As the chaos in the parameters degenerated further, Saul felt his spine tingle with a bit of something called fear. Whatever it was causing this level of bloodshed within the dreaded cradle of the hoard, was far above anything he had encountered in the forest.
"Pluto, stay close!" he commanded.
Slowly, he began to chip off distance between them and a narrow crack offering tight passage and escape. Pluto understood the intent and did same, but execution was frightening. This wasn't just crossing through the field of predators, it was about a dance of death where missteps had a grave mark attached like a PDF file.
The crag-backs had proved that their size wasn't just for show, making use of their predatory arsenal to become more than a thorn in their flesh. Their reach was easily twice of the humans, and their bodies grated with thick plating that demanded excellence to wound. But they did have a vulnerability; a small mossy opening within their heavy set jaws. It was big enough to exploit without much poking around, but in the heat of melee, it was something Pluto could not afford to try and then fail.
Apart from the hell on earth– or rather forest– going on around him, a much more intense war was being waged in his body. The pulse had practically put a hole in his battle seed, and with every breath, more of his spirit was depleted and his will was left to mend its ravage.
Suddenly, a massive shape was hurled into the boughs of the collosal tree. It wasn't the hunter, it was the hunted. A predator thrice the size of the largest crag-back, with a maw capable of swallowing men whole, and yet it had been tossed aside like a Christmas gift no one wanted.
This dead body had two messages engraved in it other than the deep mark on its neck. The first was obvious. The power needed to fell this beast would be enormous, and definitely, this had been done casually. Secondly, if beasts of this scale were already here, it meant that the titans of the forest could resist the pulse no longer. They could not afford to delay any longer.
"Pluto, let's go!"
Pluto nodded and they made a break for the crack. But as they reached it, the awful reality revealed itself. The exit was blocked by a myriads of predators. Pluto stalled a bit, but Saul didn't slow down. He rushed into the mass of predators with his blade flashing in blurs of deadly silver. No matter, his expertise were not enough to swiftly overwhelm a band of killing machines.
He snuck under the maw snapped shut by Pluto's jab, slamming his knee into its left foreleg. The beast turned to attack, but the weak leg gave way mid-lunge, allowing for an easy parry into the charging pommel of Pluto's blade. He frowned slightly.
'Uhh...I hate the sight of teamwork.'
Pluto dashed forward, punching the mouth of a toothed flyer Saul had been too occupied to intercept from hitting him, with the rib bone of another predator. The air was thick with rolling mist relishing the carnage that had even Saul panting heavily. He weeded down the front surge of predators, but before an advancing step was taken, another batch had pushed in to fill the gap. It seemed foolish for him not to use his teleportation ability to take him and Pluto out of there, but he had a good reason not to.
The hunter was attracted to the crowd of predators, which inturn was attracted to Pluto's mark. Teleporting out of there wouldn't stop the beasts from chasing, but it would create distance between them and the attacker as they trailed him. So staying, meant longer time for the apex to do its work.
Saul struck out, forcing the group of hyena-like beasts that had tried to corner them back. He leaped up in the air towards the coming crag-back, forcing the beast to reach out on four feet in attempts of hitting him. He deflected his weight off the swaying paw, pivoting himself into the crag-back's chest.
Pluto watched while fighting, scowling as he saw the trembles in Saul's hands. It was expected, since he had to deal with the lion share of the work and protect Pluto at regular intervals. A bitter feeling washed over Pluto. A feeling of uselessness, without Saul he was helpless against this beasts.
In that moment, he made a promise to himself. If he survived the night, he would never be a burden again. He would grow into something that the forest could not break...
Okay, okay, the forest can break any entrant. He would grow into something that the forest would kindly not break.
Fighting the two sides at once was taking too long, so they would have to compartmentalize. Pluto turned towards the main hoard of beasts. He took a deep breath.
"Worry about the exit, Saul! I've got your back!"
Without waiting for his 'partner's' consent, he rushed forward for the shadow lynx trying to slip past. Clunky, but determined. He struck, punching its head back before driving his sword into it. It didn't die immediately, raked its claws across Pluto's clothes before it did. Of course, calling it clothes was a bit of an over exaggeration. This was probably the millionth time it tore, and that this point, it was ragged fabric held together by taut threads.
Another predator shoved into him from the side, sending him reeling. He caught his steps, blitzing forward to pay it in its own currency. Hit after hit he took, but he refused to fail. His body might have been paper, but his mind was concrete. At a point, will turned to madness. He didn't dismember with blade, he did it with headbutts and relentless blows. His body had reached its ceiling, but if that was what failing entailed, he would break his limits first and die second before that would happen.
Despite it all, time had been an enemy they could not touch, let alone wound. The cradle of predators had been broken, and the hunter had made it through.
It was a tiger, but none like he had ever since. The stampede of shrieking predators suddenly went silent. But not in respect...
But pretension.