"Ha!"
Finally managed to break free from her grasp, Claw gasped and panted heavily as he reached the surface. He was almost out of breath!
Relief washed over his exhausted face as he took another deep breath, trying to compose himself and his ragged breathing.
Panting, the man blurted out in a hurry.
"C-Crap. That was really close! I thought I was a goner for sure," Huffed but there was no time to relax—they were still in danger. "Haaa, haaa… I'm so beat up. Crazy!"
Extremely dissatisfied by their current state on top of feeling unjustified, the ashen bear man's pale face slowly darkened ready to berate Aella for being a pain. But as he turned to her, his frustration melted away.
Gritting, Claw snarled, "Hey! Are you insane? You almost…" killed me there!
However, his words froze, caught in between his quivering pink lips. Her tear-streaked face, filled with raw fear and desperation, inadvertently tugged his conscience.
