Chapter 3: The White King of Morga

1

“Hmm...looks like we’re in quite a pinch,” Dan Rutim grumbled as he slowly sat up.

It was nearing evening, and he was currently in the depths of the forest. There was sand mixed with stone at his feet, and to his right he could hear water flowing. It seemed he was on the bank of some river whose name he didn’t even know.

When he turned to look behind him, he found the dark green thicket towering high. And though it was hard to make out through the foliage, there was a cliff face hidden behind.

As they plunged forward through that vegetation, Dan Rutim and the hunter with him had fallen down to this riverbank. And when that happened the branches must have cut into him, since his face and arms were stinging all over. Still, he at least didn’t seem to have suffered any permanent injuries to his fingers or eyes.

“Hey, Deem Rutim, are you all right? Let me know if you’re still alive,” Dan Rutim called out to the boy in his arms after taking in his surroundings.

In response, the youth with long blackish-brown hair painfully groaned, “Uugh...”

“Looks like you’re still with me for now at least, eh? I’m going to lay you down now,” Dan Rutim stated, placing the boy on the ground.

Instantly, Deem Rutim’s pained groaning started up again.

“Don’t flail about. You may have broken a couple ribs. And if you move more than you have to, broken ribs could end up damaging something inside.”

“Clan head... Dan Rutim...” the boy called out, looking up at the older hunter with listless eyes. “I’m sorry... This is all because I was so foolish...”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s my job to lead you properly, after all. So this screwup is all my responsibility,” Dan Rutim replied, only for tears to well up in the youth’s eyes.

“I’m so, so sorry... If anything happens to you, I won’t be able to face everyone in the Rutim clan...”

“I’m telling you, that’s my line. So I’m begging you, don’t go dying before me, all right?”

Deem Rutim was a hunter in training who had only just turned thirteen. And so, Dan Rutim had been showing him the ropes.

Currently, the Rutim settlement had just entered into a break period. The giba had eaten up the bounty of the forest nearby and wouldn’t come near the area for some time, so the Rutim hunters had been setting out traps deep in the forest, around the limits of where they could return from before it got too dark. And today, they had split up to check whether or not any giba had fallen for any of the previous day’s traps.

Sure enough, they had found one such giba caught in a trap. It was an old giba, and it had been large yet also very skinny. Its pelt was worn out, and its two horns had even broken off. That aged giba was dangling from a high tree branch, its back left leg caught in a vine trap.

“That giba looks totally helpless. I bet I could finish it off on my own, don’t you think?” Deem Rutim had said as he stood up from the shadow of the thicket.

However, Dan Rutim grabbed the boy’s arm from the side. “No, that giba is dangerous. We didn’t bring along bows, so let’s join up with Gazraan’s group first and then come back.”

“But why? That giba’s so weak that we shouldn’t need any bows. We can take care of things just fine by just slicing its throat with a blade.”

“I’m telling you, hold on. Giba on the verge of death can sometimes show unbelievable strength. And that giba was caught in the trap while it was starving, so it looks to be on edge.”

“How do you figure? It’s not even moving, almost like it’s already dead.”

“It’s currently saving up its strength. I know because of the smell.”

“The smell...?”

“Yup. When giba are mad, they give off a faint bittersweet scent. If it sees a human now, the last of its strength could come bursting forth in a torrent of rage,” Dan Rutim explained.

However, Deem Rutim shook his head, “I’m not convinced. I may be a kid new to the forest, but there’s no need to be so overly cautious. I mean, I’ve trained as a hunter too.”

“What I’m telling you goes the same for any hunter, no matter how experienced. I’m not belittling your strength.”

“In that case...if I finish off that giba, could I have its tusks and pelt for my house? It may be missing its horns, and the pelt is all worn out, but, well, that seems about right for my first prey.”

There was a youthful, reckless look shining away in the boy’s eyes.

However, Dan Rutim just tilted his head and went, “Hmm?”

“In the Ruu settlement, you get to keep the tusks and pelts you earn, right? Strong hunters earn a great fortune while weak ones suffer in poverty. I figure that harsh lifestyle has proven a strength for the Ruu clan.”

“I’m not so sure about that. It’s normal at the forest’s edge to share wealth equally between relatives. I think it’s just the Ruu and the northern clans who do otherwise.”

“By the northern clans, you mean the Zaza, Jeen, and Dom, right? They’re just as tremendously strong as the Ruu, aren’t they? And our Rutim clan has just as many hunters as they do, so we should be able to become a whole lot stronger...”

“That may be so, but it also may not be. For now, I’ve got no intentions of changing the customs of the Rutim,” Dan Rutim said with a chuckle, patting the boy lightly on the head. “But, well, if that’s how you feel, then you should try talking to Gazraan about it sometime. It’s you young folks who are in charge of the Rutim’s future, after all. I look forward to seeing where you all lead us after I step down as clan head.”

“In that case...please just stay there and watch,” Deem Rutim declared, and then he turned around and leapt out of the thicket.

Dan Rutim was taken completely off guard, allowing a gap to form between them before he could start to chase after Deem Rutim.

“You fool! Don’t go near that giba!”

Dan Rutim was the quickest in all of the Rutim settlement. And so, he was able to grab hold of Deem Rutim’s shoulder before the boy made it ten steps...but that was too late. The moment the giba saw the young hunter, it started wildly thrashing, and that movement caused the branch the vine hung from to snap.

“Aah!” Deem Rutim shouted, petrified. In the same instant, the giba charged, dragging the branch and vine behind it.

The beast’s massive head sank into the young hunter’s chest. If the giba still had horns, that single blow would have surely killed him. As it was, though, Dan Rutim stood prepared and caught Deem Rutim’s body from directly behind.

“Hmm, looks like my only choice is to run.”

And so, without the slightest hesitation, Dan Rutim turned his back to the giba while cradling the boy in his arms.

If he could flee into a tight space, the beast wouldn’t be able to follow. With that thought in mind, Dan Rutim plunged into the thicket...but he rarely ever set foot this deep into the forest. Soon he came to a place he didn’t recognize at all as he fled, still hearing the giba’s footsteps approaching from behind, only to fall from that concealed cliff.

“What a foolish mistake. I’ll never be able to apologize enough for needlessly exposing you to such danger,” Dan Rutim lamented as he placed his hand on the head of the boy lying in the sand. And before long, tears started streaming from Deem Rutim’s eyes.

“Why should you have to apologize, Dan Rutim...? It’s my thoughtless actions that got us into this mess, right...?”

“And like I told you, it’s my role to lead novices like you properly. My precursors were able to do that for me, but it looks like I turned into a real screwup...”

There was a large river flowing to their right. And beyond that, an even thicker forest than the thicket behind them: Mount Morga.

Yes, it was Mount Morga, where no one was permitted to set foot.

The Rutim settlement was located rather far south along the forest’s edge, but just from a half day’s walk, they had come this close to the mountain.

Still, even though the people of the forest’s edge had been permitted to live in this area, they were forbidden from setting foot on Mount Morga. If they were to disturb the mountain, a calamity could bring about Genos’s downfall. That was the legend that had been passed down in this land.

On top of that, beasts even more frightening than giba lived on Mount Morga. That sacred mountain was protected by three types of beasts: the giant madarama snakes, red savages, and varb wolves.

The tale went that the giba were driven away by those beasts, all the way to the foot of the mountain. And now Dan Rutim had found himself in the predicament of having been chased to the outskirts of that forest.

Hmm... This is quite the dangerous situation, he thought to himself, looking down at his own body.

He was seated with both legs stretched out over the sand. And currently, he had a great sense of unease about his right ankle.

More than hurting, it felt hot. Nothing seemed strange about it at a glance, but it was possible the bone was dislocated.

My father Raa said that if I didn’t handle stuff like this properly, it could lead to the bone breaking or the muscles tearing. And that I absolutely shouldn’t go putting weight on it until the bone is back in place.

On top of that, Deem Rutim seemed to have broken several ribs. And so, neither of them could properly walk.

Their surroundings were starting to descend into twilight, and the wind was beginning to feel chilly. If they couldn’t make themselves able to set out right away, it would be difficult to make it back to the settlement before sunset.

This may well be the day my soul returns to the forest, Dan Rutim quite casually thought to himself.

Perhaps when that giba attacked, he should have cast Deem Rutim’s body aside and drawn his sword. It was easy for a hunter to have their soul return to the forest over a single mistake in judgment like that.

Still, I really did wrong by Deem Rutim.

Dan Rutim had five children, and aside from his youngest daughter Morun Rutim, they had all been married. His oldest son Gazraan Rutim had grown into a splendid hunter, and he would surely be capable of guiding the Rutim as soon as it was needed.

But Deem Rutim still had his whole life ahead of him. It would be an unbearable shame for his life to end here and now. There was no way a thirteen-year-old still in training would be prepared to die out in the forest.

In that case, I’ve got to give whatever it takes to protect him. I guess I should prepare a fire to make it through the night? Dan Rutim thought as he tried to stand.

And it was at that very moment that a figure casually appeared.

Dan Rutim’s eyes opened wide as he froze in a half-risen position.

“Could you...possibly be the same one from back then?” the man called out, clearly shocked.

The figure that had drifted in like some sort of illusion just quietly stared at Dan Rutim, eyes sparkling with a look of intelligence.

2

It had been twenty-five years now since Dan Rutim had first met that figure... Back when he had finally been recognized as a proper hunter at the age of fifteen.

There was an incident that left him in an even worse state than he was now. Just like today, he had headed out deep into the forest, only to be attacked by a pack of starving giba and shoved off a cliff.

Dan Rutim just barely managed to survive that fall. However, a giba’s horn had dug into his thigh, and he had lost a shocking amount of blood.

He had managed to tear off some of his clothing and tie it over the wound, but there was just no strength left in his body. And as he sat there at the bottom of that cliff, Dan Rutim leaned up against a tree and stared vacantly into the distance at the majesty of Morga.

Hmm... So this is the day my soul returns to the forest, eh? Dan Rutim thought to himself.

It was already getting dark out. And the two hunters who had been with him must have already died, while the other hunters scattered about wouldn’t have time to search for him.

There was no way he could make it through the night in such a state. Eventually the carrion-eating mundt or giant giiz mice would be drawn by the scent of blood. In the state he was in, Dan Rutim didn’t even have the strength needed to fend off threats of that level.

Aah, if only I could have left behind my blood as a part of the Rutim clan... That’s the one regret I just can’t wipe away...

Dan Rutim had taken a wife when he turned fifteen, a woman two years older than him from one of the branch houses. He had said for two years now that he would make her happy, and just last month they were finally married.

But now, would he never be able to embrace her again? If he died out in the forest, would his wife spend her days married to some other man? That thought was so frustrating that his eyes started tearing up. He raged at his own powerlessness to fulfill his promise to give her a good life.

It was then that a figure appeared to his right, not making so much as a sound.

And as he turned his blurry eyes to face that direction, Dan Rutim found something truly unbelievable.

“Wh-Who are you? Where in the world did you come from?”

The figure didn’t respond, and just silently stared back at Dan Rutim. But that made sense, as it wasn’t a human, but rather a wild beast with pure white fur and four sturdy legs.

It wasn’t a giba, nor was it a mundt. No, it was a sort of beast that Dan Rutim had never seen before.

Its body seemed to be about as long as the still-growing hunter was tall. And the whole of that robust yet slim body was coated in pure white fur. It had a long neck, a snout, and large triangular ears that stood straight up. Honestly, it was so beautiful that it seemed somehow artificial.

The skin around its gleaming yellow eyes was black, and its four paws had claws that looked even sharper than a mundt’s. The creature carried an aura of overwhelming vitality greater than those carrion-eaters, or even a giba’s.

“Could you be one of those varb wolves I’ve heard tell of? I didn’t think they were supposed to appear at the base of the mountain, but...”

The beast just quietly stared.

“What beautiful fur. I had heard varb wolves have grey pelts, but maybe they were wrong about that.”

Naturally, the beast offered no response. Still, there was such a look of intelligence shining in those yellow eyes that it seemed only reasonable to think it understood human speech.

As such thoughts passed through Dan Rutim’s mind, the beast started creeping closer, and so the hunter hurriedly held up his palm.

“Hold on! Are you hungry? Even if you are, I’d appreciate it if you would not eat me.”

Unsurprisingly, his words received no answer.

“It’s not like I’m begging for my life here. It’s just that they say if a varb wolf like you gets a taste for humans, you’ll keep on attacking them. So if you really are a varb wolf, then you’re the one creature out here that I can’t allow to eat me. It would be unbearable to think that my death would bring trouble to my comrades at the forest’s edge!”

His plea was only met with silence.

“I have my pride as a hunter and my steel blade. I may be injured, but I won’t go down to you so easily. And besides...somehow, I don’t want to fight to the death with you.”

The varb wolf tilted its head ever so slightly. That action almost made it seem like it was questioning Dan Rutim’s words.

“I beg of you! Your proper hunting grounds are on the other side of this river, deep in the forests of Mount Morga, aren’t they? We do not pillage those grounds, so won’t you please listen to my plea?”

And then...the white wolf turned away and left.

Dan Rutim breathed a sigh of relief, once again exhaustedly leaning his back up against the tree behind him. Speaking so loudly seemed to have drained quite a bit of what energy he had left.

What a curious creature... That mysterious look in its eyes almost made it seem like a human had taken the form of a beast.

That must have been why Dan Rutim had no desire to fight it to the death.

A hunter’s blade was a weapon meant to be used on beasts. It was not something to ever be pointed at a human. And so, cutting down such a humanlike creature would likely feel just as sinful as cutting down a fellow man.

But then Dan Rutim felt something hot on his right cheek. His eyes shot open as he loudly shouted “Gyah!” without thinking.

The white wolf’s long face was right there next to his own. The creature must have circled around to the thicket behind him and approached him from that side. It was holding some sort of scarlet fruit in its large mouth, and regarding the panicking man sitting on the ground with a luminous gaze.

“Wh-Wh-What is it? Do you still have something you want from me?” the hunter asked in a fluster, only for the fruit to drop down on his chest.

The fruit had a slightly grassy yet sweet smell, and looked quite tasty.

“A-Are you telling me to eat this? But my people are forbidden from eating the bounty of the forest.”

As always, the wolf remained silent, the light in its eyes shining mysteriously. The creature’s moist black nose was now so close that it felt as if it would touch Dan Rutim’s face.

“If we did so, then more giba would grow hungry in turn. And then those starving giba would attack the fields of Genos, which is why we are strictly forbidden from eating such fruits.”

After a moment, the white wolf once again picked up the fruit atop Dan Rutim’s chest in its large mouth. A second later, the fruit was torn to pieces by the wolf’s white fangs.

“Hmm, so just like with giba, you eat not only meat, but also fruit...? My apologies for having to reject your kindness,” Dan Rutim murmured, though it seemed unbelievable to think his words were truly getting across.

With a rustling sound, the white wolf once again disappeared into the thicket behind it.

“Aah, what a surprise. Still, is it really possible that a wild animal would help out an injured human...?” the hunter muttered to himself, once again leaning against the tree trunk.

Then, in no time at all, the white wolf once again returned. And now its bared fangs held a snake with scales that shined in a rainbow of colors, of all things. The trailing ends of the rainbow snake’s body had been looped around the white wolf’s long snout.

“Hmm... Apparently our elders ate snakes and lizards when they lived in the black forest of the south. But such snakes are also prey for the giba here at the forest’s edge, so we’re also forbidden from eating them.”

The white wolf stared at Dan Rutim for a moment, but fortunately didn’t drop the snake on his chest before once more returning into the thicket.

Still, that wolf ate snakes? Well, as long as they were like the one just now and didn’t have any venom, then it shouldn’t be an issue.

There isn’t any food here in the forest that we can have. The only thing us humans can eat is giba, after all.

The only exceptions were pico and lilo, which had strong scents. And then there were the inedible lana leaves and grigee fruit, and the romu leaves that were used to deal with fevers. And none of that would be any use to Dan Rutim now.

As such thoughts ran through his head, he sensed some sort of disturbance approaching from behind. Dan Rutim didn’t even have the strength left needed to rise to his feet, so he just gripped his blade’s handle, though the sensation in his fingers had dulled.

“Hmm?!”

A jumble of white and blackish-brown fell to the sand in front of his eyes.

It was the white wolf...and a giba.

On top of that, this was one of the giba that had attacked Dan Rutim’s group before. After all, the wound one of his comrades had slashed across its brow was still clearly visible. And it was a big one, about the same size as the wolf but with a much thicker torso.

Currently, the white wolf’s fangs were tearing into the giba’s throat, causing the creature to bellow in anguish and rage. The giba had the advantage in weight, and not by a small margin, so it was surely stronger. But as its throat was being bitten, its horns and tusks couldn’t reach the white wolf. Even as the beast flailed like mad, the wolf matched its movements so that its great strength was of no use.

With a tremendous bellow, the giba collapsed to the ground. And without a moment’s delay, the white wolf held the giba’s head down with its front paws and ripped out its throat. Just like that, a torrent of fresh red blood gushed forth and the giba stopped moving.

And now stained with its prey’s blood, the white wolf turned to face Dan Rutim.

“What splendid skill. Your strength is even greater than I heard. I really am impressed, truly,” Dan Rutim said with a grin, taking his hand off the blade at his hip. “That’s your prey. Go ahead and eat as much as you please.”

The wolf didn’t show any reaction.

“What’s the matter? You eat giba, don’t you? From what I’ve heard, that’s why they moved to the base of the mountain, out of fear of your kind.”

The white wolf once again tilted its head a bit, then it turned once more to face the massive giba. Its fangs tore right into the beast’s stomach.

“Oh? So you eat the entrails?”

The white wolf just kept on intently devouring the giba’s innards.

The strong stench of blood made it to Dan Rutim’s nostrils. And in the meantime, dusk finally fell over the world around him.

I guess everyone should be returning home to the settlement soon...

Dan Rutim was the oldest son of the main house, and he had no brothers. If he did indeed die out in the forest, either his younger sister would temporarily become clan head and take a husband, or the branch house with closest blood ties would become the new main house.

My sister said she wanted to marry into the Lea clan, so I really did wrong by her.

Were his sister and wife crying now? What about his father, Raa Rutim? He wasn’t the sort to cry in front of anyone, but he was surely just as deeply saddened.

Though Dan Rutim firmed up his resolve in the face of perishing out in the forest, he had no intention of giving up until he breathed his final breath... But eventually, his heart would also surely be crushed by grief.

Making peace with death and desiring to live on weren’t purely in opposition to one another. In fact, a hunter who didn’t value their life wasn’t qualified to be a hunter at all. Wishing with all your heart to keep on living while accepting that one’s life may end in the forest at any time as you tried to hunt down even one more giba... That was what it meant to be a hunter of the forest’s edge.

So I won’t fear death...but I’m still only fifteen! I only just married the woman I love, and I still haven’t had any kids! O mother forest...if you can find it in your mercy, please grant me the strength needed to make it through this single night! Dan Rutim thought to himself as he felt the strength drain from his body.

With a sigh, Dan Rutim lamented how he could regain that lost strength if he could only have something to eat and a bit of rest.

It was then that the white wolf moved away from the giba. With a relaxed pace, the beast walked over to the river. And through hazy eyes, Dan Rutim’s gaze followed as it went.

Just as the hunter wondered what it was doing, the white wolf splashed its upper body down into the river. Just like Dan Rutim had thought from hearing it, the river seemed to be flowing quite strongly. And it was somehow amusing, watching the beast’s paws perilously holding on to the riverbank.

After a bit of that, the white wolf lifted its body up and shook the water off its head. Then, it approached Dan Rutim again.

“So you washed yourself off? You really are a clever one.”

Having regained its natural pure-white appearance, the wolf laid down atop the sand, just far enough away that Dan Rutim’s blade wouldn’t reach. And then, its yellow eyes stared intently at the hunter.

As for Dan Rutim, his gaze turned away from the wolf and toward the giba. The creature’s massive body was lying there atop the sand. And its torso looked to be nearly completely hollowed out. However, aside from that, the only other mark on it was the bite to its throat.

“Do you only eat the giba’s innards? Well, I suppose you couldn’t eat a whole beast even bigger than you on your own.”

The wolf just stared.

“Night will fall soon. Then the mundt and giiz will gather, and all that will be left by morning will be the giba’s bones.”

Naturally, that comment earned no response.

“Would you mind sharing a bit of this meat with me before that happens?”

The white wolf quietly closed its eyes as it rested its head atop its folded front legs.

As he looked at that gentle face, Dan Rutim thought, All right, and worked up his nerve. He would keep on clinging to life until the bitter end. That was what Dan Rutim had resolved to do.

The thought of just casually welcoming death as the strength slowly drained from his body didn’t fit with his temperament or what he had learned as a hunter of the forest’s edge. And so, having made up his mind, Dan Rutim twisted his body and stuck his head into the thicket to his rear.

Since he lacked the strength needed to stand, he instead crawled into the foliage. Then he found the driest branches he could and tossed them out behind him.

There were only thin branches around, so he threw his weight into breaking off some of the branches around him till he had what he needed. Then once he had tossed all those out of the thicket, Dan Rutim mustered his strength and crawled back out atop the sand.

After gathering up all the scattered branches in one place, he gave a big sigh.

The wound on his leg was throbbing, and he somehow got the feeling that his body temperature was dropping. Had the heat been escaping from his body along with his blood? He could feel a cold sweat forming on his brow.

Even so, I’m still alive.

Dan Rutim dug his fingers into the sand to help him crawl over to the giba carcass.

After pulling out his knife, he thrust it in at the base of one of the giba’s rear legs. The blade had quite a bit of trouble going in, so he pushed his hips up against the bottom of the handle and shoved it in using the whole weight of his body.

With that, he cut through the pelt and the meat, and separated the leg from the body. It was a fine chunk of meat, fatter yet shorter than Dan Rutim’s own leg. And as he cradled it to his chest, he crawled back over to his previous position.

He had another huge task ahead of him at this point: Now, he had to cut off the pelt.

Though he considered cooking it up pelt and all, he didn’t have the strength left in him to crawl to the river. And it would be just too dangerous to eat the giba’s skin without washing it, considering it was impossible to know what sorts of poisonous plants it might have walked through.

Even if my strength runs out midway through, I won’t be able to survive if I do not choose my actions wisely.

After rubbing his hazy eyes, Dan Rutim cut into the giba pelt while taking care not to injure his fingers. Normally this task would be no trouble at all, but it proved an incredible burden in his current state.

Still, he somehow managed to remove around half of the pelt, after which he sliced off a bit of the freshly exposed meat as thinly as he could manage. That was due to his fear of touching the meat with dirty fingers, and it was also incredibly difficult.

He then reached into his hunter’s cloak and pulled out some skewers and small knives, using them to stab one slice of meat each and then planting them point-up in the ground. Once he had used up two skewers and three little blades, Dan Rutim returned his knife to its sheath.

Now, he just needed to prepare the fire.

Once again, he reached into his hunter’s cloak, this time pulling out the lana leaves used for igniting flames.

It was then that he noticed the white wolf seated with its chin resting on its front legs as it stared at him.

“Yeah, it sure is a hassle, isn’t it? Us humans need to do all this in order to eat giba meat. Our stomachs just aren’t as hardy as yours. And I’m going to light a fire now, so will you be all right? Wild animals generally tend to avoid flames, from what I know.”

The wolf just kept on staring.

“Well, knowing you, I figure you’ll probably be fine.”

Dan Rutim placed a lana leaf atop the stack of branches on the ground, then he swiftly ran the tip of a stick across its surface.

Instantly, the leaf ignited, and the branches below it caught fire as well. Still, perhaps unsurprisingly due to the fresh wood mixed in, it gave off a worrying sputtering sound as the black smoke started puffing upward.

“Hmm, looks a bit unreliable.”

Dan Rutim took off his hunter’s cloak and vest. Then he tore up that vest and threw it into the fire, at which point the blaze finally grew and ignited even the thicker fresh branches.

Once he saw that, he then moved the stabbed bits of meat over next to the fire.

As the red flames cooked the giba meat, an irresistible aroma filled the air.

When fat dripped off and hit the flames, they grew all the stronger.

Even though Dan Rutim hadn’t really been sensing his hunger at all, his stomach suddenly let out a gurgle.

“Hrmm, seems my body has finally decided it wants to live too.”

The red meat was grilling up brown, and the scent of it cooking alone was enough to fill the inside of Dan Rutim’s mouth with saliva. And by this point, his stomach was loudly crying out.

“Don’t be in such a rush. You don’t want me to go eating half-cooked meat and having to pay for it later, do you?” he asked his own stomach as he replaced his cloak over his bare skin.

Night was approaching, and so it was growing cold. And even more importantly, his own body had been losing heat. He had been growing stiff from chills far greater than a fire this size could do anything about.

Even so, I’m still alive.

While using the leftover scraps of cloth to protect his fingers, he grabbed hold of a hot metal skewer.

With all his strength, Dan Rutim bit into the slice of giba meat that was still dripping fat.

Right away, the strength of the giba and the vitality of the forest streamed into him.

The heat and flavor of the meat was positively stunning.

“Yup, this is delicious!”

The giba fat was juicy and sweet.

The meat was hard, and had a wild scent about it.

Still, this was nourishment for the people of the forest’s edge. It was the blessing granted to them by the forest. Though the townsfolk apparently called it inedible, it didn’t change the fact that it was tasty.

It was said that in the black forest of the south, his ancestors had eaten lizards and snakes. And apparently, they were ecstatic at being able to eat giba meat after moving to the settlement at the Morga forest’s edge.

That certainly made sense, though. After all, they were able to take the meat of such fierce beasts into themselves. It might have been tough and smelly, but it was a source of strength. And Dan Rutim certainly didn’t think you could serve as a hunter eating such weak meat as karon or kimyuus.

The first cuts of meat he had prepared vanished into his stomach in the blink of an eye. Before the flame grew weaker, Dan Rutim sliced off some more, repeating that three times before the fire sputtered out.

In the end, it seemed he had managed to eat around a fourth of that thick giba leg. He didn’t have any aria or poitan, but he still got the feeling that he had managed to eat more than usual.

And on top of that incredibly satisfying sense of fullness, Dan Rutim also found himself assailed by a powerful exhaustion.

“Hmm...?”

His body started swaying back and forth, and he placed his hands on the ground.

Though his mind felt very satisfied, his body was sending him an urgent message.

The blood suddenly drained from his head, and his surroundings instantly went dark.

His body seemed to be demanding that now that he had eaten, he next needed to get a sufficient amount of sleep.

“I mean, I get that that’s my only option for getting my strength back. But this is right smack in the middle of the forest.”

Night would soon be falling. If he fell asleep without first preparing a proper fire, then he wouldn’t likely be waking up again. Mundt and giiz were always hungry, and though it wasn’t common, a truly starving giba would even eat a human. So if a human like Dan Rutim took a defenseless nap out in the forest, his body would inevitably become a nighttime meal.

“If I could at least climb high up in a tree, then the giba and mundt wouldn’t be able to get at me.”

If he only had to deal with giiz biting him, it would be possible to survive. But a place like this just wouldn’t do.

With his hands still touching the ground, Dan Rutim fought back as hard as he could against the lethargy washing over him.

If he let his guard down, he could end up slipping into sleep at any moment.

The world around him was swaying, and the sound of the steadily flowing river was growing distant bit by bit.

The faces of his beloved wife and family floated into and out of his mind in a jumble.

Mother forest, grant me strength...! he desperately thought as he sat up.

And when he did, he found the white wolf before his eyes, baring its fangs.

What’s this? Did you intend on eating me after I fattened up?

The beast’s fangs clamped down on Dan Rutim’s right shoulder, and he could feel that overwhelming strength even through his hunter’s cloak.

Hey, cut it out...! he desperately thought, but his voice wouldn’t come out, and his body refused to move.

Then, Dan Rutim’s frame was easily lifted into the air.

That truly was some unbelievably monstrous strength, even if Dan Rutim still wasn’t especially large for a hunter.

And then...he fell atop something soft.

Hmm...?

His vision was dyed white, and he felt warm fur up against his bare chest.

Apparently, he was now draped over the white wolf’s back. And sure enough, the pressure on his shoulder had also disappeared at some point.

“What...? What do you intend to do with me...?” Dan Rutim questioned in a hoarse voice.

And instantly, the world around him started swaying. The white wolf was going somewhere with him on its back.

Instinctively, Dan Rutim clung to the white wolf’s neck. The wolf let out a reproachful growl in response, but it didn’t stop moving. Meanwhile, he could feel his dangling feet dragging along in the sand.

What exactly are you...?

Suddenly, the white wolf leapt, and Dan Rutim clung desperately to its body as the leaves and branches of the surrounding foliage grazed his limbs and back.

Then, before he noticed it, he found himself awash in silence.

His sense of time was fading away, and it was possible he had lost consciousness more than once along the way.

But even so, Dan Rutim’s arms were still wrapped firmly around the white wolf’s neck, and the warmth from the beast warmed his chilled body.

“Where is this...?” the hunter questioned, looking up and glancing around.

Dark green leaves blocked his view, but through them he could spot the sky, dyed indigo blue.

They were up in an unbelievably massive tree, in a space between the trunk and a branch. Well, even if he thought of it as a branch, it was even thicker than his torso. The one he was on was so thick it would probably take ten people holding hands to wrap around it.

“What is this place...? How did you climb all the way up here?” Dan Rutim asked, though he naturally received no response. The wolf just gave an annoyed-looking shake of its head. And so, the hunter got down from the beast’s back and carefully seated himself atop the branch.

The white wolf had settled down by the trunk, where there was a bit of a flat hollow. There wouldn’t be any risk of falling in a place like that.

Dan Rutim also moved over to that hollow, slipping a bit as he went. It was hard to tell for certain because the branches got in the way, but it seemed they were rather high up. At least there wasn’t any concern of being attacked by giba or mundt.

“I really am astounded... Is this how you always go to sleep?” Dan Rutim questioned as he leaned up against the tree trunk.

The white wolf offered no response.

“But your normal habitat is up on Mount Morga. And up on the mountain, you’ve got beasts like giant madarama snakes and red savages, don’t you? They seem like they could climb up trees... Actually, I’d think it’s more likely that they’d hide up a tree out of fear of you varb wolves.”

Still, the wolf was silent.

“Have you ever heard of Morga’s three way deadlock? Varb wolves beat savages, savages beat giant madarama snakes, and madarama snakes beat varb wolves... I can’t see you losing to either of those other two, though.”

The white beast just kept staring at him.

“Well, I suppose I should rest at least a little to get my strength back. Still, maybe it’s the blood I’ve lost, but I feel like I’m freezing. I apologize for continuing to ask so much of you, but would you mind sharing a bit of your warmth?” Dan Rutim asked as he crawled over toward the white wolf.

The beast didn’t move in response, and so the hunter pressed his body up against its white fur. And soon, he was filled with a sense of security that made it feel as if he was being cradled by his own mother.

“Hrmm, what’s this...?”

As a powerful sleepiness once again assailed him, Dan Rutim groped around the white wolf’s neck. Wrapped around that thick neck was a complex weave of vines. He hadn’t noticed earlier because it was hidden under the beast’s fur, but it was a fine necklace, adorned here and there with berries and beautiful stones.

“Hmm... So is this why you weren’t afraid of blades and flames...?” Dan Rutim questioned as the drowsiness washed over him.

And so, that unusual day finally came to an end.

3

“Twenty-five years have passed since then. Are varb wolves that long-lived?” Dan Rutim asked as he looked at the gallant white figure before him. “You look a bit smaller than the last time we met. Maybe it would make sense to assume that you’re not that white wolf, but rather its child...or maybe you just look smaller because I’ve gotten so much bigger. It really is difficult to judge.”

The beast made no sound.

“Still, there is one thing I understand. You have the same light in your eyes as the one I saw twenty-five years ago. So you must be either that same white wolf I met then or its child. I’m certain you’re not entirely unrelated.”

Still no response.

“With that in mind, there’s just one thing I wish to say,” Dan Rutim continued, and then he deeply bowed his head. “Thanks to the compassion of that white wolf back then, I am alive here and now. I wouldn’t have survived without that beast’s assistance. I am truly, deeply grateful for that fact.”

The white wolf stared at him evenly.

“When I awoke the following morning, you...or perhaps your parent, had vanished like some sort of illusion. In the end, I was unable to offer my thanks. It makes me truly glad to be able to clear away my regret from that day,” Dan Rutim told it with a grin.

The wolf’s yellow eyes quietly shone in response.

“After that, I somehow managed to make it back to the settlement, dragging along my injured leg as I went. It made for quite a commotion, with my wife and little sister sobbing like babies! No one really believed me when I told them of you, but I owe you my life. Please, allow me to offer you my continued thanks.”

There was no change in the wolf’s expression.

“Thanks to you, I was able to live a truly fulfilling life. Sadly I lost my wife when she was still young, but we were still able to have five whole children! It really, truly was a happy life.”

The white wolf tilted its head questioningly.

And it was then that Deem Rutim spoke out weakly from next to him. “Clan head...Dan Rutim...who exactly are you talking to...?”

Dan Rutim looked back and forth between the boy’s pale face and the white wolf. And then, he gave a slow nod.

“Right. Just now I was talking as if I had given up on living. But even if I’ve lived a fulfilling life, it’s not as if I’m fully satisfied just yet. I want to fill myself up with more and more satisfaction, to the point that it causes me to burst! I must overcome this hardship as well, no matter what it takes.”

The wolf quietly looked at the hunter.

“There’s no need to bother preparing a fire. Thanks to you, I remembered the proper path forward. At times like this, you should climb high into a tree and spend the night there,” Dan Rutim stated as he reached into his hunter’s cloak.

Then, he pulled out a bundle of jerky wrapped in a suurub leaf.

“Ever since that day, I always walk around with extra jerky! So if we can just secure a safe place to sleep, we should be able to survive! And this time around I just seem to have dislocated my ankle, so it’s not like I won’t be able to sleep. We just need to get back to the settlement at dawn, when the giba are sleeping.”

The wolf naturally remained silent.

“I’ll protect this injured comrade of mine through the night. Just like you did for me back then...” Dan Rutim then undid the binding on the suurub and tossed the contents to the white wolf. “Go ahead and eat that. I’ve still got jerky to spare, so there’s no need to hold back. It may have a little too much salt, so I don’t know if it’ll be to your taste, but I want to do whatever little I can to thank you for that night.”

After staring at Dan Rutim’s face for a bit, the white wolf bit down on the jerky at its feet.

Satisfied with that, the hunter then looked down at Deem Rutim’s face.

“Deem Rutim, it would be difficult to make it back to the settlement before the sun sets with the state we’re in, so I was thinking we’d spend the night out in the forest. Could I ask you to entrust me with your life?”

“Yes... I trust you, Dan Rutim...”

“All right,” the older hunter said as he picked up the boy as slowly and carefully as he could manage.

Deem Rutim then clung to Dan Rutim’s neck, holding back his pained groans as best he could.

“Hold on tight. First off, I’ve got to climb up the cliff.”

“Right...”

Dan Rutim then slowly rose, cradling the boy’s body with one arm. Instantly, there was a painful heat in his right ankle.

Still, this was nothing compared to what he remembered of twenty-five years ago.

“Well then, I wish you good health. And I look forward to the day we meet again, white wolf.”

Sure enough, there was an intelligent light shining in the white wolf’s eyes.

After shooting the beast a smile, Dan Rutim looked upward.

There was a large cliff in front of him and his surroundings were starting to descend into darkness, but he wasn’t worried at all.

He would live on and return to his comrades.

Everything came down to the forest’s guidance.

And so, as the white wolf watched, Dan Rutim took his first step back toward a truly satisfying life.