Chapter 7: The First Hunt

Mira's body ached with exhaustion, but her mind remained sharp. The night stretched on as she and Nia wove through the dense forest, their pace slowing now that Nia's ability had helped them evade their pursuers. Still, she knew they couldn't let their guard down. The slavers would regroup, and next time, they'd be more prepared.

"Do you think they'll keep looking for us?" Nia asked, her ears twitching at every little sound in the darkness. She clutched at her arms, trying to hide the exhaustion written all over her face. The use of her divine blessing had taken its toll.

Mira glanced at her. "Definitely. They can't afford to let slaves escape, especially ones with potential like us."

Nia frowned. "So what do we do now?"

Mira sighed, rolling her shoulders as she assessed their situation. "First, we find food and water. Then, we find weapons. We're not going to make it far if we're starving and unarmed."

Nia's stomach growled at the mere mention of food, and her ears flattened in embarrassment. Mira smirked. "Looks like your body agrees with me."

Nia huffed but didn't argue. Instead, she sniffed the air, her feline senses sharpening. "I think there's water nearby."

Mira gestured for her to lead the way, and the two trudged forward, guided by the faint scent of fresh water. After some time, they stumbled upon a small stream, its waters crystal clear in the moonlight. Without hesitation, Nia knelt and drank greedily, while Mira took a more cautious approach, cupping the water in her hands and drinking in controlled sips.

She watched as Nia splashed water on her face, visibly relaxing. The girl's exhaustion was evident, but now that they had a moment of respite, Mira could tell she was recovering.

Then, Mira's gaze flicked to the surroundings. It was too quiet. The forest had been alive with sounds moments ago, but now an eerie stillness settled over the area. Her instincts screamed at her.

"Nia. Stop."

Nia froze mid-sip, her golden eyes snapping to Mira in alarm.

Then they heard it. A low growl, deep and guttural, vibrating through the trees. Mira's breath caught in her throat as she turned her head slowly. A pair of glowing red eyes stared at them from the darkness beyond the trees.

A beast.

A massive, wolf-like creature emerged from the underbrush, its dark fur rippling with unnatural energy. This wasn't just some ordinary predator. It was something worse—something warped by mana exposure. Its fangs gleamed in the moonlight as it stepped forward, saliva dripping from its maw. The hunger in its gaze was unmistakable.

Mira clenched her fists. They were exhausted, unarmed, and barely standing. Not good.

Nia trembled beside her, her tail bristling in fear. "W-We need to run."

Mira's eyes darted around, calculating. The beast was between them and the denser parts of the forest. Running blindly could lead them straight into another trap. No, they had to deal with this now.

"We can't," Mira whispered. "It's already locked onto us."

The beast growled again, stepping closer, muscles coiled. It was going to pounce. Mira could feel it.

Think.

Her eyes flicked to a broken branch on the ground. It wasn't much, but it was sharp. She darted forward and grabbed it just as the beast lunged.

"Nia, MOVE!"

The nekomimi yelped and rolled to the side just in time. Mira barely managed to twist away as the beast's claws slashed through the air where she had stood. She lashed out with the makeshift weapon, ramming it into the creature's side.

It let out an enraged snarl, but the branch barely scratched its thick hide. Mira cursed under her breath. This thing was too strong.

Nia, breathing heavily, clenched her fists. Mira saw the look in her eyes—the hesitation, the fear.

"Nia! Use your blessing!" Mira shouted.

"I… I don't know if I can," Nia admitted, her voice shaking. "It drained me too much before."

The beast turned toward her, sensing her weakness. Mira gritted her teeth. Damn it.

It lunged at Nia, and Mira's body moved on instinct. She tackled the smaller girl out of the way, rolling with the impact as the beast's claws raked against the ground where Nia had been standing.

Pain flared up Mira's arm as she hit the dirt hard, her back slamming against a rock. She groaned but forced herself up, adrenaline keeping her going. The beast was already circling back, preparing for another attack.

Mira turned to Nia, eyes blazing. "You can do this. We won't survive otherwise."

Nia's breath hitched. She clenched her fists, trembling. Then, slowly, she closed her eyes. The air around her shifted again, just like before. The darkness flickered, twisting unnaturally around her form.

The beast hesitated, growling uncertainly.

Nia exhaled sharply, and then—

The shadows exploded.

Tendrils of darkness surged from the ground, coiling around the creature's legs. It howled, thrashing, but the shadows held firm, tightening like living chains. Nia opened her eyes, and for the first time, Mira saw something different in them.

Confidence.

Mira didn't waste the opportunity. She grabbed another sharp branch, her entire body screaming in protest as she rushed forward.

With a roar, she jammed the makeshift spear directly into the beast's eye.

The creature let out a final, agonized screech before collapsing to the ground, its massive body twitching before growing still. The dark tendrils faded as Nia staggered, her energy spent.

Mira collapsed to her knees, panting heavily. Blood dripped down her arm, but she ignored it. The only thing that mattered was they had won.

Nia sank down beside her, eyes wide. "I… I did it."

Mira gave her a tired grin. "Yeah. You did."

For the first time since their escape, Nia didn't look like a frightened slave. She looked like someone powerful.

Mira exhaled and glanced down at the dead beast. They had their first kill. Which meant they had their first meal.

"Come on," she said, pushing herself up. "We're eating well tonight."

Nia blinked at her, then hesitantly smiled. "Yeah… we are."

The two of them sat beside their kill, exhaustion settling in. But despite everything, for the first time since their escape, Mira felt like they had truly taken control of their fate.