Instead of slamming me into the wall, it skidded to a stop just short of my chest. Its warm, heavy head pressed against me. I staggered under the sudden weight. Then, I felt the rough, steady motion—

It was licking me.

Slow, deliberate swipes of its tongue, almost like it was… greeting me.

I froze, staring down at the strange mix of bear and lion now sitting obediently at my feet, amber eyes looking up with something almost like joy. The deep rumble of a growl vibrated through its chest—not a warning, but a purr.

It knew me. Or thought it did.

My Echoform flickered softly, not in defense now, but in response. For a strange moment, the tunnel didn’t feel like a tomb.

It felt like a meeting long overdue.

It didn’t move away after licking me. Instead, the creature gave a small, almost satisfied chuff and… leaned in closer.

Before I could react, it clambered up.

A heavy paw landed on my shoulder, then another on my chest. I staggered back a step, surprised at how easily it climbed despite its size. In a swift, fluid motion, it was scrambling up my side like a massive housecat.

The next thing I knew, its warm weight settled across my right shoulder. One paw draped lazily over my chest, the other hooked gently around the back of my neck.

It sat there—perfectly balanced, head held high like a king surveying its territory.

I just stood in the middle of the tunnel, dumbfounded, feeling the faint vibration of its purring travel through my shoulder.

Its tail flicked slowly, brushing against my back as it looked down the tunnel, then back at me with an expression that almost seemed to say:

Alright. I’m coming with you. For some reason, I didn’t mind.

The light ahead grew brighter with each step, the stale tunnel air giving way to the open scent of wind and sun. The creature’s tail flicked against my back as it shifted its weight, its claws gripping lightly so it wouldn’t slip.

We reached the mouth of the tunnel, and the ruined village came into view again. Sunlight spilled over broken rooftops and crumbling walls, scattering dust motes in the air. The warmth hit my face, and I realized just how long I’d been underground.

The creature lifted its head toward the light, nose twitching, ears swiveling. For a moment, it just breathed in, like it had been trapped away from this world for far too long.

As I stepped out fully, my boots crunching over the cracked stone, the creature gave a soft rumble and settled more comfortably on my shoulder—as if it had already decided this was its rightful place.

Somewhere beyond the quiet of the village, a distant, muffled sound echoed—low and deliberate. Not natural. I froze. The creature’s ears pricked forward, and its tail stilled. We weren’t alone. By the time I reached the center of the village, the sun had long dipped below the horizon.

Moonlight spilled over the broken streets, softening the jagged edges of collapsed houses. The air was cool now, carrying the faint scent of dust and old wood. I found a half-broken step near the remains of a well and sat down, letting my body sink into the stillness.

The creature shifted on my shoulder, curling its tail around the back of my neck. Its warmth was comforting, like a small campfire in the quiet ruin.

I leaned forward, elbows resting on my knees, and let out a slow breath. My body ached, but not from wounds—just from being alive too long without rest. My mind was still trying to stitch the last hours together.

Or was it days?

I wasn’t sure anymore.

As my eyes grew heavier, thoughts blurred into fragments—flashes of things that didn’t feel like they belonged to today.

A metallic taste in my mouth. The sound of rain against glass.

The muffled hum of a voice giving orders.

A pair of eyes staring back at me from across a battlefield, filled with fire and grief.

And then—warmer images.

A child’s laughter.

The quiet rustle of leaves in a wind I swear I’d felt before.

A weight in my hands… a weapon, though I couldn’t see its shape.

They came and went like ripples in dark water, impossible to hold, yet too vivid to ignore.

The creature’s breathing matched mine, slow and steady. I felt my muscles loosen, the world tilting gently toward sleep.

How long have I really been awake? The question echoed inside me, softer each time.

I didn’t have the answer. Maybe I didn’t want it yet. Somewhere between thought and dream, I drifted away. And for the first time since this began, I slept.

Morning came slow, spilling pale gold over the broken rooftops of the ruined village. The air was cool and still, the kind of quiet that felt almost too perfect. I stretched my arms, my body still heavy from sleep, and the creature on my shoulder shifted lazily, its tail curling around the back of my neck.

Then my senses screamed.

A sharp crack split the stillness. The world seemed to slow as I twisted to the side. A streak of blinding white shot past my cheek—close enough that I felt the heat—and slammed into the ground where I’d been sitting. Stone shattered, dirt sprayed into the air, and the smell of scorched earth filled my lungs.

The creature landed beside me in one smooth motion, fur bristling, teeth bared. Its warm amber eyes ignited into a fierce, glowing red. The rumble in its chest grew into a roar that rolled through the empty streets.

From the trees beyond the village, movement flickered.

Shapes emerged from the shadows—at first like beasts, but not quite. A hulking wolf-shape, tall enough to look me in the eye; a jaguar-thing with lean, twitching muscles; and something with curling ram horns that glinted in the morning light. All three stood unnervingly still, watching us from the edges of the rooftops and tree branches.

Then they moved.

The wolf-shape dropped from a branch, claws scraping against the cracked ground as it lunged at me. The jaguar blurred in from the left, and the horned one barreled forward from behind.

The creature at my side met them halfway, leaping high and slamming into the jaguar mid-air. Claws raked across fur and fake hide, sending the attacker tumbling. The wolf’s massive claws swiped at my head, but my body was already moving, instinct pulling me lower. I rolled under its strike and slammed my elbow into its ribs. The sound of bone cracking was sharp, but the thing only stumbled before snarling again.

The horned one reached me next, its speed surprising for its bulk. It swung a jagged axe toward my chest. I caught the handle with one hand, twisted, and brought my fist up into its jaw. The force lifted it off the ground and sent it crashing through a half-standing wall.

But there was no time to breathe—these things didn’t know the meaning of retreat. The jaguar recovered and lunged again, but this time my creature intercepted it, jaws clamping down on the attacker’s shoulder. The roar that followed was deafening, echoing off the village ruins.

The wolf circled me, fast, its eyes never leaving mine. It feinted left, then struck from the right, but I stepped into its swing instead of away from it. My punch drove into its midsection like a hammer, sending it skidding across the cracked stone. It smashed into a dead tree, snapping the trunk in half before collapsing in the dirt.

I smirked despite myself. Yeah… I could get used to this.

The last of them came for me again—the horned one, slower now but desperate. It swung wildly, the axe whistling through the air. I sidestepped the first blow, ducked under the second, and buried my fist in its gut. The sound of air rushing from its lungs was almost satisfying. It flew back, colliding with the other two attackers in a heap.

I didn’t waste the moment. From the wreckage of the nearby houses, I tore strips of rope and bound them to the thick trunk of a dead tree. Their breathing was heavy but steady, and as I knelt to check their restraints, I noticed something strange.

Their “fur” wasn’t real. …Beneath the wolf mask was… human skin.

I pulled the jaguar’s mask away next. And when I reached for the third—the horned one—I froze.

It wasn’t a “one” at all.

It was a girl.

Her face was fierce even in unconsciousness, her features sharp and framed by tangled hair that glistened faintly in the sunlight. Dirt streaked her cheek, but it didn’t dull the strange, unexpected beauty that hit me harder than any of their attacks.

My jaw literally dropped. I just stared at her, forgetting for a moment that I was in the middle of a ruined village with three bound enemies.

Something twisted in my chest. Warm, unfamiliar. I didn’t understand it—but it felt dangerous in its own way.

I realized I was staring far too long, the air around me suddenly heavy. The creature at my side tilted its head, looking between me and the girl as if it knew something I didn’t.

For the first time in my life, I felt… unsteady. And it wasn’t because of the fight.