NOVEL WEB Chapter 170: Carnage
For the next half hour, he combed the area in a fan-shaped pattern, using both tracking and detection spells. The results were discouraging—no signs, no clues, nothing to indicate the werewolf's movements. Undeterred, he Apparated back to the crossing and turned his attention upstream. Apparition was a skill Alex had spent months mastering under Professor Flitwick's guidance. Though advanced for a student, it gave him a crucial edge, allowing him to explore the Forbidden Forest alone while maintaining an escape plan for emergencies.
Barely a kilometer upstream, Alex stumbled upon something unusual. In a small clearing, the signs were unmistakable: a struggle had occurred. A wild deer lay gutted on the forest floor, its lifeless body a grim testament to the predator's savagery. Deep claw marks marred its neck and torso—distinct, jagged wounds that matched the werewolf tracks Alex had seen earlier.
The carcass was close to the river, just ten meters from the water's edge. There, faint traces of the werewolf's scent lingered—weak, but enough to confirm its presence. "So, it swam upstream before coming ashore," Alex concluded, crouching beside the remains. "That explains why there were no signs near the crossing."
Judging by the state of decay, the deer had been killed within the past day. Yet the werewolf had attacked a Hippogriff two days earlier. Alex pieced together the timeline: the creature had rested here, hunted for food, and moved on. Encouraged, he realized the werewolf couldn't be far.
Alex wasn't just chasing the werewolf to ensure the safety of the Forbidden Forest's outskirts. He also saw this as an opportunity to study the creature. Werewolves, with their erratic behavior and unique biology, fascinated him. Adding their traits to his research would be invaluable.
Still, caution was paramount. Werewolves were unpredictable, and the closer he got, the more dangerous the hunt became. As Alex surveyed the area, his sharp eyes caught something unusual—a broken arrow lodged in the deer's flank. Carefully pulling it free, he examined it. "This isn't a modern arrow," Alex noted, running his fingers along the crude shaft. "Handcrafted. And this… this isn't human-sized. Too bulky. Could it belong to a centaur?"
The possibility raised Alex's guard. Centaurs, the reclusive inhabitants of the Forbidden Forest, were notoriously wary of humans. Hagrid often spoke fondly of them, but his stories also revealed their hostility towards wizards. While classified as sentient beings by the Ministry, centaurs bristled at such labels, finding the concept of human governance insulting. "If centaurs were hunting the deer… could they have encountered the werewolf too? If so, maybe they killed it."
This revelation complicated matters. Dealing with a werewolf was one thing, but crossing paths with territorial centaurs could escalate into an entirely different problem. After weighing his options, Alex made his decision. "I'll follow the trail for now. If the centaurs got to the werewolf, I'll back off immediately. No need to start trouble."
The trail seemed to follow a path filled with twists and turns, but it was clear it was heading in a fixed direction, as if something unseen was pulling it forward. Although Alex couldn't figure out why the werewolf had suddenly changed its behavior, he could feel an unusual sense of urgency. Without hesitation, he quickened his pace. After another hour of tracking, the gap between them was noticeably shrinking.
Alex could now clearly see the werewolf's footprints—deep and erratic, switching between bipedal and quadrupedal movement. The pattern felt raw and untamed, unlike the controlled movements of a lycanthrope-infected human. This creature seemed more primal, more wolf than man. But as the sun dipped below the horizon, Alex realized he wouldn't make it back to Hogwarts before dark. Deciding it was safer to inform someone, he activated his communication amulet and sent a quick message to Hagrid, assuring him he was fine and would be staying out for the night.
With that settled, he pressed forward at full speed. Strange clues began appearing as he advanced—additional footprints not far from the werewolf's trail. A closer inspection confirmed his suspicion: these were hoofprints. And not just one or two. Multiple sets. "Centaurs," Alex muttered under his breath, his brow furrowing. The hoofprints led ahead of the werewolf tracks, but what was puzzling was the werewolf's behavior—it was chasing the centaurs.
Centaurs were powerful creatures, skilled in combat and magic. They weren't the type to flee from a werewolf, especially not in groups. A thought crept into Alex's mind, irrational yet persistent, ;Why would this werewolf be so bold? Was it being compelled or driven by something more dangerous?'
Pushing aside his doubts, Alex sped up. The footprints told their story clearly now, and he no longer needed magic to track them. His pursuit turned into a full-on sprint.
Soon, something unexpected caught Alex's eye. New werewolf tracks appeared, merging with the original trail. He stopped abruptly, examining the scene where the trails intersected. Switching to non-locking mode on his tracking spell, Alex uncovered fresh details. The new set of tracks came from the depths of the woods, cutting in to join the lone werewolf. From the footprints, he estimated there were four additional werewolves, all moving like wolves rather than humans.
And then he saw it—human footprints, large and clearly belonging to a tall man. "Who's this?" Alex murmured, crouching to inspect them closer. "A leader? A companion? Or maybe another victim?"
The more he thought about it, the more complicated the situation seemed. If these werewolves were under someone's command, it could mean there was an organized group involved. That would be a serious problem. His hand subconsciously hovered over his wand.
Adding to the mystery, faint traces of blood energy lingered along the werewolves' path—strong and recent. "Did they have a fight before this? Or were they hunting something?" Alex wondered aloud, weighing his options. He was torn. Continuing the chase without knowing more felt reckless. If there were more werewolves than he'd accounted for, he could easily find himself overwhelmed.
Deciding it was better to investigate the source of the werewolves, Alex buried a locator amulet at the intersection for later use. He could Apparate back to this spot if needed. Then, with his decision made, he set off in the direction the werewolves had come from. Activating the all-terrain and speed-enhancing charms on his phase shoes, Alex darted through the forest with practiced ease. He leapt over rocks and trees, scanning the ground for clues while keeping his movements as silent as possible.
After covering two or three kilometers, the blood energy in the air thickened, a sure sign he was closing in on something significant. He slowed down, cautious of running headlong into danger. With a flick of his wand, he conjured a flock of ravens and sent them ahead to scout.
Through the shared vision of the ravens, Alex finally spotted something. He froze, staring at the scene through their eyes. A clearing stretched out ahead, the grass stained deep red. In the center lay a broken, bloodied figure. Splintered wood was scattered around it, remnants of what seemed to have been a wooden box. The sight was grisly, the kind of carnage that sent a shiver down even the bravest spine.