The growl came from the left. A low, menacing sound, followed by the rustling of leaves.
He turned slowly.
A wolf.
Big. Dark. Eyes gleaming with a predatory yellow.
Ah.
Great.
Of course, it was a wolf.
Because fate wasn't just going to let him play with bunnies and birds, right? No, it had to throw him in front of a creature that, honestly, seemed much more prepared for this fight than he was.
The wolf growled louder, baring its fangs.
He swallowed hard.
First rule of survival: don't show fear. Second rule? Have a plan.
Did he have a plan?
…Kind of.
"Go."
The shadows of the rabbits and birds lunged forward. Fragile pieces on an uneven board. The wolf didn't hesitate. A snap of its jaws, and one of the birds was torn apart.
Damn.
Shadows didn't have flesh. They could be destroyed, but they didn't truly die. The problem? They were useless if the enemy completely ignored them.
The wolf leaped—fast, deadly. He moved faster. His fingers closed around a stone the size of his palm. Not a weapon. Not really. But better than nothing.
When the wolf jumped, he threw the stone with all the strength he could muster.
THUNK.
A dull thud. The wolf staggered, a low whine escaping its throat.
It wasn't enough.
But it was a start.
He picked up another piece of wood from the ground and held it like an improvised club. The shadows closed in on the wolf again, jumping and distracting it. With every opening, he attacked—threw more stones, used branches, anything.
The wolf began to bleed. Small cuts here and there. He wasn't going to win with brute strength, but attrition? That was another story.
The wolf tried another attack but stumbled. Its eyes were still fierce, but its body betrayed its fatigue.
This was his chance.
Another stone. Another impact. A howl. And then… silence.
The wolf fell.
He stood there, panting.
"…Did I win?"
The adrenaline still made his heart race, but he couldn't waste time. He approached the body, feeling that instinct activate again.
The shadow detached.
He reached out.
The darkness flowed into him, like a river of ink, and settled in his chest. He felt the difference immediately. Unlike the rabbits and birds, this shadow was… denser. Stronger.
An upgrade.
He looked at his smaller shadows. If he wanted this wolf, he'd have to make room.
He looked at one of the rabbits.
"It was a pleasure, friend."
The rabbit's shadow trembled and dissipated into the air.
He felt a small tightness in his chest, but the feeling soon passed. It was just a piece of power, after all.
Now he had a wolf.
That meant he could hunt something even bigger.
He looked around.
The forest was still full of life. That meant there were more prey. More opportunities.
He needed to climb another step.
And he had a plan.
Hunt, grow, repeat.
Welcome to the food chain.
---------------
The scent of blood still lingered in the air.
He walked slowly through the forest, alert to the slightest sound. The shadow wolf moved alongside him, its empty eyes fixed straight ahead.
It was strange. Even though it was just a fragment of darkness, the creature still carried the same menacing presence it had in life. It wasn't just a puppet. It was still a predator.
And he needed more.
Wolves hunted in packs. If there was one around, others couldn't be far.
He stopped for a moment, closing his eyes.
Tried to feel something.
It was hard to describe, but now that he had shadows, he could sense their presence in a strange way—almost like an instinct.
And yes. There were more ahead.
He crouched down, picking up a stone from the ground and gripping it tightly.
Better safe than sorry.
Then came the sound he was waiting for.
A howl in the distance.
Another answered from a different direction.
Close. Very close.
He moved slowly until he found a safe position, partially hidden by the vegetation.
And waited.
It didn't take long.
First, a pair of glowing eyes peered through the trees. Then, a lean, stealthy body emerged from the shadows.
A second wolf followed right behind.
They hadn't seen him yet, but they had noticed something strange.
The shadow wolf.
The animals froze, sniffing the air.
They didn't understand. Their instincts screamed that the thing before them was a wolf… but at the same time, it wasn't.
Confusion.
Hesitation.
The opening he needed.
"Go."
The smaller shadows spread out, moving like black specters. They weren't strong, but they didn't need to be.
Just a distraction.
The wolves reacted, trying to avoid the shifting figures that seemed to appear out of nowhere around them.
The shadow wolf didn't hesitate.
It was a black blur against the first wolf. Spectral fangs sank into the animal's throat before it had time to react.
The second wolf growled, instinctively stepping back.
But it was already too late.
The shadow wolf lunged again, and the fight lasted only seconds.
Neither of them stood a chance.
He stepped out of his hiding spot, watching the bodies on the ground.
Easy.
Maybe even… too easy?
He shook his head. No. He couldn't let his guard down. Not here.
The wolves' shadows began peeling away from their bodies.
He extended his hand, absorbing both.
Two new presences.
But there was a problem.
He already had ten shadows.
He looked at the old ones. The birds. The rabbits.
They had helped him. Served their purpose.
But he had to move forward.
He sighed.
"You did well."
And then, with a silent nod of gratitude, he released them.
The shadows vanished, and he felt the empty space open up inside him.
Now, he had three wolves.
Now, he had a pack.
He couldn't help but smirk.
This was getting interesting.
But there was no time to stand around admiring his new acquisitions.
He needed to hunt more.
And this time…
Something bigger.