It was a new day in Marigold as Tori awoke in the hotel as she had done for the past few days. She had been in town to fulfill any paying requests that the citizens might have to ask her, and so far it had been quite the profitable stay. She had made a few friends and possibly personal business contacts for future requests, so all in all, she was satisfied with her stay in town. Visiting a local market for anything that might be of use to her for work, she came up empty but did find some interesting little trinkets that she would take as keepsakes to remember her time in Marigold. After she left the market, she had no direction as she wandered aimlessly through town, keeping her ears to the ground, so to speak, for any problems that someone could need help with. Deciding to visit a tavern to get some good rumors, she overheard a conversation between some people at the door as they entered. They were talking about Farmer Jim and his livestock. She couldn't make out the fine details, but they mentioned something about a wolf. Before Tori could listen in further, she picked up on a familiar scent with her heightened senses. A smell of dirt, fuel, and...cabbage. Turning she saw Farmer Jim himself driving up the dirt road from the farmlands, sticking his head out the side and waving his arm, presumably to get her attention. Meeting him halfway, the machine stopped at the edge of the city streets where the ice mage met him. "What's up, Jimbo?" she asked, using the new nickname she just thought of. It had a nice ring to it and she planned on using it often if the old man didn't mind it.

"Thank goodness I found you. That blasted wolf hit me again last night and I've about had it. That varmint gets me for a sheep every few days and I can't take it no more. I've tried everything, Tori. I've locked the sheep in the barn, I've tried electrifying the fences, and I just can't deal with it anymore. Tori, I want you to use that magic of yours to deal with this wolf. I'm beggin' ya, Tori, this menace is starting to affect my livelihood." he pleaded with Tori, hoping she would say yes. Tori really didn't like the idea of killing a wild animal unless it harmed people, though. Sure, killing the sheep harmed Farmer Jim in a way, but at the end of the day, it is only doing what it has to do to survive. That is the circle of life after all. She sighed as she agreed. "Alright, Jim, I'll do it. But I want the record to show that I don't like it. I hate having to end lives unless there is absolutely no other way. I'm only agreeing to this because I understand having grown up on a farm." she said sternly, attempting not to sound rude, but expressing her concerns over the matter.

"I understand Tori, I really do. I've tried every humane thing I could think of, but I'm completely out of ideas. You know I wouldn't ask something like this of someone as kind hearted as you, but my kids and grandkids look to me to put food on the table and with what this wolf is doing, that task gets harder and harder every time it comes." he explained, which Tori completely understood. She just didn't like taking lives, animal or otherwise, unless there was no other option. The Dragon Slayer followed the old farmer as he explained the situation. Apparently the wolf comes just before sunset and only takes one sheep at a time. As predators do, it always goes after the weakest and the slowest sheep. The blonde was to stake out the livestock and hide within the flock, close to where the wolf enters into the gate. Jim had given Tori a wool suit to wear in order to disguise herself and to that end, she reluctantly did so. She waited at the entrance the wolf took for what seemed like hours, but after a short while, she started to pick up the unmistakable scent of canine. The wolf was very close, and getting closer by the second. Soon, it was in Tori's sight and right then and there, she almost walked away. This wolf was one of the most beautiful creatures she had ever seen with a coat as white as the undriven snow. It walked with a grace and majesty that she had rarely seen before. A tear trailed its way down Tori's cheek as she knew that it would never see its home ever again. It took a few steps into the enclosure and perused for its target, sniffing slightly.

Tori knew she had to act quickly or it would grab a hold of one of the sheep and Farmer Jim would not appreciate that one bit. "I'm sorry.." she whispered as she leapt from her hiding place and crossed her arms, forming an orb of magic in front of her chest. Separating her arms, she broke the orb into dozens of tiny shards that sped forward at the wolf, piercing its legs and preventing it from running, causing it to yowl in pain. She then dashed forward and enclosed her fist in a ball of solid ice and delivered a powerful blow to its back, breaking it and causing the wolf to emit the most deafening and sickening sound she had ever heard. She stood, about to deliver the wolf's body to the old man when she heard whimpering. "Oh gods it's still alive!" she thought to herself. It must have been in so much pain. She knelt down and formed her sword on her right arm, away from the wolf's eyes and she pet it in an attempt to make its last moments comfortable. One more short yelp could be heard as Tori pierced the animal's chest and damaging the heart, finally killing it. "I'm so sorry, poor thing." she said as it faded into the next world. She picked up the body and left it laying on the porch for Jim to find. She understood why it had to be done, but she couldn't let him see her like this. She knocked on the door and quickly left before he could answer it. She would leave a note telling him to deliver her pay to the hotel.

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