Perilous

The cold morning air bit at my skin as I stepped outside the cabin. The faint light of dawn barely illuminated the forest, casting long shadows over the trees that loomed around us. It was eerily quiet—no rustling leaves, no birdsong. Just an overwhelming silence that set my nerves on edge.

Zach was already outside, leaning against the cabin’s weathered wooden door, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes scanned the horizon like a predator waiting for a sign of danger. For a second, I thought he hadn’t noticed me, but the moment I stepped closer, his head turned slightly in my direction.

“Ready?” His voice was calm, but there was an underlying tension that made my chest tighten.

“As I’ll ever be,” I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

We didn’t say much as we began our journey into the dense forest. The weight of what we were about to do hung over us, making every step feel heavier. My heart raced with every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig. There was no telling when the vampires would make their next move, but Zach assured me they wouldn’t give up easily.

For hours, we trekked through the wilderness, the terrain growing rougher with each passing mile. The forest became denser, and the once soft earth beneath my boots turned rocky and uneven. Zach moved like he was born for this, his steps fluid and precise. Meanwhile, I stumbled more than once, catching myself just in time to avoid falling face-first into the dirt.

“How far until we’re out of their territory?” I asked, my voice coming out in a strained breath.

“Another hour, maybe two,” Zach replied without slowing down. “We need to keep moving. The further we get from their stronghold, the better our chances.”

I nodded, though my legs ached from the relentless pace. I was already exhausted, and the idea of hours more walking made my muscles scream in protest. But I couldn’t show weakness. Not now.

As the hours dragged on, the forest began to change. The trees grew taller, their branches intertwining above us like a thick canopy, blocking out most of the sky. The air became cooler, almost damp, and there was an unsettling stillness to the place that made my skin prickle.

“We’re close,” Zach said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “This is neutral territory. No one claims this land, but it’s dangerous.”

“Dangerous how?” I asked, glancing around at the towering trees.

“There are things in these woods,” Zach murmured, his eyes scanning the treeline. “Creatures neither vampire nor wolf. They don’t belong to either world, but they feed on power. And right now, you and I are walking batteries.”

A chill ran down my spine. “You mean we’re being hunted?”

“Not yet,” he said. “But if we’re not careful, we could be.”

We pressed on in silence after that, the weight of his words sinking in. Every sound, every shift in the wind felt amplified, like the forest itself was watching us. I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being followed, though Zach assured me we were still alone—for now.

After what felt like an eternity, we reached a narrow clearing. In the distance, I could see the mountains Zach had mentioned earlier, their peaks shrouded in mist. Relief washed over me, but it was short-lived.

“Stay close,” Zach said, his voice low and urgent. “We’re almost out of the worst of it, but this is where we’re most vulnerable.”

I tightened my grip on the small pack Zach had given me, filled with a few supplies and weapons I barely knew how to use. The reality of our situation was settling in fast—we were being hunted, not just by vampires, but by creatures that thrived in these forsaken woods.

As we moved through the clearing, a low, rumbling growl echoed from the shadows. My breath hitched, and I instinctively stepped closer to Zach. He stopped, his body tense, and scanned the area with sharp, calculating eyes.

“Don’t move,” he whispered.

I froze, every muscle in my body on high alert. The growling grew louder, followed by a rustling in the bushes ahead. My heart pounded in my chest, and I could feel my pulse in my ears as the sound of footsteps approached.

Out of the shadows stepped a creature unlike anything I’d ever seen. It was massive, at least eight feet tall, with a hunched back and long, spindly arms that dragged against the ground. Its skin was pale and mottled, covered in strange, pulsating veins. Red eyes glowed from deep sockets, and its sharp, jagged teeth gleamed in the faint light.

Zach didn’t hesitate. In one fluid motion, he drew the blade strapped to his side and positioned himself between me and the creature. His stance was rigid, ready for a fight, but his expression was eerily calm.

“What the hell is that?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

“A scavenger,” Zach muttered. “They feed on energy, mostly from supernatural beings. It must have sensed us the moment we entered the woods.”

The creature let out another low growl, its eyes fixed on us with a predatory hunger. My heart raced, my mind scrambling for any semblance of a plan. But I knew I was no match for this thing. I had powers, sure, but they were still so new, so unrefined.

“Run,” Zach ordered, his voice sharp.

“But—” I started to protest.

“Now, Vera!”

I didn’t need to be told twice. I turned and bolted, my feet pounding against the forest floor as I sprinted away from the clearing. Behind me, I heard the sound of metal clashing with something hard, followed by a deafening roar. Panic gripped me, but I kept running, pushing through the pain in my legs, the burn in my lungs.

I ran until my legs gave out, collapsing in a heap near the base of a large tree. My chest heaved, my body trembling with adrenaline. I looked around frantically, half expecting the creature to burst out of the trees at any second.

Seconds stretched into minutes, and finally, the sounds of the fight faded. Silence returned to the forest, but I knew better than to trust it. I waited, my breath coming in ragged gasps, listening for any sign of Zach.

And then, just when I was about to go back, he appeared—his clothes torn, blood dripping from a cut above his eye, but otherwise unharmed. Relief flooded through me, and I jumped to my feet, rushing to him.

“Are you okay?” I asked breathlessly.

Zach nodded, wiping the blood from his face with the back of his hand. “It’s dead. But we need to keep moving. There could be more.”

I swallowed hard, nodding in agreement. There was no time to rest. We were still in danger, and the journey was far from over.

Together, we pressed on, the weight of what lay ahead heavy on our shoulders. We hadn’t even reached the council yet, but already, the cost of our bond was becoming painfully clear.