A Wolf's Spirit

Yearning for Adventure

          "Wolf, wolf, kill the wolf."

          A tall and lean shadow crept on the top bunk of their bed, steadily holding a crossbow at the ready. They chanted those exact words under their breath, their whispers echoing across the room.

          "Wolf, wolf, kill the wolf..."

          Latching onto the curtains and pulling them away, the figure aimed, pinpointing their target.

          "Till all the wolves are done for."

          The arrow split across the room and pierced the center of a poster taped to the door. Imprinted on it was a well-drawn wolf, and the footer wrote:

                                                            REWARD FOR DEAD
                                                                          WOLF

          And there was a massive red X crossed over it. The person smirked and jumped off their bunk.

          "See that, Ember?" Kai said proudly. His feet hit the floor with a thud. "Right on the nose."

          His Fire Dragon chirruped at him and glided down from where she had perched on arrows sticking out of the wall. Ember landed on his forearm and curled around his neck, sneaking in a small click of her beak.

          "What're you implying?" he asked. "I was aiming for the nose!" She chirped again, and Kai smiled.

          "I'm glad you agree."

          "Kai," a voice interrupted.

          The door swung open, and Kai immediately hid his crossbow behind his back. As he stood straight, Ember launched off his shoulders and hid somewhere nearby. Walking the doorway was a well-built man, around his late thirties, wearing a traditional outfit. He had on a velvet shirt with a leather plate overtop, a collar that stretched down to a cape, and large fleece gloves. His hair was similar to Kai's, but it was a tad bit messier. His amber eyes looked a little sunken, but his lips perked up in a smile.

          "Yes, Dad?" Kai responded, grinning a bit too widely, trying to mask the truth of procrastinating his tasks. His father sighed.

          "Busy with your chores, I assume?" he asked, quirking a brow. He lightly tapped the arrowhead sticking out the other side of the door.

          "Yup!" he said, picking up a broom and sweeping the floor. His father gave him yet another look. "Practically finished!"

          "You're seventeen, Kai, you know I shouldn't be reminding you to clean the house." Quickly glancing around the room, he added sardonically, "Seems you certainly haven't been idle."

          "Oh! No, not idle!" he said with a nervous chuckle. He ran in front of the furniture with dirty utensils and unwashed plates, scraps of food littering the table. "I've been sweeping and dusting, mopping the place." His eyes averted to every unattended area, his unorganized bed, the charred fireplace, not to mention the ceiling. "Just can't keep up with it!"

          Ray merely laughed and walked inside. He grabbed Kai's crossbow and carefully determined various angles of aiming it.

          "I wonder what range that wolf poster is. Fifteen feet?" he asked, closing an eye.

          "No way. Twenty at least," Kai said, suddenly feeling excited speaking about this again. His father had been very busy with his job as a soldier. He would be gone for hours, sometimes not even returning for days. He had gotten rather distant over the years, and it slightly pained Kai, but he knew better than to show it. However, it cheered him a great deal when they had the rare opportunity to converse with each other.