The moment the Bloodclaw's massive paw threatened to flatten the small wolf cub, Leo reacted instinctively alone. His fists gripped the nearest pointed stick, and before he even realized it, he had already hurled it with all the might he could. The stick landed on the Bloodclaw's side—not deep enough to injure, but just deep enough to catch it off guard.
The monstrosity let loose a guttural growl, briefly sidetracking its attention from the cub to Leo. That was all time little wolf needed to crabwalk his way backward in Leo's direction.
But Leo had not a second to register before the last remaining eye of the Bloodclaw locked on him.
Every inch of its frame went tensile.
Leo gritted his teeth, tightening his grip unconsciously on his spear. The creature wasn't just angry—this thing was chasing him now.
The Bloodclaw attacked.
Leo just rolled to the side in time, hearing the blast of air from its massive claws rush past his head by mere inches. He had seen this creature kill mature wolves like they were playthings—one blow, and he'd be annihilated as certain.
His mind spun, trying to devise an escape. He couldn't outrun it, not forever. And he sure as heck couldn't defeat it in a fair fight.
Then he spotted it.
The Bloodclaw's left flank was behind.
It was running a bit behind, its paces a fraction slower than the others whenever Leo moved left.
The biggest wolf that had struck it first—it must have crippled the Bloodclaw's left eye.
A blind spot.
Leo's heart was pounding. That was something. That was a plus.
The Bloodclaw charged again—Leo dodged to the left.
The bear turned more slowly, trying to pursue him, and that tiny lag was all the time Leo required to retaliate.
He thrust his spear, low for the Bloodclaw's unguarded side.
The point sank in, just grazing its thick hide, but deep enough to strike blood.
The Bloodclaw snarled in fury, slashing wildly with its claws. Leo leapt aside, the air splintering over his head as a claw raked bare inches from his hair.
But he wasn't going to have long to enjoy it. His arms were already aching from that one blow, and his breath came raggedly. He couldn't keep dodging.
So then a plan occurred to him.
His eyes flicked to the cliffside. The plants—the plants that glowed when he used God's Eye. He had read it before, paying little attention to it, but now he remembered their description.
Extremely flammable.
It was a risk. A huge risk.
But what could he do?
He started retreating, step by step, guiding the Bloodclaw towards the plants. If this worked, he might have a chance.
The Bloodclaw struck again—Leo barely had time to leap aside. His spear scraped along its hide as he dodged, but it was only a scratch this time.
But he had succeeded. He was where he was meant to be.
He dropped to one knee, pulled out the Ironstone and a loose stone from his pouch, and started clashing them together.
Nothing.
Again. Still nothing.
The Bloodclaw snarled, striking at him again.
Leo rolled out of the way, pounding heart. One last shot.
The monster bellowed and lifted its bulk, about to come crashing down on him.
Leo flung the stone—a spark.
The fire took immediately, blasting outward.
The Bloodclaw was stunned.
For the first time, Leo noticed something in its surviving eye that he never would have thought to see.
Fear.
The flames blazed, dancing up towards the sky, a living fire that consumed all in its path.
Leo took off and ran.
But the fire was faster.
The heat coursed up his back, and before he could even lift his legs, a burning arm dropped from overhead, slamming into him across the shoulder.
Pain. Pain beyond description.
Leo fought to keep running, his vision blurring, his lungs burning.
Behind him, the Bloodclaw was engulfed in flames.
Its screams of pain transformed into something else. Something raw. Something that no creature should ever sound like.
For the first time in its history, the apex predator was not the strongest animal in the forest.
The fire was.