---
The baby lighting cheetah let out a pitiful growl, its tiny claws unsheathing as it tried to make itself look threatening.
Fowad froze, his knife still at his side, and raised his hands slowly in a gesture of peace.
"It's okay," he said softly, his voice calm and soothing. "I'm not here to hurt you."
The lighting cheetah baby's growls quieted slightly, but its body remained tense, ready to spring away at the first sign of danger.
Fowad crouched lower, keeping his movements slow and deliberate.
"You're all alone now, aren't you?" he murmured, his heart aching at the sight of the frightened creature.
He could see the remnants of its parent's lightning aura flickering faintly around it, like the dying embers of a fire.
Fowad glanced back at Foxy, who stood at a respectful distance, her gaze steady but non-threatening.
