It happened without warning.
A shift in the air.
A tightening silence.
And then—
Movement.
A shape dropped from above.
Fast.
Silent.
Andres reacted on instinct alone.
He stumbled backward—
Barely.
A clawed creature landed where he had just been standing.
The ground cracked slightly on impact.
It wasn't a wolf.
But it resembled one.
If wolves had evolved under pressure that valued only killing efficiency.
Its body was lean, almost skeletal, but muscle cords ran visibly beneath its fur like cables under strain.
Its eyes glowed faint green.
And it didn't hesitate.
It attacked again.
Andres' mind blanked for a fraction of a second.
Not fear exactly.
But overload.
This is real.
The creature lunged.
Something inside him moved before thought did.
He stepped sideways.
Barely.
Barely enough.
The claw tore through the air beside his chest.
Close enough that he felt wind pressure against his skin.
He stumbled.
Fell backward.
The creature turned instantly.
No wasted motion.
No emotion.
Just continuation.
And that's when something in Andres clicked.
Not courage.
Not skill.
Pattern recognition.