Rik the Wolf :: Prologue Act 2: Azure Lake

The tribe looked on with jaws agape. A pack member leaving their native land and venturing into the world? Unheard of! The tribe elder, an old, amazing grey, approached the now sixteen-year-old wolf and looked him over with a warm and powerful gaze. His amber eyes looked incredibly young in comparison to the rest of the old wolf, and still, they maintained their ability to make tribesmen tuck their tails between their legs.

But something had changed in Rik over the years. Ever since the robots came and the giant egg floated into the sky that one fateful day eight years ago. The world was a much bigger place than any of the teachings within the Azure Lake zone. What little news did come from the outside painted only tiny slivers of the lands beyond the surrounding mountain ranges.

When word first made it into the valley about the Egg-Stratarestial species, inside the wolf erupted a volcano of whimsy and a burning desire to not only travel the world and catch these new, mysterious, and powerful species but to catch every fish species possible. A tall order, no doubt for any Mobian, let alone a single wolf living in one of the most secluded inland zones on the planet.

Now today, standing before the village elder and the rest of his tribe, Advrik “Rik” the Wolf was announcing his plans to depart the valley the following week at first dawn. The elder’s powerfully young-looking eyes finally locked with the much younger wolf’s crimson eyes. Advrik did not whimper, nor did he wince or tuck his tail. Not backing down to the village elder was a sign of maturity for his people. Something he realized long ago was just a little bit stupid.

Okay, it was very stupid. 

They lived in houses and bought their meals from the local grocery market, for cripe’s sake! A tribe, maybe, but they weren’t like the ancient race of Echidna from Angel Island that he’d read about. He had an air conditioner!

He wondered endlessly every night, following training sessions with Master Yip the Fox or during an extended late-night battle with a giant carp upriver. Was what he was doing going to set a bad precedent for those with children who wanted to follow the tribe’s ancient—and quite frankly severely outdated—ways? It would be spitting in the face of all those who helped raise him, but it was that fact and that fact alone that further bolstered his decision to stand before the elder now with his declaration to leave the tribe.

He wasn’t one of them. Not factually, anyhow. He had been found as a baby near the eastern mountain pass, all alone, wrapped up in a blanket. No sign of his family was ever found, nor did anyone ever come to the valley in search of them. So he was raised by the tribe as a whole, everyone contributing their wisdom to his teachings. His past had never been sugarcoated, but they hoped he would feel as if he was one of them just the same.

And he did… up until he didn’t. The Death Egg had cracked open his whole worldview, and if the reports were true, then he was highly unlikely to be the only one going out and taking up arms against the evil doctor and his robot army.

The elder exhaled and lowered his head. “I’m getting too old for this crap.” He laughed as he hobbled away. “Go, do as you wish. We won’t stop you. All I ask is you do one thing, young Advrik.”

Rik’s ears perked up. “Yes, elder?”

“Make us proud. You’re an exemplary young wolf and are capable of doing wonderful things, so for our sake, please do just that.” 

One week later…

The entire village turned out for Advrik’s departure. A crowd of over a hundred wolves crowded around the village’s southern exit and halted before a solitary figure donning a straw hat and a rucksack slung over his shoulder.

“Well, this is it, everyone. I know I stumbled over saying it in a long, drawn-out speech last night at the gathering, but thank you all for what you’ve done for me. From taking me in when I was a baby and raising me as your own. Thank you so, so much.”

A small figure emerged from the crowd, ears as large as his head standing on end. The middle-aged fox wore a kung-fu uniform and was accompanied by two escorts at his back.

“Master Yip!” Rik greeted the martial arts master with a bow, “Thank you for coming to see me off, master. I’m sorry that I’m not going to get to finish my training—“ The wolf was cut off mid-sentence by a gloved palm held inches away from his face.

“Apologies are not necessary, young Advrik. You have been a fine student and one of the few to actually take my teachings seriously…” He glanced over his shoulder as a few of the younger onlookers disappeared back into the crowd. “Hence why I am here to see you off and present to you a parting gift from us at the Azure Lake School of Kung-Fu.” 

The fennec fox was handed a box that was almost as long as Advrik was tall. Presenting the lacquered case to his soon-to-be-former student, the top swung open and revealed the contents within. 

“Oh master, this is wonderful… Is it really for me?” 

Master Yip nodded and gestured for the wolf to step forward.

Inside, cushioned on a fine velvet pillow, was a bo staff like the ones Advrik had trained with so often at the dojo, but of much higher quality and craftsmanship. The staff was painted rippling blue, an obvious nod to the surface of Azure Lake and coated in a powerful sealant to ensure paint stays.

Holding the staff aloft, the difference between it and the ones he used for training was immediately apparent. It felt powerful and sturdy. He’d have no problem destroying a robot with this, no problem.

As the young wolf fell into a stance to quickly demonstrate his abilities to his master, the fennec quickly stepped into the middle of the performance and managed to disarm him with minimal effort and at lightning-fast speeds. “Taught you much I have, but obviously not all of it has stuck.”

Walking away with the bo staff, Advrik looked on in astonishment. He doubted he’d ever be as good as Master Yip, no matter how much he trained. 

The old fox reached to the top of the staff and slid something back, revealing a hidden compartment he hadn’t noticed until now! 

“Master, what is that?” Advrik asked as the truth revealed itself:  A long stretch of fishing line fell out of the tip of the staff, the end tied onto an average-sized fishing hook and sinker combo. “Wait, now I’m confused. Is it a fishing pole, or is it a bo staff?”

Master just laughed and said: “A little of both, pup. A prototype, if you will. A Fishtaff, we called it. It doubles as both a fishing pole and a bo staff. Perfect for you and your mission, don’t you think?”

The sun was finally cresting the mountain, signaling to Advrik and the crowd of onlookers that it was time to hit the road. Standing there in front of the village that helped raise him, tears began to swell. He’d see them all again, he promised, and that if Robotnik or any of the baddies he had working for him ever set foot in the valley, he’d come rushing back as fast as he could. 

He hit the road, the sun’s first rays rising to meet him as he set off for the biggest fishing adventure anyone on Mobius had ever undertaken. Little did he know the danger the path he walked was about to lead him into.