The woman cradled her five-year-old son on her back, feeling his small body relax into sleep. Her eyes flickered to the man on the other horse, whose shirt bore the stains of blood and whose face was a canvas of bruises. "You didn’t have to do that," she said, her voice filled with uncertainty, seeking a reaction. He kept his gaze fixed ahead, the weight of revenge still heavy in his chest.
The woman stared at the ground, her mind a whirl of confusion and grief. Beside her, her son shivered, unaware of the reasons behind their hurried departure. The man busied himself gathering wood, laying out berries he had found on a cloth. The silence between them was thick, only broken by the occasional crackle of the fire.
The air was tense, every rustle of leaves amplified in the stillness. The man scanned the darkness, his heart pounding, when he caught sight of two white eyes high above. The beast's mouth revealed sharp teeth as it let out a chilling cry. He stumbled back, fear widening his eyes.
The boy was thrown sideways, his cry lost in the chaos. The man scrambled for his pistol, shots echoing in the night, but finding no mark. Just as the beast prepared to strike again, five hairy creatures twice the size of a human attacked, their deep gruff sounds resonating as they jabbed at the beast.
The man urged the boy forward, their breaths ragged and skin scratched by branches. In the distance, the welcoming glow of lights guided them to safety. They stumbled towards the fort, relief flooding them as the gate swung open.
The man and the boy were ushered inside, a sense of temporary security wrapping around them. "For now, we're safe," he whispered, though the unspoken question lingered—how long would it last?
