Chapter 5: The Hunt Never Ends

The forest was alive with the sounds of the night—chirping insects, rustling leaves, the distant howl of some unseen beast. But Mira barely heard any of it. Her focus was on the distant flickers of torchlight dancing between the trees, moving methodically, closing in.

The slavers hadn't given up the chase.

"Damn persistent bastards," Mira muttered under her breath.

She glanced at Nia, who was struggling to keep up. The nekomimi girl's body was still trembling from the cold, her wet clothes clinging to her frail frame. Her golden eyes, dulled by exhaustion, flicked up to meet Mira's gaze before she quickly looked away.

Mira exhaled sharply. She hated seeing her like this—weak, vulnerable. The curse inside her twisted it into something possessive, something that made her want to shield Nia from the world and never let her go. Mine.

Shaking off the intrusive thought, Mira refocused. They needed to move.

"We need to put more distance between us and them." She reached out, grabbing Nia's wrist. "Can you run?"

Nia hesitated but nodded weakly. "I… I think so."

"That's not good enough." Mira tightened her grip. "You will run. If you can't, I'll carry you."

Nia's ears flattened, her tail flicking. "I—"

A bark split through the night air. Then another.

Mira's heart dropped. The hounds.

"Shit. No time—just move!"

She pulled Nia forward, forcing them both into a sprint. Every muscle in her body screamed, but she ignored it. The river had helped them escape, but it also left them drenched and exhausted. If they were caught now, there wouldn't be another chance.

The underbrush thickened, slowing them down. Branches lashed at Mira's arms and legs, cutting into her skin, but she didn't stop. She refused to stop.

Then, a deep, guttural growl came from behind them.

Mira's blood ran cold.

She turned her head just in time to see a hulking black hound bursting through the brush, glowing red eyes locked onto them, saliva dripping from its bared fangs.

It leaped.

Mira shoved Nia aside and barely managed to twist her body in time to avoid having her throat torn out. The beast's claws scraped against her shoulder as it landed, dirt kicking up around them. Pain flared through her arm, but she ignored it, her mind racing.

The hound was huge, almost reaching her waist, its muscles taut with raw power. Magic-enhanced. Of course they'd use enchanted beasts.

The hound snarled, crouching low, preparing to lunge again.

Mira bared her teeth in a smirk. "Come on, then."

It lunged, aiming for her throat. This time, she was ready. She sidestepped, her fingers curling around a fallen branch. In one fluid motion, she slammed it into the side of the hound's skull with all the strength she had.

A yelp of pain. The beast stumbled, its head snapping to the side. But it wasn't enough.

It recovered too quickly, growling as it turned its murderous gaze back to her.

Mira clenched her jaw. Damn it. I need a weapon.

The hound lunged again, but before it could reach her—

A blur of silver crashed into its side.

Mira blinked as Nia tackled the beast, her small body a flash of desperate movement. Her nails—no, claws—raked across the hound's face, leaving deep gashes. The beast howled in pain, snapping wildly, but Nia was faster, darting away before it could sink its teeth into her.

Mira's heart pounded. That was… impressive.

But the hound was still standing.

Mira didn't hesitate. While the beast was focused on Nia, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around its thick neck. She used her entire body weight to drag it down, twisting violently.

A sharp crack echoed through the trees.

The hound went limp.

Mira pushed herself off the corpse, panting, arms trembling. Her body felt like it was on fire, but they couldn't stop now.

She turned to Nia, who was staring at the dead beast with wide eyes, her hands shaking.

Mira grabbed her shoulders. "Are you hurt?"

Nia blinked, then slowly shook her head. "I… No. I don't think so."

"Good." Mira squeezed her arms. "That was reckless. But not bad."

Nia's ears twitched, a hint of pink dusting her cheeks. "I… I didn't think. I just—moved."

Mira smirked. "Instinct, huh? You're stronger than you look, kitten."

Nia's tail bristled. "D-Don't call me that."

Mira chuckled but quickly sobered as another distant howl cut through the night. The other hounds. The slavers wouldn't be far behind.

She grabbed Nia's hand. "Come on. We have to keep moving."

They ran again, the adrenaline keeping them on their feet. But Mira knew it wouldn't last forever. We need a place to hide. Somewhere they won't think to look.

Then, through the thick trees, she spotted it—a rocky outcrop at the base of a small cliff. A narrow crevice led into darkness, barely wide enough for them to squeeze through.

Mira's eyes lit up. Perfect.

"This way!" She pulled Nia toward the opening, shoving her inside first before squeezing through herself. They barely fit, the cold stone scraping against their skin as they pushed deeper inside. The passage was narrow, but after a few feet, it widened into a small, hidden alcove.

They collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.

Mira closed her eyes, trying to steady her heartbeat. The shouts of the slavers grew louder outside. Torches flickered beyond the crevice, but they didn't stop. The slavers passed by, unaware of how close they had come.

Minutes passed. Then an hour.

Only when silence fell once more did Mira finally allow herself to exhale.

"We did it," Nia whispered, voice barely audible.

Mira smirked, reaching out to ruffle the nekomimi's wet hair. "Damn right we did."

Nia huffed, swatting her hand away, but there was no real anger in it.

They weren't safe yet. Not even close. But for tonight, at least—they had survived.

And that was enough.