"Damn, damn... Get ready to move!!"
"Wake the children up! We have to leave before that creature arrives!"
The night atmosphere that should have been calm with the soothing sound of the campfire suddenly turned into a small chaos inside the cave.
Warning voices echoed throughout the cave, the vibrations from the cave walls were enough to wake my body because of them.
Everyone started to panic, stuffing all kinds of items scattered across the ground into their bags with trembling hands.
Some of them had already given up and curled up in fear among the others, feeling that everything was already over and that they were proof of it.
I shouldn't have needed to panic too much since all of my belongings were already inside my bag, but my body chose to get up and help those who were struggling.
There was no more time to rest or move leisurely, there were only two choices we could make... Run away, or die inside a cave far from any settlement.
—
Not only Kayo, in this situation everyone had to move and give orders to those who were confused and didn't know what to do.
No matter who gave the orders, the words thrown into the air would immediately be accepted and carried out without protest despite differing opinions.
Everyone had to help each other now, there was no time where we would leave someone behind without a clear reason. Never.
This had already happened several days ago. At that time, we had also rested because night had fallen, though not in a safe place like this silent cave.
There was no cave there. Only trees with long leaves covered by thick snow that blanketed them like the blanket I used.
The only place we could use to stay for the night, a hiding place and the safest option compared to sleeping on the open snowfield.
That night, someone felt that our group was being watched by something. While we waited to hear the latest news, we fell victim to our own plan.
The moment we let our guard down, a pack of wolves emerged from the darkness and attacked everyone within the sight of their eyes without restraint.
There was no choice but to leave behind those who couldn't be saved, they had to be sacrificed for the remaining people who still had more time to escape.
We lost quite a lot of people there, that sudden attack left us unable to do anything other than mourn the deaths of our fallen members.
And once again, it was happening now.
I still didn't know what kind of creature they were talking about, but I thought it might be another pack of wolves or even... Something far worse than that.
"Here, don't let go of that rope from your hand, okay?"
The little child nodded with their hand already tied to their mother's hand, like a pet being carefully watched over by its owner.
The mother looked at me with a smile, thanking me for helping them stay together despite the dangerous situation. Truly the warmth of a family.
They immediately gathered with the others who were already prepared deeper inside the cave.
Kayo and several others decided that we would escape through the depths of the cave. Even though, we didn't know what was inside there.
As if every place we would head to next was nothing more than an impossible dream that would never happen in this world nor in countless other worlds.
—
I wrapped my arms around the two straps attached to the backpack I was carrying, it felt lighter since quite a lot of the wood had already been taken out and used.
I really wanted to ask Kayo to leave together with me right now, but seeing him still busy talking with the others made me give up on the idea.
They looked very serious while discussing it, they were probably planning something to deal with that creature.
Without thinking any further, I turned my body around and moved both my legs as hard as I could to run deeper into the cave.
There were still many others who hadn't stood up yet, but among them, there was one couple that made me curious about them.
Ever since the warning had first been shouted earlier, the girl had refused the invitation from the man who was most likely her husband.
At first, the girl had been carrying a baby wrapped in thick cloth all over its body, making sure the baby wouldn't get cold in this place.
But now, the baby had already been handed over to the man. The girl still sat on the ground without trying to stand or accept her husband's outstretched hand.
The girl repeatedly asked her husband to take their beloved baby and leave without thinking about her.
At first, she was very stubborn, as if choosing to die here because her exhausted body still had to keep moving while taking care of her baby at the same time.
I briefly stopped running when I was near them, my heart whining for me to help them, at least carrying the girl's body while her husband handled the other side.
But...
After the man's insistence, he cried as he stretched out his hand one last time.
That crying was answered with something equally fitting, the girl's tears. She cried when she saw the person who had always stayed by her side looking at her with wet eyes as if he was about to lose something precious.
The tears of the two of them felt like a miracle that appeared between them. The baby didn't cry like its parents, instead, it stretched out its tiny hand toward its mother.
Seeing that, the girl's heart melted beyond control. She decided to stand up with the little strength she had left, with the man's help of course.
Watching their interaction... Made my body move instantly.
—
I turned around, gripping the backpack straps tightly while running toward Kayo.
I was breathing heavily when I stopped right in front of him, I thought they had already finished discussing their plan since only Kayo was left there.
"L-Lin? You idiot, what are you still doing here?!"
Kayo shouted very loudly at me, his voice sounding terrifying with a heavy tone different from usual.
I looked up, meeting our eyes in a direct gaze without being distracted by anything else.
"I'm going with you! I don't want to... Anyway! I'll drag you by force if you refuse—"
——
Lin's pupils widened, not because of sweet words, but because of something horrifying enough to freeze her like ice.
Kayo quickly turned his head to see the same thing Lin saw, and his reaction... Was exactly the same.
Only a few steps behind them, giant wolf-shaped monsters were already waiting there with glowing red eyes, standing as if waiting for their prey to move from where they stood.
Their sharp fangs had already been soaked by hungry saliva that hadn't been washed clean from clumps of blood in a very long time.
Their legs trembled violently with the fear and despair that wrapped around their hearts.
Srek.
The sound of feet scraping against the pile of snow began to be heard, they were already prepared to attack the moment their prey started to run—
"RUN, LIN!!"
Kayo quickly grabbed one of Lin's hands, helping her run after his steps even though their stride lengths were different, forcing her along.
An incredibly loud roar echoed from the cave entrance all the way to the inside.
The pack of wolf-skinned monsters immediately ran on all fours like lightning itself.
Chasing the prey they had targeted from the very first moment they were caught by their eyes.
Lin breathed extremely fast, and so did Kayo. They were being chased by monsters that were literally faster than their smaller legs and exhausted stamina.
—
Just a little more! We'll make it there... Please, let us make it—
Crash!
"LIN!"
"Hey, Lin! Hurry and get up, HEY!!"
—
Lin stumbled after stepping on the remains of the firewood they had previously used to warm themselves.
Only a few inches more before Lin was torn apart by that monster, but fortunately—
—
"O spirit of earth, grant me your strength to protect them. Earth Wall!"
Someone behind Kayo created a barrier made of earth near Lin's feet.
The ground in front of her slowly rose until it touched the cave ceiling, sealing the entrance as if telling all those monsters, "Dead end."
Without turning back to see who had helped them, Kayo immediately pulled Lin back up and continued running deeper inside.
Meanwhile, the monsters slammed themselves against the barrier hard enough to make the cave tremble because of their bodies.
Lin blinked several times to make sure she was still conscious while glancing behind her, worried that the earth barrier would break and cause them to be chased again.
—
"... Don't talk yet, Lin! Just keep running, keep going!"
Kayo shouted at me without glancing over to see how terrified I was right now. Well, I knew why he didn't want to do that.
I didn't answer Kayo by opening my mouth, I only tightened my grip around his hand.
A small answer, but it was already enough for Kayo to understand my response.