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Curled black horns glint in the slowly dimming light. The saaer’s nostrils flare sending hot, rancid breath washing over me in a nauseating wave that churns my stomach. Every instinct and nerve in my body tells me to run, but running means turning my back on this creature, and that would guarantee a swift and painful death.
I slide one foot back along the ground, slowly shifting my weight, then repeat, creating distance between us. A low clicking noise emanates from its large throat.
My heel comes down on a small twig and the snap seems to ring out through the forest. The saaer lets out a ferocious growl and swings a meaty paw. I throw myself back and land hard, barely managing to avoid the razor-sharp claws.
Before I have a chance to roll away, it pounces and lands, caging me in with its legs. A thick string of drool hangs down from the creature’s jowls, sliding closer to me.
I will my pulse to slow from the frantic roar in my ears.
Steady, Clara…I only have one chance.
The saaer screeches as the massive head rushes toward my throat. I roll to the side, bumping into the powerful limb just as the muzzle strikes the dirt, teeth scoring the earth. I lift the dagger and plunge it into the creature’s neck with a twist.
The beast lifts a paw, long claws extended, and I lose my grip on the hilt. Blood, thick and dark, spills from the wound onto the ground beside me. I cover my face with my arms and wait for the saaer to rip me open.
When the forest falls silent, I chance a look. The saaer is frozen over me. The poison from the night bloom coated on the dagger has done its job.
The puddle of blood continues to grow, oozing closer. I scramble to get away, but the saaer’s legs give out before I can make it far. It collapses, the impact forcing all the air from my lungs, and pinning me beneath it from my chest down.
Wriggling and shoving the creature does no good. Unable to escape, I stop struggling and try to catch my breath.
Think, Clara, think!
If I can’t find a way out of this situation, the weight of the saaer will crush me or some other creature that stumbles across my path will find easy prey.
Each breath is a struggle. I try sliding along the ground, but it’s no use. The dagger is still lodged in the beast’s neck out of reach.
After a while, I grow used to the weight on top of me and I can almost take a full breath again. I shift my leg and… the saaer’s body gives slightly under the pressure of my knee.
My heart hammers wildly.
What in the Otherworld?
Leveraging my arms between the ground and beast, I push and shove against it. Freeing myself inch by inch, until I manage to crawl out from under the saaer.
Pushing to my feet, I turn and gape. The top half of the animal is nothing more than ash and blackened bones. I can’t tear my eyes away as it slowly disintegrates.
A back leg collapses, sending a chain reaction up the body of bones cracking and crumbling into dust.
The tooth.
Kneeling before the head, I pull the dagger free, ready to carve out the second item. Without hesitating, I bring the point down, slicing into the gums… and the skin turns to ash.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
There’s still poison on the blade.
I stab the dagger into the earth and twist. Positioning the blade against a canine from the lower jaw, I carve with slow progress against the muscle and bone.
Poison crumbling flesh inches ever closer. I plant a foot on the muzzle and grip the tooth with both hands, pulling with every ounce of strength I possess.
The muscle and bone give with a snap, sending me tumbling. Rolling to my stomach, I claw at the earth with my fingers and bury the tooth in the dirt. I pray to the demons and saints of the Otherworld that the poison didn’t reach the root of the tooth.
I can’t tear my eyes from the saaer until nothing is left but ash and a thin layer of pelt stretching out over the ground. Just a touch of the flower’s poison on my blade was enough to take down this large beast, barely leaving a trace that it ever existed.
After several minutes pass, I unearth the tooth and clean it with my sleeve. The fang is large, three times as thick as my thumb and almost as long as my palm.
That was close, but with half the items already gathered, I’m hopeful I can return soon. A few hours of daylight remain before it will be too dark to continue.
