Leo's world disintegrated into heat and agony.
The fire raged behind him, devouring the forest in hungry flames, their tongues of fire licking up the boles of the trees to leaping, grotesque shadows. Every breath seared his lungs, filling them with ash and smoke. His flesh burned, his shoulder throbbed where the fiery branch had struck him, and still—he fled.
For behind him, still something stirred.
A rough, raspy snarl sliced through the noise of the burning flames.
Leo risked a glance over his shoulder, and his stomach twisted in horror.
The Bloodclaw survived.
The monstrous creature staggered through the flames, its once great form now charred and unrecognizable. Its once red coat was now scorching and mottled, wisps of smoke curled from its charred hide. **Its crippled front leg trailed uselessly behind, but still—**despite being on death's door—it refused to fall.
And it was still coming for him.
Leo's legs screamed with pain, but he forced himself forward, charging madly through the burning trees.
He had to reach the river.
If not, he was dead.
The woods were deteriorating around him.
The flames had already surpassed control, boughs plunging in raging showers as they consumed the burning trees. Fumes filled the air and turned it thick and suffocating, each puff a fight for breath. Leo's vision muddled, yet he pushed through.
His mind wrestled up a plan of action.
Fight was out of the question. His body was already at its breaking point—his arms ached, his legs pounded with lead weights, and every muscle in his body begged for rest. His spear remained clutched in his right hand, yet what was the point against an enraged animal that would not relent?
There was really only one method to put this to end, and that was the river.
If he reached there first, he had a chance.
He kept his gaze ahead—trees were getting scarcer. He was nearly there. A bit more.
Then, in a flash—
A cracking sound behind him.
Leo barely had time to shift when something struck him from the back.
The world spun—he was off center, plummeting through the earth. The impact sent electric shocks of pain through his burned skin, and he came close to blacking out on the spot.
A threatening growl came from behind him.
Leo's breath caught in his throat as he spun around.
The Bloodclaw towered over him.
It was on its last legs—but it didn't need to be.
It just needed to kill him first.
The beast staggered forward, mouth wide, revealing burned, broken teeth.
Leo reacted instinctively.
He plunged his spear upward, targeting the beast's blind spot on the left.
The tip struck the Bloodclaw's smoldering hide, deep into the already-injured muscle. The creature let out a sickening, gurgling roar, stumbled back far enough for Leo to spring to his feet.
His vision whirled—limbs thrashing through water. He was dangerously near passing out.
But there wasn't time.
He stepped back, legs barely holding.
Then—a blur of motion off to the side.
Leo barely perceived it before something slammed into his back.
But this time, it was neither teeth nor claws.
It was fur.
The baby wolf.
Leo's eyes went wide with shock as the cub rushed to tackle him just in time to send him out of reach of the Bloodclaw.
The crippled body of the beast slammed forward, unable to arrest itself.
Leo landed on the ground, gasping. His head jerked toward the Bloodclaw just in time to watch it fall.
The now-former great predator twitched feebly, its scorched body finally exhausting itself.
Then, for the first time since the fight started—
It lay still.
For a moment, Leo sat there.
His ears rang with the hiss of the fire, his head spinning from it.
Was it over?
No time. The river.
With what little strength remained, Leo pushed himself up, took the cub in his arms, and staggered toward the riverbank.
The moment his foot landed in the freezing water, his body collapsed.
The cub whimpered, holding itself around him.
Leo barely perceived it. His vision was clouding. His body was beyond reaction.
The last he heard—before the darkness overwhelmed him—
The approaching footsteps.