A leopard leapt from the bushes, snarling and baring its sharp fangs. Joy braced himself, gripping his dagger and machete tightly. He knew he couldn't outrun the beast, and fighting seemed like his only option.
As the leopard pounced, Joy instinctively swung his machete. The blade grazed the leopard's leg, and the beast let out a painful roar, landing awkwardly on the ground. Joy froze, his weapon still in hand. The leopard limped, growling in pain, but didn't attack again.
Joy's fear began to fade as he saw the creature struggling to move. It was injured, its golden eyes now filled with pain rather than fury. Joy hesitated, unsure of what to do. He could finish the job and secure his safety, or… he could help.
Taking a deep breath, Joy put his weapons down and cautiously approached the leopard. The animal snarled weakly but didn't attack. "Easy, easy," Joy whispered, his voice calm but trembling. He tore a piece of cloth from his shirt and carefully bound the leopard's wounded leg.
The leopard watched him, its growls subsiding. Joy gathered some water from the river in a leaf and gently placed it near the animal. To his surprise, the leopard drank.
As Joy cautiously approaches the leopard and treated him, he suddenly heard faint snarls and laughter echoing through the jungle. His heart sank as six hyenas emerged from the shadows, their eyes gleaming with hunger and malice.
The leopard, though injured, rose to its feet and growled fiercely, positioning itself between Joy and the advancing pack. The hyenas circled them, their movements coordinated and menacing. One of the hyenas lunged forward, biting into the leopard's hind leg, causing it to roar in pain.
Joy couldn't stand by and watch. Gripping his machete tightly, he shouted, trying to scare the hyenas away, but they weren't intimidated. "Leo, hang on!" Joy yelled, adrenaline surging through his veins.
He grabbed the burning branch from the fire he had started earlier and swung it at the hyenas. The flames crackled, and the nearest hyena recoiled, yelping. Encouraged, Joy waved the fire wildly, forcing the pack to retreat slightly. But the hyenas weren't giving up—they circled back, snapping their jaws.
The leopard, despite its injuries, pounced on one of the hyenas, sinking its claws into its side. Joy joined in, slashing at another hyena with his machete. Together, they fought as a team, their survival instincts driving them forward.
After a fierce battle, the hyenas finally retreated, their laughter fading into the distance. Exhausted and covered in scratches, Joy turned to Leo, who was now lying on the ground, breathing heavily. The leopard was badly injured, its body marked with fresh wounds from the fight.