Wolfie goes up a level

As Grashok and the cub neared the entrance to the dungeon, the towering silhouette of the mountain beginning to loom above them, the little wolf's ears perked up again. Without warning, it darted off the path and into a thick shrub at the side of the track. Grashok’s heart raced as he instinctively scanned the area for threats, but instead, he heard the now-familiar squeal of a rodent being silenced by a crunch.

Moments later, the cub pushed back through the undergrowth, another small rodent dangling lifelessly from its jaws. Its wide eyes looked almost startled, as if it hadn’t expected the catch. Grashok let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding and gave a quiet chuckle. “You’re getting good at this, aren’t you?”

A soft ding echoed in his mind—a sound he now recognised all too well. A notification flashed across his vision:

Wolf Cub: Level Up!

Current Level: 2

Experience Gained: +5 (Rodent)

Health: +5

Attack Power: +2

Grashok blinked in surprise and studied the cub, which stared back at him with what seemed like pride. It levelled up? He had expected it to grow stronger eventually, but seeing the change happen in front of him brought a wave of excitement. The pop-up menu in front of him automatically shifted, revealing the cub’s updated stats.

Wolf Cub (Level 2)

Health: 25

Attack Power: 12

Abilities: Basic Bite

Experience: 5/50 (to next level)

The cub wagged its tail, the rodent still hanging from its mouth, waiting for some kind of response. Grashok grinned, crouching down to ruffle the fur on its head. "Good work, little one. You're growing fast."

The wolf cub dropped the rodent at his feet, perhaps offering it as a tribute or simply not knowing what to do next. Grashok crouched and ran a calloused hand over the cub’s head, scratching behind its ears. The creature leaned into the touch with an exuberant wag of its tail. “Good beast,” he murmured.

He picked up the rodent by its tail, eyeing the limp body. Waste not, want not—it would all taste the same in the pot, he thought.

As he straightened, another chime sounded in his mind, and a glowing notification appeared:

[Wolf Cub has become Loyal Companion (1 of 1 slots)]

Grashok knelt down and scooped the cub into his arms. The little wolf wriggled happily against him, tongue lapping at his cheek while its tail thrashed from side to side. He let out a short laugh, holding the pup close for a moment before setting it back down. Whatever the system’s message meant, one thing was clear—the cub wasn’t just following him anymore. It was his companion.

"We’ve done well today," Grashok said, scratching the cub behind the ears one more time before standing up. "Let’s get back inside before something else decides we're on its menu." With that, they continued the short walk to the dungeon entrance, the wolf cub bounding ahead, now brimming with newfound energy and strength as dusk slowly set in.