~Odin Blackwood~

　　"Bring that wet wood here, Dammit! You are going to put the fire off!" My team member yelled at the other one. I rolled my eyes subtly at the duo who weren't even trying their minimal to keep things going. It's only been just a few hours since we've started the damn trial!

　　Nonetheless, I've achieved something I wanted to even before the Trial had ended this time. Since it was a trial of survival in these treacherous woods, I didn't trust someone so well with their own safety. Yes, her.

　　She's a dangerous person...to herself.

　　Jokes apart, as a friend and distant admirer, I feel like it is my duty to keep this woman safe and near my eyes. I have a great urge to do so. It was not under my control, after all. My heart was never under my control, since my childhood.

　　That does not make me an impulsive bloke. I do keep my behavior in check. At times, I even go as far as to protect my peace by not indulging in activities that would probably land me into trouble.

　　But then...she entered into my life.

　　The cute girl who was excited to touch my fur in the middle of the woods as I turned into a wolf.

　　How did it all start for me...?

　　I don't think I remember validating my own feelings so far, but the moment she touched my fur, I knew this girl is special. I knew her as someone who lost her parents, on her birthday. I can understand her pain, although, only half.

　　While others were calling her names, talking her down as if she was an outcast. They were even treating her like an outcast! I felt pitiful towards the girl. It must have been because of my own prejudices and experiences that made me sympathize with her. She just turned 18!

　　As if their constant nagging, dragging her down had plunged the feelings of revenge in her, she began blooming. For someone without a wolf, she was such a strong little lady. I admire her. I admire her to the core for that.

　　Her flourishing state only made me wonder if I'll ever have a chance to talk to her. Then I did, in fact, as if my wishes were granted oh so subtly to me, the following events of my heart was from my side. My feelings have been developing for her since she acknowledged me as her friend. Her consistency in keeping herself fit, knowledgeable and everything else only made me wonder...

　　How much of passion to prove herself right has been burning within her tender heart?

　　I didn't want that fire to extinguish. If I could, I would rather built a wall around her and protect that fire within her.

　　It must have been hard for her to come to realize that her pack - who have lost its leaders overnight - was the prize, the reward for this competition.

　　This made me realize that Prince Emeric was making fun of her as well. There was no reason to include the leader-less pack to be announced as the reward for winning in these trials. He is such an irritant.

　　Therefore, after the third trial, I tried to be close with her. Thinking about her in the middle of the day put a smile on my face. She's not the type to smile too much herself. But at the same time, she was such a rare beauty when she did. Her small teeth, pearly teeth are on full display and her cute little canines peek out just a little downwards. She is like a wolf already, not needing more fangs than that.

　　Her eyes crinkle in the cutest way possible every time she smiles. My hopes have risen when I've realized she gives me that liberty, almost like a blessing. The blessing I discovered was that...she smiles more when I'm around her than when I'm not. Oh, the privilege I can brag about for making this sweet little woman smile.

　　Then, I think about Prince Emeric again. There is an ego boost in me every time I think about my rival. I shall obtain Aurora before her. I know this can give her a great life, a happier life when compared to him. He's such a bust wart that she's going to be begging for his attention all the time! That makes me pity her so much.

　　Wait. There will be no pity feelings towards her anymore, that's because I will keep her happy! Like hell I would let Emeric woo her away while I'm still here. My destiny is such a great thing~

　　Just after I was done daydreaming about Aurora and I, it suddenly clicked to me. I sat back up, began sniffing the air around for something. One of my team members looked weirdly at me, and I glared back at them.

　　"Do you sense something, Odin?" The woman asked in an accent. I didn't even look at her as I narrowed my eyes in a specific direction.

　　Using the strategy to establish our camp close to Aurora's team, I might have succeeded in this thing. But at the same time, I knew what I was getting myself into.

　　If there is any danger for that woman whom I've started to like, I will be there to protect her. In any means possible.

　　So when I couldn't smell her scent lingering in the air anymore, I figured she must have walked away to gather supplies. Our team has yet to do that, that's what they've been arguing about.

　　"I am going to volunteer to bring some firewood. I'm going south side." Informing them without even looking into their direction, or getting acknowledgement, I sprinted off.

　　To be more efficient and seem like a formidable predator on the scene while I'm closing in towards the dangerous south side, I kept my wolf form for this. My big white wolf that she likes to touch, feel my soft fur.

　　Grunting at the toxic scent which I breathed in suddenly, I shifted back into my human form.

　　My eyes widened...

　　If I remember correctly - remembering the knowledge from Aurora's and I's discussions - this side is filled with toxic mushrooms. Specifically, the hallucinogenic kind.

　　I already don't have a good feeling about this.

　　Exhaling forcefully, I took my top off and covered my whole face, the entry points for the toxic compositions from entering my body. If I would be stuck here, hallucinating my darkest nightmares, I wouldn't be able to escape from here.

　　After checking if I can even breathe, I deemed it safe when I couldn't breathe properly. That should mean I can survive...for at least fifteen minutes. The concentration will eventually seep through the fabric around my face.

　　And then, I began exploring the woods, trying to sniff out her scent through the minimal amount of particles I could sense in my nose at the moment. While it didn't seem herculean at all, it was certainly a difficult task for those who don't have breathing training.

　　I kept my pace average as well, as I tried to figure out her scent concentrations in the air. The hallucinogenic compounds were already making me feel dizzy.

　　Just then...