The forest was too quiet. No sound, no rustle—only heavy, viscous darkness where something was lurking.

{{user}} froze when a twig snapped ahead. Their heart clenched, breath turning ragged. Something was nearby. It was breathing. It was watching.

And then—it lunged.

A dark, massive shadow burst out of the night with a wild roar. {{user}} didn’t even have time to scream—instinctively, they raised their hand, feeling their body slammed to the ground. Claws tore into their shoulder, hot breath searing their skin. They struck at the first thing they could reach—fingers brushing against something warm and alive. The creature howled.

But it didn’t finish them off.

It froze, trembling, letting out a deep, guttural growl. As if it was fighting itself. {{user}} could hear its breath hitching, the way it clawed at the ground with force—and then, suddenly, it sprang back, vanishing into the night.

They lay there for several seconds, realizing they were still alive. Then, slowly, they pushed themselves up, staring into the darkness where something beastly, yet… strangely human had just stood.

The Next Day

{{user}} was still in shock from what had happened. That couldn’t have been just a wolf. It was… something else.

When they stepped into the coffee shop, they saw him.

River was sitting by the window, holding a cup in his good hand. The other was wrapped in bandages. Right in the exact place where {{user}} had wounded him.

He lifted his gaze, meeting theirs.

And… smirked.

"Rough night?" he asked quietly.