I gripped the knife tightly in my hand.
The last thing I wanted was for an accident to happen, one that would prevent me from killing the beast in a single strike.
I raised the knife and just as I intended to bring it down on the beast's head, it's eyes suddenly sprung open.
I was so shocked that I unconsciously froze on the spot and stared right back at the red eyed beast that stared at me innocently with its beady red eyes.
It was probably for this reason that I was completely unaware of my surroundings until I suddenly heard the loud cracking and splitting of what sounded like a heavy branch from behind me.
I jerked in fear, horrified at the sight behind me, somehow managing to instinctively dodge to the side which was most likely what saved my life, even as I felt a burning sensation at the left side of my face.
I didn't need to touch the side of my face for me to know that I was bleeding, especially since the smell of blood filled my nostrils as I felt something drip heavily down the side of my face.
I didn't hesitate, I didn't wait or turn around for a second look. Even before I was back and steady on my feet, I bolted in the first direction I could without looking back.
The beast was huge. More than thirty times my size and I was sure that it had to at least be a teething beast, especially considering the many rows of teeth it bared when I caught sight of me.
I ran as quickly as my legs could carry me, realizing my mistake that the beast I had assumed was a cold beast was most likely simply the cub of the bigger white and furry bear beast I had just seen.
It's claws were humongous and even with the burning expression on the side of my face as I felt the blood trickle down to soak my robes, I knew that I had gotten off lightly.
I ran until I was out of breath trying to run straight to the side without running deeper into the forest but with my heart racing in my chest and the many sounds that suddenly overwhelmed me at the thought that such a fast beast was chasing me, I could barely run straight.
I didn't stop until I had too, finding a tree to lean against, right before I collapsed on the ground.
My first intention had been to climb a tree but even before I could attempt it, I knew it would be an impossible feat for me.
"Ah…ahh…bre…bre…breathe…" I muttered under my breath trying to calm my breathing down especially since, the more noise I made, the more I would attract more beasts to me.
It didn't help that I was so weak that regardless of which beast saw me at that moment, picking me off for lunch would be the easiest thing in the world for them.
"I'm in trouble…" I mentally groaned in my head looking around as I rested on the tree and realizing that I had gone even slightly deeper into the forest.
My hands ached, my legs trembled but still, I scrambled back up to my feet. It would be better to faint at the edge of the forest than to continue to sit there.
I dragged my ass back up, and slowly and as quietly as I could I made my way forward looking around in fear like a prey would in the presence of a predator.
I walked and walked, concentrating all my attention and energy on moving forward and farther away from the deeper parts of the forest where I was, so much so that at a point I no longer bothered to look back.
All my focus was on getting out.
I noticed that the leaves in the deeper part of the forest were darker compared to those at the edge of the forest and the more I realized that I was getting out of danger the quicker I quickened my steps.
But just before I could walk a couple of more feet that was required to get me to safety, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me.
My heart again began to pound and race and my first instinct was to simply bolt, and flee the rest of the distance and I would have if not that I heard a feminine voice speak from behind me.
"Wait…wait, It's me…" said a voice that was distinctively female.
Even before I could reconsider my actions, I turned around to look behind me, shocked at how pretty the girl behind me was.
Those in the village since I got in this strange world were extremely pretty but the girl that stood in front of me was way more attractive.
Even the clothes she wore made her look like a princess, albeit a slutty one, as the strap of cloth she wore didn't cover her boobs and only barely covered her nipples, while her skirt was tiny and swayed largely with the wind.
As distracted as my brain was by the sight in front of me, my heart was still racing in fear at the fact that my legs continued to stay in the deeper portion of the forest it shouldn't be in.
Moreover, the memory of the beast that had attacked me, didn't help me calm down at all.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" I hurriedly asked her while backing away a little when I watched her try to close the distance between us to show that I didn't in any way trust her.
"I…I got lost. I followed my father to hunt in the forest and we followed the safe path but I wondered from it," she responded, her eyelashes covered slightly in tears as she stared at me with unhidden joy in her heart.
I had never seen her before but I had only been in the village for about five days so of course the number of people I could recognize were extremely few.
"How were you able to survive deep in the forest?" I curiously asked her especially since with the way my parents had reacted the day before, one would have assumed that the entire village stage to farming.
"There are some safe paths that beasts don't cross. When we humans stick to it, they won't attack. Moreover, only cold and teething beasts venture out here other beasts rarely do so you're safe," I heard her say and I could feel myself slowly calming down since every word she said sounded real and genuine but still, I was impatient to leave.
"Fine, let's get out of the forest first then we'll talk more," I told her beckoning for her to come closer only for me to watch her limp slightly as she did.
"Attacked?"
"My father sighted a beast and while they attacked, I got scared and instantly ran but I slipped so my leg is slightly wounded,' she explained and coupled with the fact that she was injured, I instantly believed her story and even wanted to help her.
The moment she got close enough to me, I noticed that the color of her eyes were slightly glazed red but I felt it might just be because of the strong rays from the sun that was starting to light up the forest.