Jamie cursed under her breath as the deformed monster's claws swiped dangerously close to her face.
The sharp wind of the blow nearly split her cheek open, but she managed to twist her body and roll out of the way.
Her boots sank into the snow, and she pushed herself back up, lungs burning, before forcing her legs to move again.
The monster roared behind her, a grotesque sound that rattled her eardrums and made the storm itself seem to shiver.
It lumbered after her with shocking speed, its distorted body leaving cracks in the frozen ground wherever it stepped.
"Damn it."
Jamie spat, darting forward as fast as she could.
She had no idea why she was doing this. Her mission had never been to protect this valley.
She wasn't bound to Lucian, nor to the wolves, nor to the strange people who had gathered around him. All she had been asked to do was observe and report back if necessary.
'Well, then again, there is that contract. So maybe I am a little bound.'
