The swish! of arrows sliced through the stillness of the forest, each shot precise and deadly. Gray, perched high in the sprawling branches of an ancient tree, moved like a shadow, unseen by the monstrous hounds prowling below. The dense leaves concealed him, offering the perfect vantage point. His cold, golden eyes tracked each of the beasts as they clawed at the base of the tree, growling with low, guttural rumbles that vibrated through the ground.
The hounds were massive, their hulking bodies covered in dark, matted fur. Their glowing yellow eyes scanned the forest floor, oblivious to the silent predator above. With each pull of Gray's bowstring, an arrow shot through the air with a sharp whizz! and found its mark.
The first arrow struck a hound in its eye with a thud!, its body collapsing instantly as a pitiful yowl! escaped its throat. Blood pooled beneath it, but Gray's focus never wavered. He nocked another arrow, drawing the string back in one fluid motion.
Whizz!—another arrow flew, embedding itself in the throat of a second hound. The creature let out a strangled growl, stumbling as dark blood gushed from the wound. Gray didn't give it a second thought; his attention was already on the next target.
The remaining hounds grew more frenzied, their snarls turning into ferocious roars as they clawed at the tree, trying to reach the unseen threat. One of them slammed its massive paw against the trunk, causing the wood to creak and groan ominously. But Gray remained still, unperturbed by the tree's unstable state.
He loosed another arrow, this time aiming for the gaping mouth of a hound as it howled. The projectile flew with a sharp whizz!, embedding itself deep in the creature's throat. The hound staggered, blood pouring from its mouth as it let out a strangled gurgle! before collapsing.
Only one remained now, its glowing eyes filled with a maddened fury. Gray drew his final arrow, his eyes narrowing as he calculated the shot. The beast let out a furious snarl!, its body trembling with rage as it slammed its claws into the tree once more, causing branches to snap and fall.
With a final whizz!, Gray released his last arrow, the projectile flying through the air and burying itself in the hound's eye. The beast let out a blood-curdling howl! of pain, staggering backward before crashing to the ground in a heap.
Gray exhaled slowly, lowering his bow as the forest around him fell silent once more. He surveyed the scene below—bodies of the hounds lay scattered, dark blood staining the ground. The fight was over, and he had emerged unscathed.
But as he climbed down from the tree and inspected the battlefield, a frown tugged at the corners of his mouth. His arrows—once pristine and sharp—now lay in pieces, shattered and useless. He picked up one of the broken shafts, the tip bent and twisted from the force of impact.
"Useless," he muttered, tossing it aside. His quiver was almost empty, only a few spare arrows remained, and even those were starting to show signs of wear.
A sigh escaped him, tinged with disappointment. "I should have brought more," he said quietly, already thinking of how to replenish his stock.