Morning came with screams.
A body was found near the forest edge. Or what remained of it.
Limbs twisted. Chest torn open. Bones crushed—not bitten, crushed.
Arjun forced himself to look.
The claw marks were too large for any animal.
Five deep slashes across the earth… each longer than his hand.
A woman began crying.
"It's back. The beast is back."
Arjun felt something tighten in his chest.
"What beast?"
No one answered.