CHPT 116: Leaders can’t Fail.

Claude and the Phantom and Wolves ran North for hours, fueled by the cool nighttime air and the connection they all shared as a pack. They ran alongside fish filled ravines— listening to the beautiful sound of flowing water, and bounded over them in single leaps whenever they needed to.

After running for a while, a certain smell turned their run from something fun and exciting to a focused hunt. They followed the scent North with their noses to the ground and eyes peeled.

The scent was a new one for him, it smelled somewhat like deer— but there was a certain stench or pungent odor connected to it. It wasn't anything undead, since the stench was natural and made his mouth water as his canines sharpened involuntarily.

The pack ran for another mile or so, following the smell intently when the scent reached its apex. They stood in a undiscovered portion of forest that rose up into a tall tree covered hill.

The absence of night time birds and critters noises told him that the whole forest was aware of the legion of predators inside, meaning what they were hunting had to also be aware to some degree.

Claude held his dark skinned clawed hand up and and the Wolves stopped instantly, mocking his stealthy stance.

"Where are you....." Claude thought as he took in a nose full of air and let the intense musky deer-like scent point him in the right direction.

Suddenly, he smelled where it was strongest— like a string connecting his nose to the prey ahead. His bright green eyes snapped open and at the same time, a bolt of lightning broke out through the clouds and smashed into the ground somewhere off in the distance.

The bright white blast illuminated the night, including the prey they chased into the very forest they stood in.

The outline of it was incredible. Impossibly long and limber legs that led up to a stocky fur covered body that had to weigh at least 1,000lbs. The most impressive part was its antlers that looked like giant outstretched hands ending in natural natural deadly points.

Only one word came to mind as he looked at the large creature.

"Moose."

The lightning strike also illuminated the outlines of the pack of predators silently watching the Moose, startling it into an impressively fast run up the steep hill.

The Phantom Wolves snarled and barked as they gave into the chase.

Claude's Prey Drive took over and he suddenly found himself scaling the hill with the Wolves, holding his short spears in an iron tight grip.

He immediately felt the burn in his quads like liquid fire glazing his muscles with every full speed step he took up the hill. The Moose moved with a powerful amount of grace he didn't expect, pushing him onwards with an increased urge to catch his prey.

The pack pushed onward for another few minutes that he felt all of in his legs. Somewhere along the way snow began to fall, casting an even sheet of white over the trees and ground.

Periodically, the Wolves would speed up ahead and nip at its thick and boney heels. It was proving to be successful as blood dripped down from its legs and left a trail of red in the lightly snow covered ground.

"Ashe! Go!" Claude said to the second in command of the pack. She immediately sped up, leaving a trail of black smoke in her wake as she approached the giant Moose.

Ashe zig zagged up the hill, confusing the Moose's senses and causing it to panic. Once she was in range, she added an extra boost of speed to her pace and lunged, attempting to sink her sharp teeth into the Moose's already torn up legs.

"CRack!"

"AARP!" Ashe yelled in pain as the Moose sent a kick into her about and sent her tumbling down the hill.

Claude felt his temperature rise in unison with his anger at seeing Ashe hurt. But he couldn't stop to check on her, he couldn't give up on the hunt, he had to get revenge for her in the best way he could.

"Help her! This ones MINE!" Claude yelled, imposing his anger and will onto the pack so they understood even if the language of man was unknown to them.

The Phantom Wolves fell back and headed for Ashe, while Claude continued after the Moose. The beautiful scent of fear pushed him further as he became a moving amalgamation of hatred, rage and humanoid animal instincts.

They ran for another few minutes, with no closing in distance.

As patient as a predator had to be when pursuing prey, Claude found himself losing hope. The Moose didn't look to be slowing down any time soon and he could see the top of the hill just past the snow covered trees.

An odd feeling took ahold of him. Something primal, something that humans and animals felt equally in a hunt for millennia. Failure.

It loomed at the back of his mind as he stared at the Moose's flank. Failure to succeed. Failure to make sure the packs efforts weren't in vain.

As trivial as it was in the grander scheme of things, it was incredibly important to him. It would set the precedent for future battles. No leader fails to lead in something all predators do naturally.

The anger at the thought of failing plunged his mind into a swimming pool of rage and hate. His transformation spread in response. Darkness spread and multiplied under his skin, sprouting smooth black hairs and bulging veins brimming with power.

Another odd urge crept into his mind as his arms became imbued with power. He snarled as he imagined what he was about to do.

His eyes zeroed in on the back of the Moose's head and stayed on it like a hawk. A fraction of a Potential's level of focus was shown as he stared lasers into the back of its head.

"RAGH!"

WOOSH!

Claude threw the short spear in his right hand up the hill towards the Moose with the professional skill of someone who'd done it for years. The thick wooden spear whistled through the cold night air at blinding speeds, sinking into the back of the Moose's head like an arrow hitting a bullseye.

SHUNK!

The Moose ran for a few more feet before it crashed into the floor, dead with a wooden spear puncturing its skull.

Claude's animalistic urges faded away like fog in a windstorm, leaving him standing in the snow feeling tired but successful.....and slightly saddened by the Moose's gruesome ending.

"Thank you for what you'll contribute to us." Claude said before bowing to the fallen Moose up the hill. As he raised his head, he found the Phantom Wolves standing proudly at his side. Ashe was ok.

DING!

[+30 EXP]

[Accuracy increased by 1 Skill Point!]

DING!!

[Continuously completing more than your required exercise has honed your body further than one Level Up can accurately express. You have received 1 Skill Point in all physical stats!]