Chapter 20: A Surprise Encounter
Astra was surrounded by wolves smaller than the one she fought, her gaze running over each and every one, their yellow gazes meeting her. Right by her side the wolf she fought stood tall, towering over both her and the others, their bond was weak, made off of fear but it held for now.
"See? That was easy!" Astra grinned, the Neo wolf she had tamed looking down at her.
[You almost died,] Celi pointed out, Astra’s hand reaching out to pet the beast, her fingers ruffling against its dark blue fur.
"Key word, almost," The wolf’s eyes narrowed at her statement, pushing its snout into her face in a light retaliation. Astra grinned as it did so, her hands reaching to caress the wolf’s face looking into its seemingly hollow eyes.
"You know, I think I like you better in a wolf’s body! Even if it is just a part of you," She giggled, Celi pulling her snout out of the young technician’s palms.
"H-hey! Why are you–" She whined, her eyes narrowing as Celi stared off into the distant trees. A mechanical hum coming from within.
"There’s company..." Celi informed, her voice coming out of the wolf’s throat in an almost unnatural way, her gaze scanned the forest, the other wolves growling and baring their stances towards the direction of the forest.
[ALERT: HEAT SIGNATURES DETECTED.]
The warning flashed across her eyes, Celi’s jaw clamping on her vest immediately before pulling her out of the way of a searing beam that was lanced to the spot Astra stood, compressing for a heart beat before letting out a deafening blast that split the air around them causing winds of dust to fly by their faces.