Singing Is A Beautiful Thing

There were more and more issues that were starting to rear their ugly heads wherever I looked. First the wolves, second, getting hurt from fighting a bloody raven, and now, now the deer was still being a lazy little-

Okay, to be fair, the deer isn't actually an issue that I see. But it was a right pain having to deal with the bastard lazing about, taking up precious space where it could have been fighting to make sure it and us don't get killed.

What am I even saying anymore? Of course the damned thing doesn't completely give a shit, it's strong, it doesn't need to worry itself about me, only that it worries for the child.

If the kid isn't hurt, then it doesn't even care. On my side of things however, the thought that we could be attacked by more magical and actually intelligent creatures is going to make me feel like I'm about to get another aneurysm.

I didn't have good patience, I will not deny that fact, but when things pile up one after another, it makes me angry, frustrated, and outright even fucking delusional.

Delusional is a strong word, and I don't have the right one to really exemplify what I feel right about now. And I don't intend to find it.

Right now, I was getting some of the tools and weapons that I left in the shack, seeing if I could get some basic training into the child so that she wouldn't get her shit kicked in.

Difficult would be an understatement to describe the things that I was going through. If I were to really show how bad I was going through, then someone else would end up getting more stressed than I am.

I needed to vent, and the kid wasn't a good outlet. Not because it would weigh upon my moral code, no no no, it's because she would still be able to beat me, and an angry mind is a worse state of mind to fight in compared to a calm mind.

This is getting even worse, I feel the anger and blood rushing to my head as I tried to breathe deeply to slow the encroaching suffering that I was about to be put into again. I looked at the sky, all that blue, all that breeze that went through the trees, and tried my best to calm down.

That is until I heard rustling from the grass nearby that didn't come from wind passing through and took the wooden staff into my hands and got ready. I waited and waited for it to make the first move, and the kid was right behind me, with a knife in hand to try her best to kill the thing.

That is, until it turned out to be an odd looking thing. It was a hedgehog that had little flowers growing on it. It waddled over to the both of us as my grip tightened even further. It may be cute, but cute could also be more than killer in this sort of world.

It didn't do a whole lot, aside from yawn, and come even closer to us. The kid seemed to lower her guard as mine didn't let up. She slowly got closer to it, and as for me? I made sure that I got around to it's flank, getting ready to strike it as hard as I could.

Is this coming off as delusional? Yes, absolutely, but is it unfounded? No, not completely. The little thing looked up at the kid as she began to smile at it, letting her hand go to pet it, when I moved her gently out of the way and gave her my staff.

I was careful to pick it up as it felt a little itchy from it having blades of grass instead of actual pins on it's body. It yawned as I picked it up and I noticed that there was a singular little flower bud on its back, not blossoming despite it already being spring.

I was a little confused, as my anger and frustration dissipated, being quickly replaced by genuine curiosity and as much as I'd hate to say it, a bit of elation at getting the chance to touch such an odd just adorable creature.

'Okay, so it's not intending to kill the three of us. Good, and here I thought that something like this was also going to do something terrible.'

My thoughts wandered a little as I handed over the creature to the child as I took back my staff and closed my eyes, trying my best to calm myself down.

I was threatening a fucking hedgehog, a tiny, flower-holding hedgehog that didn't actually do anything yet aside from making the little one fawn all over it. The deer even went close to it as the little and littler one stayed away from the deer for a while.

'Foreigner.'

I sighed as I motioned it to follow me near the tree line to have yet another bloody discussion.

'I can feel your temper from far Foreigner, it will do you no good to let it feast upon your frustrations.'

"I know that well you weird bloody deer. It's been an issue that's popped up more times than I'd like to admit. It's not good, no way does it ever count as good. If anything it proves that this world may genuinely bring the same amount of issues to me as the one that I came from.

Speaking of issues, there are two that I'd like to bring up with you. The first being my little excursion a couple days ago making me the bearer of bad news."

The deer tilted it's head as I continued with what I was on about.

"There's a pack of wolves, not too far away from this clearing, and I will not deny that they pose a threat to us. I don't want to see the little one having to get her first ki- wait no, that's impossible for this to be her first kill, I was her first kill.

Anyways, their numbers are rather sizable, and I don't intend to just go 1 v God knows. That would be extensively foolish and outright even brain damaged. And even the younger me wouldn't want to do something that stupid.

Second off, why are you calling me a "foreigner" now? You called me the odd one, so what's with the brand new designation huh? Is it something that counts as really really important? Or is it just you finding an easier word to work with?"

Yes, I know, a genuine tirade from me. It's long, it's annoying, but by all accounts I needed this of my chest. The deer just stood there as it the looked off into the forest. I waited for an answer until there was even more rustling from the grass.

I got back into stance as the deer stood high, upon it's ground to fight against animals that wanted to consume it. The rustling got even more frequent as it came from almost all around.

We were fucking surrounded. Forgive my crass choice of words, but this is by far the most bullshit I've been made to deal with since coming to this world. 'Fffffffffffffffohohohohohoho, oh this is just special isn't it? Getting ganged on by an entire pack. Why did they fucking go for the initiative instead of us? I can understand that thy could come here this quickly, but how in the-'

And then I saw it, another raven this time, it was completely burning, looking like it was made from magma and lava, dripping it's heat down whenever it landed or made a move.

HOW IN THE FUCK DID THEY GET ANOTHER FUCKING RAVEN THAT'S EVEN MORE FUCKING BRIGHTER THAN THE ONE I JUST BLOODY KILLED YESTERDAY?!

YOU HAVE TO BE JOKING ME AND BREAKING MY KNEES? I groaned at the revelation as the child tried to run over to the two of us, until it was cut off by two other wolves. I couldn't help but want to break something when they growled at the three of us. Maybe I should aim to maim?

The first wolf that was in front of us was the exact wolf that slept in the cave where I saw them. The same wolf that looked to be weak, except this time, the thing was taller than me, and looked genuinely rabid with the froth coming out of its mouth.

I readied myself to have to do something again, until they saw the child.

They froze for a split second as I took that chance and ran away from the big one, takin the chance to go for another on that only reached my knees, grabbing it by the neck, and turning my right hand into claws.

The wolf was desperate to get out of my grip as I fought it's struggles and slowly backed over to the kid. I put my hands right on its throat, pushing hard enough to draw a little blood, which made the wolf whimper a little. The other pack members saw it and lowered into a growl, readying themselves to pounce on me.

The deer on the other hand, stared down the wolf, as it slowly but surely matched it's size and stature. The two of them were just standing there, menacingly waiting for the other to slip up and get the upper advantage for the first bout. On my account, I was near the kid already, who kept the hedgehog close to her as she clambered to me, making us a meal and a half to all of the others.

'Foreigner, I must ask you to go.'

"Fat chance you bloody quadruped. I do not intend to let you or the child die here. I can die as many times as I need, and if it means that I could exchange one of my lives for three of theirs, then I'd call that the best deal made in the world."

The wolf looked at me, seemingly mellowing out a bit before it sniffed into the air. It was a male, since it was big enough for it's belly to be seen even while I stood. And it looked to the other members of it's pack, and then gazing upon the one that I held in my hand.

A standoff, not necessarily Mexican, but I would say that this is a very very fucked one in any occasion. The child looked at all of us as I made my arm get as close to it's artery, making sure to stare down the giant wolf as I did so.

It growled even further at me as it went back to looking at the deer. They looked like they were having an actual conversation, but I didn't really want to know what they were talking about. The other wolves were getting less wary, and the one in my arm relaxed a little as the situation was hopefully getting less hot.

I will not dent the fact that this could have gone worse, but I genuinely wanted this to not be so bad to the point where w were literally pulling a standoff.

The deer seemed to take a turn as it walked casually closer to me and spoke. 'Foreigner, they wish for you to release their kin, and in return their alpha will challenge you for the right of life.'

I took about seven fucking seconds before I looked at the giant wolf that I was supposed to "fight".

"You have to actually, completely, unironically joking me right now. YOU WANT ME TO FIGHT THAT?!"

I pointed at the wolf with my free, clawed hand as I went back to threatening the one in my other arm. This was a terrible situation, and a one versus one is a thing I'd like to avoid.

'It is their way, Foreigner. It would prove to be foolish to want them to simply roll over and present themselves to be slaughtered.'

"Yes, I can tell, and you can tell them that I don't regularly roll that way."

'This is a courtesy, Foreigner. This is them being lenient for you. You hold the life of their alpha's mate within your grasp.'

That was when I snapped. I immediately eyed the wolf in my grasp and saw that it was bloody whimpering to the big bad wolf that was right in front of me.

"You have to be shitting me."

Simply put, there wasn't a point in keeping the decorum when the kid was near, this giant, positively magical wolf was asking me to give up it's wife. Yep, yep, that's it. Fine, I'll play by the rules right now.

I threw the wolf down and strutted right up to the face of their alpha and told the deer to give the go signal. It and I were staring each other down.

"There really is no point in bullshitting, so I'll offer this. Fuck you, fuck your pack, fuck whatever gods you and your shit-eating species worships or is claimed by, and fuck your child."

I was tired, more tired if anything right now, and I wanted to blow off that steam as quickly as I could. The wolf growled and roared at me with the best of it's ability, the frothy spittle proving to be more foul than what I originally thought to be.

I blinked twice and dashed under it's belly immediately, using my claws to go after what was essentially the softest part of it's body, proving my quick move to be true. It was cut right down the gut as I grabbed onto it's leg and cut it once, hearing it getting more agitated from the pain.

This little thing was getting angrier and angrier, and I didn't want to figure out which element did this thing possibly take u-

And right as I was about to climb up it's body, I fell own straight into the dirt, not seeing it anymore, it's pack members all in one little cluster off to the side, as if they were spectating the battle between us.

I roared out as I did my best to let the ferality and adrenaline take hold of me, seeing the canid appear from the tree line, with green lines running along it's body like it had neon lights. And that was when it made its own move, a bevy of thorny vines emerged right from the earth as I had a very good clue as to what this fuck used.

It was a nature-based, son of a- I dodged the first three whips, until it caught me by the leg and dug deep, ripping right through the flesh and puncturing my bones to keep me incapacitated.

I saw another vine whip off from its right side as it aimed right for my head, and seeing that fresh little opportunity, I grabbed it with my clawed hands and pulled it as hard as I could. It tore right out of the ground, letting me have the chance to use it.

But the wolf was a crafty little bigger, the evidence being that the vine immediately wilted within my grasp as more of them came from below, wrapping me in even more layers of nature until the only thing left was my head, which meant that it punctured right through my neck and started the slow but painful processes of bleeding out, and asphyxiation.