Severing Time & Space

Spotted Snow Lion

The Spotted Snow Lion had stopped running and was now prowling toward them with slow, deadly footsteps. It knew they were trapped. Wu Jian had the feeling that it was savoring this moment—the moment before it pounced on them and ate them.

Fear caused his body to shake. He felt death pressing down on them. His vision blackened. He just barely managed to remain conscious.

I can't pass out. Wu Meiying will be alone if I do!

Thoughts of Wu Meiying alone were what kept him from losing his mind.

"What... what do we do now?" asked Wu Jian.

"Scream. Scream as loud as you can," Wu Meiying said.

Wu Jian didn't know why she wanted him to scream, but he had nothing to lose, and he was too frightened to argue.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

He screamed at the top of his lungs, and Wu Meiying screamed alongside him. Their screams echoed across the entire forest.

The Spotted Snow Lion flinched and jerked back at their yells. It didn't seem to like loud noises. It even hissed like an angry cat. A giant cat with claws that could rend their flesh and teeth that could tear through them with ease, but still a cat.

At first, Wu Jian thought that was why Wu Meiying had asked him to yell, but he soon learned there was another reason when a loud cracking sound echoed from above them.

"Jian... when I say run, we run," Wu Meiying whispered.

"O-okay."

"Get ready. On the count of three. Three. Two. One. Run!"

Wu Jian raced after Wu Meiying. The Spotted Snow Lion roared and tried to chase them, but at that moment, the ice attached to the cliff cracked and came crashing down on top of it. The lion's surprised cry was lost to the roar of devas only knew how many tons of ice and snow.

Even though they had not been caught underneath the ice and snow, the force still generated air currents that pushed them back. They fell to the ground and rolled for several feet. Snow exploded around them as they tumbled across the forest floor.

Now lying on his stomach, Wu Jian pushed himself up and looked at the pile of snow and ice, his blood freezing as he realized how close to death they had come. He shivered, and it wasn't from the cold. But he pushed the fear back to look at his companion.

"Meiying... you okay?" he asked.

"Yes. I think so," Wu Meiying said beside him, sitting up. Snow fell off her head and shoulders. She looked at the massive snow pile that had buried the lion, then smiled at him. "Well, that was an adventure."

"Yeah. An adventure."

He sat up as well, and they shared a smile. Fear gave way to something else as the realization that they were alive set in. Wu Jian didn't know why their near death experience made him feel this way, but he felt... exhilarated. Blood pumped quickly through his body. His heart hammered in his chest. He had never felt this excited or powerful before. He felt like he could take on the entire world.

Yet just as those feelings surged inside of him, the snow pile in front of them was blown away by a loud roar. He covered his face as snow and ice pelted him. A scream beside him alerted him that Wu Meiying was also getting hit, and he moved to protect her from the blast. He flinched and gritted his teeth as ice pelted his back while he held Wu Meiying in his arms.

When the snow cleared, Wu Jian looked again, only to wish he hadn't when he saw the Spotted Snow Lion glaring down at him. It looked angier than he had ever seen it. Its eyes were practically glowing crimson. Wu Jian knew they had to run, but when he tried to get up, he realized that he couldn't. He was confused at first. Until he looked down.