Agan’s heart pounded as he stared into the drake’s dark, unblinking eyes. The creature’s head was low, its powerful legs coiled, every muscle poised to strike. For a split second, the group stood frozen, no one daring to move or even breathe.

Then, Aska’s voice cut through the silence, barely a whisper. “Run. Now.”

The drake’s hiss turned into a deep, rumbling growl, and that was all it took for the group to scatter, each of them scrambling in different directions as they bolted for the nearest cover. Agan’s feet slipped in the mud as he tore through the swamp, his pulse loud in his ears, the world narrowing to the path directly ahead.

The others were close, their frantic breaths and pounding footsteps barely audible over the drake’s guttural growl as it followed them through the trees. He could hear Garik cursing under his breath, and Nara’s gasps as she struggled to keep pace. Branches clawed at Agan’s arms, and mud splattered his legs as he pushed himself forward, his mind racing.

But just as they reached a patch of thick underbrush, Garik veered sharply to the left, taking a path that cut across the main trail. Agan saw the shift too late and collided with him, nearly sending them both tumbling into the mud.

“Watch it!” Garik snarled, shoving Agan’s shoulder as he regained his balance.

Agan stumbled, but he shot Garik a furious glare, his own fear momentarily forgotten. “Maybe if you hadn’t tripped us up in the first place, we wouldn’t be running!”

Garik’s face twisted in anger, his hands curling into fists. “You’re the one slowing us down! You’ve been dead weight since we started!”

Agan’s fists clenched, his frustration boiling over. They didn’t have time for this, not with the drake on their heels, but Garik’s words struck deep. He took a step forward, his voice sharp. “If you want to see dead weight, keep getting in my way.”

Garik’s eyes narrowed, his stance shifting as he looked ready to push back, but a low growl from the drake cut through the tension, closer than ever. Agan’s anger snapped back to fear, and he turned, grabbing Garik’s arm and pulling him forward just as the drake lunged, its jaws snapping inches from where they’d been standing.

“Move!” Agan shouted, his grip tight on Garik’s arm as they both stumbled forward, their feet slipping in the mud. They dashed through the trees, the branches and vines seeming to reach out to snag them as they moved, each of them focused on staying a step ahead of the creature.

The others had scattered in different directions, but Agan and Garik stuck together out of necessity, neither willing to be left behind. They darted through the swamp, weaving between the trees, but the drake was relentless, its heavy steps close behind, its growls vibrating through the air.

Agan’s mind raced as he scanned the surroundings, looking for anything they could use to lose the creature. But the swamp was an open maze of tangled roots and slick mud, offering little in the way of cover. He could feel the panic rising, but he pushed it down, forcing himself to focus.

“There—up ahead!” Agan pointed to a cluster of thick, low-hanging branches, their heavy leaves casting a dark shadow over the ground. “If we can get through there, it might slow it down.”

Garik gave him a sharp nod, his face set in determination, and together they sprinted toward the branches. They ducked beneath the low-hanging vines, weaving through the thick foliage, and Agan risked a glance over his shoulder. The drake hesitated, its hulking form barely fitting between the trees, but its gaze was fixed on them, and it let out a frustrated hiss as it pushed forward.

They’d bought themselves a few seconds, but it wasn’t enough. Agan’s chest burned, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as he stumbled over a root, catching himself just before he fell. Beside him, Garik was breathing just as heavily, his expression a mix of anger and fear as he glanced back at the creature.

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“We need to split up,” Garik said, his voice tight. “It’ll have a harder time tracking two of us than one.”

Agan hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to stay close, but he knew Garik was right. Together, they were an easier target. With a short nod, he veered to the right, slipping between two trees as Garik took the opposite direction.

The swamp closed around him, the thick, twisted roots and hanging vines casting deep shadows across the ground. Agan’s heart raced as he moved as quietly as he could, ducking beneath branches and keeping low. He could hear the drake’s growls, muffled by the trees, but he forced himself to keep moving, each step deliberate, each movement careful.

Just as he thought he might have lost it, a flash of scales appeared in his peripheral vision, and he froze, his breath catching. The drake’s head loomed through the trees, its eyes scanning the shadows, its nostrils flaring as it searched for its prey.

Agan crouched low, his body tense, barely daring to breathe as the creature moved closer. His mind raced, every instinct screaming at him to run, but he held his ground, knowing that any sudden movement would draw its attention.

The drake’s gaze swept past him, and for a brief, heart-stopping moment, it seemed to pause, its eyes narrowing as it sniffed the air. Agan felt his pulse pound in his ears, his muscles coiled, ready to bolt at the slightest sign of danger.

But then, a sharp crack echoed from somewhere to his left, and the drake’s head snapped in that direction, its attention diverted. Agan felt a rush of relief as the creature slinked away, its movements smooth and predatory as it moved toward the sound.

He let out a shaky breath, his hands trembling as he straightened. He couldn’t stay hidden forever, not with the drake so close. He had to find a way back to the others, to regroup and come up with a plan.

Steeling himself, he moved forward, keeping his steps light, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. The trees thickened, casting long shadows across the ground, and Agan slipped between them, his senses alert for any sign of movement.

Just as he rounded a bend, he nearly collided with Garik, who was crouched low, his eyes wide as he looked up at Agan.

“Are you trying to get us both killed?” Garik hissed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Agan’s irritation flared, but he swallowed it, his voice just as low. “We don’t have time for this. We need to keep moving.”

Garik’s jaw clenched, but he nodded, his gaze flicking back to the trees. “Fine. But if we’re going to make it out of here, you’d better keep up.”

They moved forward, each step careful, each movement deliberate as they made their way through the swamp. Agan’s frustration simmered beneath the surface, his anger at Garik mingling with his own fear and exhaustion. But he forced himself to stay focused, to keep his mind on the path ahead.

The swamp was dark and silent, the usual sounds of insects and distant water creatures absent as they moved through the shadows. Every so often, Agan would catch a glimpse of scales, a flicker of movement in the trees, and his heart would lurch, his body tensing as they ducked behind roots or slipped through narrow gaps in the underbrush.

But the drake was relentless, its patience as endless as the swamp itself. It seemed to circle them, its growls rumbling through the trees like a low, rolling thunder, a constant reminder of the danger that lurked just beyond their sight.

Finally, they reached a small clearing, and Agan collapsed against a tree, his breaths coming in shallow gasps as he tried to steady himself. Garik leaned against a boulder nearby, his face pale, his expression grim as he looked out over the clearing.

“We can’t keep running,” Garik muttered, his voice tense. “It’ll wear us down before we even make it halfway back to the village.”

Agan nodded, his mind racing as he considered their options. The drake was faster, stronger—it could track them as long as it wanted. But it was also bound to the swamp, its instincts tied to the familiar ground it roamed. If they could break that pattern, force it to lose interest…

He looked over at Garik, a spark of determination igniting in his gaze. “We need to make it think we’re gone. If we can find a way to mask our trail, we might be able to lose it.”

Garik’s expression was skeptical, but he gave a short nod. “And how do you plan to do that?”

Agan’s mind raced, ideas flashing through his thoughts as he scanned the clearing, searching for anything they could use. The drake’s growls echoed in the distance, closer now, and he knew they didn’t have long.

But he couldn’t afford to let doubt creep in—not now.

“Trust me,” Agan said, his voice steady. “Just follow my lead.”

The drake’s growl grew louder, its shadow falling across the trees as it stalked closer. Agan took a deep breath, feeling the tension coil in his chest as he prepared himself. They would get out of this—he was sure of it.

But they’d have to work together to survive.