Kael knelt beside the dwindling fire, his hands trembling as he gripped the hilt of his spear. Shadows danced on the trees around him, twisting and shifting with the flames. Every creak of a branch or rustle of leaves sent his senses into overdrive. The wild had its own rhythm, and Kael was far from attuned to it.
The night was colder than he'd expected, a biting wind slicing through his cloak. His meager rations—a portion of dried meat and stale bread—sat untouched in his pack. Hunger gnawed at him, but the oppressive silence made eating impossible. Kael was too focused on surviving until dawn.
A sudden snap in the distance jolted him to his feet. The spear felt foreign in his hands despite his training. He scanned the darkness, his eyes trying to pierce the impenetrable black beyond the firelight.
"Stay calm," he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible. "It's probably nothing."
Another sound—closer this time. A low growl rumbled through the night, primal and guttural. The hairs on the back of Kael's neck stood on end as he tightened his grip on the weapon.
From the underbrush, a shape emerged. The beast was small compared to what Kael imagined lurked in the wild, but its presence was no less terrifying. It resembled a feline, but its body was unnaturally elongated, its limbs too thin, its eyes glowing faintly green in the firelight.
Kael's heart pounded. The creature circled just outside the fire's reach, its movements fluid and deliberate. It was testing him, waiting for an opening.
"You don't want this fight," Kael whispered, though he wasn't sure if the words were for the beast or himself.
The creature pounced, its claws glinting in the firelight. Kael barely dodged in time, the swipe missing his chest by inches. He thrust his spear forward instinctively, the blade grazing the creature's side. It hissed in pain, retreating for a moment before lunging again.
Kael's training took over. He sidestepped the attack, swinging the spear in a wide arc. The beast leapt back, but not before the blade caught its leg. It stumbled, its growl turning into a high-pitched screech. For a moment, Kael thought it might retreat, but then it lunged again, desperation in its movements.
This time, Kael didn't hold back. With a fierce cry, he drove the spear forward, piercing the creature's chest. It thrashed wildly before collapsing, its body twitching once before going still.
Kael stood over the corpse, his breathing ragged. The fire crackled behind him, its light casting a flickering glow on the bloodied spear. His hands were shaking, his mind racing.
It was his first kill in the wild. A small victory, but it felt hollow. The creature hadn't been the predator he'd imagined—it had been starving, just like him.
Kael sank to his knees, exhaustion washing over him. The wild was already testing him, and it was only the first night.
"I have to get stronger," he murmured, staring at the lifeless body before him. "Or I won't survive."
As the fire burned low, Kael dragged the creature's body away from the camp. He knew the scent of blood would attract others. When he finally returned to the fire, he collapsed beside it, his spear clutched tightly in his hands.
The night stretched on, long and unforgiving. Kael didn't sleep.