The Hollow Moth: Reincarnated as a Caterpillar

Our pack sprints through the forest, leaving the den behind. I wiggle, squirm, and flail my tiny legs, but Mama Wolf holds me firmly by the scruff.

Ugh! This is so embarrassing! I'm not a baby! I can run on my own!

But I don't have time to dwell on my humiliation because, well… I make the mistake of looking back.

Curiosity kills the cat, right? Well, in this case, curiosity terrifies the puppy.

The den is already fading into the distance, but then—something emerges from the shadows.

A shiver runs down my spine.

It's my first time seeing a Green Stalker, and I immediately wish I hadn't.

It stands like a human. It runs like a human. But it's definitely not a human.

Its body looks like a mess of tangled branches, vines, and sprouting ferns, all moving like they have a mind of their own. Its limbs are too long, bending in weird, wrong ways as it sprints forward with terrifying ease. But the worst part?

Its face. Or—actually, the lack of one.

Instead of eyes or a mouth, they are just ferns. Layer upon layer of shifting, breathing foliage. It's like the whole thing is alive, watching me—but without actually watching me.

And it is fast.

I nearly choke on my own panic.

I want to scream. I want to yell, FASTER, PLEASE, FASTER!

Just as the Green Stalker gets closer—too close—Papa Wolf suddenly skids to a stop.

Wait. WAIT. What is he doing?!

I wiggle even more in Mama Wolf's grip, watching in growing horror as he faces the Green Stalker head-on. Then, he opens his mouth, and right in front of it, a strange glowing circle appears, pulsing with energy.

Oh. Oh! Magic!?

Then—

AWOOOOOOOOOOO!

It isn't just a howl. It's also a shockwave!

The air ripples as an invisible force bursts out, vibrating the world around us. My ears ring, my fur stands on end, and I swear even the ground beneath us shudders from the sheer power of it.

The Green Stalker jerks, its body trembling violently as if something grabs and shakes it. Then—

BOOM!

It goes flying.

Like, literally flying.

It crashes through the trees with a loud snap of breaking wood, disappearing into the distance.

I stare, my tiny puppy brain struggling to process what just happened.

Papa Wolf doesn't even look back. He just turns around and bolts, rejoining the pack like nothing happened.

Mama Wolf speeds up, carrying me along with her.

I gulp.

Okay. Okay. That is terrifying. But also… SO COOL.

I want to ask Papa Wolf how he did that. I want to know if I can do that too. But most importantly—

I want to run even faster (actually Mama Wolf), because no way that thing is down for good.

My brain struggling to keep up with what just happened.

Papa Wolf doesn't even stop to check if the thing got up again—he just spins around and runs back to us. Mama Wolf doesn't hesitate either; she picks up speed, and suddenly, we are all running even faster.

Oh. Oh no. My tiny heart pounds like crazy. That was really cool—but we're still not safe!

The world blurs as Mama Wolf carries me, bouncing with every step. Trees whip past, then suddenly, open fields, then more trees again and oh—strange-looking plants that move. Everything is moving too fast, and I have no idea where we are going. I just cling on for dear life, hoping Mama Wolf wouldn't drop me.

Monsters are everywhere. Some ignore us—thank goodness—but others aren't so nice. Some lunge at us, and I swear I almost scream, but we are moving so fast that most of them don't even get the chance to touch us.

The ones that do manage to get in our way?

Papa Wolf and Brother Wolf are both hurt, so they couldn't fight! That means Mama Wolf, Big Sister Wolf, and Bigger Sister Wolf have to deal with everything.

And—oh wow—they are so strong.

I mean, I knew they went hunting with Papa Wolf and Uncle Wolf sometimes, but this? This is different. They are fighting so fast and so hard that I barely even understand what's happening. Monsters jump out, and then—boom!—they're gone. Just like that.

Even then, even with how strong they are, they still aren't on the same level as Papa Wolf or Uncle Wolf.

But Mama Wolf?

Mama Wolf is something else entirely.

She doesn't go hunt like the others, but now I understand why—she isn't just a hunter. She is the last line of defense. She's the one who makes sure we all survive!

As I am still gawking at how awesome my wolf family is when—BAM!—we skid to a stop.

Wait, why? What happened? Did we escape? Did we—?

Oh. Oh no. Oh no no no.

A bunch of creepy monkey-things block our path! And they aren't just normal creepy monkeys—nope! They are covered in moss. Moss! It clings to their bodies like some weird, slimy second skin. Their long arms end in these horrible, sharp claws, and their faces—eugh—their faces look all sunken and bony, like skeletons with glowing red eyes.

I shudder. Why do they have to have glowing eyes?!

Mama Wolf growls, her fur bristling as she stares them down. I look around frantically, please let there be another way out, please let there be another way out— but nope. We are completely trapped.

Then, just like that, Mama Wolf drops me.

Wha—?!

I stumble, my legs all wobbly after being carried for so long. I barely have time to squeak before she lunges at the monkey-things, her fangs flashing.

Big Sister Wolf and Bigger Sister Wolf don't even hesitate—they are right behind her, jumping into the fight like it's just another day in the forest.

There are five of the creepy moss-monkeys, but Mama Wolf doesn't care. She's furious. Her movements are so fast I can barely keep up. She dodges their claws like it's nothing, her teeth sinking into one of them before I even realize she moved.

Big Sister Wolf and Bigger Sister Wolf each take on their own monkey. Their fights are—um, how do I say this—less terrifying than Mama Wolf's? But still really cool! They move so fast, biting and clawing, dodging those nasty monkey swipes.

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But Mama Wolf?

Mama Wolf is on a whole different level.

She's fighting three of them. Three! And she makes it look easy. Claws slash, fangs snap, and mossy flesh tears apart as she dances between them like she already knows what they are going to do. The monkeys screech, trying to claw her back, but—nope!—they never even get the chance.

I stand there, frozen, my mouth hanging open. Mama Wolf is scary.

And then—just like that—it's over.

Big Sister Wolf and Bigger Sister Wolf finish off their monkeys, and at the same time—whoosh!—Mama Wolf strikes down all three of hers at once.

One second, they screech and swipe at her. The next?

Gone.

She dodges one of their claws, bites straight through another's throat, and tears the last two apart with a swipe of her claws—all in one motion!

The creepy moss-monkeys barely even have time to scream before they collapse in a heap.

I just stand there, my tail tucking between my legs. My brain has fully shut down.

Mama Wolf is terrifying.

But… also?

I have never felt safer in my entire buggy little life.

As soon as the fight's over, Mama Wolf and the Sisters get straight to work, dragging the creepy moss-monkey bodies into a single pile.

I shudder, hugging my little legs close. Eugh, those things are even grosser up close! Their "fur" is all damp and weird—not fur at all, but some kind of wet moss clinging to their bodies. Just looking at them makes my skin crawl. But apparently, they still smell like food because everyone else acts like this is totally normal.

Papa Wolf and Brother Wolf finally approach after keeping watch for that horrible Green Stalker thing. I follow behind them, but very hesitantly—just in case one of those creepy monkey corpses moves. I know they are dead, but what if they aren't? What if they suddenly twitch and grab me?!

Mama Wolf, completely unbothered, wastes no time. "We need to eat these monkeys, quick," she says firmly. "We have to move, but we also need energy. Don't eat it all—we might need some later."

Wait. We're eating them?!

I squeak. "W-Wait, wait, wait! You want me to eat that?!"

Mama Wolf gives me a look. "Yes, Child.. You need to eat."

I gulp, my ears pressing down. B-But they're creepy! They look all slimy and weird, and—and their glowing red eyes are still staring at me even though they are dead!

Big Sister Wolf and Bigger Sister Wolf don't even hesitate. They just start tearing into them like it's just another meal! They even pack extra meat into the worn leather bags we had taken from those dead adventurers, like this is a totally normal part of life. Meanwhile, everyone else just digs in without a second thought, tearing off chunks of mossy flesh and swallowing them like they aren't eating nightmare creatures!

I stare, horrified. Oh no. Oh no, I have to eat it too, don't I?

I swallow hard, staring down at a chunk of meat in front of me. M-Maybe it won't taste bad? Maybe it'll taste like chicken?

I take a small, tiny bite.

…

It does not taste like chicken.

It's not bad, but it's not good either. It's kinda chewy and earthy, like eating a soggy mushroom that has been left in the dirt too long. I have to force myself to swallow, my entire body shuddering as I try not to think about what I am eating.

When we are finally done, I let out a huge sigh of relief. Okay. Over. It's over. Never again.

But then—Mama Wolf turns to me and reaches for my scruff.

Oh no.

I immediately squirm, shaking my head furiously. "I can run!" I protest.

Mama Wolf sighs, giving me that firm mom look. "You're still a pup, Child, You'll tire out faster than the rest of us."

"I can keep up!" I puff up my tiny chest.

She stares at me for a long moment before finally sighing. "Fine. But if you slow down, I'm carrying you. No arguments."

That's fair. Mostly. I nod quickly, my tail wagging. "Deal!"

And with that, we are off again, running as fast as our legs can take us.

The forest blurs past, the dimming light casting long shadows through the trees. But there's no sunset—just this weird fading glow, like someone is slowly turning down a giant lantern in the sky. It freaks me out every single time. How am I supposed to know when bedtime is if the sky never properly changes?!

But there's no time to stress over the weird fake sky—we have to keep running!

Eventually, Mama Wolf suddenly slows down and calls out, "We should stop and rest."

I nearly trip over my own paws trying to stop in time. "R-Rest? Here?! B-But what if something jumps out at us?! What if the Green Stalker catches up?! What if—"

Mama Wolf ignores my panic and continues, "We've been running all day, and your Brother is still recovering. He doesn't look good right now."

I blink and turn to look at Brother Wolf.

Oh.

He really doesn't look good. His breathing is all heavy, and his steps are uneven. Even with Mama Wolf's healing, he still looks super tired.

Papa Wolf nods in agreement. "Agreed. We can't push ourselves too much."

Big Sister Wolf and Bigger Sister Wolf also nod. I want to argue—we should keep moving! What if something finds us?!—but I am also really, really tired.

So, after looking around, Mama Wolf leads us to a spot on higher ground. It is open enough that we can see anything coming but still has some tree cover for shelter.

"This will do," Mama Wolf says, scanning the area. "It's a good vantage point. If anything tries to sneak up on us, we'll see it coming."

That does make me feel a little better.

Papa Wolf sighs as he settles down. "Alright, we can rest here. I'll keep watch."

Mama Wolf sits beside him, nodding. "I'll switch with you later. Can't have you falling asleep on the job."

Papa Wolf smirks. "Oh? Switching positions, huh? I wouldn't mind that."

Mama Wolf flicks her tail at him. "Careful what you wish for."

I blink.

…Wait.

What?

What are they even talking about? What does switching positions have to do with anything?!

I tilt my head, utterly baffled. But after a moment, I decide—I don't wanna know.

Ugh. Adults are so weird.

I shake my head, pushing aside whatever weirdness just happened between Mama and Papa Wolf. Not my problem. Probably. Hopefully. Maybe.

Before we settle down, Big Sister Wolf and Bigger Sister Wolf take out the food they gathered from our den along with the extra monkey meat. We eat in silence, everyone too tired to talk. The meat is tough and kind of gross, but food is food, and I'm not about to complain.

Once we're done, Mama Wolf moves to Brother Wolf's side and starts healing him again. He still looks pretty bad, but at least he's not groaning in pain anymore. Meanwhile, the Sisters waste no time curling up and going straight to sleep.

I yawn. My body feels heavy, exhaustion creeping in now that we're safe. Without another thought, I curl up too, letting sleep take me.

It's dark.

Really dark.

No dreams, no weird past life memories, just… nothing. I feel like I've been floating in this emptiness forever, and I don't like it. Maybe I forgot my dreams? Or maybe there really weren't any this time.

Then my eyes snap open—and I instantly wish they hadn't.

I can't move. I can't breathe.

Papa Wolf… is hanging in the air, impaled by horrible, spiky branches.

Oh gods—oh no—

Blood drips down his fur, soaking into the ground. His body twitches, his breathing shallow, a deep, pained growl rumbling from his chest. Behind him, something shifts. Something wrong.

The Green Stalker.

Its twisted, vine-like body writhes and coils, moving like it's alive. Like it's hunting.

I want to scream, but my throat locks up. My paws won't move. My heart is hammering so hard I think I might pass out.

Mama Wolf moves first. She lunges without hesitation, her claws slashing through the Green Stalker's tangled vines. The creature recoils, and the branches piercing Papa Wolf loosen just enough for him to drop to the ground.

Thud.

His body doesn't move.

The others wake up immediately. Big Sister Wolf, Bigger Sister Wolf, and Brother Wolf—who has recovered enough to fight—dive at the Green Stalker without a second thought. They surround it, tearing and biting, but I barely process any of it.

Because Mama Wolf is next to Papa Wolf, her paws trembling as she presses against his wounds. "Hold on," she whispers, voice thick with panic. Her mana flares—she's trying to heal him. She has to heal him.

But Papa Wolf stops her. His paw lifts weakly, pressing against her chest. "No," he rasps, barely getting the word out. "You've already used too much… You can't waste more."

Mama Wolf's ears pin back, her whole body shaking. "No—no, I can still—"

Papa Wolf growls weakly. "Run." His golden eyes, hazy with pain, lock onto hers with fierce determination. "Take the pack and run. I'll hold it back."

I still can't move.

Still can't breathe.

He's going to die.

Mama Wolf shakes her head so hard I think she might snap her neck. "No. I won't leave you behind!" Her voice cracks, her claws digging into the dirt as if holding onto him physically will keep him here.

Papa Wolf lets out a strained chuckle, but it sounds… wrong. Too weak. Too empty. "You're as stubborn as ever…" His eyes soften, though the pain never leaves them. "But you remember our promise, don't you?"

Mama Wolf freezes.

I don't like this. I really don't like this.

"The promise we made when we formed this pack," he continues, his voice quieter now. "No matter what happens… we do what's best for the pack." His breathing is shallow, but he still smiles. "And right now… the best thing you can do for the pack is to run."

Mama Wolf's whole body trembles. "Damn it…" she chokes out, looking like she wants to tear the world apart.

I want to scream. I want to tell her to fix this. To save him. To do something.

But there's nothing she can do.

Papa Wolf knows it.

And he's still smiling.

Because that's who he is.

The leader of our pack.

The protector.

And now…

The sacrifice.

Papa Wolf pushes himself up, blood dripping from his wounds, his legs wobbling like a newborn fawn, but his eyes—oh no, his eyes—are sharp with a fierce, terrifying resolve.

Then, before I can even process what's happening, he lunges at the Green Stalker, fangs bared, his entire body screaming defiance.

Mama Wolf's eyes blaze with grief, but she doesn't hesitate. "Run! Now!" she howls, her voice so sharp and commanding that it makes my fur stand on end.

Big Sister Wolf, Bigger Sister Wolf, and Brother Wolf freeze for just a second. They don't want to leave. None of us do. But then they see the look in Mama Wolf's eyes—the kind of look that says we don't have a choice.

And so they run.

I, on the other hand, do not run. I stand there like an absolute idiot, staring in horror as Papa Wolf clashes with the Green Stalker, his claws raking desperately against its vine-covered body. He's hurting it. I think. Maybe?

I do not want to leave him.

I can't leave him.

I am about to do something very, very stupid—like maybe run in there and… I don't know, bite the Green Stalker?—then Mama Wolf grabs me by the scruff.

"ACK—!"

Before I can even flail properly, I'm being carried away like a helpless pup. Which, okay, technically I am, but still! It's embarrassing!

The wind howls past us as we run, branches and leaves whipping against our fur. Or, well, against their fur. I'm not even running—I'm just dangling there like a sack of potatoes, getting bounced around while Mama Wolf sprints for dear life.

End of Chapter 13