fine," Shin reassured her. "Calling attention to it is better than nothing. Let's just hurry and get back to the others."
–––––––––
"Sooo," Theo said, "how exactly are we gonna get this thing out of here?"
Alfons scratched his head. "Arnfried's got the truck, but it'll take him a while to go up the other path to meet us here. No way he can use the trail we took."
"Yeah, that wouldn't end well," Shiden agreed.
The seven of them stood and marveled at their catch. It was indeed a very large…
Shin cocked his head. "Is this...a sow?"
Alfons stepped up to the animal and inspected it. "Hm...yeah, seems so. How'd you guess?"
"Its hooves," Shin said. "They look smaller than the hoofprints Raiden found earlier, don't you think?"
The others glanced at each other before checking for themselves. "Yeah, you're right," Raiden said.
Alfons' brow furrowed, but he grunted and slung his rifle over his shoulder. "What's it matter? We caught the thing that's been messing up our fences… I'm pretty sure. Job done. If there's another out there, all the more reason to call up Arn so we can get the hell out of–"
"Shin," Kurena hissed urgently. Her eyes were fixed on something deep within the woods, her ears pinned back and her fur standing on end.
In the dark shadows the trees cast, Shin couldn't immediately tell what she was looking at. But even if he couldn't see what she was seeing, he still felt it. A malevolent gaze trained on him, harsh enough to burn holes in his pelt if it were possible. All around him, his team tensed up. Animals were sensitive to even subtle changes in the atmosphere, so it was impossible to ignore the sheer amount of hostility being directed at them from beyond their field of vision.
Snow crunched loudly as something heavy stumped towards them, each footfall echoing like a drum. When it finally appeared, Shin didn't believe what he was seeing.
A massive, towering frame that was more akin to a boulder than a living creature, covered in bristly, coarse black hair. A wide, wet snout with stained tusks that curved up into points so fine they couldn't be seen. Beady, bloodshot eyes filled with hatred.
The beast of a boar halted at the very edge of the clearing, staring them down. Unafraid. Silence reigned. No one moved a muscle. No one made a sound. Every living creature possessed a sense of self-preservation. It was only humans who tried to suppress it, be it in themselves or others.
The werewolves had some experience with that in the past, but over time, one way or another, they had reconnected with their desire to live. And right now, that desire told them that any kind of movement from any of them would jeopardize the lives they now held dear.
In the end, as with so many things, it didn't matter in the slightest. The boar's eyes traveled from one wolf to the next before lingering on Alfons, and Shin could have sworn he saw them narrow. Then, they shifted over to the body of the sow.
Multiple things happened at once.
The beast trembled, and Shin heard the voice of a young girl in his head.
Okay, but just saying, if you have to take out one or the other, it's probably best if you–
"SCATTER!"
"REEEEEEEEE!"
The boar's bellow rattled the branches above as the wolves shot off in different directions. Shin leaped to the side with all he had, and the tree behind him exploded into splinters as the boar slammed into the very spot he'd been standing in just seconds before.
He had only just regained his footing when the stone-like hooves came down, again and again. Had Shin been any slower, he would have died then and there. It was all he could do not to get ground into paste, and even with all his speed and the reflexes at his disposal, he couldn't avoid getting clipped in his shoulder. He held back a yelp of pain, feeling the hoof slice through fur and skin like a knife.
Rather than fight to balance himself this time, Shin let himself fall into a tumble and ended up under a bush. He stuck his head out, and was met with a scene of utter chaos.
The boar attacked anything that moved. It was far faster than any beast its size had the right to be, and multiple times the werewolves just narrowly avoided getting gored by tusks or trampled by hooves. Theo's luck ran dry, and he was scooped up and sent flying into a tree, falling to the ground in a heap. Raiden and Anju ran to aid him, and Shin made to follow suit when a frightened yip caught his attention.
Kurena, in her haste to get away, stumbled and found herself in the beast's range. Seizing the opportunity, the boar charged her at full speed. Shin dashed towards her, knowing full well he'd never reach her in time.
Shiden barreled into Kurena before the boar could, knocking her clear. Her momentum wasn't enough to push herself out of the boar's charge, though, and Shiden took a glancing blow to her side. The fact that she hadn't taken the full impact was the sole reason she wasn't killed instantly. Even so, the attack still packed enough force to send her halfway across the clearing.
Shin rushed over to her, his mind racing as he checked her for wounds.
"Forget about me," Shiden snapped above the boar's screams. Wincing through the pain, she staggered to her feet. "We need to figure out how we're gonna get rid of that thing before anyone else gets hurt!"
Easier said than done. Shin had taken one look at the thing and knew instantly that his fangs couldn't hope to pierce its hide. Everyone else was already tired after the first hunt and in no condition to fight, and probably wouldn't have challenged the boar even if they were.
If this went on any longer, someone may end up much worse than hurt. Shin grit his teeth. There was only one thing left to do.
"Retreat!" he howled for all to hear. "Head for the path down the mountain! Run and don't look back!"
No one questioned the order. As one, the wolves fled into the trees. Immediately, Shin saw the issue. Theo's collision earlier had been worse than it seemed. He was limping heavily, and Raiden and Anju were hanging back and trying to help him along.
The boar had been turning in circles, momentarily confused, but now it had zeroed in on the stragglers and was dragging one hoof through the dirt, preparing to charge. If it did, none of them would survive.
Shin growled. He let out a thunderous bark, drawing the boar's attention. If it could only focus on one thing at a time, let it be him.
"It's me," he snarled."I killed the sow, not them!" The boar's eyes found his. Its snout twitched, no doubt picking up the smell of blood on him. The river may have washed away the sight, but scents could not be erased so easily. A rumble built up in its chest.
"You idiot, what are you doing?!" Raiden demanded.
Shin tensed as the beast lowered its head, but before it could take a step, the crack of a gunshot froze it in place. Startled, Shin looked up to see Alfons standing on a boulder, the muzzle of his rifle raised to the sky.
Shin felt several conflicting emotions. Guilt that he'd forgotten all about the man in his concern for his werewolves, relief that Alfons was unharmed, and perhaps strongest of all, anger.
"And where the hell have you been?!" he yelled.
"Not getting killed and trying to figure out how to save all our sorry hides!" Alfons shot back. Had he stayed with them, no doubt he would have been the first casualty.
While Shin was grateful for the distraction, he hoped the man had a better plan than pelting the beast with bullets. There was no way they would get past its tough skin. But Alfons, apparently, had something else in mind.
He quickly threw the rifle over his shoulder and jumped down from his perch. "What're you standing there for?" he called. "Decoys aren't supposed to get caught this early, are they? Come on!"
With that, he took off. Shin blinked, but he understood. He smiled. "I'll see you guys soon," he told his friends.
"What?"
"What's he saying?"
"Shin, don't you dare–"
He ignored them all. The boar's shock wearing off, it turned its focus on Shin again, but by then he was already running.
I'll have to apologize to Lena after this, the black wolf thought ruefully. He and Alfons ran for their lives, the boar bulldozing everything in its path as it gave chase.