In agony, Kaviel let out a sharp cry as the wolf's jaws tightened around his foot, dragging him through the forest floor.
His body thrashed in a desperate attempt to break free, his hands clawing at the ground for anything to hold onto.
Kicking out wildly, his foot connected with the wolf's face. He drove his heel into the wolf's snout again and again.
"Aahh!" he cried out between gritted teeth as he kicked it.
Finally, with one last powerful kick, Kaviel felt the wolf's grip loosen, and he scrambled to his feet.
Kaviel's hand shot out, grasping onto a nearby branch as he pulled himself up from the forest floor.
His body tensed as he swung the branch at the encroaching wolves.
His eyes were locked on his attackers as he backed away slowly, his mind racing for an escape route.
In the midst of his panicked thoughts, a memory flickered in Kaviel's mind.
He recalled one of Tata's teachings: when lost in the forest and surrounded by dangerous animals, climb a tree, ensuring there are no snakes.
Kaviel scanned the surrounding trees, searching for a suitable one to climb. His gaze darted from trunk to trunk.
Finally, spotting a sturdy-looking tree nearby, Kaviel wasted no time.
With swift movements, he sprinted towards it. Reaching the base of the tree, he looked up, gauging the distance to the lowest branch.
With a deep breath, he leaped, his fingers grasping for purchase as he pulled himself up into the safety of the branches above and climbed until he reached the top.
Once perched securely in the tree, Kaviel allowed himself a moment to catch his breath.
His chest heaved with exertion, his hands trembling slightly as he clung to the rough bark of the tree trunk.
He glanced down at the wolves gathered below.
Their eyes glinted with hunger, their snouts pointed upward as they waited patiently for their prey to descend.
Some paced back and forth, while others circled slowly. Their ears perked and their noses twitched as they sniffed the air for any sign of weakness.
Despite his elevated position, Kaviel knew that the wolves were biding their time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
Kaviel forced himself to remain still, his muscles coiled with tension.
'I hope that girl didn't do anything reckless,' he murmured to himself. 'I hope they made it out of the forest safely.'
Exhausted from the ordeal, Kaviel allowed himself a moment of respite, sinking back against the sturdy tree trunk.
As he shifted his weight, a sharp twinge of pain shot through his foot, a stark reminder of the wolf's bite.
The hours dragged on and fatigue began to weigh heavily on Kaviel's shoulders. His eyelids grew heavy with weariness.
Kaviel's eyes darted around, searching for anything that could help him stay secure in the tree.
His gaze locked onto a small, sturdy branch within arm's reach. "That should work," he murmured to himself.
Reaching out, he grasped the branch, feeling its rough texture under his calloused fingers. He hooked his shirt on one of the branches.
"If I fall, this should hold me," he said aloud, more to reassure himself than anything.
He tugged on the knot, testing its strength. The branch held firm.
Kaviel leaned back against the tree trunk, the rough bark pressing into his back, providing a strange sort of comfort.
The taste of salt lingered on his lips from his sweat. Despite the throbbing pain in his foot, he felt a flicker of hope.
"I need to catch up with them," Kaviel said, closing his eyes, and eventually falling asleep.
When he woke up, the first thing he noticed was the bright morning light filtering through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground below.
He felt a disorienting sway and realized he was facing downward, hanging by his makeshift harness.
"Woahh!" he gasped as he fell, but his clothes had caught on the branch, holding him aloft.
Surveying the forest floor, Kaviel's eyes darted from shadow to shadow, his senses on high alert for any sign of the wolves.
The forest was eerily quiet, the only sounds were the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant calls of birds.
Seeing no immediate danger, he breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to climb back up.
Gripping the rough bark, he began to hoist himself upward. The branches creaked under his weight.
Suddenly, the fabric of his makeshift harness ripped, sending him plummeting to the ground.
"No!" he cried out as he fell, the world blurring around him.
He landed with a heavy thud, pain exploding through his body as his head struck a rock.
"Baammm!"
The impact was jarring, and Kaviel felt a sharp, searing pain as blood trickled down his forehead.
Darkness crept in at the edges of his vision, and he struggled to stay conscious. But the pain was overwhelming and he eventually lost consciousness.
As Kaviel drifted into a fitful sleep, his mind conjured a vivid dream.
He saw Mira, her face radiant with happiness, as they ran together through a sunlit meadow.
The warmth of the sun bathed them in golden light, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of wildflowers.
Her laughter echoed like a melody, filling him with a sense of peace.
But as they continued to run, he felt an increasing pressure on his hand. Mira's grip tightened, becoming painfully intense.
"Mira, you're hurting me," he said, his voice tinged with confusion.
Her face twisted into a grimace, and Kaviel's heart pounded with unease.
Glancing down at their joined hands, horror gripped him.
It wasn't Mira holding his hand anymore.
A demonic figure with glowing red eyes and sharp, clawed fingers had replaced her.
Its grip was crushing, and he could feel the searing pain as a dagger pierced through his hand, blood trickling down his wrist.
"No! Get away!" Kaviel shouted.
The demon's breath was hot and foul, a rancid stench that made him gag.
He struggled to pull away, but the creature's hold was unrelenting, and the pain grew more intense.
Kaviel's eyes snapped open, and he gasped for breath, his chest heaving.
His head pounded with an excruciating pain, and the harsh, bright light filtering through the forest canopy made him squint.
He tried to sit up, but a sharp, intense pain in his right arm stopped him cold.
His right hand was mangled. His fingers were gone, replaced by jagged stumps of bone protruding through torn flesh. It was raw and oozing with fresh blood.
A rustling sound drew his attention, and he turned his head to see a hyena nearby, its mouth smeared with Kaviel's blood.
The creature's eyes gleamed with a predatory hunger, and its teeth were bared in a menacing grin.