War Beast

Book Four: Chapter 4

A metallic clang rang from a dim doorway up ahead, shattering the tense silence. Huntar skidded to a halt, sword raised as a solitary figure emerged into the pale light of dawn.

It was a human, bundled against the chill morning air, arms laden with refuse bags. The man froze, his eyes widening in shock as he registered the trio of Beastmen blocking his path.

For a breathless moment, they stood frozen, bound in a tableau of confusion and fear. Then the human's mouth opened in a scream of pure terror, the sound echoing through the narrow confines like a death knell.

"Run!" Huntar roared, propelling himself forward as the man's cries threatened to draw the entire city down upon them.

They burst from the alleyway, plunging headlong into the churning sea of pedestrians that thronged the city streets. Huntar barreled through the crowd, his powerful frame parting the sea of humans like a battering ram.

Shouts of alarm and confusion rose in their wake, a cacophony of panic that threatened to drown out all reason. Huntar pressed onward, his sharp gaze scanning their surroundings for shelter, for any haven that might offer them refuge from the relentless pursuit.

A towering fence loomed ahead, wrought iron bars encircling a sprawling compound of strange structures and enclosures. Without breaking stride, Huntar ducked through the open gates, Zena and Torag following close behind.

They found themselves in a bizarre realm, a verdant oasis amidst the concrete jungle. Lush foliage surrounded them, dotted with cages and exhibits that housed a variety of strange creatures—some familiar, others entirely alien.

Huntar slowed his pace, his brow furrowed as he took in their new surroundings. "What is this place?"

Zena shook her head, her eyes wide with bewilderment. "I've never seen anything like it."

A cacophony of shrieks and roars echoed from the surrounding enclosures, the cacophony of sounds both foreign and unsettling. Huntar tightened his fists, his muscles tensed for combat.

He paused when he spotted a den with two familiar creatures lying on the grass. One of them looked like him, except they lay on all-fours without hands and feet.

Huntar lowered his jaw as his cold breath escaped from his lips. "Bizarre..."

"Torag." The rhino-man grunted, his piercing gaze scanning the nearby exhibits with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. Torag's nostrils flared, picking up the scent of their pursuers on the wind.

"They're coming," Huntar growled, his jaw set in a grim line.

No sooner had the words left his lips than the wail of sirens split the air, their shrill cries announcing their enemies. Huntar cursed under his breath, his eyes darting from side to side as he sought cover amidst the alien foliage.

They sprinted through the winding pathways, weaving between enclosures and exhibits as the sounds of pursuit drew ever closer. Huntar's heart thundered in his chest, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as he pushed his body to its limits.

A sudden commotion erupted ahead, a cluster of uniformed humans converging on their position. Huntar stretched out his claws as the guards leveled their weapons, shouting frantic orders.

"Put your paws in the air!" one of them bellowed, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of roars and shrieks echoing from the nearby exhibits.

Huntar's lips curled into a snarl, his defiance kindled by the mere suggestion of surrender. With a roar of his own, he charged forward in a blur of motion as he engaged the guards in a whirlwind of punches and slashes.