The Death Bridge

The beast growled at Raven. She gulped audibly. "W-well hello there! A beautiful day isn't it?" Raven said nervously. The beast snarled at Raven's comment and lunged at her. Raven barely dodged the beast's attack. "{So much for manners…Can't even be polite to a beast anymore…this world's really changing…}" The beast swirled around, growling. "Ah, a quick test, eh ugly? You wanted to see how fast I am eh?", she said to the beast as she unsheathed her sword without a sound. "I'll have you know that I am quite fas- yikes!" Raven dodged another attack. "{Man, these things really hate being taunted…}"

The beast growled. Then Raven saw it bent it's feathered neck, lowering its head between its front legs. Every feather on its neck rose. Then the beast let out a strange noise. It sounded like a sizzle mixed with a w.h.i.n.e. Its feathery mane quivered along with the sound. Raven felt the sound reverberate in her body. She saw dark figures approaching her. "{Oh boy}", Raven thought as she counted the figures. "{One pack. Well, at least there are fewer than last time}", she thought, reaching for the dagger at her ankle. "{It seems that Beastie did not forget about me}", she thought. She observed the pack. She saw four females and five juvenile males. And the big male seemed to be their leader.

Raven decided to make these beasts angry. If they attacked in anger they would be making mistakes. She had learned this from her past experiences with some of the beasts. She knew if she made them blind with anger and bloodl.u.s.t, she'd stand a chance. "{Well, here goes nothing}", she thought as she prepared herself. "You know, you are all the creepiest and weirdest bunch of creatures I've ever seen", she said, gesturing at the beasts in front of her. The Shadow Beasts growled in response. " And not to mention how cowardly you are! Too afraid to take me down by yourself! You just had to summon your pack!", Raven said to the leader. It bared its teeth at her. "Oh, one more thing! You all stink! Literally! Take a swim, will you!" When the leader stooped, Raven knew she crossed the line. "{They don't seem to like being told they stink…good for me.}"

The leader pounced. Raven swiftly sidestepped the beast. The rest of the pack launched their attack. "Oh, smoke, oh…" Raven turned around and ran as fast as she could. "{Trees!}", she thought as she made a run for the nearest tree. But before she could reach it, one of the young males gained on her and pounced at her from the side. Raven saw its movement and swirled around, slashing with her sword. The blade cut smoothly through the beast's vulnerable belly. The beast fell on top of Raven, its black blood staining her clothes. She struggled to get the beast's lifeless body off of her.

Another young male reached her before she could get out from underneath the dead Shadow Beast. Realising she's trapped, Raven waited until the beast attacked before she stuck the blade of her dagger through the beast's head from below. Black blood streamed down her hand and splattered on her face. She pulled her blade out and struggled to get the dead beast off her. She finally managed to get up but was tackled back to the ground by a female Shadow Beast. Raven plunged both her sword and dagger into both sides of the beast. She kicked the beast backwards with all her might as she pulled her blades from its ribcage. She jumped up and ran.

Glancing over her shoulder she saw two young males running headlong on her heels. She swirled around and pointed her sword at one of them. The beast couldn't break its speed quick enough and run straight into her blade. As soon as the blade started to pierce the beast's skin, Raven began to move to the side, pulling her sword along. Her sword was in and out of the beast's c.h.e.s.t in seconds. The other young male, seeing his comrade fall to her blade, slowed down and circled Raven. She gave the beast the impression of attacking from above with her sword but quickly plunged her dagger deep into the beast's heart. Its lifeless body fell to the ground with a thud.

She looked up at the remaining Shadow Beasts. "{Five down, five to go}". The beasts saw how many of their comrades fell at her blade. They stopped their chase, snarling and growling. "What's wrong? Tired?" Raven taunted. No response. "{Come on, take the bait}", she thought. The beasts started to retreat. "What's this? Running away like you're afraid?" Raven said sharply. "Oh wait, I forgot…you ARE afraid!", she said with a scornful tone. The leader made a strange noise, signalling the rest of his pack to finish Raven off. "{Good boy- wait, no…not all of them at the same time…}" Raven started to worry as the beasts surrounded her. "{This wasn't the plan!}", she thought frantically. They slowly closed in on her.

One of the females lunged at her. She sidestepped the beast and threw her dagger at the last remaining young male. The blade entered its skull and it slumped to the ground. The moment the dagger's hilt left her hand, Raven started to loosen her whip. She turned around, facing the big male. The beast grew furious and Raven could see black blood trickling from the beast's eyes. The leader joined its pack members, ready to rip Raven apart. She felt her stomach twist when they started to attack. Two of the females lunged at her while the other one charged at her from behind. She allowed her instincts to take control of her body and lashed at one of the females. The whip coiled around the beast's neck as Raven stepped to the side, pulling with all her might. The beasts collided with one another just as Raven slashed at the female that was charging from behind. The blade sliced through the beast's flesh, wounding it deeply.

Raven turned around, looking at the big male with a firm expression. The beasts got up and surrounded her once more. The leader slowly came forward. It snarled at her. Raven knew she would not be able to kill the big beast so easily. She had never fought a Shadow Beast leader before, but she knew they were twice as strong as the average Shadow Beast. Her eyes searched for a way out. " I could really use a tree now!", she thought frantically. But the beasts had other plans for her. The beasts launched their attack simultaneously. "{Crikey…}" Raven thought as she tried to get away from the big male. One of the females pounced on her. Raven's sharp reflexes kicked in and as they fell to the ground, her sword pierced the beast's heart. Raven found herself once again trapped beneath the lifeless body of a Shadow Beast.

The other female reached Raven while she struggled to get out from underneath the dead beast. The female's jaws closed around Raven's boots, some of its teeth piercing the thick leather and sank into the soft flesh of Raven's calf. She cried out in pain. The beast pulled her out from under the dead body and the leader came closer, waiting for the perfect moment to strike…