Chapter 5: Between Hunger and Terror
After Three Days
Three days had passed, and I was still starving.
Ever since my encounter with that monkey, I had not gathered the courage to leave and hunt again.
My body had curled deep inside the cave. Cold scales clung to the damp stone while my tail wrapped tightly around me, as if I were trying to trap the last traces of warmth inside my body.
My eyes were half-open, my pupils narrowed as they watched the dark entrance without daring to stare for too long. My eyelids trembled faintly whenever a shadow passed. Every flicker of movement outside dragged my gaze toward it for a brief moment before I forced myself to look away again. Every shadow seemed alive, and every faint sound made my muscles tense unconsciously. My claws tightened and scratched the ground beneath me in short, broken lines.
I remained hidden in the depths of the cave… breathing slowly, as though I feared someone might hear me. My chest rose and fell cautiously, and every exhale left my mouth warm and heavy, as if it carried my fear with it into the darkness.
And yet… I could not endure the hunger any longer.
My stomach twisted violently. Sharp pain spread through my body, forcing my claws to dig into the rough ground. My fingers pressed deeper, as though searching for something to steady myself with. My breathing became heavier and slower, every inhale carrying more exhaustion, every exhale leaving behind a deeper emptiness.
Still… I did not think that cursed monkey enjoyed tormenting others.
I blinked slowly, then my brows lifted slightly, as though a hesitant thought was forcing its way into my mind. My gaze drifted toward the cave entrance before returning again, as if I were testing the thought without fully believing it.
Maybe… he had already forgotten about me.
A brief silence passed before I slowly released a warm breath from my nose, watching it fade into the darkness.
So… without thinking much further—
I gathered my courage.
The tips of my wings trembled slightly before I spread them just a little, then folded them back against my sides. My claws dug into the ground as I pushed myself upward, my muscles tightening slowly while resisting the weakness in my body.
Then…
I stood up.
I began walking toward the cave entrance.
I moved slowly, every step carefully measured. My claws scraped softly against the stone floor of the cave. When I reached the edge, I gradually lifted my head. My neck stretched upward, and my pupils widened as I stared at the dark sky, where the heavy threads of night had begun creeping across it.
I left the cave and started searching for dinner.
The damp air rushed toward me, carrying the thick scent of the forest. My nostrils flared slightly as I carefully gathered every smell around me. The sounds of insects rose from all directions like broken whispers, carrying warnings I could not understand.
I advanced carefully between the dense trees. My body lowered instinctively, my wings folded tightly against my sides while my tail moved slowly behind me to maintain balance. My eyes swept across the shadows, searching for movement—searching for anything small… anything that could become dinner.
I was not only hungry.
I needed to feel control.
Over my surroundings… over my life… over this strange body I was still learning how to live inside.
My jaw tightened slightly, and the corners of my eyes sharpened faintly, as though that thought alone ignited something deeper within me.
As I moved silently through the dark forest, I suddenly caught sight of something glimmering between the thick trees.
I stopped immediately.
My body froze in place. Even my tail stopped moving. My pupils narrowed, locking onto a single point.
A sudden, swift movement flashed before my eyes.
It was a strange rabbit.
Its fur was a bright green, reflecting the faint strands of light around it. A small horn protruded from its head, giving it the appearance of a mythical creature rather than ordinary prey.
I could not identify its exact species…
But I was certain of one thing.
It would make a good dinner.
Driven by a predator's instinct, my body lowered closer to the ground. My claws moved nearer to the earth, and my fingers slowly spread to soften any sound. My eyes locked onto it, and my breathing became slower… quieter.
I began tracking it carefully.
It ran quickly, but its uneven steps revealed too much. The tilt of its body, the trembling in its limbs… it was exhausted, as though something had already been chasing it before me.
My eyes gleamed.
When I felt the distance between us beginning to shrink, my muscles tightened in preparation to pounce.
But the rabbit suddenly leapt through a thick bush and vanished into the shadows.
I paused for a moment. My head lowered slightly, and my nose drifted closer to the ground.
A faint scent… crushed grass… a clear trail.
I took a deep breath.
My chest rose slowly, and tension flowed through my body like a spark spreading across my limbs.
Then… I lunged after it.
I moved lightly between the trees, weaving around trunks and avoiding branches that might catch my wings or scrape against my scales. My tail curved smoothly behind me, maintaining my balance with every movement.
The rabbit was still one step ahead.
But I could hear its breathing.
Broken… heavy.
A faint smile barely formed at the corner of my mouth, exposing the tips of my fangs.
It was collapsing.
Then I reached a narrow passage, rocks crowding one side while tangled branches arched overhead from the other.
In a brief moment of silence—
I saw it.
It tried to leap over a large rock…
But its body faltered.
It lost its balance and stumbled backward.
My pupils shrank instantly.
And I pounced.
I threw myself forward with all my strength. My claws stretched outward and slammed into it before it could recover its footing. I pinned it hard against the ground, its small body trembling beneath my grip, unable to escape.
But…
The moment I restrained it—
My body froze.
I felt a strange weight behind me.
Hot breathing… incredibly close… brushing against my back.
I turned sharply, and my eyes landed on its figure—
The wolf with blood-red fangs.