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With precision, she wound a thin cord around the bag before tucking it away in the hollowed-out section of the trunk. A grim but pleased smile curved her lips as she glanced over the side. Surviving the three-hundred-foot plus fall to the river below would be just the first obstacle for the beasts, as they would also have to contend with the rocky terrain and fast-flowing water.

With each step along the trunk, she felt the smooth texture of the wood beneath her feet as she carefully untangled the bundle of cord. After completing that task, she gathered the sharpened branches and carefully set up a second trap. She gathered four sharp branches and meticulously secured them together to create a trip wire. Testing the tension multiple times, she aimed to guarantee the weapon’s ability to cause maximum damage. A few paces from the first trap, she carefully set up another one.

There was a wall of tumbled rocks a hundred yards up the path, creating a natural barrier. She made her way to the top, feeling the burn in her muscles with each step. Climbing most of the way to the top, she came across a round boulder precariously resting against another, supported by a decaying tree. Testing for weakness, she carefully examined the area surrounding the rock. The image of the boulder gaining momentum down the incline, causing chaos in its wake, flashed through her mind.

By the time she finished setting the trap, darkness was starting to creep in. Around the fallen tree, she had carefully tucked three bags of the black powder. A mere half-inch adjustment was all it would take to release the boulder.

She stood up and carefully scanned the area surrounding her. Her top priority was to ensure she had a secure and reliable escape plan in place. Half a mile away from her current position, there stood a slender tree that could provide her a way back across the ravine. The safety of it had never been verified by anyone from the clan.

At the sound of a low howl, her head lifted and turned in the direction of the noise. They had picked up her scent. As she descended the rocks, she could feel the rough texture scraping the palms of her hands. The warning of the shifters closing in came in the form of a second howl, quickly followed by a third and fourth.

Five against one. Don’t think about it, Jayden. You are the hunter. Surprise is your superpower. They will not be expecting you to fight back.

The brief pep talk eased her anxiety while she waited. With steady hands, she retrieved the lighter from her pouch. She brought it close to the wick, her hand steady and focused. After igniting it, she would stand in a way that ensured they could see her without any difficulty.

Nothing like a little bait to distract them, she thought with wry amusement.

A dark shape suddenly appeared on the other side, causing her to tense up. Soon, four others joined the first one. Two of them had their noses to the ground, while the third one lifted its head to take in the scents around them. The two other figures walked hesitantly, casting wary glances at the tree trunk before stepping back.

Advancing slowly, the first beast that appeared approached the fallen tree and bounded onto the trunk. The instant it did, she swiftly flicked the lighter, setting the wick ablaze. She estimated she had around forty-five seconds before the bag would burst into flames.

If it works.

The thought flashed through her mind, but she ruthlessly pushed it away, the sound of her pounding heart filling her ears. She wasn’t going to let doubt cause her to make a stupid mistake. She needed to get on the other side of the second trap. If luck was with her, all five would go down into the ravine. If not, she needed to ensure there was enough distance between herself and those who survived the explosion before the tree blew up.

Standing, she darted to the spot in front of the second trap. The first beast’s head shot up, and a tense silence filled the air. Staring back at the creature’s glowing red eyes, she tightly gripped her spear in front of her.

“No beast will ever catch me,” she snarled.

The group emitted a collective rumble of growls. The other four beasts hopped onto the trunk one by one, their claws scraping against the rough bark. The first beast moved closer with deliberate, measured strides. The sound of its low warning growl made her pause and take a step back. She felt a lump in her throat as it suddenly paused and sniffed the air.

Fearing the smell of black powder or smoke would give her away, she frantically searched the ground for something to distract the creature. She felt the rough texture of the rock as her fingers closed around it. Moving closer, she hurled it towards the beast with all her strength.

The first beast ducked and the rock hit the beast behind it. She picked up another one and threw it, counting down what she hoped were the last seconds until the black powder ignited. The first beast’s head suddenly turned to the side, its nostrils flaring as it sniffed the air. Jayden knew the moment it realized that it and the others were in mortal danger.

“Get back!” the beast shouted.

While the first two beasts charged forward, the other three scrambled backward in fear. As they tried to turn around, their paws struggled to find traction on the slick surface of the trunk. As a brilliant explosion lit up the sky, Jayden turned and bolted. The night was shattered by the sound of loud, mournful howls as the trunk broke in half.

Looking back, Jayden caught a glimpse of two beasts as they swiftly disappeared from sight. Another clawed at the loose soil on the opposite side. Unable to get a grip with its paws, it shifted. The haunting sound of the female shifter’s screams echoed through the air as she fell.

She skillfully navigated past the second and third traps without breaking her stride. The beasts were frantically clawing at the edge of the ravine, struggling to pull themselves up. They had also shifted into their two-legged form. The last thing she saw before she disappeared into the darkness was the fury on their faces as they struggled so as not to follow their comrades.

Just as she reached the halfway point to the rock incline, a faint noise reached her ears, indicating that the second trap had been sprung. A man’s agonized cry was cut short. She tried not to picture his death nor the terrible wounds the sharpened spears would have inflicted. Instead, she focused on reaching the boulder and decaying tree.

The crashing of foliage and the heavy pants behind her signaled the failure of her third trap to halt her pursuer. Climbing up the uneven waterfall of boulders, she could feel the rough edges digging into her palms. She ignored the cuts to her palms and the bruises she knew she would have if she lived to see tomorrow.

Startled by a menacing snarl that sounded uncomfortably close, she instinctively checked behind her. In the darkness, she was met with the chilling glare of the first beast, its red eyes glowing ominously. She continued to climb, twisting and crab crawling, her hands feeling blindly for the next grip.

“We were supposed to bring you back alive,” the shifter said in a rough, deep voice. “The General didn’t say anything about bringing you back in one piece. I’m going to rip a limb off you for every one of my men you just killed.”

“That’s not my problem. If you had left me alone, they’d still be alive,” she retorted.

With a quick glance behind her, she strained to determine how much farther she needed to climb. She looked back down when she heard the sound of claws scraping against the rock. With each step, the wolf-beast’s powerful muscles flexed as it climbed up the steep terrain. The sound of his snapping jaws sent a wave of terror through her.

“I’m going to take your pretty little fingers first. You can watch and listen as I crunch on them and swallow them,” he said.

She wiggled her nose with distaste. “There is something seriously wrong if you think that would taste good,” she scoffed with false bravado.