Page 20 of A Kingdom so Crimson

I forced my fear deep down and steadied myself against the trunk, gazing toward the source of the sound.

A streak of white fur darted out of sight so swiftly that if I blinked, I would have missed it. I narrowed my eyes, tracing the path of the fur, and steadied my breathing. Embracing the trunk, I shifted to lower branches, aiming for a better view.

I landed softly, ensuring the leaves didn't quiver under the sudden change in my weight as I crept out further, testing the branch's sturdiness before scanning the area and sitting down, coiling my legs beneath me. It was eerily silent, except for the birds that chirped in the distance and the muffled laughter from the men waiting for me to finish.

I unslung my bow, swiftly drawing an arrow and letting out a sharp whistle, hoping to entice the creatures to come to me rather than hunt them down. I did it again, scanning the area for any movement or disruption.

Nothing.

I suppressed my anger and started to sheathe my arrow when a guttural growl shattered the silence beneath me. In an instant, searing pain shot up my leg as I saw large claws dig deep, scraping against my flesh and splattering hot blood on its white coat as the beast fell back to the ground, taunting me.

My scream pierced the air as my grip slipped on my bow, and I watched in terror as it plummeted down beside the beast. With a swift motion, I pulled my legs up and leaped to the branch above, clutching my bloody and torn leg. Letting out another anguished cry, I glanced back and locked my eyes with the creature. Its large yellow eyes peered deep into mine. I had never seen anything like it—a creature resembling both a wolf and a bear, moving with deadly silence unlike any other animal. Its once-white fur was now matted, and a sticky gray, and its eyes held an intelligence far beyond any ordinary dog I had faced.

It snarled, exposing its rotted sharp teeth. My heart pounded, adrenaline flooding my veins as instinct took over. Before I even inhaled, my hand was already moving, hurling my longestdagger straight into its eye. The beast dropped instantly, letting out a frantic screech as it clawed desperately at its face.

One hour.

How in Tyran am I supposed to take outthreeof these?

I quickly scanned the area, and before I could stop myself, I leaped down, landing hard on the ground and feeling the pain from my calf sting insufferably as blood oozed out. The smell of the beast overwhelmed me with surprise as I grasped hold of my bow with shaking hands.

It was still moaning and clawing at its eye as I let my intuition take over. I quickly backed up and lunged atop it, reddening its rough fur with my sticky blood. I dug my heels into its side, ripping out chunks of fur, trying to hold on as it thrashed beneath me. I shoved my bow string over its narrow head and pulled up against its neck as it snarled loudly, rumbling my body. It clawed for me as I squeezed my thighs against its frame, stinging my leg and bubbling out more blood. I held tightly to my bow in one hand before swiftly yanking the dagger out of its eye.

Blood sprayed, splattering onto my face as I quickly sheathed the dagger right before the creature started running violently, almost bucking me off. I yanked hard on my bow, hoping it wouldn't snap, and steered it toward a large boulder.

I sucked in a breath, unable to brace myself as it smashed with a sickening crunch, throwing me up and over before I smacked hard onto the ground. The air escaped my lungs, leaving me gasping with rapid coughs.

I shifted over to my side, swallowing any air I could and allowing my lungs to readjust as more pain cracked at my bones. I looked down at my left pant leg sliced open, revealing the four claw marks that would have me stumbling for who knows how long. I cut one of my sleeves off, hurriedly tying it around my bloodied leg, hoping it would stop the bleeding for at least a little.

One hour.

I struggled to lift myself, gauging how much weight I could put on my injured leg and grunted in frustration. Spotting a few of my arrows scattered nearby, I quickly retrieved them, limping over to where the unconscious beast lay.

Its breathing was labored as its eye bubbled out blood that coated its matted fur. I choked down a gag before another snarl erupted dangerously close. Whirling around, I pressed against the white beast, swiftly scanning my surroundings before feeling for my bow still hooked over the lifeless beast's head.

Another sickening growl reverberated through my bones as I frantically took hold of my bow and tugged hard. The other beast's snarl was wet and guttural, drawing more fear into me.

I calculated my steps toward the nearest tree, seeking an advantage, but deemed it unfavorable considering my worsening leg and the risk of becoming a target.

I swiftly scanned the area once more, unable to locate the second beast, as I continued to tug the bow free. Its head was at an obscure angle, lodging the bow between it and the boulder.

Frustrated, I grunted, urgently assessing my options with only arrows and daggers as a looming dread began slithering up my spine. Shifting my gaze to the right, I caught sight of two ghastly yellow eyes that sucked the air out of me. It was akin to the white beast but bigger and cloaked in fur as black as midnight, absorbing all light. One eye bore a slash, amplifying its already horrifying appearance into something grotesque and nightmarish.

It licked its teeth, drooling as it began stalking toward me slowly, snarling deep. I clung tighter around the bow, praying for help.

Terror gripped my chest, tightening with every heartbeat, like a spider weaving its lethal web around me. A trembling breathescaped me as I strained harder against the bow, each pull amplifying the icy dread threatening to paralyze me.

It crept closer, inch by inch, its eyes locked on me.

A curse slipped from my lips as fresh blood began to seep down my leg, my makeshift bandage already soaked through.

Inhale.

I leapt, scrambling up the lifeless beast with a frantic urgency. I twisted its head with a forceful shove, trying to tug the bowstring off that now scraped against the jagged boulder. A wet snarl blared close as I locked eyes with those horrid yellow eyes hurtling toward me with an alarming speed.

"Tyran!" I cursed in desperation. "Please!" My cries pierced the dense woods, sending birds scattering into the sky. Fear consumed me entirely as I shut my eyes tight, summoning every ounce of strength to yank my bow free. With a jolt, I flung backward, crashing to the ground behind the white beast, my bow clutched tightly in hand, now dripping with sticky blood. Without hesitation, I thrashed about, frantically retrieving several arrows scattered in the fall.

The beast advanced, just a few steps away; its foul smell mingled with the coppery scent of my blood. With desperate speed, I nocked multiple arrows, letting out a scream of pure determination as they shot into the beast's face. A sharp yelp tore from its throat as it staggered, but its momentum carried it forward, crashing into me with brutal force.

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