Callum crouched low in the underbrush, watching his target. It was a small, scaly creature—something called a "rock crawler"—scuttling around the base of a tree. It was slow, sluggish, and clearly not much of a threat. Perfect for a quick hunt.
He took a deep breath, preparing himself. The moss beneath his talons was damp, his body still sore from his last few hunts, but he couldn't afford to rest. Not yet. The rock crawler was within range.
He tensed, ready to spring, when a movement caught his eye.
A shadow passed over him, dark and fast. His instincts flared. Something else was nearby.
Callum froze, his heart pounding. He couldn't see it, but he could feel it. The forest had gone eerily silent. The rustling of the leaves, the chirping of insects—it was all gone, replaced by a suffocating stillness.
He slowly turned his head, scanning the trees above. The forest canopy was thick, but through the gaps, he saw it.
A figure. Sleek, with fur like midnight, and eyes that gleamed a feral yellow. It was crouched on a high branch, watching him.
A panther.
Callum's blood ran cold. He had no idea what this creature was capable of, but something about its predatory gaze made every instinct in his body scream that it was dangerous—far beyond anything he had encountered before.
His wings twitched nervously. He needed to move, but he couldn't quite bring himself to turn away. The panther's eyes were locked on him, and it was as if the entire forest had paused, waiting for him to make a move.
Taking a deep breath, he focused his mind.
Analysis.
[Steel-Clawed Panther
Level: 8
HP: 80/80
Strength: 12
Endurance: 10
Agility: 15
Skills: [Steel Claws] [Pounce]
Weakness: None detected]
Callum's heart sank. It was three levels higher than him. And that agility—it was off the charts. Even if he ran, there was no guarantee he'd get away.
Fear gnawed at his insides. He didn't want to face this creature head-on. He needed to leave. Now.
Without another thought, he spun on his heels and bolted.
The underbrush cracked underfoot as he shot forward, his wings helping him glide as he darted through the trees. His breath came in sharp gasps, the rush of wind in his feathers deafening in his ears. But as he glanced over his shoulder, he saw the panther leaping from tree to tree, its speed terrifyingly precise.
It was gaining on him.
Callum's wings pumped harder, but the panther was relentless, closing the distance between them with every bound. His thoughts were racing—he needed to find cover. A way to lose it.
He couldn't outrun it. His best chance was to outsmart it.
Ahead, he saw a dense thicket of bushes. He could dive into the undergrowth, maybe lose the panther in the maze of foliage. If he could just get to it…
He pushed himself harder, his legs aching with the effort, his talons scraping against the earth. His breath burned in his chest, his muscles protesting the strain, but there was no choice. He had to make it.
Just as he reached the thicket, the panther lunged. Callum barely managed to leap to the side in time, but the panther's claws raked across his side, sending a searing pain through his body. He yelped but kept moving, his wings pulling him to safety as he slid into the thicket.
The panther skidded to a halt behind him, its eyes burning with rage. It prowled at the edge of the thicket, its claws scratching against the trunks of nearby trees. Callum's heart thudded in his chest, the pain in his side making it hard to focus. He couldn't stay here long. The panther was smarter than he was, and it would find a way in.
His mind raced. He needed a plan. He needed a distraction.
A thought hit him—he could make noise. The panther was already closing in on him, but he might be able to use the terrain to his advantage. He remembered the rock crawler, the small, scaly creature he had been about to hunt. It was still nearby.
With a burst of energy, Callum darted from the thicket, heading back toward where he had seen the rock crawler. He couldn't hear the panther's movements over the blood pounding in his ears, but he knew it was close. He reached the spot where the rock crawler had been, but it was gone.
A growl rumbled behind him.
Callum froze.
The panther was there, crouched low, ready to pounce. Its body coiled like a spring.
It lunged.
The force of the panther's leap knocked Callum to the ground, its claws sinking into his wing. Pain exploded in his mind, and he screamed, trying to push it off. His body was heavy, his movements sluggish from the fear and the wounds.
But then, just as the panther's jaws closed around his neck, another roar filled the air.
From the forest floor, a massive shape emerged—a wild boar, larger than any Callum had seen before. It charged toward the panther, tusks gleaming and eyes full of fury. The panther, startled by the sudden appearance of this new enemy, spun around just in time to meet the boar's tusks head-on.
The impact was thunderous, and the panther was sent tumbling backward, its claws raking the dirt in an attempt to regain its balance. The boar stood its ground, tusks ready for another strike.
Callum, still shaken, scrambled to his feet. The boar and panther locked in a vicious struggle, neither backing down. Callum's mind was a blur of panic and adrenaline. He didn't have time to waste. This was his chance.
He took a breath, forcing his wings to carry him as he darted away, weaving through the trees. The sound of the battle grew distant, but his legs refused to stop. He didn't dare look back, not until he was sure he had put enough distance between himself and the carnage.
The forest around him seemed to press in, the trees towering overhead as if to shield him from what had just occurred. Callum's breath was ragged, his side aching, his mind a tangled mess of fear, relief, and confusion. He had been lucky, no doubt about it.
It was only when the sounds of the fight had faded into the distance that he slowed, his wings trembling with exhaustion. His pulse still throbbed in his ears, but the fear was starting to dissipate, replaced by a gnawing sense of dread.
He had almost died today. The panther had nearly taken him. His wings and his instincts had saved him—but just barely. Callum realized, in that moment, just how dangerous this world could be. And for the first time, he understood that being strong might not be enough. He had to be smarter, too.
His side still burned with pain, and he looked down at the wound, seeing that the claw marks were deep but not fatal. He could heal from this. He had to.
But for now, he needed to rest. He couldn't think straight anymore, couldn't focus with the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.
Callum turned, making his way back to the nest. He needed to recover, gather his strength, and rethink his approach. Hunting had never been this dangerous before. But the forest had just taught him a painful lesson: he wasn't invincible. And if he wanted to survive, he needed to be more careful.
He wasn't ready to face that panther again. Not yet.