Just when the beast lunged again with a roar that shook the air, Ruby braced herself—her arms still covering Julian. But suddenly, there was a loud thud—a heavy crack—followed by a wild howl of pain.
The beast's leap collapsed mid-air.
Ruby blinked, startled, as the creature hit the ground hard beside them, stunned and twitching.
Her eyes darted up and there stood Sora, her chest rising and falling from the force of the throw, her arm still stretched from where she had flung a massive stone that struck the beast squarely on the skull.
Ruby gasped. "Sora…"
The tall woman walked over, her expression still focused and sharp like a true hunter of the mountains. Her face was calm, but her eyes gleamed with alertness. The beast whimpered lowly, still dazed, and slowly began to crawl away into the deeper forest.
