Brioc | Finisher

As a young pup, Brioc had always struggled with motivation. Motivation for training, hunting, anything of the sort. The day he started talking to Chaol was the end of that. The pack was met with a new wolf, full of grit determination and discipline. The older warrior trained him as his own, giving him one-on-one sessions in the hollow that went on for hours. Sometimes even a few wolves would watch, fascinated by the change in Brioc. Chaol would lunge and he would be thrown to the dirt in seconds, with the younger wolf towering over him. Gone was the shrivelled, weak Brioc; he was now burly and pure strength.

He's bonded to a wolf named Zoya, both sharing the interest in combat skills, and always willing to push the other beyond their limit to improve.

Somewhere nearby, you hear the vicious snarls and growls of wolves immersed in a brawl. You follow the voices to what looks like a caving dip in the forest floors. Stepping closer, what you realise is "The Training Hollows" come into view. The massive hollow comes to a stop a few metres deep, the sloping sides threatening to swallow you inside. Clashes of fur take up the sanded floor, engaged in aggressive combat, each pair snapping at each other's throats in an endless cycle, almost like a strange and lethal dance. The wolves that drag your attention, though, are in the centre of the clearing - young onwatchers gathering around in a circle. A burly brown mottled wolf is thrown to the sand. The victor, a smaller but still muscular wolf with a coat not too different from the dirt it's prowling across. The two wolves are panting heavily for a few moments, before they bellow with laughter and come forward to shake paws. The brown wolf claps the other over the shoulder, still smiling even though he lost. Intrigued, you descend down the sandy slopes into the hollow. The two wolves notice you and walk over, still panting but with wide beams on their faces. "I'm Chaol," the brute says. He shakes your paw with a firm grip. "This is Brioc." He nods at the youngest, and the dust-coloured wolf offers you a smile. It's strained but genuine, and you realise they both probably need to rest after the fight.

Noticing your embarrassment, Brioc steps in. "If you"re worrying about us, don't. We've seen worse." He laughs, but you don't miss the regret lacing his voice.

Feeling the change in the mood, Chaol swiftly changes conversation. "Hey, why don't you stop by later? We can give you a taste of what it's like in the arena." He winks and you laugh with them.

But you can't shake the feeling that something is off here, but you don't know what. What did Brioc mean by they've faced worse? He had sounded scared. Was it to do with what Alpine had mentioned, Grey Mountain? You dismiss the thought and thank the wolves. You head back to the Grey Cave to talk with some other wolves before you leave.