Warhammer: Start with a dog.

Chapter 767 Interlude 5: With His Loyal Animal Friends
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"What the hell! Why isn't he awake! Old man, don't come here to cause trouble if you haven't sorted out your own fate and karma!"

Conrad Coz tightened his limbs and tail, hugged his brother's head, and tried to swat Horus's face with his claws, but Horus's eyes were unfocused and he just kept making climbing and walking motions in the air.

The pigeon, held tightly in Horus's hand, had its eyes bulging and its beak open, clearly struggling to breathe. It could only kick its claws a couple of times to indicate that it was still alive.

Horus, who was in a trance-like state, stumbled and struggled so much because of the gray wolf that blocked his way, tripped him, and led him onto a path that circled a screen of light.

"Why haven't you woken him up yet!" Gray Wolf complained. "His knee is hurting my ribs!"

"Just bear with it!" Koz said sternly. "Do your own thing and don't let him run around!"

"Seriously, aren't you starting to sound a bit like Guilliman now? This place has no boundaries... wait, are there?"

"It didn't exist before, and it doesn't exist now."

"Then why did you make me stop Lupecal? It doesn't matter where he goes in this borderless land."

“But who told someone to ‘think’ there might be some spring, field, or hut here? We absolutely can’t let Horus find out!” Coz hissed. “Besides, the view outside is right here, and we’ll have to find it again later.”

"Oh, I understand. Then hurry up and wake him up!"

"You think I don't want to?!"

"Pinch his philtrum!"

"Where did you learn about this method?!"

"Try pinching the ancient technique taught by Lamizain!"

"All right……"

The black and white cat muttered, trying its best not to let its claws spring out—they were still too long and sharp, leaving small, quick-healing, stinging wounds on Horus's face—then it held the warlord's head and reached for his philtrum.

Just as the cat's paw was about to touch him, Horus Lupecal suddenly let out a scream—or rather, a wail—that they had never expected to hear from their brother before—the heart-wrenching roar of a wounded beast.

So Coz naturally flicked out a small claw tip.

Then the sharp claws slashed Horus's philtrum.

The excruciating pain in that area caused Zhan Shuai Haisong's green eyes to momentarily dart away from the horrific scene he was witnessing.

The gray wolf, who was observing him, immediately noticed this and forcefully bumped Zhan Shuai's knee with his shoulder, hoping to make him regain his senses after falling.

Well... I can only say that some people's talents can always play an unexpected role in unexpected places.

Horus Lupecal did regain his senses, but not because the cat pinched his philtrum or the wolf bumped his knee.

When the gray wolf knocked him down, he happened to fall into the field of vision of the light screen that was always circling around him.

So when he realized he was getting closer and closer to Roger Dorn's face, the look of terror in his eyes becoming increasingly obvious, it was too late to close his eyes.

Then a flash of insight struck his mind: they were now spying on the outside world under the guise of "Petulabo".

In such a state of profound grief and shock, Horus Lupecal made the following choice:

“Aa ...

"Coo coo coo coo coo!!!!"

"Grab him before he gouges out his own eyes!!!!"

"Do you even have hands? Go grab me!!"

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When Horus Lupecal awoke once more, all he saw was a chaotic void... Oh, no, there were three pairs of eyes staring at him from above.

Pigeons, cats, and gray wolves.

The last images of his brother that he saw before losing consciousness flooded his mind like a tidal wave. He howled and clutched his head, curling up on the bed like a baby, trying to escape this eerie and torturous place...

Wait a moment.

bed?
This new discovery made Horus sit up immediately.

Yes, a bed, the style of which is not like the kind used in the imperial palace, but it is not like the simple style of his own bedroom either.

But it was comfortable, and clearly someone had used it—his gaze observed the normal wear and tear on the sheets, pillows, and blankets.

Not only that, someone had covered him with a blanket while he was unconscious, and now the blanket is slipping off his body.

He turned his head and looked around, and found that there was some new furniture in the place: the bed he was on, the large armchairs on both sides of the bed with comfortable fabric covering the surface, the table in the center with several boxes and tea sets, and a small lamp that softly emitted colorful light.

After seeing these very everyday and realistic things, Horus did feel a subtle sense of peace, like a "human instinct," welling up in his soul.

He moved his legs and found that the gray wolf sitting at the foot of the bed was pressing down on the blanket, while the cat sat beside him. A pigeon gently flew up and landed on his shoulder. He stretched out his finger, and the pigeon hopped onto his finger and looked at him.

"...Were you the ones who were protecting me just now?"

Horus met the gaze of the white dove with its dark, blood-red eyes. Although the dove said nothing, Horus suddenly had an epiphany.

"Did you find these furniture and items too?"

The cat started to lie down and yawn, the pigeon remained a pigeon, and the gray wolf turned its head away and lay down nonchalantly.

Horus suddenly pounced on the unsuspecting gray wolf.

Pigeons took flight in fright, cats puffed up their feathers, and mattresses creaked.

The gray wolf let out a howl and sprang to its feet, leaping off the bed to dodge Zhan Shuai's attack. After landing, it licked its nose and paced around, looking nervous and somewhat confused.

"Feel sorry."

Zhan Shuai muttered to himself thoughtfully, while simultaneously reaching out to mend relations with Gray Wolf. "I always feel like if I suddenly scare you, you'll start talking."

“I must have been too distracted by those illusions.” He forced a laugh. “Ha, they must all be illusions… How could it be? The spirit of vengeance has fallen to this state, while my brother’s legions have turned their guns on me, and Saint Gilles…”

Horus choked for a moment, and the pigeon hopped onto his shoulder again, pecking at him gently, while receiving the death stares of the wolf and the cat.

"...Who was it? Who destroyed my flagship? Who murdered my brothers? Who possesses such dark and powerful forces that neither Saint Gilles nor my offspring could come to prepare his... remains?"

The mere thought of the mad, grotesque, and repulsive ritualistic image of Saint Gilles being nailed made Horus's heart clench, making it hard to breathe.

The sound of blood flowing amplified in his eardrums, and his vision blurred in waves.

"Coo coo." It was a pigeon pecking at his head. Then his numb fingers felt the touch of cat fur. The gray wolf came over and carefully jumped onto the bed and snuggled up to him.

"..."

The nameless orphan deep in the Kzunia mines is now surrounded by soft blankets, pillows, and warm animals.

"……Thanks."

He reached out and hugged the gray wolf's thick fur body—the wolf didn't run away when he hugged it, but it shuddered, a very real and interesting reaction.

Then the view on the screen drew his attention again.

(End of this chapter)