Victor's steps were quiet as he moved through the underbrush, his enhanced senses making him acutely aware of every sound and movement around him. The air was thick with the smell of damp earth and something else.
A small creature darted from behind a bush, its ears twitching as it hopped into a clearing ahead. It was rabbit-like with fur that blended almost perfectly with the surrounding grass. Victor's spear was already in his hand, muscles coiled. In one fluid motion, he lunged forward, the weapon piercing the creature's side. It fell limp to the ground.
Victor didn't waste time. Food was a priority, and if he could get a fire going, the smoke might draw others—hopefully his scattered teammates rather than threats. He carried the small carcass to the edge of the clearing and quickly gathered dry twigs and branches. Within minutes, he had a fire blazing, its warm glow flickering against the growing evening shadows.
He set the creature to roast above the flames, the scent of cooking meat filling the air. It wasn't much, but it would sustain him for a while. The fire crackled pleasantly, casting dancing shadows across the clearing as Victor leaned back against a nearby rock, keeping watch on the surrounding trees.
The meat was nearly done when movement at the edge of the clearing caught his attention. Ethan stepped carefully into the open, his eyes immediately locking onto the fire. He looked exhausted, but the scent of food brought a weary smile to his face.
"You actually caught something," Ethan said. His expression brightened at seeing a familiar face. "Good to see you. Been feeling like something's been watching me all day—kept getting chills down my spine."
Victor grunted in acknowledgement, tossing a piece of the cooked meat toward Ethan, who caught it gratefully. But before either could relax, the sound of voices reached their ears—strangers, several of them.
A group of humans emerged from the trees, moving with desperate urgency. They were pale, ragged, looking like they'd been travelling all day without rest. Their leader, a tall man with a scar running down his cheek, stepped forward, staring at the two men by the fire.
"Well, well," the man said, his eyes fixed on the roasting meat. "Looks like we stumbled onto something good. That smells delicious. Mind sharing?"
Victor stood slowly, his grip tightening on the spear. These people looked hungry—and desperate. "It's mine," he said flatly.
The scarred man's eyes narrowed, his hand moving to rest on a jagged weapon at his side. "I don't think you understand the situation. We've been out here all day with nothing. That meat's just going to waste with only two of you."
Victor's gaze turned cold. "I don't think you understand. I caught it, I cooked it, and I'm not sharing."
Ethan remained still, his eyes flicking between Victor and the strangers. The group seemed to grow bolder at the sight of just two men by the fire. A young woman among them took a few steps closer, her hand twitching toward a knife at her belt.
"You really want to make us fight for it?" the scarred man spat. "Think you're tough enough to handle all of us?"
Victor's muscles tensed, ready to react. The fire crackled—the only sound in the tense silence that followed.
But before anyone could escalate further, the ground beneath them seemed to shift. A low, rumbling growl broke the standoff, sending chills through everyone's bodies. The air grew heavy with impending danger.
The shadow stalker Victor had spotted earlier burst through the treeline—a massive beast with matte black fur and burning orange eyes. It moved with terrifying speed, far faster than anything its size should allow, its maw open in a silent snarl as it barrelled toward them.
The strangers froze, eyes wide with terror. The scarred man's grip on his weapon slackened as he processed what was happening. "Move! Get back!" he shouted to his group.
But it was too late. The creature was a blur of muscle and deadly intent, crashing into the clearing like a living nightmare. The first man barely had time to raise his knife before massive claws raked across his chest, opening deep gashes that sprayed blood into the firelight.
"Help—!" The man's voice broke as he stumbled backward, clutching his torn chest. His legs buckled, and before he could scream again, powerful jaws clamped around his throat. The shadow stalker dragged him into the darkness beyond the fire's reach.
Panic erupted. The survivors scattered in different directions, stumbling over each other in their desperation to escape. Another creature—identical to the first—appeared from the opposite side of the clearing, moving with the same lethal grace.
Victor's heart pounded as screams filled the air. The sight of the predator tearing through the group drove him into action. Without hesitation, he rushed forward, spear raised. The weapon sank into the creature's flank with a sickening crunch.
The beast didn't even flinch. Its glowing orange eyes shifted to him, burning with unbridled rage. Victor's breathing remained steady as the creature bared its teeth, jaws snapping hungrily at the air between them.
"Ethan!" Victor shouted, voice tight with urgency. "Grab a burning branch—use the fire!"
Ethan snapped out of his frozen state, seizing a flaming branch from their fire. The flames danced as he swung it toward the creature, trying to ward it off.
The shadow stalker snarled, briefly distracted by the heat and light. For a moment, it seemed unnerved. But then, with a brutal growl, it pivoted back toward the fleeing humans, its hunger outweighing its caution.
The group was in complete disarray. Most were too terrified to fight, scattered and running in all directions. However, the creature's speed making escape nearly impossible.
Victor and Ethan fought desperately, but it became clear they were outmatched. Every strike barely registered against the predators' thick hides. The beast moved with the deadly efficiency of an apex hunter, and Victor felt the grim realisation that they might not survive this encounter.
Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the second shadow stalker bounded away into the trees, its massive form vanishing with the same terrifying speed it had arrived with. It took what it came for and simply left, leaving the clearing eerily silent.
The fire crackled and hissed, the only sound remaining. Victor's breath came in short gasps as he scanned the aftermath, the metallic scent of blood heavy in the air. His mind raced, processing what had just happened—the swift, brutal deaths, the terrifying power of these predators.
"We need to move," Victor muttered. "There's no telling how many more of those things are out there."
Ethan nodded, though his hands shook slightly as he wiped sweat from his brow. His stomach churned at the memory of the screams, of watching people die for the first time in his life.
"Yeah," Ethan replied, his voice distant. He paused, then added, "I found Walter earlier. He's not doing well—I left him somewhere safe while I looked for food. Hope he's alright."
Victor considered this briefly. "We should get to him quickly. There's not much daylight left, and we'll need proper shelter to survive the night."
He gestured for Ethan to lead the way, both men casting wary glances at the treeline as they prepared to leave the blood-soaked clearing behind.