Chapter 2

Knowing that entering the forest at night was almost equivalent to committing suicide, Co got alongside the burly man in no time flat, who was the team leader that planned everything.

"Brandon, Mel went into the woods alone to look for the old man. We have to go after him now! "

Brandon was the strongest man in the village, and although he couldn't decide everything alone, he had no trouble gathering people around him, as happened in this case.

"Are you out of your mind? You forgot the past just because wild animals haven't attacked the village in recent years. No force can take me there! "

After the big man, the other members of the team fell off one by one.

"Recently, the roaring of wild animals has become clearer than ever!"

"Each of the animals in the forest is at least as strong as trained fighters. Simple peasants like us can't go there!"

While thinking of throwing the older man into the forest to make him die, how could they get into that hell themselves? The cries for help, heard through the eyes of the fussy father, were meaningless to them for now.

"It's all his fault. My son, my dear son, will die because of him. I will kill that dirty old man with my own hands!"

Under the influence of the scorching suffering, Co was screaming by not knowing what to do. As he could not find the courage to go into the forest to go after his son, he was looking for a way to cool his heart down by killing the poor older man.

Co quickly walked towards the door opening to where the older man was held captive under the shed. He took the plunge and grasped the sickle standing there.

Even though he was trying to hide, there was a smile on Brandon's face. But when the ground shook suddenly, that expression was replaced by fear. Then a sound, loud enough for all of them to hear, came from the basement where their prisoner was and reached Brandon's ears. As this was followed by the wooden door flying into the wall, Co was a few steps away from where the nearly shattered door used to be.

Before these five bewildered people overcame the shock of seeing the person they had imprisoned in front of them, who was hungry and thirsty for days, they witnessed the older man opening the outer door harshly as if he was tearing it down.

While this was happening in the village, the eleven-year-old boy was strolling in the forest where the darkness of the night fell on him, and the branches of the trees were hitting each other roughly like two gunslingers in a duel.

"He must have gone to that valley he always told me about. I'll find him. He doesn't leave me. They are all lying; something must have happened to him. "

Speaking to himself to lessen the influence of the shadows' tricks on him, Mel said almost non-stop not to hear the roaring of wild animals.

Although he did not realize it, several pairs of eyes had been walking behind him for the last half an hour. Those were four-legged animals drooling from their mouths.

Under normal circumstances, they could swallow the child in one bite, but as if they wanted to be sure about something, they just followed him.

The situation did not change as the boy moved deeper into the forest. Besides, the number of wild animals chasing him had passed the number indicated as 'few.'

Being aware of his situation now, Mel sped up his pace and headed towards the little cave his grandfather had shown him to flee if anything unfortunate happened to the little boy.

As this cave with a narrow entrance came into his view, the walking boy suddenly sprang up. A relentless chase began as this movement also stirred up the pursuing herd.

The creatures were sure that the boy was in despair. They started running not to miss the reward that fell on their lap like a greasy piece of meat at night.

Mel was physically a frail boy, but his fear of death made him use all the power in his body. As those animals chasing Mel approached him with each step, there were at most fifteen feet left to reach the small cave entrance.

"I can't die here; I have to find my grandfather!"

The little boy did not forget his purpose even in this situation. He was thinking of overcoming this troubling situation he fell into as soon as possible and saving the older man he believed had not left him.

The creatures, approaching all fours using their final speed, did not have the same plan as the little boy. Taking advantage of their powerful bodies, they were almost a breath away from their target.

"Boom!"

In a very brief moment, almost in the blink of an eye, Mel managed to throw himself inside through the cave entrance. When the flock behind him wanted to do the same thing, a loud noise was heard.

The barrier, which came from nowhere, covered the entrance that was only large enough for an adult to pass through. The creatures that carelessly hit it suffered minor damages at first but then were smashed by the blows of their kin that followed them.

Mel's heart was skipping a beat. The death that flew by the little boy didn't hesitate to slap the face of those who followed him. The marks left on the shield by the bodies that were mangled were of a kind that would make people have goosebumps.

As the boy retreated to the deepest corner of the cave and began to watch what would happen, the wild creatures first began to sniff the shield and then tested if they could damage it with a few claw strokes.

The result was good for them. Creatures had figured out that what was in front of them was just a defensive barrier. Immediately, the most influential individuals of the herd took their positions to attack, and the charge began to rain down on the shield, which up to ten creatures could claw at a time.

The animals chasing Mel were ferocious creatures with thin and long bodies on four sturdy legs.

The sharp and large teeth on their protruding jaws posed a significant threat to their enemies, but their most essential weapons seemed like their claws.

With every paw strike that landed on the shield, aiming to reach the child inside the small cave, bright sparks were mixing into the air.

The attack of the wild creatures was relentless, but the shield remained intact, although they were switching places with each other as they got tired.

Of course, the shield wasn't in its original form. Its bright yellow color was fading with every stroke.

About half an hour passed this way. While Mel's head was deeply buried between his two knees, the raids of creatures struggling to eat him never stopped.

The more the creatures could not reach their prey, the more aggressive they became, and the killing of this single bite-sized man went beyond the purpose of feeding and turned into a struggle to break this shield, which almost humiliated them.

At one moment, all the creatures moved towards the two sides. A terrifying roar was heard from the direction where the trees were dense.

Forty creatures, which were clawing the shield in turns, began to gaze on the ground as if they were bowing their heads for respect. Other weaker animals had already lost control of their bodies and fell on their knees.

The incoming creature was at least twice the size of the surrounding predators, with bright red fur, a broad body, and four sturdy legs. He looked more prominent, beautiful, and predatory than those around him, and he seemed a little angry with the others for forcing him to intervene.

Mel was lucky enough to see the sunrise thanks to that shield, which wasn't durable anymore. But the showing up of this creature gave him a nightmare while he was still awake.

The red creature didn't wait long. It stroked its claw, which was three times bigger than the size of a normal human hand, on the barrier that was the last defense wall of the little boy.

The Red Furred Predator was angry. With all its power, it charged on the shield, which played with the pride of its herd.

After one or two strokes, some cracks appeared on the shield, which had already lost its color. The herd of predators was howling with joy, and the young Mel was crying in fear as he was waiting for the end that fate had offered him.

The barrier disintegrated with one final claw blow. Now there was nothing left between the Red Furred Predator that stuck its big head into the cave and its prey.

"Please don't hurt so much, please don't hurt so much!"

This scene was not something the eleven-year-old could handle; Mel closed his eyes tightly, only wishing he would die without pain.

It was evident that his will was impossible, as the flock leader showed its drooling teeth and attacked Mel's legs. The Red Furred Predator wanted to eat the little boy alive.