‘Dammit. I don’t want to give up my Tribe if this beast seeks our destruction, but I feel like any glaring lies will get me killed. Ah dammit, I’ll just tell him a partial truth or something. Hopefully that works.’

  “A few more.”

  ‘Now, what the hell is it thinking about? Planning to attack my Tribe, ain't you? Well, we won’t go down without a fight, you damn fox!’

  “Hm, did you run into a wounded silver wolf, by any chance?”

  ‘Huh? That kind of caught me off guard. I really thought its next question was going to be about where the exact location of my Tribe was.

  ‘And the fact it asked the wolf… don’t tell me… Is he the one that gave it that gruesome injury in the first place? Doesn’t mean I’m likely screwed beyond reason here?’

  [Just continue answering for now.]

  ‘…Fine.’

  “Yes, it died.”

  “Ah, so that vile pup died, after all. That’s one of my annoyances gone. Now, why are you here if your Tribe is in the south?”

  With narrowing eyes, the fox directed this question and his probing gaze at Rick. This simple act alone though caused Rick to shiver a bit.

  ‘Did it just refer to that giant domineering silver wolf as nothing but a pup? That can’t mean anything good.

  ‘And why the hell is it looking at me like that? I literally felt a shiver run up my spine. Just how scared am I, that something like that happened. Dammit.

  ‘And what am I supposed to tell him now? Velora, what do you think?’

  [Say you were hunting.]

  ‘Yeah… maybe that will work.’

  “I’m here to hunt.”

  “So far away from your home? That’s odd. It seems you lack knowledge of just where you are, young Goblin.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  ‘This is it, isn’t it. He’s going to kill me huh.’

  “Hm, well, it is the job of the old and strong to teach the ones that are young and weak. I’ll leave you with some knowledge before we part ways.

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  “Put your weapon down. If I wanted you dead, you’d have already been so.”

  ‘So, I’m not going to die... Instead, I’m going to get advice from an old wily fox? Why is he doing this I wonder.

  ‘There must be some scheme that I’m missing. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that this strong and apparently old fox would want to teach a Goblin such as myself anything. So, although I’m lowering my weapon, I still stand firm and remain alert as I nervously ask him a question.’

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “To put it in simple terms, I’m just bored and there's not really anyone else to talk to in this damn forest. Well, at least not anyone that I want to talk to.

  “You on the other hand, are new and capable of having a conversation.”

  ‘So, he is talking to me out of pure boredom? That’s…okay, I think. Just an old, bored Fox that wants someone to talk to. My guard lowered a bit, but not completely. He might be just a boring old Fox, but it was still a Fox that kind of scares the daylight out of me.’

  “Listen carefully, young Goblin. This region of the forest is divided into four parts with the lake as the center of it all.

  “South of the lake is an unclaimed land that is mainly home to Horned Rabbits and now Goblins it seems, and of course there is also a massive mountain range. You came from this direction, so I assume you know what I’m referring to.

  “To the east and west of the lake are various beasts of different strength, but nearby there isn’t single one of them approaching true sentience. There isn’t any sort of ruling power, just survival of the fittest.

  “Where we are now is controlled by myself, and I’ve been in control for quite some time. It is not a position that is bestowed through any formal means. It just comes with being the absolute strongest beast in any given region. Now since this is supposed to be a conversation, I’ll answer some questions.”

  ‘I… let’s make the most of this situation then.’

  “Was it you who injured that silver wolf and if so, why?”

  “Yes, it was, and that little whelp sought to kill me so he could rule the forest. He failed miserably, of course.”

  “Is there something wrong with the lake?”

  “No, but an old acquaintance of mine spends his time sleeping at the bottom, only waking up periodically to hunt or whatever else it pleases.

  “I would advise staying away from the lake because you never know when that beast will wake up and kill everything in its wake.”

  ‘So that’s why not a single beast except for myself dared to approach the lake and even drink from it! Dying in a lake to a sleeping beast is not how I want to go out, so I guess I’ll have to move my little rest area.’

  “Any more questions? If not, I'll let you be on your way.”

  “Yes, what should I refer to you as? And why don’t the beasts in the east and west areas converge on the south?”

  “My name, huh? Not strong enough to know… and most beasts are typically extremely comfortable in the place they came to exist in, therefore never moving or leaving the area unless forced to do so.

  “Alright, that’s good enough for now. Stay away from the Lake, and you’re welcome to visit the north every now and then. It does get really boring lounging around all day.”

  ‘Before I could even give a reply, the Fox, whose name I apparently wasn’t qualified to know, left the scene just as quickly as he came, like a blur.

  ‘Walking away from that location towards the east, I couldn’t help but replay that entire encounter in my mind. Although I was given some important knowledge, the only thing that mattered to me was Fox’s strength.

  ‘It was a blatant reminder that no matter how strong you get, there will always be someone stronger in some way, form, or fashion.

  ‘So, with that, let's spend the rest of today hunting, then begin my journey back home. Dwelling on this Fox for too long can’t be good for my health, and after three entire weeks, I’m really starting to miss the little cave.’