The Subut tribes part 1

As Rufus blinked, he felt like the world had spun around him, and suddenly he was somewhere else entirely. He gasped as the frigid air enveloped him, stinging his skin like a thousand needles. His surroundings were unrecognizable, the dry mountainous terrain of Alamut replaced by a barren, wintry landscape.

He looked down and saw that he was suspended in the air, his wings the only thing keeping him aloft. Below him was a vast frozen lake, its icy surface stretching on for miles. The ice was so thick that it could support the weight of a caravan, and Rufus couldn't help but marvel at its strength.

The lake was surrounded by a dense forest of towering pine trees, their branches bare and lifeless. The snow-covered boughs looked like skeletal fingers reaching out to the sky, and the entire landscape was shrouded in an eerie silence.

Above, the sky was an ominous shade of gray, and the snow fell relentlessly, obscuring the horizon in a haze of white. The howling wind whipped through the air, carrying with it the bitter chill of the winter season.

Suddenly, a piercing scream broke the silence, and Rufus turned to see Suomi hurtling toward the ground below. Without hesitation, he swooped in and caught her just before she hit the ice. Her body was shaking violently, and her fingers were already turning blue from the cold.

"Rufus?" she muttered, her teeth chattering.

"Where are the others?" Rufus asked, scanning the bleak landscape.

Amala fell from the sky, hitting the ice with a thunderous thud, sending a shower of snowflakes in every direction. Rufus quickly flew over to her, concerned about her well-being. However, as he approached her, he could see that she was more irritated than hurt.

"Where are the others?" Rufus asked.

Amala let out a sharp breath, clearly annoyed. "Oh, thank you for asking, Rufus. I'm fine," she snapped.

"I'm sorry, I didn't me...."

"It's fine," Amala said, trying to calm herself down. "And I don't know. Maybe they were transported somewhere nearby?"

The biting wind picked up, and the temperature dropped even further. The icy gales tore through their clothes, chilling them to the bone. Rufus and Amala were used to the harsh climate, but for Suomi, it was unbearable. She was shivering violently, and her body was wracked with shivers.

"We need to get off this lake," Rufus said, his voice firm. "Now."

~~

Rufus, Amala, and Suomi took shelter under a pine tree, and Suomi was shivering. Amala built a small shelter from branches to protect themself from the blistering wind.

As Amala was about to finish building the shelter, a howl was heard. Amala took out her bow and aimed, but couldn't see anything.

"What is it?" Rufus asked her.

"Whatever it was, it has moved on," she said.

"Good, the last thing we need is some kind of monster attacking us."

Suomi sneezed hard, her fluid coming out from her nose. Rufus went inside the small shelter and touched her forehead.

"She is burning up," Rufus said.

"Okay," Amala said.

"Okay!?" Rufus said, "You do not have anything else to say!?"

Amala glared at Rufus, "I'm trying to think, Rufus. We're stranded in the middle of nowhere, in a freezing blizzard with no idea where we are or how to get back. And now Suomi is sick, the girl who is just tagging along."

Amala then walked away, leaving Rufus alone with Suomi.

"Don't go alone!? Didn't you just hear the howls," Rufus yelled.

"I am the greatest hunter of the Dechen tribe, with decades of combat experience in many wars. Or have you forgotten that as well," Amala said and left Rufus alone with Suomi.

~~

As Amala trudged through the forest, her frustration grew. She took a deep breath and bellowed, "YOU ASSHOLE!!!!!" The outburst gave her a momentary sense of relief, but the anger lingered. She resented how much Suomi had assisted Rufus, while she hadn't done much to contribute lately.

Suddenly, a low growling interrupted her thoughts. A pack of wild dogs, their white stripes blending with the snow, emerged from the dense foliage. "So, the howl was for you guys to indicate where the food is. Too bad, wherever I am, I am the hunter," Amala declared. She grabbed her bow and aimed a burst of arrows into the woods. Squeals echoed through the forest as some of the beasts fell, while the others scattered.

Amala continued walking, trying to clear her head, unaware that something was following her. Something big and divine. She stumbled upon a clearing, and in the distance, she noticed a faint light. Intrigued, she decided to investigate.

As she approached the light, she discovered a small shrine made of stone. The shrine was old and worn.

As she walked towards it, the sound of brittle bones cracking underfoot drew her attention. Upon closer inspection, she found the remnants of a young sassan child and many other small corpses scattered around the area.

Before she could react, a beast emerged from the shadows of the trees. It was a massive striped wild dog, accompanied by a pack of smaller of its kind. "Same shit, a different world, I guess," Amala muttered, as she aimed her bow and fired a stone arrow at the creature.

As the arrow traveled through the air, it grew larger, but the giant dog dodged it. The creature leaped into the air, roaring so loudly that Amala fell to the ground, her ears ringing with pain. The pack charged towards her, and Amala fired a burst of arrows, felling some but not all of the creatures.

Desperate, she had to resort to using her bow as a mace, pummeling the wolves that got too close. The giant divine dog attempted to bite Amala, but she managed to shove her bow into its jaw and shot an arrow into its mouth. The feral dog staggered back with the stone arrow dangling from its tongue, but it only served to enrage the beast further.

"Die, you rotten goat fucker!" Amala shouted, channeling her divine power to make the arrow expand into a large stone ball with spikes, causing the giant dog's head to explode instantly.

The smaller wolves had gathered around the body of the fallen alpha, as if they were its pups. Amala felt a sense of relief wash over her, but before she could let her guard down, a monster pounced on her from behind, knocking her onto the snow.

"I guess that makes you the mommy dog," the creature sneered, as another beast emerged from the shadows.

This one was much larger than the others, with thick fur and piercing red eyes that glowed in the darkness. It was clear that this was the pack leader. Amala struggled to break free from its powerful grip, desperately reaching for her stone bow, but it had fallen from her grasp during the attack. The monster snarled, its sharp teeth bared and ready to strike. Amala knew she had to act fast.

But before she could do anything, a bright sphere materialized and engulfed everything within its reach. The giant dog died instantly, its body vaporized into thin air, leaving only its legs and head intact.

Rufus appeared out of nowhere, carrying Suomi, who was unconscious in his arms.

"Stubborn. ALWAYS STUBBORN!" Rufus roared in anger.

Amala didn't say a word, just stood up and dusted herself off. She felt a mixture of annoyance and gratitude towards Rufus for saving her life yet again. It was clear that he cared for her, despite his gruff exterior.

"How is she? You could have just left her at the shelter," Amala asked, concerned for her friend's well-being.

"Not good. If I had left her alone, those beasts would have torn her apart. I had no choice but to take her with me," Rufus replied, scanning the area for any signs of danger.

Just as the smaller wolves started to emerge from the shadows, a flaming torch was thrown in their direction, scaring them off. A small figure emerged from the darkness, a scrawny Sassan clad in thick furs.

As he spotted the trio, the Sassan attempted to run away but stumbled and fell face-first into the snow.

"He doesn't seem like a threat," Amala noted.

"No, he's exactly who we need," Rufus said, striding towards the terrified boy.

As the boy tried to scramble to his feet, Rufus towered over him, his imposing figure surely intimidating the young Sassan. Amala quickly grabbed the boy's hood, preventing him from escaping.

"Who are you?!" Amala demanded, her voice laced with a hint of menace.

"Please, she needs shelter and medicine," Rufus said, crouching down to the boy's eye level.

The boy stuttered nervously, his eyes darting between the trio. "Yo..you...you killed the Karkuk. The snow pit couple."

"You mean those two giant monsters?" Amala clarified.

The boy nodded, and Amala softened her tone. "Yes, we did. We had to defend ourselves."

Rufus added, "We mean you no harm. We're lost and have no idea where we are. Can you help us find shelter and medicine for our friend?"

The boy hesitated for a moment before finally nodding his head. "Follow me," he said, leading the group deeper into the woods towards the lakes. But before they left, the boy quickly ran over to the dead monster and retrieved the male's ballsack.