Chapter 19 - comes the beast

The rain was pouring, teeth showing toward the creature. Miro knew there would be a fight. The beast stood near the tree entrance, staring, watching, and breathing heavily.
With each breath, the fumes were choking everyone.
Then the fight began. Miro launched at the creature and swiped at its face. The creature stood there with a blank on its face. A moment passes, and Miro is still throwing at the beast, trying to lead it away, but nothing works.
Miro latched on the creatures' back leg for the last attempt and ripped the fur from its leg. For a moment, the creature just stood there. Then, suddenly, a terrible wailing came from the beast. The beast turned its sights to Miro as it wailed and started biting at him. Miro latched on the creature's leg again; this time, he did not let go.
As the fight continues outside, Axle finally awakens, and in horror, he sees the beast outside the hollow tree. He repeatedly yells, "FEY BLOOD!!!" then, without warning, the beast stops biting at Miro, looks back at the tree, and starts walking towards the hollow tree again. Miro notices the creature is heading toward the others, then he bites down harder on the beast, but when he does, the beast's blood is oozing thick black blood, but Miro doesn't let go.
The blood from the beast began to fill Miro's mouth with a disgusting taste. He starts to whimper with disgust, but he knows that Mira and Axle will be in danger if he let go.
Within the hollow tree, Axle was still yelling and screaming fey blood, then he stopped and, at that moment, he turned his head, and he saw Mira at the other side of the tree shaking and holding her head.
Thinking back, Axle knew he had lost his head and needed to get his act together. Axle reached out and lay his paw on her back, but as he touched her, his foot felt like it was on fire. He backs away and starts to mumble "fey blood repeatedly."
While in the corner, Mira held her head with one paw, then clawed the walls with the other. A golden brown hew encircles Mira's right eye, and then claws began to stretch out of her feet which made it bleed, then her teeth began stretching out as well.
Outside Miro was still trying to pull the beast away, but he pulled so hard he tore the flesh from the beast's leg and fell backward, but it didn't faze it at all. The beast was still marching towards the tree.
Jerking and pulling, the creature steadily got closer to the tree, and then it stopped. Miro did not know why the beast stopped, but at that moment, he bit down harder than he snapped the creature's back leg and fell to the ground.
Out of breath, Miro got in front of the entrance and growled at the creature, but Miro felt very weak and lightheaded, then he began coughing up blood "not this again." Miro felt like his head was splitting, and his body began to ache, and then a burning sensation came over his body. The creature began to get up, as it did it, the wound from its leg spews black goo from it.
Finally, on all four, the creature slowly heads towards the tree, but Miro stands in front of it "go away or die," the beast ignored Miro, smacked him with his tusk, and sent Miro flying inside the tree. Miro's body was inches away from hitting the tree in midflight, but someone caught him.
While in pain, Miro wonders who caught him. He looked around as his vision was fading as it does. He saw Axle cowering in the corner with his paws over his head. Weakened, Miro calls out for Mira; she replies, "shah," with an echo. Miro slowly looks up and sees the same creature that was Mira that night, and then Miro passed out.
Half an hour has passed, and Miro finally slowly opens his eyes. "ow my head is killing me" shaking his head "that didn't make it better" then remembered what he was doing he looks around inside the hollow tree and sees that Axle was curled up in the corner shaking. So, Miro slowly went up to him and poked him with his paw, and all of a sudden, Axle jumped up and bit Miro's arm. "you stay away from me, both of you" Miro backs away from Axle. "I'm not here to Hurt you, fox," and then he heard a grunting sound outside of the tree, Miro told Axle to stay put, and Axle nodded his head. So, Miro went towards the exit, and the sound got louder the closer Miro got to the entry. Once out, he looked around to see if it was safe to exit. Still, in his thoughts, Miro was worried for Mira and wondered why she was not with Axle. While looking around, Miro notices a trail of blood lead around the tree "that's a lot of blood" he followed the path but at the end of it shocked him.
The grunting sound came from the creature he was fighting. It was still alive, but it was on its side and gasping for air. So, Miro slowly walks around it and lowers his body so the creature would not notice.
Moments passed, Miro was about to go for the kill, but on the side of the creature, he noticed something moving on the other side. He jumped over to the other side and paused. Saw Mira slouch over and weeping near the beast with her back turned.
"Mira, why are you crying?" Miro took a step forward, then with a high pitch sound, "STAY AWAY," it made him whimper, but he still walked ahead. Then, with his ears ringing, he slowly approaches Mira, crawls to her, and lays his paw on her back. "What's wrong?" Mira finally turns towards Miro, but when she does, the creature's back falls apart, and black goo covers Mira's face.
The two of them stood there quietly, then Mira leaned towards Miro and started to cry more while baying, "Miro, I killed it, I'm a killer," still in shock at what she told him. "I was supposed to keep her safe from harm, she was supposed not to worry about taking a life, but she protected me." Without thinking, Miro starts licking the residue off Mira's face. Finally, she told Miro to stop, which he did.
With tears still seeping down her cheeks. "why are you not afraid of me? You have seen that creature layover there dead because of me" Miro leans towards Mira "you had no choice; it was either him or you, and he had to be Dealt with, something like that should not roam the woods, and by the looks of it, the creature looks like it was in pain, and you put it out of its misery."
Mira shook her head "I still killed it; I became what I fear most" she began to shiver "a predator" Miro stood there silently thinking what to say to put her mind at ease "the first kill is never easy, yes you ended its life, but now it won't hurt anyone and it not in misery, you may cry for it but don't let this death keep you from continuing living we are alive because of you be proud of that" then Miro licked her cheek "Thank you for saving us Mira" then Mira nose start running and she began to smile "thank you Miro" so Miro resume licking the gunk off Mira's face "all done, now let get back to the tree" Miro then grabbed and toss Mira on his back "what are you doing put me down" but Miro said no "I will make sure that you won't have to go through that again I will be by your side at all times and plus let me honor you for your bravery today and don't get use to this" she pouted but she likes the soft fur on Miro's back "OK Mister wolf" then she fell asleep on his back "that's Miro to you" then they headed towards the tree but unknowingly there was someone in far distance behind them was watching.