Counting not one, but three of those monstrous apes, I observed the unfolding scene. The moving figure was another Thunderquill fox, and one of the apes was already dangerously close to her. The others were gradually closing in with coordinated movements, their red eyes filled with insatiable hatred.

Beneath a tree, the white vixen stood, fur crackling with electricity as she growled at the closest monster.

The apes, undeterred, continued their silent approach. Closest of them scrunched back, contorting its long limbs, preparing for an attack. Anticipating the danger, the vixen leaped away just in time, avoiding the savage claws tearing through the ground.

Seizing the opportunity, the fox's fur cackled with blue electricity as she charged at the interloper. There was a loud crunch as the ape fell back, now marked with slight burns.

The vixen leaped back to her original position, crouching low and growling as if warning the monsters not to come closer.

However, monsters don't heed warnings, and I doubted her display of aggression would deter them.

A surge of anger rose within me, and I realized that my disdain for these monsters was growing stronger. It wasn't just their repulsive appearance; there was something deeper fueling this intense hatred. Despite this realization, I chose to set the emotion aside. Whether fueled by hatred or not, rushing into the midst of three angry apes was a swift route to becoming a shredded mystery meat.

As I observed the unfolding chaos, my mind raced to devise a strategy. I lacked ranged weapons, and plunging into the melee was a recipe for disaster.

The information about Thunderquill foxes that I had come across flashed in my mind. There was a heated debate in the kingdom regarding the regulation of magical beast rearing. Some noble houses saw it as a symbol of prestige and prowess, integral to their heritage. Others, driven by paranoia, were concerned about the unpredictable nature of these beasts, although rogue mages could pose similar threats.

To address these concerns, a regulatory framework was established, overseen by a dedicated governing body. Education about magical beasts became a crucial first step, and books were published detailing various species. However, the true capabilities of many magical beasts remained unknown.

The fox in front of me represented House Thunderquill, known for their advocacy of magical beast rearing. Hence the name ‘Thunderquill Fox’. The number of tails on a Thunderquill fox indicated its power, and the one before me had three tails crackling with electricity.

The move she used, [Thunder Charge], was a basic one even for a fox with a single tail. With three tails, she should be capable of employing [Thunder Serpent], summoning constant lightning from the sky.

But why wasn’t she using it. This situation was perfect.

Wait…

Observing the Thunderquill vixen's behavior, I noticed a peculiar pattern. After retaliating against the ape, she consistently returned to the same bush. This raised suspicions and led me to investigate further.

Climbing a bit higher in the tree, I gained a better vantage point.

My suspicions were confirmed as I spotted a little white snout peeking out from the lush green bush. The vixen, aware of the presence, growled at the bush, prompting the snout to retreat. It became evident that she was guarding something, likely young ones, and was cautious not to expose them to the dangers of her own formidable abilities.

***

POV Switch: Eterisk Viskapäls

Eterisk felt a deep unease within her heart. The order of their pack crumbled when their leader, the Stormcaller, succumbed to the malevolence of that Vilespawn. The entire pack scattered in disarray, and Eterisk, burdened by guilt, held herself somewhat responsible. Her eyes bore witness to the devastating spectacle, observing the once-mighty Stormcaller's defeat in the flames brought forth by that Vilespawn.

The sanctuary, once a bastion of security, tainted as the Vilespawn and its minions invaded. They hunted and feasted upon her kin, forcing all to abandon their haven.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Though Eterisk sought escape, her maternal instincts held her close, for her young ones were still tender, and chaos claimed one in the tumult. By the time she discovered her lost offspring, the moment for salvation had passed.

A growl emanated from deep within Eterisk as she confronted the approaching fiend. While she successfully felled the adversary, it defied her by rising once again, mending itself. Frustration coursed through her being.

Two additional fiends approached from the shadows, and the safety of her kits hung in the balance, a consequence of her perceived shortcomings. Eterisk's power was formidable, but her control over the lightning coursing through her was erratic. She feared that in her attempts to defeat the fiends, her kits might become collateral damage.

Ever since that Vilespawn arrived, a disturbing change had overcome the once mindless fiends. Once reckless and heedless, they evolved into cunning adversaries, as exemplified by the stealthy duo silently closing in on her.

The fiend before Eterisk contorted its limbs, a preparation for yet another assault. Eterisk, undeterred, recognized the threat. The injury she had inflicted upon it earlier had regrettably healed. With a defiant snarl, she bared her teeth and crouched low with her front limbs. The familiar claws of the fiend lunged towards her, but she agilely leaped backward.

Her fur crackled with energy, the lightning coursing through her veins. Eterisk aimed directly for the fiend's head this time. She collided with the grotesque visage of her enemy, a sharp crack echoing as the bones in its face surrendered to the force of her attack. Swiftly, she unhinged her jaws and viscerally tore through its eyes and nose.

Yet, in the midst of her maneuver, a sudden movement at the periphery of her vision seized her attention. Another claw, gleaming and sinister, poised to strike. Caught midair, Eterisk found herself unable to evade the incoming claw.

Time seemed to stretch.

The gleaming claw found its mark, digging into her fur and tearing through the muscles of her hind leg. She fell. Pain erupted with searing intensity, momentarily muting her senses as one of her legs went numb.

There was no respite, for another claw approached. Eterisk's eyes widened with urgency. For her kits, for their safety, she had to rise again. The looming specter of death hovered, but the tenacious vixen knew she couldn't succumb.

Summoning strength through sheer determination, Eterisk attempted to evade the looming claw, but the malicious appendage proved relentless. In a desperate sidelong movement, the gleaming claw tore through her, shredding a portion of her chest. Pain surged through her once again, and fresh blood pooled beneath her weakened form.

Yet, even in the grip of her own impending demise, her singular focus remained on her kits.

Not fully succumbing to the grasp of death, Eterisk felt the fiends toying with her, savoring their cruel torment. However, the thought of her kits falling prey to the fiends' voracious appetites ignited a fierce anger within her. She refused to let them become victims!

In a surge of courage, she tapped into a wellspring of power she had hesitated to unleash before. Lightning crackled through her fur once more, fueled not only by the thunder but also by an overwhelming surge of anger and hatred toward the fiends.

NO!

If the end for her and her kits was inevitable, she vowed that the fiends would SHARE THEIR DEMISE!

Her tails lashed out, crackling with the essence of thunder, even as she lay in a pool of her own blood. With closed eyes, she howled, a desperate plea sent skyward to the home of all thunders, to the sanctuary of their deity.

Her plea resonated through the connection, and Eterisk sensed a subtle shift in the air around her. The fiend, too, smelled something amiss and looked behind, bewildered by something unseen. Eterisk's fur bristled, not only from her own power but also from the commanding presence of the sky itself.

The fiends, sensing that Eterisk was engaged in something beyond their understanding, charged at her in a frenzy.

Yet, before they could reach her, something unexpected happened. The nearest fiend crumpled to the ground, both spindly legs severed. It howled in a maddened fury, its caution abandoned as it tried to stand on its claws, scanning the surroundings maniacally.

The sky responded with echoing cackles. Though other fiends closed in on Eterisk, they were too late. A connection had been established—a complete prayer from the earth to the sky.

The evening's hushed stillness, the silence shattered.

A jagged spear of brilliance. Bright and blue, it erupted from the sky.

A luminous serpent, coiling and writhing with energy untamed, descended upon the first fiend with a furious wrath. In an instant, the creature was incinerated, reduced to a burnt crisp.

The serpent of lightning, jaws agape, lunged at the remaining fiends.

In the blink of an eye, the dance of the lightning serpent brought swift and merciless justice upon the fiends. All three were reduced to burnt husks. Their malevolence purged, purified by the sky. However, the wrath of the luminous serpent did not cease; instead, it lashed out indiscriminately at everything in its vicinity. Trees, bushes, and the very fabric of the once-vibrant forest seethed from its wrath.

It spared none, consuming all in a relentless blaze.

Eterisk, caught in the maelstrom of destruction, cried out desperately, attempting to regain control over the force. But the lightning serpent paid no heed to her pleas. The forest around her now burned in raging flames, and the anguished cries of her kits were lost amid the crackling inferno.

Perhaps, in a twisted form of mercy, their lives were extinguished in the blink of an eye.

Tears welled within Eterisk's azure eyes as she gazed upon her own pool of blood. The reality of her impending fate sank in, and she recognized that soon, she would join her kits beyond the veil in the sky.

As her vision grew dimmer, she dreamed of a realm, one untouched by the pain and devastation. Where her kits embodied the innocence and vitality.

Dream. Of her kits playfully paddling the soft clouds with their tiny paws. Of them catching lightnings with their pearly teeth.