Chapter 88 [Fairy Tale] He Has a Little Gray Wolf (14)

Asi was now a little wolf, and of course she couldn't answer Ryder's question. She glanced at Ryder, then continued to lie on the ground. Her tail lazily swayed back and forth behind her, utterly comfortable.

Ryder sat beside Asi as well, running his hand softly through the gray fur on her back, stroke after stroke. He gazed at the little wolf before him. He had seen adult wolves before—huge creatures, taller than Ryder by half a head. Yet the wolf tribe preferred their human forms. If the little wolf before him truly belonged to the wolf tribe, she would have transformed into a human already. After all, it was much easier to communicate in human form.

At that moment, Ryder had completely forgotten that Asi had been struck by a magical arrow, and that her young wolf body could not yet sustain a human form. The thought that this little wolf might not be a member of the wolf tribe troubled Ryder with two conflicting emotions. He was happy, for if she wasn't from the wolf tribe, she wouldn't have a human form, and he could play freely with her. Yet a vague sense of disappointment lingered.

Asi lay on the ground for a while, enjoying Ryder's gentle touch along her back. But suddenly, the petting stopped. Asi immediately lifted her head and saw Ryder looking lost, as though he was deeply absorbed in thought. Hearing the little wolf's whimper, Ryder snapped back to himself.

"L-little wolf, haven't you gone...gone home?" Ryder pointed to the other side of the forest. Asi's tail swung and flicked against Ryder, as if she couldn't understand his words. Her jet-black eyes were misty and confused.

Ryder thought to himself, she really is just a wolf—not a member of the wolf tribe. He breathed a quiet sigh, as if a weight had been lifted from his mind, and resumed stroking Asi's back.

Greed: "Did you hear that, Asi? He just sighed! Do you know why?"

Asi was so comfortable under Ryder's hand that she lazily opened her eyes halfway to look at Greed, who was babbling away.

Greed: "He was testing you to see if you were from the wolf tribe! If you are, and he's from Red Hood Town, the two of you can't be together! He hates the wolf tribe! Just now, he tried to test you, but since you didn't react, he doesn't think you're from the tribe—so he doesn't dislike you!"

"When your identity as a wolf tribe member is revealed, he'll hate you!"

Asi blinked, her dark eyes shimmering with moisture. It seemed true. Uncle Huo had told her that humans were not to be trusted—so what about Ryder? Surely he hated the wolf tribe too.

No, no! She must never let him know she was from the wolf tribe!

Asi immediately became alert, turning and sitting upright. She was almost as tall as Ryder, only a little shorter.

"Not...uncomfortable?" Ryder thought he might have petted her too hard, perhaps pulling at her fur, so he spoke with a hint of caution. His blue eyes looked at Asi, his gentle gaze softer than the ripples on the nearby lake.

Asi whimpered a few times and blinked, her black eyes moist and shining. Ryder's face instantly flushed red under her gaze.

Then Asi leaned in. Ryder was caught off guard as she licked his face, covering it in slobber. It felt surprisingly nice—except for the slobber.

Ryder blinked, and soon his whole face was red, even the tips of his ears. His hands rested on the little wolf's fluffy neck, wanting to push her away, but for some reason, his arms wouldn't obey.

(End of chapter)