The forest was alive in uneasy silence. Morning light struggled through the canopy, leaving the undergrowth in half-shadow. Damp leaves muffled footsteps, but every breath of wind carried with it the promise of danger.
Hunnt walked at the front of the party, fists tightening around his gauntlets, eyes scanning the trail. The air was heavy with tension, each sound amplified—the crack of a branch, the flutter of wings, the distant call of carrion birds.
Perched above them on a low branch, Pyro crouched, tail flicking side to side, golden eyes darting at every shadow. His whiskers twitched, nose tasting the air. "Master… the scent is close. Emberclaw. It's watching us. Nyaah." His voice was a playful hiss, but his claws were already extended, ready.
Corwin walked a few paces behind Hunnt, hammer slung across his shoulder. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes flicked over the terrain, scanning trees, rocks, roots—measuring how each could be used in battle.
Elara trailed just behind, her bow gripped tightly, an arrow already nocked. The faint glow of monster-forged arrowheads shimmered in the shadows, ready to pierce. Her shoulders tensed with each step, but her stance was steady.
Hunnt raised a hand, signaling for silence. Broken branches and faint claw marks carved into bark marked the raptor's territory. Blood-red scales glimmered faintly on the ground. Then the sound came—a sharp, guttural screech that split the air.
The Emberclaw Raptor burst from the undergrowth.
Its body was a blur of crimson scales and black claws. Eyes glowed with a predatory hunger as its maw snapped, jagged teeth glistening with saliva. It was larger than they had imagined—shoulder-high to Hunnt, its muscular frame rippling with speed. Its claws dug into the soil, sending dirt flying as it lunged.
"Positions!" Hunnt barked, already moving.
The raptor's first swipe cut through the air with terrifying speed. Hunnt blurred with Soru, vanishing and reappearing just outside the arc of its claws. He countered with a gauntlet strike, bone and steel crashing against scales. Sparks flew, but the raptor snarled and twisted, tail whipping around. Hunnt braced with Tekkai, his body stiffening like iron. Even so, the impact sent him sliding back a step.
Corwin stepped in silently, hammer gripped in both hands. With a burst of speed from Soru, he appeared at the raptor's side, slamming his weapon down. The hammer struck its forelimb, a dull crack ringing out as the monster's stance faltered. But before he could follow up, the raptor spun, claws flashing. Corwin braced with Tekkai, the strike rattling his bones but failing to break his guard.
Pyro darted in, Kami-e twisting his small frame around snapping jaws. His sword and shield slashed and scraped against the raptor's leg. "Nyaah, too slow! Over here, over here!" he taunted, tail flicking as he danced in and out of reach.
Elara exhaled, steadying her aim. She shifted with Soru, feet sliding her into a clearer angle. The string sang as her arrow flew, striking the raptor's shoulder joint. The arrowhead cracked scales, sinking halfway before the beast roared in fury.
It lunged at her, jaws wide.
But her body moved before panic took her. Kami-e softened her stance, letting her body bend with the lunge, rolling just out of reach. She loosed another arrow mid-roll, the shot grazing its side. She landed lightly on her feet, chest heaving.
Hunnt slammed into the raptor's flank, fists a blur of motion. He weaved with Kami-e, avoiding claws, then countered with crushing punches. Corwin joined in, hammer blows cracking scales and staggering the monster, while Pyro darted around to nip and harass its legs.
With a furious screech, it spun, tail whipping in a wide arc. Hunnt barely slipped under it with Soru, but the shockwave shook his stance. Pyro wasn't as lucky—the tail clipped him mid-leap, sending him tumbling into a tree with a sharp yelp.
"Pyro!" Hunnt shouted.
The Felyne hissed, shaking himself, then grinned. "Nyaah, I'm fine, Master! Just a scratch. This beast'll need more than that to catch me." His tail lashed, determination burning in his golden eyes as he darted back in.
The raptor hissed, eyes flicking to each of them, fury building. Its claws dug deep grooves into the earth. Then it lunged again—faster, more feral, a blur of red and black.
Hunnt clenched his fists. "Corwin! Legs! Elara, cover fire! Pyro, keep it off balance!"
The party moved as one.
Corwin dashed in, his hammer slamming into the raptor's knee joint. Bone cracked, and the beast staggered. Elara loosed a volley of arrows, each one striking weak points—head, leg, tail. Pyro darted past, scratching its face and forcing its head to twist.
Hunnt struck hard with his gauntlets, fists slamming into the exposed limb. Sparks exploded, and the raptor shrieked in pain. It stumbled, limping now, blood dripping into the soil.
For a moment, victory seemed within reach.
Then the forest shook with a new sound.
A distant screech, deeper and louder, echoed through the trees.
The Emberclaw froze. Its glowing eyes widened, its body tensing. It looked at the hunters, teeth bared—and then, with shocking speed, it turned and bolted into the trees.
Pyro blinked, stunned. "M-Master! It ran away! Nyaahh!" He bounded after a few steps before stopping, claws flexing. "Why would it…? That roar…"
Hunnt lowered his fists, chest heaving. Sweat dripped down his brow. "That wasn't fear of us… It was answering something else."
Corwin tightened his grip on his hammer, jaw set.
Elara exhaled, bow trembling in her hand, eyes narrowing toward the shadows.
Hunnt's eyes scanned the trees, his gauntlets gleaming faintly in the dappled light. "Whatever's next… we'll face it together. We don't run."
The forest around them stirred uneasily, as though the very trees knew what was coming.
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✨ Hi amazing readers! ✨
I'm beyond excited to share not just one, but two epic stories with you!
📖 Final Fantasy: The Unwritten
Step into the vast multiverse of Final Fantasy—where heroes, destinies, and untold adventures intertwine in ways you've never seen before.
⚔️ Renegade: Arsenal of War
Follow the journey of a relentless tech soldier who forges groundbreaking weapons to end the war once and for all.
Your support means the world to me—every read, comment, and share helps bring these stories to life. 🌌🔥 Together, let's explore the unwritten and fight through the arsenal of war!
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