Chapter 7: The Bite of the Jungle
Morning came with thick fog blanketing the treetops. The jungle groaned with waking life—calls, cries, and rustling shadows.
Elric moved slowly through a patch of sunlit moss, studying Fangshade's posture. The shadow beast had gone rigid, ears raised, nostrils flaring.
"What is it?" Elric asked softly.
Fangshade didn't reply, of course—but he crouched low.
Twig pressed close to Elric's leg, trembling slightly. The mossback sprite poked its head out from his satchel, its stone skin hardening with a faint crick sound.
> Shepherd Instinct Activated.
Pack members sense danger nearby. Prepare to defend.
Then came the sound.
A high-pitched screech, followed by a rustling crash—and a cry.
Not an animal cry.
A human one.
"Help! H-Help me!"
Elric's feet moved before his thoughts could.
---
They found him tangled in vines near a collapsed ridge—a boy, no older than Mael, but dressed in fine gear, too clean to belong to the village.
A strange beast snarled nearby—four-legged, covered in bone plates, its mouth like a serrated trap. It was circling the boy.
And worse—it wore a collar.
A tight, spiked one.
Fangshade growled low. The sprite hissed. Even Twig seemed ready to charge.
> Detected Beast: Boneclaw Hound (Corrupted – Abused)
Emotional Status: Enraged, Conflicted.
System Note: This creature has been force-tamed through pain.
Elric's jaw tightened. "What kind of—who would do this?"
He moved forward slowly, hands raised.
The boy behind the beast gasped, "N-No! Don't! That's mine! I tamed it!"
Elric stared. "You hurt it."
"It's just a monster—!"
The Boneclaw turned toward Elric, growling. But… it hesitated.
> Presence of the Wild (Passive) Activated.
Beast recognizes Shepherd aura. Hostility lowered.
Elric knelt.
"Hey," he whispered. "You're angry. You've been forced. I get it."
The beast shuddered, saliva dripping from its jagged maw.
Then the boy raised a whistle—and blew.
The Boneclaw howled in agony and lunged blindly.
Fangshade moved like a shadow. In an instant, he was between them, fangs flashing.
The two collided, claw to claw.
"Stop!" Elric yelled. "You're hurting it more!"
He turned to the boy. "Throw the whistle. Now!"
The boy hesitated—then a low growl from the sprite made him panic. He flung the whistle away.
Elric rushed to the Boneclaw and placed both hands on its side.
> Attempting Wild Bond Override…
Temporary Bond Formed.
Loyalty: 1/100 – Pain Suppressed.
The beast whimpered and collapsed, shivering.
Elric looked back, eyes blazing. "This isn't taming. This is slavery."
---
Later, after the boy fled—terrified and bruised—Elric sat beside the Boneclaw, feeding it soaked bread while Twig curled near its tail and the sprite gently nuzzled its broken collar.
> New Beast Added (In Recovery): Boneclaw Hound – Loyalty 1/100
Pack Count: 4 / Unlimited
Note: Natural bonding progress is possible once pain subsides.
Elric leaned back with a long sigh.
"You're safe now," he whispered.
No one said being a Shepherd would be easy.
But it would always be right