Chapter 08: You Fool

Blocking their path was a massive beast, with eyes that glowed with predatory intelligence. It had the body of a lion, but its coat was striped like a tiger's. The creature had the muscular build of both animals combined, with powerful legs and a sleek, agile form. Its most terrifying feature was its long, curved sabre teeth, which protruded menacingly from its upper jaw.

Daren and Torin were experienced hunters, but they were visibly shaken. They had never encountered such a beast before. Its presence, so close to their village, was alarming. Daren exchanged a worried glance with Torin.

"I've never seen anything like this, why is it here, so close to the village? This area has never had such dangerous predators."

Torin nodded, his eyes never leaving the beast. "If there are more of these creatures around, we're in serious trouble. One of them is already a nightmare; if there are others, we won't stand a chance."

Despite their fear, Daren and Torin knew they had to control the situation to prevent panic. They suppressed their terror, focusing on the task at hand. Daren addressed the group, his voice steady but urgent.

"Listen carefully, do not run. If you run, this beast will attack. Stay calm and follow our instructions exactly."

Most of the group was paralyzed with fear. The sight of the enormous beast and its menacing teeth rendered them motionless. Elan, although scared, managed to keep his composure and took a deep breath.

Daren continued, "We need to move slowly to the right, giving the beast a clear view of the cowbull. It might only be interested in the cowbull. Move slowly and stay together."

The children, including Elan, nodded and began to move as instructed. They hoped fervently that the beast was only after the cowbull.

With painstaking slowness, the group shifted to the right. The beast watched them intently, its glowing eyes following their every move. The tension was palpable, each second stretching into eternity. The children kept their eyes on Daren and Torin, following their lead.

As the group moved slowly to the right, the beast also moved slowly to the left. However, its eyes never strayed to the carcasses of the two cowbulls. Instead, it kept its gaze fixed on the group.

This continued until the group and the beast had switched sides. Only then did the beast glance at the cowbull carcasses. It stepped on one of the cowbulls but quickly looked back at Elan's group and let out a powerful roar.

Seeing the beast step on the cowbull, the group thought that the beast was only interested in the cowbulls. But when the beast roared again, its eyes locked on them, and the fear among the group intensified.

Suddenly, one of the children at the back of the group, terrified by the beast's roar, bolted towards the village. He didn't even hesitate, thinking that now that they had changed positions, he might reach the village safely.

Daren, Torin, Elan, and the other children noticed the boy running and realized the danger. The beast, alerted by the sudden movement, pounced on them.

"Shit!" Daren and Torin cursed as they used their spears to attack the wild beast. But the beast merely swatted their spears away with its powerful right paw, sending Daren and Torin flying about two meters. They had expected the beast to be strong, but they were unprepared for just how powerful it truly was.

Struggling to get back on their feet, Daren and Torin found it difficult due to the pain coursing through their bodies. Before they could fully stand, the beast pounced again, this time targeting Torin, who was closest.

The beast landed on Torin, crushing his chest under its weight and immediately biting into his face. Torin screamed in agony, but the screams soon stopped as his life faded. The beast then flung Torin's body, sending it crashing against a large tree.

When Daren and the children saw Torin's lifeless body, fear gripped them. Torin's face was unrecognizable, and it was clear he was dead. The children screamed in horror, and Daren was filled with fear. Torin's death was a harsh reality check for him, who realized the gravity of their situation. He hadn't expected anyone to die today, and now he realizes he had to act quickly to save the children, including his own son.

Forcing himself to focus, Daren shouted to the children, "Run! Run now! Run before it's too late!" He picked up his spear, which had landed nearby when the beast had swatted it away. His resolve to protect the children, even at the risk of his own life,.

The children were paralyzed with fear, and it took them a moment to register Daren's command. Seeing that they still weren't moving, Daren shouted again, "I said run! I'll find a way to distract it. Get help when you reach the village. Now run!"

The urgency in Daren's voice finally got through to them. The children started to run, with Elan being the last to move as he watched his father try to distract the beast.

Daren noticed Elan lingering and shouted at him angrily, "What are you waiting for? Run! Or we're both going to die here."

Hearing his father's angry and urgent voice, Elan had no choice but to run, knowing that staying would mean death for both of them. He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and sprinted towards the village.

-----

After a minute of running, Elan heard his father's scream. He skidded to a halt, his heart pounding in his chest, and looked back to the path he came from. 'I can't leave him. I can't leave my father.' No matter how weak he felt or even if it meant his own death, he couldn't leave anyone behind, especially not his father.

With that, Elan clenched his spear and ran back to where his father was. He sprinted quickly to reach his father, hoping and praying he was still alive, or else his return would be in vain.

Seconds later, he saw his father and the beast standing there. Elan thought, "Yes, I'm not too late." But as he got a clearer view of his father, he saw that he was covered in wounds and barely clinging to life. Elan's vision turned red with anger as he watched the beast prepare to attack his father again. Filled with rage, Elan didn't hesitate and threw his spear at the beast from 20 meters away—a significant feat for a 13-year-old.

-----

A minute earlier,

Daren felt a moment of relief when he saw his son running back. He gritted his teeth and continued to distract the beast. The beast attacked Daren four more times, and Daren defended himself each time, but he sustained severe wounds.

The first attack came swiftly. The beast lunged at Daren, claws extended, aiming for his legs. Daren tried to dodge, but the beast was too quick. Its claws raked across his thighs, leaving deep, painful gashes. Daren stumbled, but he managed to stay on his feet, his spear raised defensively.

The beast snarled and attacked again, this time aiming for Daren's chest. Daren tried to block with his spear, but the force of the attack knocked him back. The beast's claws tore through his clothes, slashing across his chest. Blood flowed from the wounds, and Daren gasped in pain, but he didn't give up. He thrust his spear at the beast, trying to keep it at bay.

The third attack came from the side. The beast swiped at Daren's arm, its claws digging deep into his flesh. Daren cried out as the pain shot through his arm. He nearly dropped his spear, but he held on, determined to buy some time for his son and the other children. He swung his spear in a wide arc, trying to keep the beast from getting too close.

The fourth attack was the most vicious. The beast reared up and came down with a powerful swipe aimed at Daren's head. Daren raised his arm to shield himself, but the beast's claws sliced across his forehead and scalp. Blood poured into his eyes, blinding him momentarily. Daren staggered, barely able to keep his balance. He wiped the blood from his eyes with his arms and forced himself to stand tall.

Looking at the wild beast, his thoughts turned to his wife and children. His beautiful wife Elara, his bubbly daughter Liora, his hopeful son Kael, and his very intelligent and strong son Elan. The pain was overwhelming, but even more painful was the thought that he would never see them again.

"Elan, take care of your mother and siblings. Protect them and love them. I'm proud of you, son."

He watched as the beast slowly approached, its movements deliberate, knowing that Daren was close to death. Despite the agony and the impending darkness, Daren's final thoughts were of his family.

Daren closed his eyes, bracing himself for the final attack that would end his life. He expected to feel the searing pain of the beast's claws, but instead, he heard an unexpected cry of agony from the beast. Confused, Daren forced his eyes open and saw a spear embedded in the beast's right leg. The sight of the spear shocked him, and he wondered where it had come from.

Turning his head to the left, Daren's eyes widened in disbelief as he saw Elan standing there, his arm outstretched from the throw. Realization dawned on him—his son had thrown the spear. A mix of frustration and fear of losing his son surged through him. 'I stayed behind so you could escape, and now you've come back,' he thought, his mind swirling with conflicting emotions.

"You fool," Daren managed to whisper, his voice weak and filled with anger. He couldn't believe that Elan had risked his life to return. The pain in his body intensified, making it difficult to focus. His vision blurred as the exhaustion and injuries took their toll.

As darkness closed in around him, Daren's last coherent thoughts were a jumble of his son's stupidity and fear for what might happen to his son. The pain overwhelmed him until he passed out.