The distant roars of battle echoed through the forest, each one reverberating through the trees with a force that made the air itself tremble. Hanna’s fight was underway, and even from here, I could feel the ferocity of it. My heart clenched, a mix of worry and faith battling for dominance in my chest. She was strong—more than strong—but no one could fight forever. She needed space, time, and the st thing she needed was for something else to join the fray.

  Movement in the corner of my vision pulled me back to the present. My eyes snapped to the edge of the clearing where a Pink Rathian emerged, its massive frame cutting through the underbrush like a living battering ram. It let out a low growl, its venomous tail swaying behind it like a pendulum, and my stomach sank as I followed its line of sight.

  It wasn’t looking at me.

  Its head tilted slightly, nostrils fring as it caught the faint scent of the fight in the distance. It shifted its weight, cws digging into the dirt as it prepared to take flight, clearly intent on joining whatever was happening up ahead. It was heading for Hanna.

  No. Not on my watch.

  Before the Rathian could unch itself into the air, I darted forward, using every ounce of my enhanced agility to close the distance. My body moved on instinct, muscles coiling and releasing in a fluid motion as I aimed for its vulnerable side. I smmed my shoulder into its fnk just as it spread its wings, the impact throwing it off bance and sending it stumbling to the side.

  The Rathian let out an enraged roar, its wings snapping back against its body as it turned to face me. Its green eyes narrowed, locking onto me with a predatory focus that sent a chill down my spine. My pulse quickened, but I stood my ground, meeting its gaze with a defiance that surprised even me.

  “Not today,” I muttered under my breath, fists clenching at my sides.

  The Rathian roared again, louder this time, its venom-coated tail shing out in a wide arc. I barely had time to duck, the spines whipping through the air just above my head. The force of the swing sent a gust of wind rushing past me, and I stumbled slightly as I regained my footing.

  The beast lunged, its massive cws digging into the earth as it charged. I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike, and countered with a quick kick to its foreleg. The impact sent a jolt up my leg, and the Rathian snarled, recoiling slightly before snapping its jaws in my direction.

  It was fast—faster than I’d anticipated—and its movements were fluid, calcuted. This wasn’t a mindless predator; it was an apex monster, and I was nothing more than an obstacle in its path. But I couldn’t let it through. Hanna was counting on me, even if she didn’t know it.

  The Rathian’s tail whipped around again, this time catching me across the side. Pain fred where the venomous spines grazed my skin, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through it. I didn’t have time to think about the poison—not yet. I just had to keep moving, keep it focused on me.

  The beast spread its wings, attempting to take off once more, and I lunged forward, grabbing a loose rock from the ground and hurling it with all my strength. The stone struck the Rathian’s shoulder, causing it to flinch and falter. I used the opening to close the gap again, aiming a sharp kick at its ribs. It staggered, its wings folding back against its body as it let out a frustrated snarl.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through me.

  The Rathian’s eyes narrowed, and it lunged again, its jaws snapping dangerously close to my face. I ducked under the strike, my reflexes pushing me just out of reach. My mind raced, analyzing its movements, its tells. The Rathian was relentless, its attacks coming one after another with barely any time to breathe. I couldn’t match its sheer power, but I could outthink it.

  It charged again, its cws tearing through the ground as it aimed to trample me. I waited until the st possible second before diving to the side, letting its momentum carry it forward. As it skidded to a halt, I grabbed another rock and threw it at its hind leg. The Rathian turned on me immediately, its venomous tail whipping around in a deadly arc. I ducked again, the spines missing me by inches, and countered with a quick punch to its fnk.

  The Rathian roared, its wings fring as it reared back. My heart pounded as I prepared for its next move, my body tense and ready to react. It wasn’t just trying to get past me any more—it was angry. And that made it even more dangerous.

  The venom in my side burned, a constant reminder that I couldn’t afford to let this fight drag on. But I couldn’t let it end too soon, either. I needed to keep the Rathian here, away from Hanna, for as long as it took.

  The beast lunged once more, its massive cws sshing through the air. I dodged to the side, my enhanced reflexes barely keeping me ahead of its strikes. Each movement was a test of endurance, every dodge and counter taking more out of me than I wanted to admit. But I couldn’t stop. Not until I was sure Hanna was safe.

  The Rathian spread its wings again, and this time, it leapt into the air, its powerful legs propelling it upward. My eyes widened as I realized what it was trying to do, and I bolted forward, jumping onto its tail and grabbing hold with both hands. The Rathian roared in surprise, twisting and thrashing as it tried to shake me off, but I held on, refusing to let it escape.

  “You’re not getting past me,” I growled, my voice low and fierce.

  The Rathian thrashed violently, its tail whipping through the air as it twisted to shake me loose. My grip slipped slightly, the venom burning through my side making it harder to hold on, but I dug my fingers into the soft joint where its tail connected to its body. The beast shrieked in rage, its wings beating wildly as it tried to climb higher into the sky.

  I couldn’t let it. If it got any closer to Hanna’s fight, I wouldn’t be able to stop it.

  Using the momentum of its thrashing, I swung myself up higher, pulling myself along its spine. Its scales were warm under my hands, their ridged texture giving me just enough to hold onto. The Rathian roared in frustration, and I knew I had only seconds before it tried to sm me into something—or worse, unleash its fire.

  I reached its wings. Massive, leathery membranes stretched taut between long, bony structures, and I knew they were the key to bringing it down. Bancing precariously on its back, I shifted my weight and drove my fist into the base of its right wing. The Rathian screeched, its body jerking sharply in response. It tried to dive, to throw me off, but I clung tightly, ignoring the searing pain in my side.

  Bracing myself, I struck again, this time with everything I had. I felt something give—a sickening crunch that reverberated through its body—and the Rathian’s wing faltered, its fpping growing erratic. It let out a guttural roar, a sound that sent chills down my spine, and began to plummet.

  We hit the ground hard, the impact jarring every bone in my body. The Rathian rolled, its massive frame throwing me off as it crashed into the dirt. I hit the ground a few yards away, skidding to a stop in a cloud of dust and debris. My chest heaved as I pushed myself up, my body screaming in protest. I didn’t have time to think about the pain.

  The Rathian wasn’t done.

  It rose slowly, shaking itself off with an enraged growl. Its right wing hung limply at its side, the joint clearly damaged beyond immediate use. But its eyes—those piercing green eyes—locked onto me with a singur focus that sent a shiver down my spine. I had succeeded in grounding it, but now I was its only target.

  The Rathian lunged.

  I barely had time to roll out of the way as its cws gouged deep furrows into the ground where I’d been. The beast was relentless, its movements driven by rage and pain. Its tail whipped around, forcing me to duck as the venom-coated spines cut through the air above me.

  I scrambled to my feet, my breathing ragged as I tried to create some distance. The Rathian followed, its cws digging into the dirt as it closed the gap with terrifying speed. Without the ability to fly, it had become even more aggressive, each movement charged with the full weight of its fury.

  It lunged again, and I darted to the side, using my enhanced reflexes to avoid the strike. My mind raced as I tried to come up with a pn. I couldn’t outst it—not with the venom in my system and the sheer size difference between us. I needed to find a way to end this quickly.

  The Rathian roared, the sound vibrating through the air as it charged once more. I sidestepped at the st second, grabbing a loose rock and hurling it at its injured wing. The beast snarled in pain, its body twisting away from the impact, and I used the opening to dart in close.

  I aimed for its legs, striking hard at the joint to throw it off bance. The Rathian stumbled, its massive frame shuddering as it tried to steady itself. But it recovered quickly, snapping its jaws at me in a vicious counterattack. I jumped back, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp teeth, and felt the heat of its breath against my skin.

  The venom was starting to take its toll. My movements felt sluggish, each step heavier than the st. I couldn’t afford to let it catch me—not even once. Every instinct screamed at me to retreat, to find safety, but I pushed the fear aside. If I ran, it would go after Hanna. And I couldn’t let that happen.

  The Rathian’s tail whipped around again, and this time I wasn’t fast enough. The spines grazed my shoulder, a sharp burst of pain fring where they cut through my skin. I bit back a cry, the venom seeping into my bloodstream and spreading like fire. My vision blurred for a moment, and I stumbled, barely managing to stay upright.

  “Focus,” I muttered to myself, shaking my head to clear it. “You can’t stop now.”

  The Rathian charged again, and I braced myself, waiting for the right moment. As it lunged, I dropped low, sliding under its cws and delivering a sharp kick to its underbelly. The impact made it grunt in pain, its momentum carrying it forward and away from me. I scrambled to my feet, my breathing ragged as I prepared for its next attack.

  It turned slowly, its eyes glowing with fury as it bared its teeth. The beast was relentless, its rage fueling every movement. But I could see the strain in its body, the way its injured wing sagged, the slight limp in its step. It was weakening, bit by bit. I just had to hold on.

  The Rathian roared again, its tail shing out as it advanced. I dodged to the side, my movements slower than before but still quick enough to stay ahead. I needed to find another opening, another weak spot to exploit. My eyes scanned its massive frame, searching for any sign of vulnerability.

  The Rathian snarled at me, its eyes bzing with fury as it twisted to face me. Its injured wing hung limply at its side, the leathery membrane torn and useless, but it didn’t seem to care. It bared its teeth in a guttural snarl, slobber dripping from its jagged fangs and pooling onto the ground below. The beast was furious now, and its focus was entirely on me.

  Every muscle in my body ached, the venom coursing through my veins making my movements sluggish, but I forced myself to stay upright. The Rathian advanced, its massive cws digging into the dirt with each step. There was no hesitation in its movements now—only raw, primal rage.

  It lunged, its jaws snapping toward my torso with terrifying speed. I barely managed to sidestep the attack, my enhanced reflexes the only thing keeping me alive. The beast’s tail followed immediately, whipping around with enough force to splinter the trees behind me. I ducked under it, feeling the rush of air as it passed inches above my head.

  The Rathian charged again, its cws raking through the earth as it tried to close the distance. I rolled to the side, grabbing a rock from the ground and hurling it at its injured wing. The impact made it shriek, the sound echoing through the clearing as it staggered back. But it didn’t stop. It never stopped.

  The beast lunged again, its jaws snapping wildly, and I darted back, narrowly avoiding its venom-coated fangs. My heart pounded in my chest as I searched for an opening, a chance to end this before the venom in my system overwhelmed me. But the Rathian wasn’t giving me any room to breathe.

  It lunged a third time, its jaws wide as it aimed directly for my chest. I had no room to dodge, no time to think. Instinct took over.

  I pnted my feet firmly on the ground and threw my arms out, catching its jaws in my hands just before they cmped shut around me. My palms pressed against its upper and lower jaws, the rough texture of its scales biting into my skin as its venom dripped down my arms.

  The Rathian roared, thrashing violently as it tried to break free. Its cws tore at the ground, its tail whipping around in a frenzy as it struggled against my grip. My arms burned with the effort, every muscle straining as I held its jaws apart.

  The beast pushed forward, its massive body bearing down on me with incredible force. I gritted my teeth, my legs trembling as I dug my heels into the dirt to hold my ground. The Rathian’s strength was overwhelming, its muscles coiled like steel cables as it fought to overpower me.

  But I refused to let go.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” I growled through gritted teeth, my voice raw with effort.

  The Rathian roared again, its breath hot and foul against my face as it thrashed harder. My arms screamed in protest, the venom in my veins making every movement feel like fire, but I didn’t falter. I couldn’t falter. This was it. This was my chance.

  I shifted my grip slightly, my cws stabbing into it's flesh to anchor my fingers into the bone, and using my legs to brace myself as I twisted its head to the side. The beast thrashed wildly, its cws gouging deep trenches into the ground as it fought against me. Its tail shed out, the venomous spines narrowly missing my legs as it swung blindly in its desperation.

  With a final surge of strength, I twisted harder, forcing its head into an unnatural angle. The Rathian let out a guttural shriek, its entire body going rigid as a sickening crack echoed through the clearing. The sound made my stomach churn, but I didn’t let go. No, I had to be sure.

  I let off a yell as I pulled, hard, a sickening, wet tearing noise as I pulled it's head clean off.

  The Rathian’s body slumped to the ground, its cws digging into the dirt one st time before going still. Its eyes dimmed, the fire in them fading as it let out a final, choking gurgle from it's stump-neck. And then, silence.

  I released its jaws, stumbling back as the weight of what I had just done hit me. My arms hung limply at my sides, every muscle trembling as I gasped for air. My body screamed in protest, the venom coursing through my veins making my head spin, but I forced myself to stay upright.

  The Rathian was dead.

  I stared at its lifeless body, my chest heaving as I tried to process what had just happened. My cws release the severed head of the wyvern and I feel myself grow sick. This wasn't like the hunts we went on, with Hanna helping me get up to strength, this wasn't like when Hanna found something for me to pick on by myself. My nerves were shot and I needed to sit down or I'd lose my breakfast.

  But as I took another step, my knees buckled, and I fell to the ground. My body refused to cooperate, the venom sapping what little strength I had left. I clenched my fists, frustration boiling inside me as I struggled to push myself up. I could hear Hanna's fight in the distance, and I needed to help her.

  Only for the sounds of battle to go quiet, and to hear Hanna's roar of triumph break the cacophonous silence of the forest.

  Hearing that; I just couldn't help myself, the bubbling instinct brewing in my stomach.

  I roared back.