On the hunt.

You follow the tracks quickly, but quietly, taking full advantage of your stealth to stalk your prey. You still hear the words of advice from Nire on how you would need every scrap of experience for the trials to come. This was a chance you couldn’t pass up; though you had not expected to face any heroes on this gathering trip.

Your instincts on the age of the trail prove to be fairly accurate and it’s not long before you begin to catch the tell tale scent of your unsuspecting quarry growing stronger as you grow closer. You begin to take more care with your movements so as not to give any warning of your approach. Something nags at the back of your mind as you continue to track following the scent more than the tracks now. There is something familiar about the scent, but you can’t place your claw on it.

Finally you grow close enough to your prey to see them. Just as you had guessed it appears to be a tamer. Their lithe build again jogs that nagging sensation of familiarity in your mind. Could it be? You focus on them and their name and information becomes apparent.

Frey Tanglewood, Level 6 Tamer

…

The rest of the information has remained the same, except for the time stats of course. She has the same feats as when you first encountered her. Newer armor covers the form you remember baring the first time you’d met and you feel a pulse of excited arousal at the memory. Well, well, the little tamer had found you. This time she wasn’t completely alone, you think about the other tracks you’d seen along with hers and look around for the cat that must be accompanying her. Where the hell… A soft growl above and behind you answers the unspoken question you’d been about to ask yourself. Shit. You turn and ready yourself for combat as a small cougar pounces towards you from the limb of a tree you’d just passed beneath.

You're agile, but not enough to fully twist away from the outstretched claws of the feline as they rake across your upraised arm. Several lines of burning pain follow the path of the claws where they tear through your fur and hide and you yelp in pain. A triumphant cry comes from the tamer following your outburst and an arrow zips by the side of your head while you scramble towards cover behind a tree and turn to face the crouched form of the cat.

“Way to go Whiskers!” Frey’s voice comes and you mentally facepalm at the name. Whiskers?! The hell kind of name.... “Attack again! Get him!” You’re **** to discard the disbelieving thought and prepare for another attack from the cat. This time you’re ready and when the cat leaps for you you’re able to bat it aside. The impact of your curled fist sending the cat tumbling to the side is satisfying, as is the distressed yowl the beast makes. Frey cries out in distress at the sudden drop in her companion’s HP while you dart from tree to tree making your way towards the distracted hero.

You put on a burst of speed and abandon caution, running straight for Frey. You lips curl as you let out a savage, predatory snarl. She lets a few more arrows fly, missing you by scant fractions of an inch with each shot while you close the distance and prepare to attack the true threat of this pair.

You leap as she tosses her bow to the side and draws a dagger. Your form crashes into her, a quick moving ball of lean muscle that forces her much smaller body to the ground. At the same moment you feel a new burning in your side where her dagger hit your chest and scrapes along your ribs. A near fatal blow diverted by chance. You yell again in pain and savagely strike her hand away, the dagger spinning off into the underbrush while you wrestle her to the ground. She puts up much more of a fight from the previous time. Her time gaining levels apparent in her increased strength and flexibility as she squirms in your arms fighting for freedom.

“Stop Frey, or I’ll send you back to town just like last time.” You snarl into her ear and her instant of hesitation is enough for you to pin her beneath you. Her animal companion is still near and a fierce hissing growl sounds behind you. “Stop or I’ll tear her throat out.” You snarl at the cat and it pauses, staring past you to it’s pinned and **** master. It seems it’s smart enough to understand the threat and for now it backs down, slinking around you in a watchful circle, waiting for the signal to attack.

“Get the hell off me you monster! I’ll fucking…” She falls silent as you turn back towards her and she finally recognizes you. “No, no, nonono, what the fuck? How are you as high a level as I am now?! I was going to come back and slay your ass. I couldn’t believe that my sister and her friend could have been beaten by you. I thought they were mistaken…. I… Fade? You have a name now? What the hell is this? Fucking Big Bad Wolf is a named mob now?” Your ears perk at her words and you begin to laugh.

“Wait… was that my nickname? Big Bad Wolf?” You burst out laughing again, losing focus on keeping her pinned for a moment. Frey tries to take advantage in your lapse and begins to struggle free before you put your strength and weight back into keeping her restrained. “Woops, none of that now. Your naming sense is impeccable.” You sneer and snort once more with amusement. “Fucking Whiskers, and Big Bad Wolf.” You bite off the end of each word, your teeth snapping closed with each syllable.

“I had to call you something to issue the quest! You didn’t have a name!” She tells you defensively, glaring up at you. “I didn’t expect you to get one, or to get stronger.” She pouts a little, almost forgetting the danger of the situation in the back and forth of your banter. Maybe you should put her back in her place and remind her that you’re no ordinary wolf.