Agan’s heart thundered as he crouched in the thick mud of the clearing, his gaze darting toward the shadows where the drake prowled. It wasn’t close enough to see yet, but its low, rumbling growl grew louder with each passing second, a constant, ominous reminder of the danger they faced.

Beside him, Garik was silent, his gaze fixed on the trees as he listened intently to the creature’s movements. Agan could sense the tension radiating off him, could feel his own body coiled tight, every muscle ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.

“If you have a plan, now’s the time,” Garik muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Agan swallowed, scanning the clearing for anything that might offer them an edge. The drake was a creature of the swamp, familiar with every root and shadow. They couldn’t simply outrun it—they had to trick it, to break its focus.

“We need to give it something else to follow,” Agan said, his voice hushed. He pointed to a patch of waterlogged ground nearby, the mud thick and deep. “If we make enough tracks and scatter, it might follow one of our trails long enough for the other to escape.”

Garik’s expression was dubious, his mouth pressed into a hard line. “And who exactly are you planning on leaving as bait?”

Agan met his gaze, his eyes steady. “We both run. We’re just giving it more than one target.”

Garik’s jaw tightened, but after a tense moment, he nodded. Without waiting for a response, Agan plunged his hands into the mud, making a series of deep imprints around the edge of the clearing. He could hear Garik moving beside him, the sound of his footsteps muted as he followed suit, each of them working in silence as they marked the ground with as many overlapping prints as possible.

The drake’s growls grew louder, closer, and Agan felt a chill prickle down his spine as he sensed the creature drawing near. He cast a quick glance at Garik, his voice low.

“On my mark,” Agan whispered, his heart pounding as he prepared himself to run.

Garik gave him a curt nod, his expression tense but resolute. The two of them crouched low, their muscles coiled, ready to spring at the slightest sign of movement.

The drake emerged from the trees, its dark form blending with the shadows as it prowled into the clearing. Its eyes scanned the ground, narrowing as it caught sight of the tracks, its head lowering as it sniffed the muddy imprints. Agan held his breath, watching as the creature’s focus shifted, its attention drawn to the scattered tracks.

“Now,” Agan hissed, and without a moment’s hesitation, he and Garik broke into a run, each of them darting in opposite directions, their footsteps quick and quiet as they slipped through the trees.

Agan’s heart raced as he veered to the right, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. The underbrush was dense, the vines and roots making every step a challenge, but he pushed forward, his mind focused on putting as much distance between himself and the clearing as possible.

Behind him, the drake let out a furious growl, and Agan could hear it crashing through the underbrush, its powerful legs pounding against the ground as it pursued its prey. He didn’t dare look back, his mind racing as he searched for any possible escape route.

The path wound deeper into the swamp, the trees growing closer, their thick trunks casting long shadows across the ground. Agan darted between them, his footsteps light, his breaths coming in quick, shallow gasps. He could hear Garik moving somewhere nearby, his footsteps mirroring Agan’s as they tried to stay just ahead of the drake’s relentless pursuit.

A branch snapped to his left, and Agan’s gaze darted in that direction, his heart lurching as he saw Garik slip between two trees, his movements quick and fluid. The drake was close, its growls echoing through the trees, and Agan knew they couldn’t keep running like this. They needed something to turn the tide.

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Suddenly, a thought struck him. He skidded to a stop, grabbing a handful of thick vines that hung from a nearby tree. He twisted them around his hands, bracing himself as he listened to the drake’s heavy footsteps approaching.

Garik noticed him stopping and shot him a glare. “What are you doing?” he hissed. “You’re going to get yourself killed!”

Agan ignored him, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. The drake was close now, its powerful form barreling through the underbrush, its gaze locked on the two boys. Agan tightened his grip on the vines, his body tense, his mind racing as he waited for the creature to come closer.

The drake lunged, its massive jaws snapping as it surged forward. At the last second, Agan ducked, using the vines to swing himself up and over the creature’s head, landing on the other side as it crashed into the tree.

Garik’s eyes widened as he watched, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief. “You’re insane,” he muttered, but there was a flicker of admiration in his gaze.

Agan didn’t respond, his mind focused on the next step. The drake was dazed, shaking its head as it struggled to regain its balance, and Agan seized the moment, gesturing for Garik to follow.

“Come on!” he shouted, his voice urgent. “We can’t let up now!”

They sprinted forward, weaving between the trees as the drake recovered, its enraged growls filling the air. Agan could feel his muscles burning, his breaths coming in sharp, painful gasps, but he forced himself to keep going, to ignore the exhaustion that threatened to slow him down.

The swamp seemed to close in around them, the shadows growing darker, the trees pressing closer. Every step felt heavier, each movement more labored, but Agan pushed on, his focus fixed on the path ahead.

Behind him, Garik was keeping pace, his expression grim as he matched Agan’s movements, his own exhaustion mirrored in the tightness of his jaw, the strain in his eyes. Agan could sense his frustration, his anger simmering just below the surface, and he knew that their rivalry was far from over.

But for now, they had a common enemy, a shared goal: survival.

They reached another clearing, a wide expanse of shallow water ringed by dense reeds and thick mud. Agan skidded to a stop, his gaze scanning the area, searching for any possible cover. The drake’s growls grew louder, closer, and he knew they only had seconds to act.

Without waiting for Garik’s input, Agan plunged into the water, his feet sinking into the thick mud as he moved toward a cluster of tall reeds. He crouched low, pulling the reeds around him, his breaths coming in quick, shallow gasps as he waited, his gaze fixed on the path behind them.

Garik joined him a moment later, his expression tense, his body coiled as he crouched beside Agan, his gaze just as focused.

The drake’s hulking form emerged from the trees, its dark scales glinting in the dim light as it prowled into the clearing. It paused, sniffing the air, its head swiveling as it searched for any sign of movement. Agan held his breath, his body still, his gaze locked on the creature.

The drake moved slowly, its footsteps heavy, its gaze fixed on the water. Agan could see its nostrils flare, could feel the weight of its presence as it drew closer, each step bringing it closer to where they hid.

He could feel Garik’s tension beside him, could sense his own fear mounting with each passing second. The drake was close, too close, and Agan knew that if it found them now, they’d have no chance of escaping.

Just as the creature was about to reach their hiding spot, a loud splash echoed from somewhere to their right, and the drake’s head snapped in that direction, its attention diverted. Agan felt a surge of relief as the creature slinked away, its movements slow and deliberate as it moved toward the sound.

They stayed hidden, barely daring to breathe, until the drake disappeared into the trees, its growls fading into the distance. Agan let out a shaky breath, his hands trembling as he released his grip on the reeds.

Garik was silent beside him, his face pale, his breaths coming in shallow gasps. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the weight of their shared fear hanging heavy in the air.

Finally, Garik broke the silence, his voice low and tense. “That was close.”

Agan nodded, his own voice barely more than a whisper. “Too close.”

They emerged from the reeds, their bodies sore, their minds weary, but the danger had passed. The drake had moved on, its attention drawn elsewhere, and they were safe—for now.

But as they made their way back toward the village, Agan couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The swamp held dangers he hadn’t imagined, creatures that lurked just beyond his sight, and he knew that he couldn’t take his home’s safety for granted.

Garik walked beside him, his silence a stark contrast to his usual bravado. Agan cast him a sidelong glance, his own thoughts racing as he considered their uneasy truce, the way they’d worked together to survive. The rivalry still lingered, the tension simmering beneath the surface, but there was a new understanding between them, a shared experience that neither could ignore.

As they neared the village, Garik finally spoke, his voice low, almost grudging. “You’re not as useless as I thought.”

Agan smirked, his own tone dry. “Coming from you, I’ll take that as a compliment.”