Cassiel reached the village square, her chest heaving as her boots scraped against the dirt. The air was too still, the quiet so oppressive it set her nerves on edge. She spotted Auden near the well, gripping an axe tightly, his broad shoulders tense as he scanned the treeline.
"You heard it too?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with urgency.
Cassiel nodded, her hand brushing against the hilt of her broken blade. "What was it?"
Auden's lips pressed into a thin line. "Something that doesn't belong here. Nothing's dared come this close to the village in years."
The sharp sound of footsteps broke the tension as three hunters appeared from the shadows, their breathing labored. One of them—a tall, broad man partially shifted into a boar-like form—stopped first. The jagged tusks protruding from his jaw gleamed faintly in the moonlight.
Another hunter followed, her golden eyes glowing faintly as her sleek, feline features twitched with unease. She moved with the precision of a predator, yet her steps faltered as she glanced behind her. The last hunter, smaller but wiry, knelt briefly to touch the ground, his expression tight with focus.
"Auden," the boar-like man said, his voice low but urgent. "There's something out there. Big."
"I felt it," the smaller hunter added, his hands skimming the earth. "It's heavy. The vibrations are like nothing I've sensed before."
The feline-eyed woman narrowed her gaze toward the treeline, her pupils dilating in the darkness. "It's a wolf," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "And not just any wolf. It's huge."
Cassiel's stomach turned as her gaze snapped toward the forest.
Auden's jaw tightened, his duskcat features flickering over his face as he shifted partially. "You're sure?"
"Yes," the woman replied, her claws flexing instinctively. "Its eyes—they're like fire."
Before anyone could respond, the forest itself seemed to breathe. The wind shifted unnaturally, rustling the trees with a hollow, mournful sound. The shadows deepened, pooling around the trunks and swallowing the moonlight.
Then, it appeared.
Two enormous, glowing eyes emerged from the darkness, burning like molten embers. A low growl followed, vibrating through the ground and sending a chill racing up Cassiel's spine.
She froze, her instincts warring with the suffocating weight of the creature's presence.
The wolf stepped into the clearing, its body impossibly large, the black fur rippling like liquid shadow. Its claws carved deep into the earth with each deliberate step, and its teeth, bared in a silent snarl, gleamed like blades.
Auden shifted fully into his duskcat form, his sleek frame radiating strength and control as he positioned himself in front of Cassiel and the others. His voice was a growl now, sharp and commanding.
"Tavian, take the right flank. Lira, circle left. Cael, keep it off-balance—trap its feet if you can."
The hunters moved instantly, their forms rippling with power as they spread out. Tavian's tusks gleamed as he charged to the side, while Lira disappeared into the shadows, her movements silent and lethal. Cael dropped to his knees, pressing his glowing hands into the dirt as his power rippled through the earth.
Cassiel stayed rooted in place, her hand tightening on her sword.
Auden's duskcat eyes turned toward her briefly, his voice low and urgent. "Stay back if you're not fighting. But if you step in... make it count."
The wolf stopped at the edge of the clearing, its fiery eyes scanning the hunters as if measuring their strength. Its growl deepened, resonating through the air like distant thunder.
Cassiel's breath hitched as the wolf bared its teeth and took a step forward.
"By any means necessary," Auden muttered, his eyes fixed on the beast. "We take it down."
The wolf lunged, its massive form hurtling toward them like a storm.
Auden shifted first, his body morphing into the duskcat's lean and powerful form. Muscles coiled beneath his dark fur, his claws digging into the dirt as he crouched low. "Positions!" his voice rumbled, sharp and commanding.
The hunters snapped into action. Tavian, his boar-like tusks glinting faintly in the torchlight, took up position on Auden's left. To the right, Lira's lynx form melted into the shadows, her golden eyes glowing faintly. From behind, Cael pressed his hands to the ground, his expression tight with concentration as the earth beneath him shivered.
Cassiel lingered near the back, her sword clutched tightly. She watched as the hunters fanned out, moving in perfect synchronization. They weren't rushing in; they were waiting for the wolf to make the first move.
The beast obliged.
With a low, guttural growl, the wolf lunged forward, its claws ripping into the ground as it surged toward Tavian. Tavian met it head-on, his tusks angled upward to catch its chest. The impact was thunderous, the sound of flesh and bone colliding ringing out as the wolf skidded back, momentarily off balance.
"Lira! Now!" Auden barked.
From the shadows, Lira sprang forward, her claws slicing at the wolf's exposed flank. The beast snarled, twisting to snap at her, but she had already leapt back, her movements fluid and precise.
"Keep it disoriented!" Auden shouted. He darted forward, slashing across the wolf's side with sharp claws.
The wolf staggered, but its recovery was almost immediate. It twisted with terrifying speed, its jaws snapping inches from Auden's neck. He dodged, using his momentum to roll to safety.
The wolf roared, a deep, resonant sound that made the ground tremble.
"Cael!" Auden ordered.
Cael slammed his hands into the earth, and the ground beneath the wolf's paws shifted violently, trapping its legs in a sudden pit of loose soil. The beast growled, struggling to free itself, but Tavian charged again, his tusks striking the wolf's shoulder with brutal force. The impact sent the wolf reeling.
For a moment, it seemed like they had the upper hand.
Then, the wolf's body shimmered faintly. The gashes on its sides began to close, its fur knitting itself back together. It shook off the dirt holding its legs and stood, taller and more menacing than before.
Cassiel's breath hitched as she watched the hunters pause, their momentary advantage slipping away. The wolf lunged forward, its claws slashing toward Tavian. He managed to block it with his tusks, but the force drove him back several paces.
"Regroup!" Auden's voice rang out, his tone sharp.
The hunters adjusted quickly. Lira darted to the side, trying to flank the beast again, while Cael reinforced the ground beneath Tavian to give him a stable footing. Auden circled the wolf, his duskcat form low and predatory, looking for an opening.
Cassiel's eyes narrowed as she focused on the wolf. The shimmer of its healing fur wasn't natural—it almost looked... alive. A faint aura surrounded the beast, flickering like an invisible flame. Her grip tightened on her sword.
"Keep pressing!" Auden yelled.
Lira struck again, her claws raking across the wolf's hind legs. Tavian followed, aiming his tusks at its ribs. The wolf staggered but retaliated with a furious swipe of its claws, catching Lira's side and sending her sprawling.
Cassiel moved instinctively, stepping forward as Tavian roared and charged again. The wolf dodged him this time, its jaws snapping around his shoulder and hurling him to the side.
"Lira, get up!" Auden's voice cracked through the chaos as he darted in, claws slashing at the wolf's face to force it back.
Cassiel's gaze locked onto the shimmering aura again, her heart pounding. This isn't just a wolf.
The wolf growled low, its voice almost mournful. "I don't want to do this..."
Cassiel froze. The words reverberated through her chest, though she couldn't be sure if she'd heard them aloud or felt them inside her.
The wolf's claws tore through the earth as it lunged at Cael, who barely managed to roll out of the way. The hunters were wearing down, their movements slower, their breathing heavier.
Cassiel's flame flickered faintly along her broken blade, her resolve hardening. She couldn't just stand there.
Auden's voice broke through her thoughts. "We're not letting it into the village!"
The wolf snarled, shaking its massive head. "You're taking too much..."
Cassiel's grip tightened. The words felt like an accusation—one she didn't fully understand.
Then, she saw her opening.
The wolf turned its back to her, focused on Tavian and Auden. Cassiel surged forward, the flame along her blade flaring to life.
"Cassiel, no!" Tavian shouted, but it was too late.
Her blade struck true, slicing across the wolf's hind leg. The flames seared its fur, leaving a charred wound that didn't heal immediately. The wolf howled, a sound of pure anguish and rage.
It turned, its glowing eyes locking onto her. For the first time, the beast seemed to notice her fully.
And in its gaze, she saw recognition.