FSE

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The taste of charred meat and spices sizzled on Lex's tongue. The hungry black wolf chomped down and tore another piece of flesh from bone, chewing loudly. Looking around, he stared past his other pack mates and into the reaches of the inky blackness that resisted the light from the fire.

"At the very least," the small, reddish-furred wolf, Retts, draped in a sturdy leather cloak, spoke up between bites. "If we have to fight these dire-bear abominations, it's a good thing they're tasty." His small but sharp knife sliced a chunk of meat off the flank in his other hand. "Delicious work as always, Nesh!"

The short and chubby white wolf wagged at the compliment. "Always happy to serve. There's more than one way to use a fire." Nesh wiped his paws on his tawny apron and reached into one of the many pockets it contained, pulling out a few vials. "Save the bones though, I'd like to grind them up for a mixture later. If you think we'll have time tonight, Black Fang?"

Lex turned and growled. Krea, the large brown wolf clad in half-plate armour, dents and scratches catching the fire's flickering glow, grabbed the white wolf's arm and pulled him back down on the fallen log she sat on.

"C'mon, Nesh, you know Lex doesn't like that title." Retts chuckled and pointed his blade to the large woman. "Don't let Krae be your conscience now."

"But it's such a grand title! And well deserved. During the battle against the evil warlock, Driig, no warrior could get past his spells or get close to him. Only Bla--" Nesh paused and turned to look into the steely glare of his leader. "Only Lex," he corrected himself, "was able to push past." The chubby wolf stood up, claws barred, reenacting his tale as he hopped from foot to foot. "He dodged the spellcasters blows and leapt down on him, clamping his jaws into the mutt's shoulders." The white wolf snapped his teeth in the air. "Never letting go until the rest of the team was able to subdue and defeat the evil coyote. They say that Driig's blood was so corrupted, it's what turned Lex's fang the jet black colour it is now."

Retts sighed. "Which is probably why our fearless leader isn't too happy about being put on a mission to investigate the monster's castle again."

The group looked over the black wolf, ears pinned back, muzzle stuck in a sneer that unwittingly showed off the fang in question. Lex stood up, tail lashing, and barked at them, "That's enough. Has Sliva returned from her recon yet? She's been gone longer than usual."

A wisp of wind whisked behind the black wolf as a shadow appeared beside him. The sleek ranger stepped closer to the fire circle, bow and quiver strapped to her back. Her tattered leather armour, made from different patches of hues from blacks, browns and dark greens, meshed with the grey swirls of her fur underneath.

Sliva's words were soft but precise. "I sighted no more dire-bears in the vicinity nor any other threats. Our tracks and scent have been masked should anything else come across our previous encounter."

Lex nodded and pointed to the remaining chunks of sizzling flesh, speared and hung over the fire. "Good. Grab some food to eat." He looked back at the others. "I'll take first watch tonight. Retts, you'll take the high moon. Krae, you've got the dawn."

"Aww man, really?" Retts whined. "Sliva just said there's no threats nearby."

"Not gonna chance it." Lex growled.

"If we're encountering dire-bears, doesn't that mean that Driig could be nearby?" Nesh's tail curled against his leg, the white wolf peering into the shadows beyond the circle. "I mean, he's a powerful warlock after all. He's the one that created those beasts."

"Armies of bears were created to fuel his war." Sliva picked up some sticks of meat, taking in the spicy scent and licking her chops. "Many formed their own packs and continued to roam the forest after the warlock and his castle were sealed away. This was probably one of the remaining few groups out there."

The wind picked up with a howl causing the white wolf to jump. "So you're sure he couldn't have escaped?" Nesh brushed his fur back down and collected himself. Trying to act cool, he began picking up some of the discarded bones around the fire. "You don't think he may have actually found a way to break the seal?"

"Naw." Retts tossed a bare bone at the part-time cook, part-time alchemist. "I mean that castle's been sealed for years. The kingdom's best mages used their strongest magics to create that barrier, there's no way. If they really thought he was back, they wouldn't send a simple recon pack. They'd be gathering together the Queen's best mages and marching the army back over here. Besides, if anything goes wrong, Krae here's got your back, Nesh."

The large warrior raised her double-bladed axe and nodded towards her white furred friend.

"Yeah," Nesh's tail wagged slowly as he picked up Retts' discarded bone. "You're probably right. But, what if we actually do find Driig?"

Lex turned away from the fire and peered back into the darkness beyond them. He placed a paw on the hilt of the great sword at his side. "Then the Black Fang will bite back down, never letting go until the warlock is again defeated."