Several hours into their expedition, Anton's group had yet to encounter any truly threatening beasts. Their first meeting with the forest's denizens had been a small pack of wolves that haunted the forest's edge, preying upon deer and sheep that strayed too far from their herds. They truly are archenemies for shepherds like Anton. The confrontation had ended before it truly began. Haldir dispatched two wolves from distance with silent efficiency, while Maria and Anton eliminated the remainder with well-placed magic missiles. Ruk and Zog, spears drawn and ready, had found themselves with nothing to do but watch.
Anton understood the natural order here. Most creatures dwelling on Malor Forest's periphery were ordinary beasts, lacking magical abilities. The deeper regions were ruled by magical creatures of considerable power, forcing the mundane animals to make a grim choice: submit to their rule and risk becoming food, or cling to the outskirts where survival, perhaps even prosperity, remained a possibility.
For an expedition team like theirs, these ordinary beasts posed little challenge unless encountered in overwhelming numbers. Their most difficult confrontation thus far had been with three enormous bears, whose enhanced vitality required multiple spells to overcome. That encounter had taught Anton the expedition's first practical lesson: "When in doubt, aim for the head." He had required two magic missiles to seriously wound his target, with a third as the killing blow, while Maria had dispatched her bear with a single spell perfectly aimed at its skull.
Though Ruk and Zog had yet to display their combat prowess, they remained vigilant, eyes constantly scanning the deepening shadows as they penetrated further into the forest. Haldir maintained his position at the front, communicating through an elaborate system of hand signals that initially baffled Anton so he ended up following what the party did. As the day continued, however, he found himself instinctively understanding more of the scout's silent language, a flick of the wrist indicating danger ahead, fingers splayed to suggest they spread out, a closed fist commanding immediate stillness.
As evening cast long shadows across the forest floor, they encountered their first magical beasts. At first glance, they resemble wolves, but their fur absorbed light like pools of midnight, and their eyes gleamed like a ruby. Anton's mind raced back to Master Blackwood's bestiary, those hours spent memorizing creatures he'd never seen.
Shadow wolves.
Despite their relatively frail physical form, these creatures were deadly ambush predators. They possessed rudimentary shadow sense, an ability to detect movement through the shadows around them, making them nearly impossible to get surprised. This same sense allowed them to stalk prey from a safe distance, while their ability to dive into and move between shadows made them perfect hunters in Malor's gloomy depths.
What made shadow wolves truly dangerous was their pack mentality. A frontal assault was futile; threatened wolves would simply melt into darkness, only to reappear when their enemies lowered their guard, transforming predator into prey with deadly swiftness.
As darkness slowly descended fully upon the forest, Anton tightened his grip on his staff, feeling the first genuine stirrings of fear since they'd begun their journey. The true challenge of Malor Forest had finally revealed itself, watching from the shadows with hungry, ruby-red eyes.
Haldir raised his fist abruptly, and the group froze in unison. They had reached the outer edge of the shadow wolves' detection range, one step further and they would announce their presence to the predators. The scout gestured for the others to gather close, his voice dropping to barely more than a whisper.
"Six shadow wolves ahead," Haldir murmured, his weathered face grave in the dappled light filtering through the canopy. His eyes, sharp as a falcon's, never stopped scanning the gloom before them. "It's a calculated risk, but we should be prepared for injuries if we engage. What's your assessment, Maria?"
Though he'd posed the question to their leader, his tone carried the weight of his own recommendation. As both tracker and scout, Haldir's ability to gauge beast strength had saved his life more than once, and they all knew it.
Maria's brow furrowed as she considered the situation. "You're certain it's only six?" she asked, fixing Haldir with an intense gaze. "We need to be certain of their numbers. Six we can manage, but I won't risk our lives if there are more lurking out of sight." She glanced toward the darkening forest. "They already outnumber us as it is."
Haldir nodded confidently. "Six. No more. I've counted twice." He gestured toward the fading sunlight. "It's early evening, they've likely just emerged from their lair to prepare for the night hunt. If we're going to strike, now would be the time, while we still have some daylight as our ally."
Maria turned to the two warriors of their group. Ruk's massive frame seemed tense with anticipation, while the more slender Zog maintained his characteristic stoic expression.
"Your thoughts?" she asked.
Ruk's hand tightened around the shaft of his spear, a predatory smile crossing his face. "We're here to cull these bastards, aren't we? Thin their numbers before the next beast tide hits the fortress." His deep voice rumbled with eagerness. "I say we remind them why humans are at the top of the food chain."
Beside him, Zog remained silent for a moment before offering three deliberate nods, his eyes never leaving the undergrowth ahead. The taciturn warrior seldom wasted words, but his readiness was evident in his perfectly balanced stance and the way his hands held his spear.
Maria turned lastly to Anton, their newest member. "And you, Annie? This will be your first encounter with magical beasts of this caliber. Speak your mind."
Anton swallowed, acutely aware of everyone's eyes upon him. Despite his nerves, he kept his voice steady. "The bestiary said shadow wolves are most vulnerable when they believe themselves to be the hunters rather than the hunted. I suggest a classic diversion. We lure their focus onto what they think is their prey and then we strike fast and hard." He straightened his shoulders. "If we're to fulfill our mission, we should face them. I'm with you."
Maria weighed each of their inputs, her expression revealing nothing of her internal deliberations. Leadership meant considering not just the immediate battle, but its place in their broader mission and the welfare of her team. The shadow wolves were dangerous, yes, but also precisely the type of threat they'd been dispatched to eliminate.
After several seconds of tense silence, she nodded decisively. "Prepare yourselves," she commanded, her voice taking on the crisp authority that had earned her command of the expedition.
"Our attack must be precise and coordinated," she said, marking six X on the ground to represent the shadow wolves. "Anton will initiate with a mana manipulation to draw their attention," she then looked at Anton and continued,"Annie, you use something loud enough to get their attention but not too much. Or else you might alert the entire forest."
Anton nodded, mentally preparing the move that might best serve this purpose. The weight of responsibility settled on his shoulders; he would be the catalyst for the entire operation.
"Once the wolves are focused on Anton's diversion," Maria continued, drawing arrows across her dirt map, "Ruk and Zog will circle wide to approach from the opposite direction. You'll each take down one wolf with a spear throw, clean and silent. No battle cries, no hesitation."
Ruk's normally boisterous demeanor had shifted to one of deadly focus. He tested the balance of his spear with practiced hands. "What's their shadow sense range?" he asked simply.
"You'll need to get within fifteen meters for an effective strike," Maria replied. "But remember, their shadow sense extends roughly ten meters around them. Cross into that threshold, and they'll detect you immediately."
Zog measured the length of his own spear with his eyes, calculating trajectories and force requirements. He gave Maria his grunt of acknowledgement. "Stealth is critical," she emphasized, "These creatures hunt by sensing disturbances in shadow patterns. Move with the forest, not against it."
Turning to Haldir and Anton, she continued, "You two will handle the wolves drawn by distraction. Haldir, show Anton the optimal position, somewhere with clear sight lines but with protective cover." Haldir nodded and gave a glance at Anton saying "Follow my lead. Step where I step."
"As for me," Maria said, pointing to a tall oak with sprawling branches, "I'll take position in that tree, behind Ruk and Zog's approach path. From there, I'll have clean shots at any remaining wolves or any that attempt to flee into the deeper shadows."
She surveyed their faces, reading their readiness, their concerns. "Questions before we move to position?"
The rest of them shook their heads. She met each of their gazes in turn, a silent reminder of the trust that bound them. "Remember, shadow wolves leap for the throat so protect your necks and aim for heads. Be sure to kill them in one shot, otherwise they'll melt into shadows."
With a final glance at the dying sunlight, Maria nodded. "Let's move. The forest will be completely dark soon, and I'd rather not face these creatures on their terms."
As they moved into their combat positions, Anton felt a curious mixture of fear and exhilaration through him. This was what he had trained for, this moment of standing alongside Maria against the magical threats of Malor forest. He was forming his mana into the shape of a small hand, ready to use it to start distracting the shadow wolves.
The shadow wolves awaited, unaware that they had just become the hunted.