Chapter 30

"Well, Wolfie dear." Kael ducked, dodging the paw swipe. "It seems our attacks against the big bad wolf aren't all that effective. What do you suggest now?" Kael jumped back, away from the demon, and sighed, his shoulders slouching.

"We just haven't found the right spot. We can take it out," Wolfe assured him, his eyes never leaving the demon as he constantly jumped out of the way of its attacks.

"Oh, fine. I was going to leave you here to deal with it on your own since you're so confident, but you said we, so I guess I'll stay. Time to change tactics," he hummed and tapped on his ring. "Class change," he whispered, smirking. A wand appeared in his hand.

"What did you say?" Wolfe couldn't help himself and looked back at Kael.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with." Kael chuckled. "You wouldn't understand even if I told you."

"Tch. How about you focus on the fight instead of yapping so much?"

"Watch out!" Kael tackled Wolfe, knocking him to the ground and out of the way of the demon charging towards him, a whoosh of wind at his back. "What were you saying about focus, Wolfie dear?"

"Maybe I'd focus better if you weren't acting like this?" Wolfe freed an arm from Kael's grasp and grabbed his sword that had been knocked away during the tackle.

"Oh, is being in my arms too much?" Kael released him and winked as he hopped back to his feet.

"Seriously! What's your deal?" Wolfe growled and got to his feet.

"Can we talk about our relationship later?" Kael smiled at him. "The demon has turned around and is eyeing us both, and I'd rather be bitten by the bunny than this thing."

"Ignore him," Wolfe muttered to himself. "There has to be a weak spot. If shooting at its eyes wasn't enough to stop it for more than a moment, it must be somewhere else."

"Hmm... I guess if magic was its weakness, the little mage would've defeated it." Kael stared at his wand for a moment. He sent a few fireballs off at the demon and tapped his ring again. "Mind going up close again? If you can get it to try to eat you, I can send this javelin into its mouth." He waved his new weapon around.

"You want me to be bait?"

"While I agree I'm probably more delicious, you're sturdier, and can hold your own better against its bite." Kael smiled and waved his hand, motioning him to move.

"Tch. This better work." Sword in hand, Wolfe rushed in close to the demon. It bit at him, and Wolfe dodged to the side, swinging his sword. "He better not plan on leaving me here," Wolfe muttered as he continued to dodge, wondering when Kael would strike.

The demon stomped, its jaw growing wide as it growled.

"Bingo!" Kael launched his magically charged javelin straight into the demon's mouth.

It screamed out in pain and brought its mouth down, only to stab itself with the javelin trapped in its mouth. The demon thrashed about, smashing into the nearby trees, until it dropped to the ground, lifeless in a puddle of its own blood.

"See, it worked." Kael smiled, hands on his hips as he held his head up high. "And you doubted me. Tsk, tsk."

"Yeah, great, thanks," Wolfe grumbled and walked past.

"Time to find our bunny?" Kael asked as he reached towards his horse. "Oh, right, you lost your horse. I suppose you could ride with me—"

"No, not happening. Never happening. I'd rather crawl through the mud than share a horse with you."

"Oh, you wound me, Wolfie dear." Kael held his hand over his heart. "And here I thought we'd grown closer. That attitude definitely puts a damper on our relationship."

Wolfe glared at him, his jaw tight. "Shut up, Kael."

Kael pouted and hopped up onto his horse. "Should I go ahead to search for our bunny, then? Seeing as it'll take a while with you on foot."

Wolfe thought for a moment and started forward. "It's better we stick together," he said, worried about what might happen if Kael found her on his own.

"Oh, so you do like my company. You tsundere, you."

"What did you call me?" Wolfe snapped at him. "A tsu... something or other. What the hell is that?"

"Just calling it like I see it." Kael smiled at him and gave him a wink.

"Ugh, stop doing that," Wolfe grumbled as he debated on getting rid of Kael and blaming it on the demon, but couldn't help but wonder if he'd need his help again.

"Aw, are you back to being the grumpy Wolfe?"

"Ignore him, and he'll shut up," Wolfe muttered to himself as he trudged along, following the path through the forest, keeping an eye on the broken branches and hoof prints.

"Seems your horse went pretty far if we still haven't run into them." Kael yawned, stretching his arms out as he let go of his reins. "Maybe he's like us and wanted the bunny all to himself."

Wolfe stayed silent, his eyes sharp as he kept an eye on their surroundings.

"Are you ignoring me now?" Kael huffed, puffing out his cheeks. "That's not very nice of you. Maybe I should go ahead to find her and leave you behind, slowpoke."

Wolfe glared up at him.

"Oh, so you're paying attention, but you're not talking to me now? Are we in our first real quarrel? If we can get past this, our relationship will be stronger—"

"What relationship?!" Wolfe snapped. "The one where you annoy me by talking nonstop and nothing I do seems to stop you?"

"Oh, look, you're talking to me again." Kael smiled. "And just in time." He stopped his horse and pointed at the scorch marks on the ground in front of the cliff. "I assume the timid boy did this." Kael hopped off his horse and squatted down to look at the marks.

"He has a name, or are you allergic to those?"

"Of course not, Wolfie dear." Kael sauntered over to the cliff and looked down.

"All it would take is one push," Wolfe mumbled under his breath.

"Well, that would definitely put a damper on our relationship." Kael turned to him and smiled.

"Tch. How good is your hearing?"

"Excellent. You'd be surprised by the things I hear people say to themselves." He hopped back up on his horse. "Since you're the expert, lead the way."

Wolfe shook his head and surveyed the area. "This way." Wolfe led Kael past some broken bushes between two large trees.

"How far off the path is this from the dais we were supposed to go to?"

"As long as they've actually stopped somewhere instead of continuing on, we will have plenty of time to get there."

Kael nodded as he hummed.

"By the way." Wolfe cleared his throat. "Thank you for the assistance in getting rid of the demon."

Kael's face lit up, and he smirked. "Of course, I couldn't leave my new partner to die to his kin."

"Tch. Why'd I bother?"

"Because it is proper to thank someone who helped you, regardless of your personal feelings towards them."

"Rhetorical question."

"Oh! Do you see what I see in the distance?" Kael couldn't help himself and sped up his horse.