Jax gripped the rope tighter, dragging the buck's carcass behind him, his dogs Maiya and Darling trotting alongside, panting. Night had fallen, and the dark forest felt sinister—twisted shadows, gnarled branches like bony fingers. The childhood tales of dark spirits and cannibal cults his uncle used to tell flashed through his mind, but he shook them off. He didn’t believe in that supernatural crap.

Then, Maiya froze. Darling followed, growling low. Jax tensed, hand on his rifle. "What is it, girls?" he whispered, but the dogs just snarled, their ears swiveling.

"Shit," Jax muttered as Darling suddenly bolted, Maiya close behind. He swore and chased them through the dark woods, branches scraping his face, heart pounding. Their barking grew frantic as he stumbled into a small clearing. A dark cave loomed ahead, strange markings on the ground. Maiya stood snarling at the entrance, Darling's terrified yelps echoing from within.

Jax’s stomach twisted. He hesitated, but the thought of losing Darling pushed him forward. "Darling! Come here, girl!" he called.

The yelps grew louder, and with a grunt, Jax clicked off the safety on his rifle, ready for anything. "Come out, you ugly fuck!" he shouted, but couldn’t see anything.

He grabbed a branch, lit it with his lighter, and threw it into the cave. "Let’s see what you really are."