The Coming Storm

In a cave, base of the Cursed Wolves.

POV Vera.

"So you are telling me… that the entirety of the chasing unit… was killed by a small red headed child." The large heavily scarred wolf says slowly, looking down at the subordinate giving their report.

"Y-Yes s-s-sir."

The subordinate wolf was clearly terrified as his whole body was shaking from the fear. He was right to be scared as well. Our leader is no the merciful type who accepts the failure of those under him.

Worse yet, what he came and told us was that a whole unit of wolves had been slaughtered by what he described as "a little human looking girl". Things were not going to end well.

"You… YOU ARE TELLING ME AN ENTIRE UNIT OF WOLVES THAT I SENT OUT WAS DEFEATED BY A CHILD!" The Chief shouts and swings his claws towards the subordinate wolf.

"ARgghhhhhh…" The subordinate screams and tries to run, but it is to late.

His claws slice straight through his throat and we all watch as the life drains from him.

"Grrrraaaaaaaar! What is this bullshit! Weaklings!" The Chief raged, flinging round his claws and dark element magic at anything near to hm

The were quite a few of us gathered round to witness the execution, but now we were all trying our best to avoid his ire.

This wolf became the chief by killing the previous one not to long ago. Before then, we stuck to one area of the mountains, only occasionally raiding a territory of another being if we desperately needed food or if we needed to let off some steam. We as a species have a lot of natural energy and aggression, but we didn't try and invade territories for the sake of it. We valued the lives of those in our clan, so we did not want to waste lives by invading and taking territory when we did not need to.

That was until he became chief. Since he got to his position, he has forced us to fight and invade many different territories around ours and massacre the creatures in charge there. Many of our pack members have died by this point, but none of us are as strong as he is so we have no choice but to do as he orders.

"… That is it, gather every single wolf in our clan. We will go and crush every single one of these Foxes and this "little girl" who supposedly killed that shitty group of wolves." He said after finally calming down a bit.

"DID YOU NOT HEAR ME! GATHER THEM NOW!"

All the other wolves scattered to go do as he demanded, before he got to angry again and start killing. I however stayed. I needed to discuss something with him.

"Hmmmm Vera? What are you still doing here? Did I not tell you to gather everyone!?" He began to shout again, but I needed to say this.

"Father, I know you said every single wolf will be participating in the upcoming battles. But what about Nao? He has a weak body unlike most of us wolves, he could not possibly survive in battle."

Yes, this incredibly scary being is my Father. Not that he has ever actually felt or acted like one.

Once he hears the purpose of me staying behind to talk to him, he turns away in disinterest and begins to walk away.

"Hmph what of it? If he is my son, he should be able to fight. If he cannot do that, then why should I consider him my son? He has done nothing but disgrace me since he was born." He says dismissingly.

In the back of my mind I knew he would say that, he is a cruel being. Mom died not long after she gave birth to Nao, and I believe it was in part to the horrible treatment she received from this evil thing I call a Father.

"Father you cannot send him! As you said, at the end of the day he is your son! Throwing him into battle against something that can easily kill a large pack of wolves would only get him killed!"

When I shouted that at him… a big grin spread across his ferocious face.

No way… does he want Nao to die?

"You bastard! I won't let you!"

I jump at him, aiming to bite down on his neck and stick my front claws into his torso but…

"HAHAHA! NOT GOOD ENOUGH!"

A large shadow forms underneath me, and a tentacle comes bursting out of it towards me.

"Urghhhhh!" I shout in pain as it whips me away, sending me flying into the cave walls.

"Tch so weak. But you are the strongest of the weaklings I have at my disposal, so you have some use. Go and prepare Vera, you will be fighting on the front line this coming battle."

"Shut up! Why would I do what you say now I know that you would rather see Nao die then live without fighting!" I shout back defiantly.

"BUHAHAH! Fine, I will not have him sent to his death yet and I shall also hold back the ones that do not usually fight, like the new mothers and the pregnant wolves... Just as long as you go out there and defeat the probably weak piece of shit that killed and disrespected our clan. If you still refuse, then… hihi… I cannot guarantee the safety of that disgrace." His cruel smile got even bigger as he said that.

What else can I do? I am not stronger than him and if I die then there is no one to try and stop him killing Nao. There is no other choice.

"… tch, very well…"

I resigned myself to my fate and left the cave. Once I get outside, I can see that the sun is just beginning to set. Right now we were staying in the side of a small cliff that had pathways up it leading to multiple caves that then led inside the cliff.

The largest cave was that bastard's temporary home and it was near the top of the cliff side. I stayed with my brother, Nao, in a smaller cave closer to the bottom.

Once I began to get close to the bottom of the cliff face, I spotted a small wolf sitting just outside of a cave.

I creep up behind, and just when I get in range, I pounce.

"NAO!" I shout as I am mid-air.

"Huh? AH Vera! Urghhh" Nao shouts back surprised before I squish him under me and pin him on his back.

"Hahaha you need to be a bit more aware of your surroundings Nao." I say softly as I pet his head with my paw and climb off.

"Uuuuu sis you are so mean! You know that I am not strong and with your weight you could easily…"

"What was that…" I say cutting off his sentence while staring daggers at him.

"Ah! Nothing at all sis, was just saying how strong and great you are hehe…"

"Hmmm I thought so, you little runt." I say while rubbing his head yet again.

Whenever I have had a stressful day, seeing Nao always blows it all away. Although he is a male wolf, he gets on quite a bit better with the other female wolves. They still occasionally tease him for his weakness and how small he is, but they do it in a more friendly way.

We chat for a bit, then head inside to eat some food.

"So did the lady from the cave above give us some meat again today?" I ask upon seeing the small deer monster carcass in our cave. There was no way he was taking this thing down anyway.

"Yesss, she said it was thanks for me playing with her little pup earlier, while she went out to hunt. They also said that it was thanks for you as well, for always trying to protect everyone in the pack who cannot fight."

"…Thanks." I say, knowing that the only way I can protect Nao and everyone who should not be fighting, is by going out and crushing the enemy of that monster.

"Hehe you shouldn't thank me, thank the lady above us next time you see her." Nao says happily, not knowing what I would have to do and the stakes of it. I didn't want to burden him with worries, but I had to let him know what would be happening tomorrow.

…

"He's making everyone move to the battlefield? And you have to take on the thing that killed that group that never came back?... I wish I could help you out sis… I am so weak…" Nao says sadly.

"Don't be silly Nao. Whatever it is that killed them, I am the second strongest in the clan. There is no way I am losing! On the other point, I think you are amazing the way you are. I would not change a thing about you." I say trying to cheer him up, it really breaks my heart when he gets all sad and down on himself.

"Hehe, I guess you are right sis. Nothing I can do about my small body anyway and I know you wouldn't lose, but make sure to be careful Vera... So to prepare let's have a feast in the form of this deer monster." He says sounding slightly happier.

"Glady!" I say enthusiastically.

We then spend some more time chatting and eating before finally going to sleep.

---

I awake the next day early and begin to get ready to move. I let Nao have a little lie in to keep his energy for when we actually begin moving.

Eventually though I had to wake him up as well. We then eat some left overs from last night.

Once we had done that, we make our way to the top of the cliff face to wait for the chief.

Eventually he surfaces out of his cave and proceeds to tell everyone what is going on.

"Today we shall be advancing on the fools who dared to oppose my will! My scouts have said that they have moved towards the outskirts of the mountain range! We will all be moving out to completely crush these foolish foxes and the bastard who killed my hunters! They will know, before they die, that they made a huge mistake in not just laying down there lives as sacrifices to my greatness!"

He continued his unhinged and self-centred ranting for a while until finally…

"As I said, no one will be left here! Vera will be the one to initially attack them! If she is not enough then the rest of you will be battling for my glory! Any dissenters speak now and I shall crush you!"

No one spoke up. I don't blame them.

"Good! Now follow me!" He finally ended his less than inspiring speech, and everyone started to follow him.

I give Nao one last look. We both nod at each other and we begin to move as well.

---

12 hours later.

POV Alicia.

I am currently out with Ignis and Aura though we were walking back to the courtyard of the castle. We had all just gone together to the Guild to get them their classes.

Ignis had said she had a number of options she could choose from, but she chose to go with the [Knight] class as it is the same as the position she now held in the kingdom.

Aura decided to go with the [Teacher] class which I thought was an interesting class… Wait... she talks with Terre a lot… and Terre always tries to teach me things I am not interested in… Hmm very suspicious…

Just as I was about to ask her about it, Terre came running up to me.

"My Lady! Some of my minions who I put on look out have spotted a large pack of wolves heading our way. They will not arrive here till at least tomorrow midday."

Kukuku just what I wanted, I thought to myself.

I completely forgot about my previous worries and I began to look forward to my upcoming fun.

"Okay Terre! Let's get to preparing!"