It was getting ready to fire its "bazooka" again, and judging by the way the ground hummed under my feet, this one would hit harder than anything I'd seen so far.
But I didn't move.
I stood my ground, meeting its stance with stillness of my own. Not out of recklessness—well, maybe a little—but because I wanted it to take the shot. One [Swap], and another member of its herd would be nothing but smoking venison.
But even as the thought formed, I doubted it would happen.
This wasn't some low-level deer locked into predictable attack patterns. This thing was smart—smart enough to know the last thing it should do was take that bait.
The Alpha Deer… chuckled.
Not a sound I'd ever expect from something with hooves and antlers, but there it was—a low, throaty rumble that carried the smugness of a predator who already knew it had the upper hand.
And then, much to my surprise, it released the beam.
My grin came easily.
