The forest thinned just enough for the party to see it: a massive den carved into the base of a low, rocky rise. The entrance yawned wide, nearly twice as tall as Josh, framed by claw?scarred earth and roots torn clean from the ground. Large matted tufts of grey and black fur clung to the edges of the opening, and the soil nearby was churned as if many heavy bodies had pushed in and out over time. Bones, some small, some worryingly large, lay scattered around the clearing, picked clean.

  Josh let out a low whistle. "That’s… definitely not a den for normal wolves."

  Perberos crouched, eyes narrowing as he inspected the crushed grass and deep paw marks. "A full pack lives here. And something big. Bigger than the ones we fought earlier." He touched one print, almost the size of a human head. "Much bigger."

  Bhel folded his arms. "Brilliant. Just brilliant. So what’s the plan? We going in there? Because I vote no. Strongly no. Emphatically no."

  Josh glanced at the dark hole. "Going inside sounds like a good way to die. Narrow space, no room to swing, no light, and we don’t know how many wolves are in there."

  Brett tapped a finger against his chin. "We could try to draw them out. If they rush out one by one, that’s way easier."

  Perberos nodded thoughtfully. "If we force them into the open, we control the field. Out here we can dodge, reposition, support each other. Inside, only one of us can fight at a time."

  "So how do we get them out?" Josh asked.

  Brett raised his hand like a student volunteering the obvious answer. "Fireballs?"

  Bhel burst out laughing. "Of course that’s your suggestion."

  But Perberos didn’t dismiss it. "It may work. Wolves are territorial but not suicidal. Smoke and flame will drive them forward, straight into us."

  Josh rolled his shoulders and stepped toward the entrance. "Fine. I’ll hold the chokepoint here.” He said, indicating towards the entrance to the den. “If they charge, they hit me first. Brett, you stand back and toss fire into the den. Perberos, shoot anything that tries to flank us. Bhel… just don’t get eaten."

  Bhel snorted. "I’ll do my best."

  Perberos gave one final glance toward the entrance, the darkness inside shifting ever so slightly. "Prepare yourselves. Once Brett starts, there’s no going back."

  Two fireballs streaked into the mouth of the den in quick succession, and for a breath the forest held perfectly still. Then came the sound, a deep, echoing snarl from somewhere within, followed by frantic scrambling and the unmistakable crackle of fire catching on dried roots.

  The smell hit next. Acrid smoke, hot fur, and something wild and musky.

  Josh grimaced. “That did it.”

  Bhel shifted his grip on his axe. “Aye. Here they come. Keep throwing them fireballs lad.”

  A rising surge of growls echoed through the tunnel as Brett continued to throw fire balls, before the first wolf burst out of the den, a large one, much bigger than any they’d fought earlier, its golden eyes blazing with panic and rage. A second and third were right behind it, shoving at each other in their scramble to escape the fire.

  Josh didn’t hesitate. He charged, bracing his shield as the first wolf collided with it. The impact rattled up his arm, but he dug in his heels and shoved, knocking the beast sideways. Bhel roared and met the next wolf head-on, his axe slamming into its shoulder with a crack.

  More wolves poured out. Five. Six. Seven.

  Brett backed up, gathering mana. “I’ll keep scorching the ones at the back!”

  Carcan stepped forward with practiced calm, planting her staff and sweeping it in controlled arcs to create shields that hemmed the wolves in and stopped them from circling around. Perberos nocked an arrow with swift precision, sighted along the shaft, and released. His arrow punched cleanly into the throat of a wolf lunging for Bhel.

  Josh bashed another wolf away, then caught a glimpse of movement from the corner of his eye moments before a huge wolf leapt from the den entrance. He ducked under its jaws, using Counter Swing, slashing upward, and felt his blade bite deep along its ribs.

  “Bhel, left!” Brett shouted.

  He twisted just in time to avoid a set of snapping jaws, swinging his axe in a low arc that sent the wolf tumbling.

  Another wolf tried to break for the treeline, but Perberos dropped it with a clean shot to the hind leg, then a second arrow to finish it.

  Josh braced again as two more wolves slammed into him. His boots dug trenches into the dirt as he held firm, activating several skills. Brett finished his chant and loosed a burst of flame that swept across the den entrance, forcing the last wolves to retreat backward before surging out again in a panic.

  The clash of steel, snarls, and spellfire still echoed through the clearing when the air shifted, a deep, resonant tremor rolling out from the den like the earth itself growled.

  Everyone froze.

  Another growl thundered from within the dark tunnel, much deeper than any of the wolves before. It wasn’t the sound of an animal startled or afraid, it was territorial, enraged, and powerful.

  Footsteps followed. Heavy ones. Each step thudded against the packed dirt.

  Bhel lowered his axe slightly, eyes widening. "That’s gotta be a dire wolf?" he muttered, half awed, half horrified, as he slammed his axe down onto another wolf.

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  The creature emerged.

  A wolf but not like the others.

  Its shoulders scraped the top of the den’s entrance as it stepped out, nearly as tall as Josh at the shoulder, with a long, muscular frame built for crushing strength. Its fur, once a natural ash-grey, now smouldered with faint streaks of ember-like orange from the fireballs inside the den. Wisps of smoke curled from patches of singed hair, yet the beast didn’t seem harmed so much as irritated.

  Its golden eyes were brighter than the smaller wolves’, not merely glowing, but burning with an uncanny, intelligent ferocity. Each pupil was slitted like a predator’s, narrowing on the intruders with lethal focus. Its fangs were longer, jagged, and uneven, jutting past its lips. Saliva dripped from them, sizzling faintly as it hit the scorched ground beneath its paws.

  The dire wolf’s breaths came out in slow, heavy huffs, each one rumbling like a forge bellows. A low ridge of fur stood upright from the nape of its neck all the way to its tail, giving the impression not just of size but of a creature permanently on the brink of rage.

  When it finally stepped fully into the light, its massive paws sank into the soft earth, claws carving furrows with effortless weight. It lifted its head, sniffed once, then released a roar-like howl that shook leaves loose from the surrounding branches.

  Josh tightened his grip on his sword. Brett’s flames flickered brighter on instinct. Perberos slowly drew an arrow, eyes sharp and unblinking.

  The enormous beast lowered itself, muscles coiling.

  The dire wolf was ready to kill. Its howl ripped through the trees, a low, rumbling sound that vibrated through the soil itself. Then it hurled its massive body forward.

  Josh barely had time to lift his shield before the beast crashed into him like a boulder loosed from a cliff. The impact drove him backward several feet, boots gouging muddy trenches before he toppled onto his back with a choked grunt.

  “Josh!” Brett shouted, hands already glowing with forming spells.

  The dire wolf snapped its colossal jaws down toward Josh’s face. He twisted aside, feeling the rush of its hot breath and the snap of teeth brushing his cheek. He shoved upward with his shield, using both arms to keep the monster at bay.

  Bhel charged with a shout, his axe arcing downward in a brutal swing. The blade bit into the wolf’s flank, but it barely seemed to notice, muscles shifting beneath its thick, fire-singed fur.

  “It’s like hitting a stone wall!” he growled.

  Perberos loosed an arrow that sank deep into the creature’s shoulder. The dire wolf snarled and snapped in his direction, but its attention remained locked on Josh.

  Golden eyes wild, it lunged again.

  Josh rolled aside, scrambling to his feet. He thrust his sword upward, slicing a deep line across its muzzle.

  The wolf roared and that was when two shadows slipped past it.

  Carcan’s breath caught. “There’s more!”

  Two smaller, but still large wolves broke from the den, jaws bared as they darted around the dire wolf’s bulk, angling toward Brett and Carcan.

  “Damn it!” Bhel cursed. He kicked off the ground and sprinted away from Josh. “Perberos, keep on the big one! I’ll handle these two!”

  Josh yelled after him, “I’m fine! Go!”

  He wasn’t fine, his ribs felt like they’d been hit by a carriage but he braced for another hit as the dire wolf lunged at him again.

  Perberos fired another arrow, this one striking the beast in the hind leg and staggering it for a heartbeat.

  Bhel intercepted the two wolves just as they sprang for Brett. He swung his axe in a wide, threatening arc, forcing them to break their charge.

  One wolf tried to circle around.

  “Oh no you don’t!” Carcan shouted, thrusting staff out, producing a shield that blocked the beast. The wolf snapped at the energy, teeth clashing against the bright magic.

  Brett raised a hand, flame gathering. “Carcan, duck!”

  She threw herself low as Brett unleashed a burst of fire that washed across the wolf’s side. It yelped, rolling away, fur singed.

  Bhel used the opening. He slammed into the second wolf, knocking it sideways, then drove his axe down, catching it in the shoulder.

  Back at the front line, Josh locked his feet, lifted his shield, and braced. The dire wolf charged toward him again, which Josh met head-on.

  The impact rattled his arms to the bone, but this time he held. The wolf snapped and snarled, swiping with claws the size of daggers. Josh ducked under one, slashing upward and opening another gash along the beast’s ribs.

  Perberos repositioned, drawing a breath as he steadied his bow. “Hold it steady!” he called.

  Josh barked a humourless laugh. “I’m working on it!”

  The dire wolf reared back to crush him under its weight.

  Bhel shouted from behind, “Josh! Incoming!”

  Josh risked a glance but couldn’t take his eyes off the dire wolf. He didn’t need to, Bhel’s warning wasn’t for him.

  The two smaller wolves regrouped and charged again, straight for Brett.

  Carcan stood between them, staff shaking but planted firm, her magic flaring. And Brett, hands glowing with flame, grit his teeth, blasting at the wolves as Carcan’s shield held them back.

  The battle surged on, chaos erupting around them. The dire wolf roared, wolves closed in from the sides, and the party fought desperately to keep formation, each blow ringing through the forest as steel, fang, and fire clashed in the shadow of the den.

  Perberos’ world suddenly got turned upside down. One moment he was loosing another arrow into the chaos, the next a blur of matted grey fur slammed into his side with a crunch. The impact lifted him clean off his feet and sent him crashing to the ground, air blasted from his lungs.

  He hit the dirt hard, the wolf already on top of him. Its jaws clamped down around his thigh, teeth punching through leather and flesh like it was nothing. Perberos screamed, a raw and ragged sound swallowed by the rest of the battle. The wolf jerked its head, dragging him across the forest floor, trying to pull him away from the others to finish him off.

  Gritting his teeth, Perberos fumbled at his belt, fingers trembling. He found the hilt of his dagger and ripped it free, driving the blade upward with every ounce of strength he had. The dagger punched through the underside of the wolf’s skull. The beast spasmed, then collapsed on top of him.

  Perberos shoved the body aside with a choked gasp. His leg was wrong. The bone sat at an angle that turned his stomach, blood pouring from the punctures in steady pulses.

  "Perberos!" Carcan’s voice cracked as she sprinted toward him, eyes wide with panic.

  She slid to her knees beside him, already pulling out her magic, her hands shaking. "Stay with me, alright? Just stay—"

  A flash of movement. Another wolf lunged from behind, jaws wide and aimed straight for her exposed back.

  Bhel barrelled in like a battering ram, planting himself in front of Carcan just as the wolf hit. The impact rattled his entire body, claws raking across his armour as the beast tried to push its way through.

  "Not happening!" Bhel snarled.

  He twisted his axe, knocking the wolf off balance. With his other hand he swung his axe in a brutal arc. The blade cleaved into the wolf’s neck, cutting its growl short. It collapsed at his feet.

  Blood ran down Bhel’s arm from where the wolf’s teeth had torn into his shoulder, but he didn’t spare it a glance.

  "Carcan, heal him! I’ll hold the line!" He barked.

  Carcan nodded quickly, already pressing glowing hands to her brother’s ruined leg, light spilling across mangled flesh.

  Perberos gritted his teeth, eyes unfocused, breath thin and shaky.

  The battle still raged around them, but in that moment, all that mattered was keeping him alive.