Chapter 99 - They Hunt in Silence
Tave was now standing, still hidden behind the thick trunk of a tree, eyes narrowed as he tracked the surroundings. Panpan had already slipped away, and he no longer had any idea where she was.
Until... The monster let out a guttural roar, deeper and louder than before.
Then came the faint, sharp sound of arrows striking the air, quiet, expertly muted, but just enough to pull at the monster’s attention like bait on a hook.
Tave peeked out from behind the tree, and for the first time, he got a proper look at the creature.
Its body alone stood nearly a head and a half taller than him. But with its long, serpent-like neck, it towered over him at three times his height.
The beast whipped its neck toward the source of the sound, jaws parting as it searched for the threat.
And then, through the wavering shadows, Tave spotted her. Panpan.
She darted between trees like a ghost, loosing arrows without breaking her stride. Not physical arrows, no. These were elemental shots, sleek and fast, zipping around the monster’s head and vanishing the instant they passed their mark, flickering like lights on the edge of perception.
The monster snarled and sniffed, its steps growing impatient and erratic. It spun in place, swaying its great neck, trying to trace the movement, its breath ragged and loud as it chased the ghost trails of the arrows.
And watching all of it unfold, Tave couldn’t help but feel it.
A deep, wordless admiration.