There was a vast difference between a man and a dog, as this moment made clear.
The Monster Wolf was his little dog.
Ruger teased the Bald Monster Wolf lying on the ground. The wolf lay on the illuminated side, while the bald Bearer remained in the darkness, deeply enjoying his excellent sleep. The Chains still bound him. After the man fell asleep, Ruger had ordered the wolf to dispel the restraints, then bite him again. The signs of loosening he had felt earlier, and all the joy they had brought him, had come to nothing in his sleep.
A stone traced an arc through the air, and the wolf opened his great jaws, caught it precisely, and swallowed it.
A closer look would have revealed that it was a small, standard-sized magic stone.
Ruger rubbed his chin and studied the bald wolf Oddity lying on the ground. Only four of his six legs still worked properly, and they were not even symmetrically positioned. His filthy coat had been given a cursory wash, but he looked even uglier afterward. Removing the grime only emphasized the wretched state of his patchy fur.
What Ruger was doing now was attempting to feed him. He had already tried various things, and the wolf's responses differed. He ate magic stones most readily, but swallowing them produced no visible change in the bald wolf.
After some thought, Ruger took out the Blood Crystals he had obtained in the Abyss, selected a high-quality piece, and casually tossed it over.
The wolf lifted his head and swallowed it again.
Ruger watched him, and he tilted his great head, facing Ruger with his hollow, lonely eye sockets.
The two shared a strange moment of eye contact.
Ruger scratched his head and took out a grain of Golden Sand,