Rose and Rapier

The furry or the docile?

I approached them slowly, as my feet moved one by one at the time. The wolf growled even louder, and the deer waited behind it.

"Don't worry...I'm not going to hurt any of you."

"Grr..."

The wolf is definitely looked hostile. 

I did not blame it. I too will be on guard if someone that I did not know tried to approach me.

I raised my hand slowly, showing them that I have no weapon with me, and telling them I am coming in peace. The wolf growled, but it did not show any signs of attacking.

"Easy, easy."

Roy behind me whispered sharply.

"You have to at least make them think that you're an ally and have to touch them to make a pact."

"Shh!"

I shush Roy as he distracted my focus.

This is my first time to have a pet in VR game, as I did not have any from the other game. Usually, it was monsters that I fought, and they agreed to follow me, well, until they die.

The wolf still growled. I turned to Roy.

"What am I supposed to do?"

Roy shrugged.

"I don't know! Befriend them? Besides, this is one of your first training too!"

Certainly a significant help, Roy!

I did not know how to pet an animal before in the real world, so how do they expect me to pet an animal in the game world?!

The wolf kept sending hostile signals while the deer rested nervously behind it. I did not have knowledge about taming the wild animal, so I used my logic for this. Suddenly, there is a screen popped up in front of me.

Contract.

A contract? 

What is this?

I took a few steps back from the duo to check the content, which popped up in front of me. It seemed like a requirement for obtaining the beast. I studied it carefully.

Condition:

Knowledge Lv 10Calling name

Calling name?

"Roy!"

I shouted at him, making him jumped a little because of the surprise. I giggled when I watched him startled like that. 

"Grr!!"

Oops.

The wolf looked at me intensely. Its fangs began to show up with its claws showing. I gulped. Somehow, I can hear Roy's voice faintly.

"Run!"

I looked at him, with my forehead wrinkled.

"What?"

As I continued to yell at him, I did not realize that the wolf was focusing on me. It was already in attack stance. Roy noticed the wolf, but he did not dare to yell again. Alternatively, he pointed at the wolf. 

I guess that can only mean one thing.

"Run!"

Roy shouted as the wolf dashed towards me. I spare no second as I already made my way away from it. Luckily the dress that I wore already tore apart, making it easy for me to move. I slipped effortlessly between the roots of giant trees there, making it difficult for the wolf to catch up with me. 

This is not fun anymore!

The adrenaline rushed inside me, thinking ways to slow the wolf down, or maybe stop him while running away.

While running, I noticed a few sticks and stones lay on the ground. I snatched some of them, the light one, and looked around to climb the tree. At the same time, I noticed Roy dashed at my right, trying to help me by distracting the wolf. Unfortunately, the wolf only has its eyes on me. 

"Clara, climb that tree!"

Roy screamed while pointing and running. He was showing toward the tree that has holes in the trunk, suitable to climb. I sprinted with all my might to reach that particular tree and started to climb it. As I grabbed to the nearest branch, I stabilized myself while figuring out how to seal the contract with this wolf. I still got the sticks and stones in my hand, though I did not know what to do with it, yet.

The deer looks cute and friendly, but I prefer a companion that can have my back.

But why not take both?

As I monologued with myself, Roy threw rocks at the wolf to distract it. Yet, one of it hit the wolf, wounded it. 

"Why you hurt him?! Or her?"

I yelled at Roy. He shot me with a menacing look. 

"Saving your life? Welcome."

He sounded annoyed. I rolled my eyes. Meanwhile, I heard the wolf whined, as the wound hurts him. Its licked the injury, but it still bleeds red. 

Poor him! And it looks like a puppy!

My heart ached as I saw the animal that should be my familiar, or pet hurt, so I tried to go near it. At that moment, I noticed that the same deer walked toward the wolf. After seeing that, I cancelled my intention.

The deer nudged its nose to the wolf.

"Bleat..."

A soft sound came from the deer. I felt guilty though it was not me who hurt its. Then suddenly, a warm green light illuminating around the wolf's injury. Slowly, the wound healed, and the wolf stood up again, looking at me sharply. 

"Grr..."

Though I should felt threatened, I was too fascinated by the deer's ability.

That ability is something too! 

Guess I want the deer now!

I quickly put the thought aside, as the wolf had made it way to me as it climbed the tree. 

"No, don't! Stay away!"

I shrieked. I moved backwards slowly until I realized that I was at the end of the branch. I shivered.

Wait, why am I afraid?

I am Claire Adlan, and people should know about me!

I took the stick and held it like it was my Rapier. As the branch shook vigorously, I tried to balance myself with my usual attack stance. 

"Clara, are you out of your mind? You can't win with just a stick!"

I ignored Ray's warning. I kept my eyes to the wolf, which is clearly wanted to knock me down. Roy tried to help me, but the deer is standing between him and the tree. 

"Oh, great."

Guess Roy has his own opponent now. Though I should be focused on the wolf, I cannot help when I saw something that intrigued me. 

Roy drew his weapon, double sword, from the air. The dual foils look slick and have chain connected at the end of each of them. Somehow, it seems like a navy blue aura lingered around them. 

Is that his weapon?

I wonder what powers does it has. 

"Grr..."

The growl from the wolf made me turned back to him again. I quickly mapped something in my mind. I have to make sure I can secure an escape route. The only way out, and the safest one, is to knock the wolf down the branch. But as Roy said, I clearly cannot win with just this stick. And the next route...

I took a quick peek behind me. The height is not terrifying me much as I probably can reduce the impact with the routine that I learned from the gymnastics class. The problem is...

Is this wolf going to let me go quietly?

"Roy, care to lend a hand?" 

I asked Roy for help without took a glance at him. 

"Occupied."

With only the sight at the end of my eyes, I realized that Roy has a hard time dealing with the deer. The deer created a visible force around it, protecting the tree from anyone to climb it. 

The deer clearly wanted to help the wolf.

But why?

I took a deep breath and figured it out on my own. 

Go big or go home.

It is what Claire Adlan's would say. 

I took my first step, calmly, one step. The wolf did not react, yet the growl is getting angrier. Took another step, and the growl grew louder.

"One, two."

I counted the steps that I can make. Three steps. With only three steps, I should choose my moves carefully and effectively. Calculating my progress, I began to form a plan in my mind.

And finally, I found it.

"Roy, when the time comes, try to create the gap from the deer as much as you could."

Roy, who attacks the force continuously, did not sure how to process my request.

"You do see that I can't even break through the barrier, right?"

He began to wear out. The deer clearly looks powerful than it appears. 

But, let me not get too distracted.

I have my opponent waiting for me.

As we locked eyes, we both knew that we need to make our first move now. I breathed calmly, waiting for the right opportunity.

"Grr...!"

The wolf's claws began to show. I held the rock that I brought earlier tightly in my other hand. 

"Arf!!"

Now is the time!

The wolf finally sprang for its first move, and I can certainly use my plan. I threw the rock straight at its sight. The wolf dodged it, as expected. 

"Grr!"

As the wolf distracted, I quickly dropped myself from the branch, to grab another branch down beneath. The wolf noticed it, and it too jumped, but it did not know what I have in my sleeve. 

The wolf did not notice that the branch that we stood, only needs a few more weight for it to break, and it walked straight into my trap. As the wolf landed, I jumped to make the branch shaky, having enough force to shatter. At the meantime, I quickly grabbed the previous fork. 

This is the part that I did not calculate in my mind.

A bit risky, but what is life without risk, right?

I thought with my remaining strength, I will not reach the branch, but unexpectantly, I barely got the grip of it. I held onto it tightly. Underneath the wolf, there are few spaces from where the deer is. 

This is it!

"Roy, now!"

Roy did not wait for any second after hearing my yell. He quickly dashed toward the barrier around the deer.

"Dash Impact!"

Oh, a skill?

Roy dashed to the barrier, making it c***k and shattered, and pushed the deer to the spot that I wanted.

At the same time, I threw another stone in my possession on the c***k at the branch, making it wide enough. The branch snapped, and the wolf falls down on the top of the deer.

"Whine..."

I made my way to the land, beside Roy by jumping to each branch descending. Roy looked impressed by my wit.

"Not going to lie, you have some sharp mind there."

I shrugged, but my joy was not last long.

"Grr!!" 

The wolf is up again, as the deer was healing it. I looked at Roy and noticed that he was already beaten up. Somehow, I need to pact the contract with one of these, or maybe both.

Okay, Claire, think!