As they walked for hours, Jaya and Sama finally reached a weathered tree, its bark etched with deep, crimson slashes. The red markings stretched along the trunks ahead like a silent warning. From this point on, it was no longer the periphery—this was the beginning of the inner forest, a dangerous threshold leading toward the heart of the forest, toward the core.
Jaya stopped and placed her palm gently on one of the red-marked trees. She turned her head to Sama with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Are you ready for an adventure?" she asked, flashing a bold smile.
Sama hesitated. His eyes scanned the dense forest ahead, the light barely piercing the canopy above. Shadows moved with the wind, playing tricks on his mind. But then he took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm ready," he said, though the uncertainty in his voice betrayed him.
Jaya grinned wider, clearly thrilled by the danger ahead. "Then let's go. The beasts won't hunt themselves."
They ventured deeper into the forest. The path became rougher, the foliage thicker. The light faded into a murky green, and the further they went, the quieter it got. Eventually, all the chirps and rustles vanished. No birds sang. No insects buzzed. The only sound was the crunch of their boots over twigs and the whisper of wind brushing through the treetops.
Sama's shoulders tensed. He glanced around nervously. "It's... too quiet."
Jaya didn't slow down. "It's the calm before the storm," she said casually, brushing a branch out of her way.
Then, just ahead, they came across a chilling sight. Scattered across a narrow glade were the corpses of beasts. A large boar-like creature lay lifeless on its side, blood dried into the earth around it. Its horns had been sawed off. Another, a feathered stag, was missing its hide entirely. A third carcass had been bled dry, its lifeless eyes wide open in terror.
Sama crouched beside one of them. "These aren't natural kills... Someone harvested them. Recently too. The wounds are fresh."
Jaya's gaze sharpened. "We're not the only ones out here. Keep your eyes open."
Suddenly, a sharp, piercing shriek tore through the silence. Sama jumped to his feet. His hand went to the hilt of his short blade.
"Did you hear that?" he whispered.
Jaya was already moving, her steps quick and light. "Come on."
Sama cursed under his breath but followed. They crept through the underbrush, ducking low. As they reached a clearing, they crouched behind a massive tree trunk.
There, in the clearing, a golden ox stood its ground. Its glistening coat shimmered even in the dim light. It snorted furiously, stomping its hooves. Blood trickled down its flanks from several gashes.
Circling it were three massive wolves, each one nearly a meter tall at the shoulder. Their grey fur was marred with scars, their muscles rippling beneath their hide. Their eyes glowed with a savage hunger.
One wolf lunged, aiming for the ox's neck. The ox twisted, horns catching the wolf in the ribs, flinging it several feet away. The second wolf charged in from the side, tearing into the ox's hind leg with powerful jaws.
The ox bellowed and kicked back hard, sending the wolf tumbling across the clearing. The third wolf darted in, managing to sink its teeth into the ox's shoulder.
The ox struggled, thrashing and spinning. Its golden coat was soon streaked with blood. Despite its strength, it was clearly losing ground. The wolves were coordinated, cunning—trained hunters.
Sama's face went pale. "Jaya, we need to get out of here. If those wolves notice us, we won't even know how we died."
Jaya's eyes were locked on the fight. Her breath was shallow, her gaze intense. "Don't be a pussy," she whispered. "Look at that ox. It's not backing down."
"That ox is dying," Sama hissed. "And so will we if we get caught here."
But Jaya didn't move. She watched as the ox, despite its wounds, caught one of the wolves mid-leap with a brutal charge. Its horns punctured the wolf's gut, lifting it off the ground and tossing it aside like a rag.
"One down," Jaya murmured.
"You're insane," Sama muttered. "Do you want to go down there and fight too?"
Jaya smirked. "Tempting."
As the two remaining wolves circled, the ox let out a low rumble. Blood dripped from its sides, but it stood tall. It charged again, aiming to break the circle, but one wolf dodged while the other latched onto its wounded leg. The ox stumbled.
"It won't last much longer," Sama said quietly.
"Then we see who wins," Jaya said. "And once the fight's over... we take what's left."
Sama stared at her. "You want to scavenge from that thing?"
"It's rare," she said. "Golden oxen are prized. Horns, fur, blood—even their meat is valuable. We came here for beasts, didn't we?"
Sama looked at her for a long moment, then back at the brutal fight unfolding in front of them. He sighed. "We better not get caught."
"Stay low and stay smart," Jaya whispered.
They watched as the last moments of the fight played out. The ox, with one final desperate roar, drove its horns into the chest of a charging wolf, collapsing at the same time. The wolf let out a choked whimper and fell.
The last wolf circled the dying ox slowly. Bloodied, panting, it looked for an opening.
The ox, breathing heavily, didn't move.
Then, the wolf lunged.
But the ox twisted at the last second, using the last of its strength to slam its head into the wolf's skull. The crack echoed through the trees.
Both creatures collapsed.
Silence returned.
Jaya stood. "Let's move."
Sama followed slowly, eyes darting. The air smelled like blood and sweat.
As they stepped into the clearing, the aftermath of the battle laid bare before them, Jaya said, "Let's make this worth the risk."
And with that, they moved to scavenge the golden ox—unaware of the watching eyes in the shadows beyond the trees.
---
They moved quickly toward the bodies, the stench of blood strong in the air. The golden ox lay slumped against a patch of crushed underbrush, its flanks rising and falling weakly. The three wolves sprawled around it, blood soaking into the soil, their limbs twisted in death—or what seemed like death.
Sama hesitated, his steps slow and eyes wide. "Jaya… what if they're not actually dead?"
His voice trembled, but his eyes were already scanning the corpses, the gleam of greed and ambition battling with fear. Rank 4 ferocious wolves… and a rank 5 golden ox. The price of their remains alone could buy months of comfort.
Jaya didn't reply at first. She was already crouching next to the ox, her eyes sharp, her senses alert. With a swift motion, she drew one of her sabers.
A shallow breath escaped the ox's nostrils.
Without hesitation, she plunged the blade deep into its thick neck. The golden ox jolted once—then stilled forever. Blood spurted and quickly pooled beneath it.
Then she turned to the wolves. "It's better to be safe than sorry."
One by one, she approached them, her steps silent and calculated. She drove her blade into the base of each skull. The sound of steel cracking bone echoed softly through the still forest.
Sama stood there, swallowing hard, his heart hammering.
"I guess… they're dead now," he muttered.
"They are now," Jaya replied, wiping her blade on a patch of moss before sheathing it.
The wind rustled the leaves above them, a soft reminder that they weren't alone in these woods.
"Let's not waste time," Jaya said. "We take what we can, and we move. Quickly."
And with that, they knelt beside the fallen beasts, the air still heavy with danger.
---