I gritted my teeth against the numbness spreading across my skin. Instinct took over. I twisted my body, forcing the creature to release its grip as I rolled to the side. I struggled to regain my bearings, the light from my hands flickering across the large cat looming above me. It reared up, snarling, its claws swiping at me as I turned onto my back. I threw my arms up to shield myself, and though its claws raked across my skin, they didn’t fully pierce through—only leaving long, burning scratches.

  For a couple of seconds, it was all a blur of fur, teeth, and claws as the cat batted at me and reared back. Its growls filled the narrow space, echoing off the walls like thunder. Then, just as quickly as it had attacked, the panther dropped back onto all four legs, sleek and powerful, the red moonlight catching its dark fur. It prowled in front of me, eyes locked on mine, muscles tensed, ready to strike again.

  The moment it dropped back down to its four legs, I seized my chance. I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest, and drew my sword from my bag. The blade glinted in the dim moonlight, and I thrust it forward as a warning. The panther swiped at it, retreating a few steps but never taking its eyes off me. The small bit of distance gave me room to breathe, but the den was tight, and there wasn’t much space to maneuver. My back pressed against one of the rough walls, while the panther still had enough room to prowl.

  “Stupid panther,” I muttered under my breath, spitting out some of the dirt that had gotten into my mouth when it had knocked me down.

  “You wandered into its territory,” Rabbit’s voice cut in, dry and matter-of-fact.

  “This is the route you planned,” I shot back, keeping my eyes on the panther as it continued to pace, tail twitching in agitation.

  “How was I supposed to know a panther lived here? I’m just trying to get you there as fast as possible, not necessarily the easiest route,” Rabbit replied, his voice unbothered by the situation.

  The panther slowly batted at my sword, its eyes never leaving me as I edged toward the exit. It stayed a sword’s length away, prowling in front of me with careful, deliberate steps. It was clear I wasn’t going to break away easily. I needed to make a move that would scare it off.

  Keeping my sword extended, I lunged forward, slashing at the panther. It dashed to avoid the blow, but not fast enough. The edge of my blade nicked its side, leaving a shallow cut. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to show I had some bite of my own. As I moved back, the panther gave me more space this time, circling with its body angled sideways. It was no longer swiping its claws, but constantly shifting, as if ready to spring at any moment.

  Once I backed out of its den, the panther stopped following, although its eyes kept watching me. I glanced back at it while keeping my guard up. We seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement: I wasn’t interested in fighting, and it would let me leave. It didn’t want me in its territory any more than I wanted to be there.

  A sudden weight slammed into my side, knocking me off balance. Before I could react, sharp claws raked across my shoulder as I hit the ground hard, my sword slipping from my grip. I twisted, trying to dislodge the panther on top of me, only to catch sight of the original one charging in from the front.

  There were two of them.

  The first panther moved in with deliberate steps, its eyes locked on me, while the second, a sleek shadow of muscle and claws, snarled above me, pinning me down. Panic surged through me as I thrashed against the weight, throwing the second panther off just enough to roll free.

  Scrambling to my feet, I snatched up my sword, but the predators weren’t giving me any room to breathe. They began to circle me, their low growls vibrating through the air like a haunting rhythm. My eyes darted between them, heart hammering in my chest. This wasn’t just a chance encounter, but it felt more like an ambush.

  The second panther lunged first, teeth bared, and I swung my blade in a desperate arc. It missed, the cat darting back with lightning speed. The first panther took advantage of my distraction, closing the distance with frightening precision. I stumbled back, narrowly avoiding its claws, and realized I couldn’t hold my ground. With both of them attacking in tandem, I didn’t stand a chance.

  I turned and ran, crashing into the dense undergrowth. Branches whipped at my face, thorns clawed at my arms, but I didn’t stop. Behind me, the panthers were in pursuit, their growls and the heavy thud of their paws driving me forward.

  “You're going the wrong way,” Rabbit warned, but wasn’t like I had another choice. I could run into the panthers if he would like, but I doubted it would be a long journey.

  The forest was a chaotic maze. Fallen logs, gnarled roots, and rain-slicked mud threatened to trip me with every step. I vaulted over a low branch and slid under another, the wet ground making every movement treacherous. The panthers were faster, but I zigzagged through the trees, hoping to keep them off balance.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  Ahead, the forest opened into a steep ravine. The ground dropped suddenly, and I skidded down the rocky slope, sending loose dirt and pebbles tumbling ahead of me. The panthers followed without hesitation, their forms sleek and fluid as they navigated the descent with ease. Below, a raging river churned over jagged rocks, its frothy whitecaps gleaming in the faint moonlight.

  “I would suggest fighting them here with the water to your back so they can’t circle you,” Rabbit suggested.

  The panthers closed in, their snarls growing louder. I ignored Rabbit's suggestion and I jumped.

  The air rushed past me in a heartbeat before the icy water slammed into my body, knocking the breath from my lungs. The current seized me instantly, pulling me under and tossing me like a rag doll. Cold engulfed me, cutting through my clothes and burning my skin. I clawed my way to the surface, gasping for air, only to be dragged down again by the relentless force of the water.

  When I finally broke the surface, I fought to keep my head above the waves. The weight of my bag, body, and sword made it nearly impossible to stay afloat, dragging me down every time I tried to swim. My fingers were numb, and I knew I couldn’t hold on much longer. Gritting my teeth, I let it go of my sword.

  The blade vanished beneath the turbulent water, and I felt a pang of loss as it was swept away. Another sword gone. If I weren’t scavenging them off dead bodies, I’d be broke by now. But there was no time to dwell on it as survival mattered more than anything else.

  I focused on the riverbank in the distance, kicking and clawing at the current to guide myself toward it. The water’s icy grip made every movement a struggle, but inch by inch, I pushed forward, the roar of the river filling my ears.

  When my hand finally scraped against gravel, relief flooded through me. I pulled myself onto the bank, coughing up river water as I hauled my legs free from the current’s relentless tug. The river surged on behind me, indifferent to my escape, its roar fading slightly as I staggered to my feet.

  Standing there, soaked and shivering, I took in my surroundings. The forest stretched dark and unfamiliar around me, its towering trees casting long shadows in the faint moonlight. The ravine I had jumped from was nowhere in sight, and the panthers… they were gone.

  I wiped the water from my face with trembling hands, trying to steady my breath. “Do you know where I am?” I asked, my voice hoarse from the cold and the river’s assault.

  “On the wrong side of nowhere,” Rabbit replied dryly. “But before you worry about that, we need to deal with the cold.”

  For once, I agreed without argument. The river hadn’t been freezing, but the biting wind and the chill of the air cut through me like blades. My soaked clothes clung to my skin, sapping my warmth with every gust of wind. I wasn’t in immediate danger, but the creeping numbness in my limbs was enough to make me nervous. If my body started to cramp or stiffen, reaching the village would become impossible.

  Shivering, I moved further from the riverbank, where the wind was weaker but the forest loomed darker. The red and blue hues of the twin moons bathed the landscape in a strange, surreal light, making it impossible to distinguish wet wood from dry by sight alone. Everything looked shadowed and damp, and my fingers were too numb to trust their grip.

  I crouched low, running my hands over fallen branches and twigs, testing each one. If the wood bent, it was wet. If it snapped cleanly, it was dry enough to burn. Each rejection felt like wasted time, and every second made my teeth chatter harder. I could feel the ache building in my muscles as I forced them to keep moving.

  With shaking hands, I crouched and cast the smallest flame I could manage, a flicker of magic that flared to life and caught on the kindling. I cut it off the moment the first wisp of smoke curled upward, watching as the tiny flame clung to the wood.

  Leaning in, I cupped my hands around the fragile ember and blew on it, my chattering breaths shallow and uneven. The flame wavered, but after a few moments, it grew steady. Slowly, I fed it more twigs, careful not to smother it. Each small addition sent sparks dancing into the cold night air, and a faint warmth began to creep toward my numb hands.

  When the fire was strong enough to survive on its own, I sank down beside it as the heat licked at my frozen skin. My teeth still chattered, and my body shuddered uncontrollably, but the warmth was a welcome relief. I stripped off my drenched clothes, twisting them hard until cold water ran down my wrists, then laid them out near the flames to dry. I raked wet hair off my forehead and rubbed my arms and chest with my hands, chasing the slick chill off my skin.

  The chill clung stubbornly to me, even as the fire’s heat grew stronger. I huddled close, wrapping my arms around my knees and staring into the flickering light. My breaths came slower, though they still rattled slightly as my body tried to recover.

  I looked down at my skin in the firelight. The panthers had shredded my clothes, but surprisingly, my skin had held up well. The only marks left behind were tiny, scattered dots that I didn’t recall receiving.

  Seeing my confusion, Rabbit chimed in. “Those are from where the claws hit twice. The first swipe scored the skin but caused minimal damage. The second hit, from a different angle that overlapped the first, broke through and caused it to bleed.”

  That was a relief. It seemed my skin could withstand a single strike from a panther. “Its claws might as well have been from a kitten against my new skin,” I said with a faint grin.

  “Its teeth? Not so much,” Rabbit countered dryly. The dull ache in my collarbone was proof enough of that. Its teeth had torn right through my skin and into the muscle beneath. The fact that it hadn’t fully healed yet revealed the depth of the wounds.

  Or maybe the cold was slowing down my Ability to heal. Typically, I’d be fully recovered in that time, except in cases of brain injuries, but this was different. I considered mentioning it to Rabbit, but quickly dismissed the idea. If I did, he’d probably take it as an opportunity to experiment on me. That would mean ‘accidentally’ leading me into situations where I’d end up injured and cold, to measure how much my healing slowed.

  No thanks.

  I’d rather accept the simple fact that my body couldn’t heal as quickly when it was busy fighting off other stresses.

  That was when a black bear lumbered into my camp.

  “I told you, you went the wrong way.”