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"Damn it," Fowad muttered under his breath, his decision made.
He glanced at Foxy, who crouched beside him, her two tails flicking with anticipation.
"Let's go. Keep to the shadows."
With practiced stealth, Fowad and Foxy moved closer to the clearing, staying out of sight as the battle raged on.
The boar's strength was overwhelming, its thick hide deflecting many of the guards' strikes.
Fowad assessed the situation quickly, noting the beast's movements and vulnerabilities.
Its legs and underbelly were its weak points, but getting close enough to strike would be a challenge.
"Foxy, aim for its legs," Fowad whispered.
The fox gave a low growl of understanding before darting into the fray, her sleek form almost invisible in the shadows.
She circled the boar, her movements quick and precise, before lunging at its hind leg.
Her claws raked against the beast's flesh, drawing a deep gash and a furious roar from the creature.
The distraction gave the guards a brief opening, and they pressed their attack, landing several strikes on the boar's side.
Fowad used the opportunity to move closer, hurling a stone at the boar's head to draw its attention away from the girl.
The stone struck true, bouncing off the beast's skull with a sharp crack.
The boar swung its head toward the source of the attack, its enraged eyes scanning the shadows.
As the boar's attention wavered, Fattey, ever curious and brimming with energy, decided to join the action.
The little red bird swooped down from his perch, his wings flapping furiously as he let out a series of loud, indignant chirps.
He dove toward the boar, pecking at its ears and dodging its snapping jaws with surprising agility.
"Fattey!" Fowad hissed, trying to signal the bird to retreat. But Fattey was too caught up in his mischief, darting around the boar's head and squawking loudly.
The beast roared in frustration, swiping at the air as it tried to fend off the tiny nuisance.
Despite his exasperation, Fowad couldn't deny that Fattey's antics were proving useful.
The bird's chaotic movements kept the boar distracted long enough for Foxy to land another strike, her claws raking across its hind leg and forcing the beast to stumble.
The guards seized the opportunity, closing in on the boar from all sides.
Their blades flashed in the dim light as they targeted its exposed flanks and underbelly.
The boar thrashed wildly, but the combined efforts of the guards, Foxy's precision strikes, and Fattey's relentless distractions gradually wore it down.
With a final, desperate roar, the boar collapsed to the ground, its massive body heaving as it let out one last breath.
The clearing fell silent, save for the labored breathing of the guards as they regrouped. Blood stained the snow, and the air was thick with the metallic scent of battle.
From the shadows, Fowad watched as the guards inspected the fallen beast.
The girl, who had remained frozen throughout the ordeal, finally seemed to regain her composure.
She stepped forward cautiously, her eyes scanning the forest as though searching for something or someone.
"I know someone was there," she said, her voice steady but tinged with curiosity. "Someone helped us."
The guards exchanged skeptical glances. "With all due respect, miss," one of them said, wiping blood from his blade,
"we didn't see anyone else. It was likely your imagination."
"No," the girl insisted, her gaze still fixed on the trees. "I'm sure of it."
Fowad's heart raced as her eyes swept over his hiding spot.
For a moment, he thought she might have seen him, but before she could investigate further, he turned and slipped away into the forest, his movements silent and swift.
As soon as he was far enough from the clearing, Fowad stopped to catch his breath, his heart pounding in his chest.
He hadn't intended to get so involved, but he couldn't regret his decision. The girl was safe, and the boar was defeated.
Foxy trotted up to him, her fur matted with blood from the fight, but her eyes gleamed with pride.
Fattey landed on Fowad's shoulder, chirping triumphantly as though he had been the one to slay the beast.
Crip Crip Crip!
[Mommy did i fight well? Give me food.]
"You two," Fowad said, shaking his head with a small smile. "What am I going to do with you?"
He turned his attention to the fallen boar, which lay just within the clearing.
The guards had moved away to tend to their wounds, leaving the beast momentarily unattended. Fowad knew this was his chance.
He approached the boar cautiously, his eyes darting between the guards and the forest.
Once he was certain the coast was clear, he knelt beside the beast and placed a hand on its massive flank.
Closing his eyes, he activated his beast space, a faint glow emanating from his palm as the boar's body began to dissolve into light.
The boar vanished, stored safely within the ethereal realm of his beast space.
Fowad had learned to use the technique for storage rather than for housing his companions, as he wanted to ensure that the two eggs inside remained undisturbed while they recovered.
For now, the space served as a secure place to store resources and beast cores.
He quickly repeated the process with two more boars from the battle, their bodies disappearing into his space with ease.
The guards wouldn't notice their absence, and the cores and meat would prove invaluable for his journey.
Satisfied with his haul, Fowad retreated further into the forest, putting as much distance as possible between himself and the group.
He felt a mix of relief and unease relief that he had been able to help without being discovered, and unease at the thought of encountering more humans in the forest.
The memory of the bounty hunter still haunted him, and he couldn't shake the fear that these strangers might pose a similar threat.
As they walked, Fattey chirped softly, his small body warm against Fowad's shoulder. Foxy padded beside him, her tails swishing gently as she kept a watchful eye on their surroundings.
"We did good today," Fowad said, glancing at his companions.
"But let's not get too comfortable. There's still a lot we don't know about this forest or the people in it."
Fattey let out a soft trill, as if in agreement, while Foxy gave a quiet bark of acknowledgment.
Together, they disappeared into the shadows, leaving the chaos of the battle behind.
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