That was when a scream pierced through him and froze his entire soul.The same scream that had woken him from his sleep just moments before.
“Beks!” he roared, feeling adrenaline fuel his body, propelling him into action.“Beks!”
The ugliest fear gripped him when he heard that scream.Fear like he had never known and he’d fought many bloody battles and lost many Luxirians he cared for.
Stumbling down the cave, vision hazy, he burst out into the vine forest, eyes scanning wildly, limbs clumsy.He gave his head a shake, trying to focus, and that was when he spied aprikkrax, or at least that was what Luxirians called them.It meant ‘feared one’ in his language.
But what dropped his stomach was when he saw that its gaze was trained on hisluxiva, his Beks.
When aprikkraxidentified its next prey, it was relentless in the pursuit of it.Nothing would deter it.It was how one of his hunt brothers had lost his life.
His female had tucked herself in between two boulders, the crack just slim enough that theprikkraxcouldn’t reach her, even though it was trying with its claws.The boulder was beginning to crumble under its strength and Lihvan roared, pulse pounding, body weakened.
Theprikkraxturned around on him and yowled that awful sound he’d hoped never to hear again.A few strides away from it, he saw his dagger and he ran as fast as his body would allow towards it, his only thought was that he needed to protect his mate at all costs.
Bringing down aprikkraxby himself, in full health, with his choice of weapon?He might be able to.Bringing down aprikkraxwith an infection running through his body, with a handmade dagger?Next to impossible, but he would defend his mate to his last breath to secure her safety.
On uncertain limbs, he scooped up his dagger and launched himself at theprikkrax, implanting his weapon into one of its sides as a way of distraction.The creature had a thick hide, but the dagger slipped through easily enough, making it turn and hiss, swiping out one of its claws at Lihvan.
A burning sensation reached him as the claws made contact with his chest and a gush of blood followed.Gritting his teeth, he twisted, his body sluggish, but he managed to get away just before theprikkraxtook aim once more.
In the back of his mind, he heard Beks screaming at him to get away, her voice growing hoarse.But he would not abandon her.He’d rather die.
He was winded already, his body trying to cope with the sudden energy and movement, and he panted, sweat dripping off his face, pooling into his eyes.When the creature slashed again, Lihvan grunted and dodged.He retaliated with a swipe of his own claws, his vast training starting to kick in, his muscle memory revving.His eyes zeroed in on the kill point on theprikkrax, a slight section of gills on its side that led straight to its heart.If he could puncture it, the creature would fall and Beks would be safe.
But his dagger wouldn’t reach that far inside.He would have to do it with his own claws.
So, he did everything in his ability to line up the kill, even as his body started to shut down.His blood rushed in his ears, his eyes felt heavy, and his limbs refused to cooperate.
But then he spied Beks, wedged between the two boulders.She had a look of pure fear on her features and his Instinct roared from within him, giving him the burst of energy he sorely needed to protect her.
When theprikkraxfeigned left, Lihvan corrected his position and followed, launching himself at the creature one last time, his arm pulling back to strike.With a roar, he imbedded his arm into its gills, claws straightened.He felt a snap of his wrist and pain made his arm shake as the bone broke, but he pushed forward, clawing through muscles to reach the heart.
The beast thrashed, yowling, trying to buck him off its side.But Lihvan felt the hard thump of its heart and with one last push, he punctured straight through it.
Just as he did, however, theprikkraxgot in one last hit and pain made Lihvan cry out hoarsely as it imbedded its teeth into his abdomen, tearing flesh and muscle.It ripped Lihvan off its side and he rolled, sharp pebbles stabbing his wounds, burrowing deep inside.
A bitter relief filled him when he saw theprikkraxfalter, hissing and growling…before it fell as well, quaking the ground.With a few last rattled breaths, it stilled and the forest was silent once more.
He heard the crunch of feet as Beks scrambled her way out and rushed towards him.Tears were falling down her face as she dropped to his side.
“Lihvan,” she cried, voice breaking, looking over him, her hands fluttering at his sides.“Oh my God, oh my God…”
He must look like death because her face was pale and frantic.He felt surprisingly warm as he felt blood pooling just below him.
“Just hold on,” she murmured, over and over again.“I’ll—I’ll—”
“Luxiva…”Pain racked him, making his muscles tense.
“I…I don’t think I can move you,” she whispered, her face shining with her tears, as the sun finally descended in the sky.Soon, it would be pitch black and the cold front was already beginning.
“You need to go back to the cave,” he rasped.His body was slowly cooling.“It is dangerous out here.”
“I’m not going to leave you,” she said, determination hardening her voice.“Don’t even try to ask me to do that.”
“Luxiva.”
She settled against him, smoothing her hand over his chest.She ripped a piece of her shirt and used the wad to help the flow of blood on his side.He didn’t want to tell her that nothing would prevent him from bleeding out.The wound was too great and they had nothing else but rags.
