You've got to be kidding me!?!
The thought echoed bitterly in his mind, as if the very air around him had taken offense at his fleeting moment of triumph. The victory over the giant rodent, once a source of satisfaction, now felt like a cruel mockery.
…
The tremor beneath his feet—a soft yet unmistakable pulse—was a reminder that this world, this lush, primal world, did not care about his victories.
Ray's heart sank as the ground beneath him shuddered again, subtle but persistent, like the ominous beating of a war drum in the distance.
He could feel it. He could see it. Something was coming. And that something was—
—Rats.
He cursed his luck; his senses now honed in the forest's silence gave rise to a multitude of screeches. Through the screeches, he spotted hulking figures tearing through the underbrush with terrifying speed.
They were close, perhaps too close for comfort. The ground around him quaked again, and with each step they took, their intent was unmistakable. They weren't here by chance.
No. They were after him.
A cold imaginary sweat ran down his spine as he took in those words. His earlier bravado crumbled under the reality of the situation. What good was it to defeat a single monster when an entire horde awaited him just moments later?
The weight of the scene settled on him like a heavy cloak. It was suffocating. One rat, although battered and exhausted, had already proved to be a challenge. But now—
—He was supposed to fight more?
Don't fuck with me!
Before his emotions could fully sink in, the screeches ahead grew louder, more urgent, as if the very forest urged them forward, guiding them toward their prey—toward him.
Ray gritted his fangs. Whatever he was feeling now didn't matter. Currently, there was no time to relish the small victories here, nor was it a moment to indulge his emotions. What mattered now was his simple biological response to such a sight.
And that was to—
Go go go go go. I need to get the hell out of here.
Without a moment's hesitation, Ray quickly forced his aching and exhausted body into action before turning and bolting into the dense forest. Trees whipped past him in a whirlwind of green and brown as he pushed himself ahead.
Behind him, the rats howled. Their metallic claws scraped against the ground as they gave chase like possessed demons. Ray could hear them—feel them gaining on him with each passing second.
Pain surged through his body with every step, his broken hind leg throbbing with each movement. But the panic in his chest—thick and suffocating—was enough to override the pain, at least to some extent.
Zigzagging through the trees, Ray's heart hammered in his chest as he wove through the thick foliage. The forest, in its own way, was a maze filled with twisted roots and branches.
His breathing grew erratic, fear gnawing at the edges of his consciousness. The scent of blood clung to the air, his victim's scent still fresh on him, likely fueling the rats even more.
Why now? Of all the times... couldn't they just turn tail and leave me alone?
He grumbled, frustration bubbling up alongside his fear. His eyes darted back, catching glimpses of the massive forms of the rats chasing after him. Their glowing red eyes were terrifying in the dim forest, and Ray knew he had no chance of ever fighting them head-on. Whether in peak condition or not.
The rats were relentless. Ray could hear their screeches growing louder. From what he could tell, the chase hadn't even managed to reduce their stamina. The only one who was suffering from it was him.
I can't keep this up... I'm going to die like this!
But even as the thought tried to claw its way into his mind, Ray pushed it aside, burying it deep under his raw will to survive. Right now he had to find a way out. He had to think fast.
Almost reflexively, Ray twisted his body mid-stride as he veered sharply to the right in hopes that the sudden change of direction might throw off his pursuers. His premature claws dug deep into the soft earth as he propelled himself even further forward before leaping over a fallen log.
A quick glance over his shoulder showed that he'd gained some distance, but the threat wasn't far behind. He needed more time. More distance. And most importantly, a plan.
Think Ray! Think!
There had to be something—some terrain feature or anything else—that he could take advantage of to help him escape this situation.
Ray's mind flashed over the landmarks that he had memorized moments prior.
Each landmark, as vivid as they were, led to a dead end. Some were either too close to the thicket that he hid in or were not terrains that he could use to escape the rats.
Two landmarks, however, stood out from the rest. One was the stream of water that he'd encountered earlier, while the other was the patch of trees marked with deep claw gouges in their bark.
His mind raced as he weighed his options.
He could use the stream of water or more specifically follow it to a larger body of water to hide in. But that brought in some challenges, such as how deep or shallow the water body would be.
If the water body was too shallow to hide his full form, then he would easily be caught. However, if the water body was deep, then what if there was something living inside it?
With everything that happened today, he wouldn't put it past him for such a thing to happen.
Now what about the patch of trees? No, he didn't even want to contemplate such a risky venture.
Cmon, think! I need to pick one. Just one.
Just when he nearly ran out of ideas, a thought flashed through his mind, a dangerous one at that:
Couldn't I just lead these rats into a random group of monsters so that they can duke it out?
It was a long shot and a risky one at that. There was every chance that the other group of monsters might join the chase. But if it worked... if it worked, he could throw the off his tail.
—Goddammit, it seems those trees have a purpose after all.
As the plan formed in his mind, his pulse quickened, not from fear but from a glimmer of hope. It was dangerous, no doubt, but it was better than getting torn to shreds by the rats.
With renewed determination, Ray altered his course, navigating towards his expected location.
The chase continued as he drew closer and closer to his desired destination. Behind him, the snarls of the rats grew louder with each passing second.
As he neared the grove of scarred trees ahead, the atmosphere thickened. The air around it, along with his smell, felt heavier and colder, as if even the forest itself were holding its breath.
Suddenly he heard a low guttural grow, which replaced the rats' screeches, coming from beyond the scarred trees. Just beyond the cluster of trees, he spotted them—his scapegoats.
The beasts were massive, reptilian beasts with armored brown scales that glistened dully in the forest. Their scales had a subtle, earthy orange tint, giving the creatures an almost earthly hue and camouflaged appearance against the autumnal hues of the forest floor.
Running along their backs were rows of sharp, black spines, and their heads were adorned with two menacing horns sprouting outward like twisted tree branches. Their glowing yellow eyes, four in total, gleamed menacingly as they roamed peacefully, unaware of the danger barreling toward them.
Perfect.
Without slowing down, Ray barreled toward the beasts, making as much noise as possible.
The beasts looked up, startled by his sudden approach. Their yellow eyes locked onto him, but Ray didn't stop. He pushed past them, a blur of speed and desperation, hoping the rats would follow blindly into the trap.
And they did.
The rats burst into the clearing, their eyes filled with bloodlust. They didn't even hesitate, launching themselves at the larger creatures in a frenzy. Ray heard the snarls of the reptiles as they retaliated with brute force.
Chaos soon erupted behind him.
…
Ray didn't even look back. He didn't need to. The sounds of battle—screeches, roars, and the crash of bodies slamming into each other—filled the air. But by then Ray was already gone, slipping away into the undergrowth, weaving through trees as fast as his tired legs would carry him.
His breath was ragged; each inhale felt like a knife to the chest, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. Not until the sounds of the fight faded completely into the distance.
When at last he slowed, his body nearly collapsing from exhaustion, Ray found himself in a small, quiet area—one that he was already too familiar with. Ray's legs ached, his broken one throbbing sharply with pain as he continued letting out labored breaths.
Sinking to the ground, Ray's body trembled with exhaustion. His stomach growled—a reminder that despite everything, he was still hungry. His plans of eating and sleeping crumbled.
Hah. Hah. I can't seem catch a break, can I?