Chapter 18: Final Claw
As the beast’s body merged into the shadows, it moved backward with quiet, calculated steps, keeping its golden-red eyes locked on Auren from a safe distance. Even cloaked by the night, it didn’t let its guard down. Its predator’s instinct demanded that it never fully lose sight of its prey.
Auren, however, had already disappeared from its line of vision.
He had leapt into the trees, vanishing into the forest’s dense foliage like a ghost, taking cover among thick branches. The move caught the beast off-guard—it had expected the human to stand his ground or perhaps retreat on foot. Instead, Auren chose a higher path—one the Night Stalker hadn’t anticipated.
Realizing this, the creature backed off even farther, slinking behind dense brush to hide its presence and await reinforcement. It didn’t like surprises. And Auren had proven himself far too clever for a simple hunt.
’Master, we don’t have much time. I can already detect the presence of the rest of its pack. They’re heading here fast,’
Bigbird’s voice echoed in Auren’s mind, his tone unusually urgent. ’A few kilometers out. Closing in fast.’
’How long before they reach us?’ Auren asked mentally as he moved swiftly through the treetops, his body weaving between branches with the grace of a born hunter.
He trusted Bigbird—his Golden Phoenix—for more than just guidance. Its innate ability to scan the surrounding area like a passive magical radar was his secret weapon, an edge that had kept him alive through situations far worse than this.
Each leap he took was silent, calculated, his light frame gliding from branch to branch with near-elven precision while his mind kept on tracking the beast. He was a ghost in the canopy—one the Night Stalkers wouldn’t see coming.
’Thirty seconds. Maybe a minute. One of them... it’s moving at a terrifying pace. Might be the alpha.’
Hearing this, Auren paused. His eyes scanned the darkness, calculating. He licked his finger and raised it to the air, testing the wind’s direction.