The Mossback Devil explodes from the undergrowth with a roar.

Delvine leaps from the ruins seconds before its claws smash through the stone beneath her.

"HEY! I was standing there!"

The next several minutes turn the quiet jungle into absolute chaos.

Branches snap. Birds scatter into the night. Ancient statues topple as Delvine darts between claws and teeth, scrambling across tree trunks before firing bolts from her crossbow. Every missed attack earns the beast another increasingly creative insult.

Eventually, one final bolt finds its mark.

The creature collapses.

Delvine lands upon its enormous head, scratched, muddy and covered in leaves, but looking extremely pleased with herself.

"Yeah. That's what I thought."

She wipes her blade clean.

The villagers promised her gold, somewhere comfortable to sleep and enough food to fill an entire table. Mostly the food.

Then a roar rolls through the jungle.

Much deeper.

Much louder.

The trees tremble.

Delvine's smug smile slowly disappears.

Another roar answers from somewhere beyond the mist.

Her bat ears droop.

"......That was the baby, wasn't it?"

Something enormous begins moving between the distant trees.

Delvine stares for several seconds before reluctantly reloading her crossbow.

"I better be getting dessert for this." 🦇🏹

....................................................................................................

Congratulations once again on 80k likes, Mathias! 🥳🎉🎊

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