These weren't the jumps of a desperate predator driven by hunger or territorial instinct that was behind Zhao.
They were those from apex predators with too much time and power, they had moved into the realm of recreational violence.
The feline appeared in his peripheral vision, moving from trunk to trunk with speed that seemed impossible for its size.
Zhao didn't stay to see how interested the creature was in him.
He flew.
The long flight that followed was a nightmare of speed and terror. The "playful" Cat wasn't just fast; it was intelligent. It anticipated Zhao's movements, cutting angles and using the positioning of the forest "trees" to shorten distances.
Each leap covered impossible long distances, the creature's enhanced musculature allowing it to treat the massive trunks like stepping stones. Its claws found purchase on surfaces that should have been too smooth to grip, and its reflexes anticipated Zhao's evasive maneuvers with uncanny accuracy.
