Aiden moved through the dense forest in silence, his footsteps barely audible on the soft, damp earth. The trees towered above him, their shadows long in the fading light. Each breath he took sent a sharp sting through his chest, the venom from the gryphon’s attack gnawing at him with every step. His arm, still bleeding, hung limply by his side, the pain unbearable but something he had learned to ignore. The sound of rustling leaves behind him kept his senses on edge.

The creature was still following. He could feel it, even though he never looked back. Its presence was constant, like a shadow, mirroring his every move.

Aiden clenched his jaw, his frustration growing with every step. “Why are you still here?” he muttered under his breath, though he knew the creature wouldn’t answer. He had given it food. He had even given it a name. That should have been enough for it to leave him alone.

But it didn’t.

Ahead of him, the path led to a steep incline, the trees thinning out. Aiden stopped for a moment, eyeing the cliffside. He could hear the distant sound of rushing water below, the river winding its way through the forest.

With a resigned sigh, Aiden reached into his bag, pulling out a small piece of bread. His stomach growled painfully, but he ignored it. He had to keep going. He couldn’t afford to slow down.

Without turning around, Aiden tossed the bread over the edge of the cliff. It landed with a soft thud as it tumbled down toward the ravine below.

“Go on, then,” he said, his voice bitter. “Go get it. Maybe you’ll stop following me after this.”

The creature didn’t hesitate. It darted forward, leaping over the edge of the cliff after the bread. Aiden watched as it disappeared from sight, a strange sense of relief washing over him. For a moment, the weight of the situation seemed a little lighter.

“Finally,” he muttered, taking a deep breath. He turned back to the path, moving forward with renewed, though still weak, determination. His legs wobbled beneath him, but he pushed on, one step at a time.

The silence didn’t last long. A rustling sound broke the calm, sharp and sudden. Aiden froze, his senses immediately alert.

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He turned, his gaze snapping toward the source of the noise. His eyes widened as a figure emerged from the underbrush—an enormous gryphon, its feathers white and its muscular frame built for power. The beast’s large, curved beak gleamed in the dim light, and its talons dug into the earth with a menacing growl.

Aiden’s heart raced. The gryphon’s roar filled the air, the sound deep and chilling. There was no time to think. The creature charged.

He tried to react, but before he could even take a step, the gryphon flapped its wings hard, sending a powerful gust of wind toward him. Aiden was thrown backward, slamming into the trunk of a nearby tree with a sickening crack. His head spun, vision blurring as his breath caught in his chest.

He tried to push himself up, but the pain in his arm was unbearable. Blood oozed from the gryphon’s earlier bite, staining his shirt. His legs wobbled beneath him as he struggled to stand, eyes frantically scanning for a way to fight back.

The gryphon didn’t waste time. It leapt toward him, talons outstretched, and with a deadly swiftness, it struck. The creature’s beak sank deep into Aiden’s left arm, tearing through flesh with a brutal force. Pain shot through him like lightning, and he cried out, staggering backward, his hand desperately searching for something to defend himself with.

His fingers closed around a broken tree branch, sharp and jagged. With a grunt, he lifted it, aiming for the gryphon’s eye. The creature roared in pain as the branch found its mark, driving into its eye. The gryphon shrieked, a high-pitched wail that pierced the air, stumbling back.

For a moment, Aiden thought it might retreat, but the beast was far from done. It flapped its wings wildly, thrashing in a rage, but the damage had been done. The gryphon turned and disappeared into the shadows of the forest, leaving Aiden on the ground, gasping for breath.

Aiden vision blurring. His body was battered and broken his mind clouded by the venom and pain. But somehow, he managed to push himself up once more, gritting his teeth against the agony.

He couldn’t afford to fall here. Not yet.

A Fateful Encounter

Aiden stumbled through the forest, every step dragging him closer to collapse. His vision blurred, and the world spun as pain coursed through his battered body. He leaned against a tree, gasping for air, and prepared himself to keep moving. But then, through the haze, he saw it again—the figure that had been following him.

The creature stood in the clearing, its amber eyes locked on Aiden. Its crimson hair glowed faintly under the fading light, and its expression carried a strange mix of concern and sadness.

“You… again?” Aiden’s voice was weak, barely audible. He took an unsteady step forward, narrowing his eyes. “Why… why do you keep showing up?”

The creature said nothing, only watching him in silence. Aiden chuckled bitterly, wincing as the motion sent a sharp pain through his side. “Don’t… look at me like that. Like you care.”

Fumbling with his bag, Aiden reached inside, pulling out the pendant he had carried for so long. The weight of it in his hand felt heavier than usual, as if it carried all his remaining strength.

“Here,” he muttered, his voice trembling. He extended the pendant toward the creature, his fingers slick with blood. “This… is your payment. For the bread.”

The creature stepped closer, its movements slow and cautious. Aiden placed the pendant in its hand, his vision flickering. He swayed on his feet, barely able to keep himself upright.

“From now on…” Aiden murmured, forcing the words out through sheer will. “Your name… is Aiden.”

As the last word left his lips, his body gave out, collapsing onto the forest floor. The world around him dimmed, but before darkness overtook him completely, he heard it.

A voice, soft and tentative, repeating his name: “Aaa..ai-do..n”

The creature sat down beside him, cradling the pendant in its hands, and stared at Aiden’s unconscious form. For the first time, it spoke its new name, over and over again, as though it was trying to anchor itself to the meaning behind it.