"Run, run! Wolves on our way."
The girl didn't look like she cared about who heard her and kept on running. As she was about to run past them, Thorgar stepped sideways and yanked her by the elbow. She spinned as her feet lost balance and she fell on the padded ground.
"Another nameless." Thorgar clicked his tongue in annoyance as he eyed her and David. In a soft tone he added, "Just a bunch of cowards."
Even though it was said in a low tone, it still carried in the air to everyone's ears in the dead silence of the night.
Draven looked like he was about to rebuke Thorgar but then thought better of it as he closed his lips.
Just then David cleared his voice, making them all look at him. He walked over to the girl and gave her his hand. The girl looked at him for a few seconds before she weakly put her palm in his.
David pulled her to her feet while asking her, "How many wolves did you see?"
The nameless girl dusted her clothes, which were just basically torn rags made out of animal hide. She remained lost in thought as if mentally counting the number of wolves she saw while scouting.
"I think, twenty."
A snicker rang out at the camp. David glanced sideways at Thorgar who now had a smug expression on his face.
"Only? I shall slash," he performed a horizontal swing with his spear as he spoke, "...and they die."
Shogun grunted in approval and Draven sighed in relief. The initial panic was beginning to fade away. But just then...
"They are direwolves." All voices died down at those words.
She raised a finger to her chin, a slight frown appearing on her forehead. Her eyes lightened up as if she had just remembered something of high importance.
"Also, alpha wolf leading them." The silence in the camp was a sight to see.
The first to react was Draven. He instantly cradled his sleeping wife in his arms and got up hurriedly. In a tone full of emergency, he ordered. "We need to get out of here fast. We are no way suited to fight a whole pack of them, given an alpha is leading them."
He then spoke the same words in the foreign language and Shogun nodded. He also said something which obviously David couldn't understand.
Since he was already near the girl and who also happened to be a "nameless", he asked her. "Is the alpha that dangerous?"
At this point, David had connected all the dots and combined with all that he could see, he was certain of one thing.
'I have transmigrated...just like in the novels. How ridiculous!' Even though he was facing an emotional turmoil inside him, he forced himself to look as calm as possible on the outside.
'First things first, I need to survive the night. Everything else about this place can wait for now.'
He stared expectantly at the slender girl, who looked to be around eighteen or nineteen years old. Her curly light brown hairs swayed chaotically as she started thinking...again.
David was sure this time that her unnaturally big eyes glinted...literally, as she came up with an answer. She spread her arms wide and exclaimed, "The alpha... this big! The normal direwolf...only this much." Her arms contracted as she tried elaborating the small size of the direwolf.
David suddenly found himself trying to hold back his laughter at such a childish attempt of explaining things.
Seeing his cheeks bulge slightly, she frowned. "You laugh at me? Also why your language good? Teach me."
"Later."
David didn't have the time to give a proper answer as Shogun, Draven and Thorgar completed talking whatever it was. Draven called for both of them as he pointed towards the west, "On the far horizon, there is a Hermann family group. That's our destination."
They both nodded as the group of six - five walking and one sleeping, started their journey. They didn't have any water or food. When David asked that to Draven, he looked bewildered.
"Why would you store food and water? That's such a waste of time and space. Don't bring such useless concepts that could only delay our progress."
'What...the fuck. Am I in some prehistoric era? I would seriously like to believe that but I don't think so. Spears, metallic mace, clothes made of good quality wool...nothing of it screams pre-historic.' David sighed, his brain overworked on countless speculations and what was more frustrating was that he couldn't confirm a single one of them.
He would have risked asking questions casually. But in the group, Shogun and Thorgar already looked like they despised nameless people like him. Although Draven looked polite, that was it...he was just formal. He didn't want to make the only neutral guy in the group suspicious of his behaviour.
As for the other nameless girl...
"La~ la~ la~ Grasses green, skies sheen. Rivers to the right, lagoons on the left. Choose your path right, or you might get wet."
'Yeah she is DEFINITELY a lost cause. But those words sure rhymed with each other. I wonder who taught her.' David glanced at the nearly hopping girl in curiosity. To him, she looked like a slightly deranged person that might have resulted due to a lot of childhood trauma. That's how it generally used to be on Earth.
Talents as bright as a glowing star has gone mad just from the weight of sheer societal expectations...He had seen many such cases.
The others in the group didn't mind her much and continued walking. At times, they took short breaks by the rivers where they would wake up Lysandra. Then they would refresh themselves before continuing on their path.
The vibrantly coloured moon has now started descending in the sky, allowing very little light for vision. David at one point wanted to ask about lighting a fire to guide their path but then stopped himself when he remembered the wolves.
'The fire and the smoke would only attract more dangers.'
***
It was at the dead of the night that the first scuffling sounds resounded from behind them. David instantly turned around, alert for some sign of danger.
Draven noticed it and asked him, "Is anything wrong?"
"Ah no...but I think I heard something." He replied uncertainly.
"Probably your imagination. You have been on such high alert that your mind probably made it up." Draven tried calming him down.
David pursed his lips as he nodded. Still, the feeling of being watched didn't disappear. What Draven said could be a possibility but then again, David was standing at the back of the line.
What he heard...maybe they missed it?
Nonetheless, they continued walking. As they progressed towards the west, the grasses decreased in height and the chilling coldness they felt a while back now felt bearable.
Suddenly Draven, who was at the head of the group halted in his path. David looked at his back, concerned.
But before he could ask anything, Draven looked back at them. Shogun asked something in a deep voice, probably as to why he stopped.
Draven sighed and looking at David, he spoke.
"Maybe the nameless's hearing capability isn't that bad."
Understanding what he meant, David quickly turned around him.
And that's when he noticed...
The multiple pairs of glowing amber eyes surrounding their group.
_______
A/N: Power stones can now be donated to this book. Author would be glad to get stoned by them :)