The mauler hesitated for a while, staring at both of its attackers. For the first time in a very long time in its existence, the mauler was afraid. It wasn't full fear, but that little twinkle was enough to give it away.
Only Tatehan noticed it. It was like ten percent fear, very little, but it was something. The mauler, the fearless beast which everybody was afraid of, was scared.
It felt impossible to Tatehan. It was more like a humorous scene than the actual thing he was seeing. If he hadn't fought this creature and Kael had come to tell him that this was what it was doing— that it feared, even for just a little while, he wouldn't have believed it.
The fear from the beast also came with hesitation. Now this wasn't intentional fear; instead, it was the mauler's brain activating it. Finally, it recognized Tatehan and Kael as actual threats rather than just food in this fight.
