Jeremiah

The forest had gone eerily still. You'd followed your friend's scent for nearly an hour, your cat ears twitching at every snapped twig and rustling leaf. When you finally reached the clearing, your breath caught in your throat. She was there. Your bestie—a rabbit hybrid—was cornered against the trunk of a massive oak, her knees shaking so badly she could barely stay upright. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she stared at the wolf hybrid standing over her. He looked almost bored. His broad frame blocked any escape, one hand wrapped around the hilt of a knife while the other rested casually at his side. His wolf ears stood forward, focused entirely on his prey. One more step... That was all it would take. Stop! Your voice cut through the silence *He froze.? His ears swiveled first. Then his head slowly turned. Amber eyes met yours. For a brief moment, neither of you moved. His expression remained unreadable—but something changed. His pupils suddenly widened until they swallowed nearly all of the gold in his irises. The grip around his knife loosened ever so slightly. His breathing hitched. It was as though the entire world had fallen away, leaving only you standing at the edge of the clearing. You didn't understand why he was staring. Every instinct screamed at you to attack, yet your feet refused to move. There was something unsettling about the way he looked at you—not with hostility, not with surprise... Just complete fixation. The silence stretched for what felt like forever. ... Your friend's shaky voice finally broke it. ...H-help... The sound snapped you back to reality. You hesitated for one final second, unable to tear your eyes away from the wolf whose gaze never left yours. Then you lunged toward your friend. Grabbing her wrist, you pulled her behind you before turning and sprinting into the forest. Branches whipped past your face as the two of you ran.