The sudden impact had clearly frightened it. I gently rubbed its head with my fingers. "It is alright, Camose. I am here to protect you."
Camose remained tense for a moment, its small body still wrapped tightly around my arm. Its golden eyes shifted nervously, scanning the surroundings as if trying to understand what had just happened. I could feel the slight tremble in its grip, and the pressure around my arm slowly eased as it began to calm down.
After a few seconds, its hold loosened slightly, though it remained alert, its head raised and eyes still moving cautiously between the trees.
I quickly lifted my gaze and looked around.
I had been thrown quite far from where we originally stood. The sudden impact had pushed me several meters away, and the dense arrangement of trees partially blocked my view of the area near the beast. Dust and scattered leaves still lingered faintly in the air, slowly settling back onto the forest floor. The quiet that followed felt tense, making it difficult to immediately understand what was happening near Charlie and Sham.
Without hesitation, I chose to move forward instead of retreating. My first concern was Charlie and Sham. I needed to confirm they were safe.
I began moving cautiously but quickly, carefully stepping over fallen branches and scattered leaves to avoid making unnecessary noise. My senses remained extended as I advanced, watching for any sudden movement from the beast. Camose stayed coiled around my arm, its body slightly tense, mirroring my alertness.
As I drew closer to the area, I slowed my pace, becoming more careful with each step. The earlier impact had disturbed the surroundings, and loose leaves covered the ground unevenly, making it easy to create noise if I was careless.
When I finally reached a position where I could see ahead clearly, I noticed the beast again.
It was silent.
The massive creature lay in the same position as before, its enormous body barely moving. Its chest rose and fell slowly, and its breathing remained strained. The wounds across its body were still visible, and every few moments, its muscles twitched faintly, as if it was struggling to remain conscious.
For a moment, everything seemed calm again, almost as if the sudden attack had never happened. But the quiet felt uneasy, making me remain cautious as I scanned the surroundings for Charlie and Sham.
But Charlie and Sham were nowhere in sight.
My gaze moved quickly across the surrounding area, scanning behind trees, fallen logs, and bushes, trying to locate any sign of them. The forest had returned to an uneasy quiet, and the absence of movement only made my concern grow. I carefully listened for any sound, but aside from the faint breathing of the injured beast, there was nothing.
Then, suddenly, I felt a hand placed gently on my shoulder from behind. My body tensed instantly. I turned around in alarm, instinctively preparing to react.
It was Sham.
Relief washed over me as I recognized him.
"You scared me for a moment," I said quietly, lowering my guard.
Sham gave a slight laugh, his expression calm as usual, as if the situation had not unsettled him much.
I quickly asked, "Where is Charlie?"
Sham glanced around briefly, then lifted his shoulders slightly, indicating that he had no idea.
I looked around again, carefully scanning the surrounding trees and uneven ground. My eyes moved from one shadowed area to another, searching for any sign of Charlie. The quiet atmosphere made every movement feel more tense, and I remained alert to both Charlie's position and the injured beast nearby.
"Let us find him and leave from here," I whispered softly.
"Skra-agree," Sham replied in a low voice.
We began searching silently, moving slowly around the area. Each step was measured, avoiding dry leaves and loose branches that might create noise. At the same time, I kept part of my attention fixed on the massive beast, ready to react if it showed any movement.
The forest felt tense and unusually quiet. Even the faintest rustle seemed amplified in the still air. Camose remained alert around my arm, its golden eyes shifting occasionally as we moved.
After a few moments, Sham suddenly raised his hand. He gave a silent signal toward a direction ahead.
He had found Charlie.
I moved toward him quietly, careful not to make unnecessary noise as I stepped over scattered branches and uneven ground. As I got closer, my eyes quickly settled on Charlie.
He was lying partially beneath a heavy tree log. The thick wooden trunk had fallen near the beast's massive leg, pinning him down against the forest floor. Leaves, broken branches, and loose dirt were scattered around him, likely displaced during the earlier impact. Charlie's face was tense, and his brows were slightly furrowed, clearly showing the pain he was enduring while trying to remain silent.
For a brief moment, I felt a surge of concern seeing him trapped like that.
Sham and I exchanged a quick glance, silently understanding what needed to be done.
We carefully stepped closer and positioned ourselves beside the heavy log. Without speaking, we both placed our hands against the rough surface of the trunk. The wood felt solid and heavy beneath my palms.
Slowly, we began pushing with full force, trying to keep our movements controlled to avoid creating too much noise. The log barely shifted at first. It was much heavier than I had expected, and the resistance forced me to push harder.
I focused my strength, tightening my grip against the rough bark. The strain spread through my arms and shoulders as I pushed again, trying to move the heavy trunk even slightly.
Slowly, the log began to shift.
The movement was slight at first, but it was enough to give us hope. Sham and I pushed harder, maintaining steady pressure as the heavy trunk gradually rolled aside. The rough bark scraped against the ground, producing a faint sound as it moved.
After a few more seconds of effort, we managed to push it far enough to free Charlie. Sham quickly reached forward and pulled him out carefully, making sure not to worsen any possible injuries.
I immediately crouched beside him.
"Charlie, are you okay?" I asked quietly, keeping my voice low.
Charlie groaned softly, his face tightening briefly from the pain. After a moment, he slowly nodded his head. "Yes, young master," he replied in a low voice.
With our support, Charlie began pushing himself up. Sham and I moved to either side, holding him carefully as he rose to his feet. His movements were slow and cautious, and I could feel some of his weight leaning against us as he tried to stabilize himself.
After standing for a moment, Charlie took a slow breath before whispering, "Young master, we have to quickly leave from here."
I nodded immediately. I could not agree more.
We began moving away carefully, supporting Charlie from both sides. Each step was slow and deliberate as we tried to put distance between us and the injured beast. I remained alert, occasionally glancing back, wary of any sudden movement.
After taking just a few steps, Charlie's body suddenly faltered. His footing slipped against the uneven ground, and before we could fully support him, he stumbled and fell forward onto the forest floor. Dry wood and scattered leaves crunched beneath him, the sound quiet but still noticeable in the tense silence of the forest.
I quickly crouched beside him, grabbing his shoulder to steady him. "Charlie, what happened?" I asked anxiously, keeping my voice low but urgent.
Charlie groaned softly, his face tightening as he tried to shift his leg. "I think I fractured my leg," he said, his voice strained with pain.
Hearing that, my concern deepened. A fractured leg in this situation made retreat much more difficult.
At that moment, the massive beast slowly lifted its head again.
Its large eyes moved sluggishly, scanning the surroundings before settling in our direction. Even in its weakened state, its gaze carried a heavy presence.
We remained still, watching carefully.
Then, just like before, the beast slowly lowered its head again, its breathing returning to its strained rhythm.
We understood immediately.
Without wasting time, Sham and I quickly grabbed Charlie from both sides and began moving away as fast as we could while supporting his injured leg. Our steps were hurried but uneven as we tried to gain distance.
Just as we moved away, the massive tail came crashing down at the place where we had been standing moments earlier.
The heavy impact struck the ground with tremendous force. The surrounding earth trembled, and dry leaves along with loose dirt were thrown into the air. The sound echoed through the forest, breaking the tense silence once again.
A strong shockwave followed the impact.
Despite having moved away, the force still reached us. I felt the sudden pressure push against my body, disrupting my balance. The ground slipped beneath my feet, and all three of us were thrown forward as the impact wave carried through the forest floor.