They were not attacking yet. They were reading her. Testing her. Feeling whatever unnatural thing had awakened in her blood.
Maya let out a low growl that rolled deep from her chest, a warning edged in dominance. Stay back.
It did nothing except sharpen their attention.
One edged closer. Another drifted to her flank. A third cut behind, completing the circle. Closing.
Maya stepped back once, paws sinking into wet earth.
Then the largest male lunged.
He came low and fast, a blur of muscle and snapping jaws aimed for her throat. Maya twisted violently, claws gouging dirt as his body slammed into her shoulder instead. Pain shot through her, but instinct moved faster than thought. Her jaws snapped shut on his scruff, fur filling her mouth, skin tearing beneath her bite. She shook hard enough to wrench him off balance and released.
Before she could fully recover, another body hit her flank with brutal force. The impact drove air from her lungs. Then the clearing erupted.
