The group, now huddled together in the narrow space between the trees, took deep breaths, trying to steady their nerves. Kail's heart raced, his hands trembling slightly as he gripped the makeshift weapon he'd found—a long branch he'd snapped from the underbrush. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. He tried to push down the fear gnawing at him, focusing instead on what needed to be done.
"We're ready," he muttered, though he didn't quite believe the words. His eyes flicked to the others—Dial, Mira, Lian, Elara—all of them looking just as terrified as he felt. But they were all here. They had to be ready. They had no choice.
But deep down, Kail knew it wasn't true. None of them were ready. Not like this.
Suddenly, a growl cut through the air, snapping Kail out of his thoughts. It was louder now, closer, and it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. His grip on the branch tightened.
"We have to go now," Kail whispered, the urgency in his voice clear.
He didn't wait for a response. He darted forward, eyes locked on the clearing ahead, where the growl was coming from. Dial's voice rang out behind him, trying to call him back, but it was too late.
Kail, no!
Kail ignored him. His pulse pounded in his ears as he burst into the clearing, the other children trailing behind him. And there it was, standing in the center—the wolf.
It was even more terrifying up close, its massive, rippling muscles coiled beneath its dark fur. Its eyes gleamed with an intelligence that made Kail's stomach churn. The wolf wasn't just a beast. It was something else, something… malevolent.
Kail's breath caught in his throat as he raised the branch, ready to strike. The others came to a halt behind him, the fear so thick in the air, you could almost touch it.
"Back off!" Kail shouted, trying to sound braver than he felt. "Stay away from us!"
The wolf tilted its head, the motion almost deliberate. It didn't flinch, didn't even seem to care. It slowly padded toward him, its eyes never leaving his. Kail's hand shook, his grip on the branch slipping.
The wolf's breath was hot on his face as it came within arm's reach. It stared into his eyes—piercing, mocking. Kail's pulse hammered in his chest, and for the first time, doubt crept in. His makeshift weapon was nothing. Nothing at all.
It's useless, Kail realized too late. We're all going to die.
Before he could even react, the wolf lunged. Kail swung the branch with everything he had, but it was barely a scratch. The wolf easily dodged it, its massive jaws snapping shut just inches from Kail's face. His heart raced in panic.
"Move!" Dial's voice cut through the chaos, but it was too late. The wolf didn't hesitate. It was too fast, too powerful.
In an instant, it turned, swiping its claws through the air. Mira, who had tried to run, was caught in its grasp. She didn't even scream—only a ragged gasp before she was thrown aside, her body limp.
Lian cried out in horror, but the wolf was already on him, its teeth sinking into his throat with brutal precision. Kail couldn't tear his eyes away as the creature savaged him.
No! The word rang through his mind, but he couldn't move. His body was frozen, gripped by an overwhelming sense of helplessness.
Dial was next. He'd tried to rush forward to protect Elara, but the wolf was too fast. A single swipe of its claws sent him flying back, blood spilling across the dirt as he collapsed. Elara screamed, the sound cutting through the air like a dagger.
Kail's breath came in shallow gasps, his legs refusing to move. He was paralyzed by fear, by the futility of it all.
The wolf slowly turned its gaze back to Kail, its bloodied muzzle curling into something resembling a smile. It had won, and it knew it. Its eyes flickered with contempt, as if mocking Kail for ever thinking he could fight it.
Kail fell to his knees, clutching his stick like it could somehow protect him. But deep down, he knew it wouldn't. He was just a boy with no power, nothing but this flimsy weapon in his hands.
"I... I can't..." Kail whispered to himself. His voice broke as the tears began to well up, but he didn't even have the strength to cry. "I can't protect anyone..."
But just as the wolf took a step forward, Kail's mind snapped. No.
A surge of anger coursed through him, fueled by the loss, the helplessness, the rage. His heart pounded furiously in his chest, his hands trembling as he rose to his feet. He couldn't let it end like this.
But as he moved to strike, he saw the others' lifeless bodies in the dirt around him. He was alone.
And the wolf was still waiting for him to make a move.