He barely had time to breathe before the scarred wolf hurled itself at him again, its body a storm of muscle and fury that didn't give him a second to steady his lungs.
The weight slammed him into the trunk behind, bark exploding against his drip, wood cracking from the force.
"Motherf*cker, that f*cking hurts," he hissed, blood dripping out of his helmet.
The collision rattled his bones, again, his helmet clanging against the tree hard enough to send sparks of white flashing across his vision, but his hands never betrayed him.
His blade was still raised, always raised, refusing to drop even when the world spun for a heartbeat.
The wolf wasn't slowing though.
Blood poured from the gouges he had already carved into it, soaking its once-pale fur into something darker, but it still pressed forward with a rage that carried its entire frame.
Its eyes locked onto him with nothing but raw intent, and every step hit the dirt heavy enough to send small tremors through the roots.
