The wolves came on with frightening speed, leaping through the night like beasts of hell, their intent clear--they wanted to devour the boy now running for his life, and maybe, after they were done with him, they would hunt down and feed on Shivam, too.
"Don't just stand there, DO something!" The young boy in half-pants shouted with his sharp voice, panting. One of the three wolves was now only a few paces behind him, and it looked like it was getting ready to jump on the boy. The other two wolves were closing in rapidly, too, forming a rough semi-circle around the boy's tracks.
Shivam looked around him hopelessly, as if he expected a magic sword or something to materialize out of thin air. Hell, wasn't this supposed to be a magical world? Where was magic when he needed it?
There was nothing around them but the pines. Shivam bent down and picked up a small pebble, roughly the size of a ping-pong ball, from near his feet. Good weapon, he thought hopelessly.
The wolf nearest to the boy leaped in the air, and managed to grab, within its fangs, one of his legs. He fell headfirst on to the ground, and shrieked in pain. Shivam had no other option--he threw the pebble in his hand with all his might, hoping that it would hit the wolf in a vulnerable place. And it did--the pebble smacked the wolf right in its eyes. Bingo, Shivam smirked.
The wolf released the boy, and raised its furious eyes towards Shivam. Out of its throat came a deep gurgling sound, and for some reason it reminded Shivam of dark tunnels in the monsoons. The wolf's companions now were also focusing their soulless green eyes on Shivam. Aw, snap. Now they are gonna come after me, Shivam thought.
"Will. Kill. You." Shivam heard this sentence crystal clearly in his ears, and he knew at once that it was the thought in the brain of the wolf, which now padded towards him, gradually and confidently, ready to give chase, if Shivam fancied running. The young boy was lying on the ground, crying and moaning, unable to help. Shivam hoped he wasn't hurt too bad.
Shivam wasn't going to run. He was here to look for a dragon, he shouldn't be afraid of cute little wolves, he thought. Instead, he walked straight towards the wolf that was coming towards him, and his attitude had an amazing effect--all the three wolves froze in their places.
You're a Raiser, Shivam! A Raiser! You can tame dragons if you really tried! The Seamstress had said. Well, it was time to put her words to the test.
Shivam raised his index finger to his temple, and with it gently touched his right eyebrow. He looked at the nearest wolf, straight in the creature's haunting green eyes. "You. You think you can eat me? WELL COME AND TRY!" Shivam formed these words within his mind, and watched how the wolf--probably the leader of the pack--took one small step back. It barked with all its might, but Shivam knew it was now afraid of him. The other two wolves hadn't attacked him, either. This was a good sign. He could do this. He would be able to save their lives.
"You want to see what I can do? I know you are hearing this. You want to see me calling for help?" Shivam spoke again in his mind, and saw again that the leader-wolf had taken a back-step.
Shivam reached the leader wolf, and bent down to touch its head with his palm. He felt it trembling. His heart was hammering within his ribcage, too, but outwardly, he was perfectly calm and composed.
"I can call a dragon if I want. Wanna die, wolfie?" Shivam said, but again, it was in his mind.
All the three wolves turned immediately, and ran away, their tales between their legs. Wow, bluffing works everywhere. Shivam felt elated, yet confused. From where did he get this confidence?
Shivam went towards the young kid, intending to check his wounds and to see if he could help him in any way. He found that the boy was sitting on the grassy ground, his mouth agape, his eyes round and full of wonder, his black hair crazily jagged up on his scalp, his roundish face stunned.
"How did you do that?" The boy blurted out, spittle flying everywhere.
"Relax," Shivam said. "Even I don't know what exactly it was that I did, I just went along and did it."
"But...but...you just walked towards that wolf, placed your palm on its fucking head, and it just ran away, like you were going to eat it or something! Boy, that was frigging awesome!" The boy said excitedly.
"Let me check your wounds," Shivam said, sitting down beside the boy, and feeling bad about hearing the f-word from the kid. Were swear words as popular in this world, too?
"Never mind my wounds," the boy's voice was wheezy with excitement, "and my name is Josh, but tell me, are you...are you...a RAISER?"
"Maybe I am," Shivam said. He couldn't help but smile at the genuine excitement on the boy's face, and the complete hero-worship that he saw in his eyes. "Hey, it's no big deal," Shivam said.
"No big DEAL? Man, Raisers are, like, super-rare! I thought the only ones are among the Infernos!"
"Infernos? What's that?" Shivam asked.
Josh frowned. "That's the king's army, man. Have you been living under a rock?"
"Never mind," Shivam said apologetically, "but what are you doing in this godforsaken place at this late hour? Where are your parents? Won't they be angry with you?"
"I am an orphan," Josh said quietly.
"Oh...I...I'm sorry," Shivam said, shocked.
"That's okay. And I live here," Josh said.
"Here? In this pine forest? Amidst the wolves? Why!" Shivam demanded.
"I am banished, that's why."
"Banished! At your age! Why? What did you do?"
"I wrote some poems," the young boy named Josh said, tears in his eyes. "I didn't mean no harm...I just wrote some poems but..." He sniffed, and said, "I guess I'm lucky the Infernos spared my life."