Chapter 27 - The Blood Wolf Pack (1/2)

Zai was sitting in a tall tree, his legs hung over the ledge that was more than twenty five feet off the ground. He had one arm raised near his face and was scanning a digital version of his previous map.

”Hey Blair.” Blair was leaning on another tree nearby when Zai called her over.

”Need something?” She jumped from her branch to the one Zai was sitting on. Her helmet shining in a patch of moonlight.

”I want some food.” Zai's stomach let out a gurgling noise as if to agree with what he said. Blair knocked his helmet with her knuckles.

”Go get your own food! Do I look like your personal maid?!”

”Really? I can leave to get food? Don't mind if I do~” Zai got up and was about to jump down when Blair grabbed his arm, her helmet hiding her frustration to the oblivious Zai.

”No you dolt! Why would the commander leave for food?! You need to be here to command the soldiers and to-” Zai put his hand over Blair's helmet once again, her fury burning even more. She would've socked him right then and there if she didn't hear him answer a call. Zai pressed the communicator on the right side of his helmet and a familiar voice echoed into Blair's ears.

”Heeey~! Why aren't you done yet? Old people need their sleep. My back hurts from standing too much. Ah, also I'm hungry. Helloo~?” Valeri's voice sounded tired and impatient. She let out a yawn and continued complaining to Zai. Blair was shocked speechless. Even her captain was wondering about food when an army of about one hundred Blood Wolves was heading towards their base camp! But then she remembered her other missions with the captain.

Once Valeri had left food out and attracted a couple of class three Horned Bears that shocked everyone when they woke up the next morning. Valeri had even laughed it off and ordered a full retreat from the bears while being chased, causing them to lose a valuable position. On another occasion Valeri accidentally found a small kitten nearby their new camp and brought it to her tent. Next thing they know a class four Fanged Twintail had followed it's child's scent right to the camp. The camp was forced to retreat in full as the most of the fighters were out scouting. Once again they lost a valuable position due to Valeri. On another occasion during an important meeting that would decided where they would be stationed for the next four years Valeri had fallen asleep, openly, and landed them scouting where they are now. The remains, and dangerous, fallen country of Gestva. It had to be one of the worst locations as the surrounding areas had fallen too and were overrun with monsters, bandits, and deserters of other armies. Blair sighed loudly, interrupting Zai's and Valeri's heated conversation about whether pork or beef was tastier.

”Something wrong Blair?” Blair shook her head.

”No, just feeling a bit more hopeless from remembering a few things…” Once again Blair sighed. Zai looked at her awkwardly and turned away from her. He cupped his hand over the speaker and whispered into it as quietly as he could.

”Captain, I think there's something wrong with Blair.” On the other end Valeri was a bit surprised. Blair would always love a good fight so the battle with the Blood Wolves should be making her excited.

”How so?”

”She has this dopey air around her and she keeps sighing really, really loudly. It's kinda bugging me.” Zai turned his head inside his helmet. ”I think she's hungry too but doesn't want to admit it…” On the other end Valeri was laughing like a maniac.

”Despite being so old you're still very childish!” Valeri's uncontrolled laughter caused the speaker to whine loudly. Zai squeezed his eyes in pain and turned the speaker down a bit with his other hand, using a little screen next to his arm.

”Captain please don't do that again, you'll crush my ear drums, and don't talk to me about being old! I'll have you know I'm a perfectly able, good looking, forty three year old man!” Valeri's laughter was quieter now but still there. On the other side Valeri had actually needed to lean on the side of a nearby tree, clutching her sides with her helmet covering her expression. The screen was beginning to fog a bit as Valeri was breathing hard. Hearing the stifled laughter Zai was feeling a bit embarrassed as he replayed what he just said in his mind.

*breaths deeply* ”Oh, Zai. Just, I don't think it's that. Anyways, how's the situation.”

”I have them right where I want them.” On Zai's side a new blue screen had just popped from his arm, replacing the volume adjuster for the speakers. ”Speaking of which it seems the scouts have seen something. See you later Captain.”

”Yes, hurry up. I'm hungry.”

”Will do!” Zai released the communicator on his right and clicked the blue screen on his arm, the map displaying the terrain and a red dot as a marker for the Blood Wolves. Zai touched his right communicator and the scouting leader reported in.

”This is S-1, the pack seems to be moving.”

”How many?”

”Seems like around sixty. There are about thirty females and nine other males besides the pack leader who have stayed behind at their previous spot.”

”Sixty this time? Is this definite?”

”Yes, one of my own got wounded when they overran his position before he could escape. He's fine now but currently won't be able to do anything until he heals.”

”That's fine. He managed to escape and live, let's keep it that way.”

”Yes sir. ”