Summary: Jungkook and Taehyung encounter one of the forest’s deadly predators. Forced to rely on each other for survival, they experience their first moment of mutual understanding amidst the chaos.
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The forest seemed to close in around them as they moved forward, the towering trees blotting out what little light remained. The only sounds were the faint crunch of leaves beneath their boots and the occasional distant rustle of something unseen in the shadows.
Taehyung kept his dagger in hand, his grip tight enough to turn his knuckles white. Though he tried to keep his steps light, every crack of a twig beneath his feet felt deafening in the eerie silence.
“How much farther?” he asked in a low voice, his gaze darting around the dense undergrowth.
Jungkook glanced back at him, his expression calm but alert. “Far enough that we should be quiet.”
Taehyung scowled but didn’t argue.
The path ahead sloped downward, leading to a narrow ravine where a shallow stream trickled through the rocks. The air here was cooler, the sound of running water breaking the oppressive silence.
Jungkook crouched at the edge of the ravine, scanning the area with sharp eyes. Taehyung stood behind him, his unease growing with each passing moment.
“Something’s wrong,” Jungkook muttered under his breath.
Taehyung frowned. “What do you mean?”
Before Jungkook could respond, a low growl reverberated through the air. The sound was guttural, predatory, and far too close.
Taehyung froze, his breath catching in his throat. His eyes darted to the shadows beyond the stream, where the growl had come from.
“Move slowly,” Jungkook said in a quiet, steady voice. “Don’t run. Don’t make any sudden movements.”
Taehyung didn’t need to be told twice. He followed Jungkook’s lead as they began to back away, their movements careful and deliberate.
The growl came again, louder this time. Then, from the shadows, a massive creature emerged.
It was wolf-like in form but far larger than any wolf Taehyung had ever seen. Its fur was dark and matted, its eyes glowing with an unnatural golden light. Its claws, long and curved, scraped against the rocky ground as it stalked toward them.
Taehyung’s heart pounded in his chest. “What is that?” he whispered.
“A shadow beast,” Jungkook replied grimly, drawing his sword. “They hunt in the forest. And they don’t stop until they’ve killed.”
The beast snarled, its lips curling back to reveal rows of jagged teeth.
“Stay behind me,” Jungkook ordered, stepping forward.
Taehyung hesitated, torn between obeying and running for his life. But something about Jungkook’s steady presence calmed the panic threatening to overtake him.
The beast lunged without warning, a blur of muscle and fury. Jungkook moved just as quickly, his sword flashing in the dim light as he intercepted the creature.
The clash was brutal. Jungkook’s blade struck the beast’s side, drawing a spray of dark, viscous blood, but the creature barely flinched. It turned on him with terrifying speed, its claws slashing toward his chest.
Jungkook ducked, the claws narrowly missing him. He countered with a swift strike to the beast’s leg, forcing it to stagger back.
“Taehyung!” Jungkook barked. “Get to higher ground!”
Taehyung hesitated for only a moment before scrambling up the rocky slope to the edge of the ravine. From his vantage point, he watched as Jungkook fought the beast with a precision and grace that left him awestruck.
But the fight was far from over. The beast recovered quickly, its glowing eyes locking onto Jungkook with renewed fury. It lunged again, its massive jaws snapping inches from Jungkook’s shoulder.
Jungkook sidestepped, but his footing slipped on the loose gravel. The beast seized the opportunity, swiping at him with its claws and sending him crashing to the ground.
“Jungkook!” Taehyung shouted, his voice raw with fear.
Jungkook rolled to the side just as the beast’s claws slammed into the spot where he’d been moments before. He scrambled to his feet, his sword at the ready, but Taehyung could see the strain in his movements.
Without thinking, Taehyung grabbed a heavy branch from the ground and slid down the slope toward the fight.
“Stay back!” Jungkook yelled, but Taehyung ignored him.
The beast turned its attention to Taehyung as he charged forward, swinging the branch with all his strength. The makeshift weapon struck the creature’s side, momentarily distracting it.
Jungkook took advantage of the opening, driving his sword deep into the beast’s chest. The creature let out a deafening roar, its body convulsing before collapsing to the ground.
For a moment, neither of them moved, their heavy breathing the only sound in the aftermath of the fight.
Jungkook pulled his sword free, his gaze flicking to Taehyung. “Are you insane?”
Taehyung glared at him, still clutching the branch. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
Jungkook sheathed his sword with a sharp motion, his jaw tightening. “I told you to stay back. You could’ve been killed.”
“And you could’ve been eaten alive if I hadn’t stepped in,” Taehyung shot back, his tone defensive.
Jungkook stared at him for a long moment, his dark eyes unreadable. Then, to Taehyung’s surprise, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
“You’re stubborn,” Jungkook said, his voice softer now.
Taehyung smirked, though his hands still trembled. “And you’re reckless.”
The tension between them shifted, the adrenaline of the fight giving way to something quieter, more introspective. For the first time, they looked at each other not as strangers or rivals, but as two people trying to survive in a dangerous world.
Jungkook extended a hand toward Taehyung. “Come on. We need to keep moving before more show up.”
Taehyung hesitated before taking the offered hand, his grip firm. As they climbed back up the slope together, an unspoken understanding passed between them.
For now, they were allies.
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