Chilling Adventures in the North

The wolf takes a couple of steps forward. It arches its back, lowers is head and bares its teeth, continuing to growl.

"I don't think it is interested in making friends," Bjorn comments. "Anyone got any meat?"

Bjorn then beings to pat his pockets searching for anything to throw to the wolf as he takes a couple of steps back.

Shad thinks about his rations. He worries that sharing dried fish with the wolf would reveal his location. If he has any, however, he will share it.

Whether or not he has meat, he will equip his shield.  

Dang wolves are just like the worst dogs, he thinks.

Qinfaren sighs.

"He's too hungry to make friends," he says. 

He reaches into his back to find the dried rations in there. He takes out a piece of jerky and tosses it to the dire wolf. 

"It's not fresh but you might like it," Qinfaren says using Speech of Beast and Leaf to convey the meaning to the animal.

The wolf stops growling for a moment to sniff at the dried strip of meat. However, it turns its head away from the jerky in disgust. Before turning its head towards Qinfaren and growling again.

"I don't think it is keen on the idea of eating dried meat."

"It's a bit chewy," Qinfaren says. "I'll give him that. But it does help take the edge off."

Qinfaren looks to the others.

"Want to try the other caves further up? He doesn't look like he's going to attack, but I don't think he'll just let us set up camp here either."

"Yeah, back out real slow," Arogna says. "Keep your heads down." She does as she has just advised, sidling back towards the mouth of the cave.

Just as you all starting back away, the wolf pounces forward getting ready to attack.

(Roll for initiative.
Wolf: 9
Bjorn: 15)

Shad's initiative: 10

"Don't do it, wolf," he whispers. Too late, he thought of Thaumaturgy and trying to make the sound of a wounded seal or something to draw the wolf out of the cave. But it probably would have returned here even if it was fooled.

Qinfaren Initiative: 13  

Arogna's initiative: 13

(Order: Shad, Bjorn, Qinfaren, Arogna, and the wolf)

The wolf's leg muscles flex and Shed knows that means it will leap toward them. From hiding, he fires his crossbow: 13 to hit for 6 damage. He wishes it had just eaten the jerky. 

Shad aims his crossbow at the wolf. The bolt flies through the air piercing the creature's side.

Bjorn, not wanting to kill the wolf and understanding that it is just likely defending its home, backs away from the wolf. But will prepare to fire an arrow at the wolf if it gets too close.

(OOC: My efforts to edit the language of my last post triggered the red banner. Sorry.)

(Yeah, it's better to keep dice rolls on a separate line.)

Qinfaren sees Shad's crossbow bolt pierce the large wolf's side and then sees Bjorn back away.

"Bjorn," Qinfaren calls. "This is a hungry and now angry, injured animal. I don't want to kill it but I don't think we have a choice anymore."

Qinfaren steps forward, his left hand holding his shield and staff, his fingers running along the wrapped mistletoe, his free right hand held out in front.

"Flamma ferrum," Qinfaren says.

A curve of flame appears in Qinfaren's hand, looking like a burning scimitar. He steps forward and slashes out with it at the wolf.

Bonus Action: Casts Flame Blade  

Action: Attack with flame scimitar: Attack: 7 Damage: 10  

Arogna lets out a curse and swings her hammer at the wolf, not without an admiring glance at the flame sword. "Neat."

Warhammer 2h 18 to hit for 13 damage

Qinfaren's flame blade strikes the wolf on the head. A smell of burning hair and flesh fills the air. The wolf yelps out in pain. Arogna follows this up with a blow from her hammer. A sound of broken ribs is heard as the impact lands.

The wolf now badly injured turns to flee to the back of cave to recover from the fight.

(OA allowed for Qinfaren and Arogna if they desire.)

“Stay back there wolfie, no body wants to kill you.” Qinfaren says.

If the wolf stays cowering in the back, Qinfaren will make for the entrance of the cave and climb up to the next cave entrance 10’ further up.

"Yeah, we'll go find another cave," Arogna says, slinging her hammer. She backs away slowly towards the entrance.