The Grey Chronicles Part Two: Under Siege.

Chapter 5: My New Friend the Mutant-Tiger/Rhino Sodomite.

The Dead Forest, surface of Stoneharra One, August of 8096 AL.

Salem spun on his heel, turning towards the roar that had erupted from the trees. The sound was a blend of a guttural lion's growl and the snarl of a ferocious wolf. Salem didn't see it at first, but quickly made out the silhouette of the gryllixon: a monstrous apex predator almost seven feet tall and twelve feet long. It was a massive bull; he had the lithe body and legs of a tiger or wolf, the stocky, wide chest of a rhinoceros, and a trio of horns sprouting from his forehead and temples. Claws adorned three thick toes on each foot, and a small, sharp hoof took the place of the rear facing toe. The claws were daggers of bone sharper than razors and made for slashing, while the spade-shaped hoof was jagged and curved, built for ripping jagged gashes in flesh. His skin was thick, gray, dry and wrinkled where fur didn't cover it. Most of his body was covered in armor plates; giant discs and ovals of solid bone the color of ash, the space between them covered by fluffy white hair. The gryllixon was fiercely territorial, more intelligent than some people, and incredibly aggressive. His deep brown eyes were fixed on Salem like spotlights. Before he could stop himself, Salem met the predator's eyes; and in doing so, he unintentionally accepted its challenge.

The moment Salem made eye contact, the gryllixon roared as loud as before and charged, its claws throwing ash and sand into the air. Its limber body darted through the trees, moving between them and into the clearing. As soon as the bull was in the open it fixed its gaze on Salem and pounced at his prey. However, the predator didn't catch the victim it had intended to.

Salem grabbed for the grip of his sword, but he knew he wouldn't have time to draw it and defend himself; the claws were already outstretched, reaching for his throat. The fangs and horns decorating the bull's head and mouth were bared, a pink tongue lashed from side to side, begging to taste him.

As he had the thought, as he was coming to terms with his probable death, he felt her pushing him; Alice rammed her shoulder into him, simultaneously grabbing the handgun from his belt. She faced the lunging predator, one hand holding a combat knife and the other holding Salem's handgun to her chest as if it were a child she was protecting.

The gryllixon snarled as it hit her, wrapping its forelegs around her torso and sinking its teeth into her shoulder. She screamed in pain and twisted the gun in her hands, pressing the barrel to the animal's underbelly and yanking on the trigger as fast as she could. Her other hand sank the knife into its side, stabbing again and again. The predator snarled again and pulled away, curling into a ball and pulling its rear legs up. The gryllixon raked the claws on its rear legs down Alice's torso, ripping her flesh into ribbons as blood spurted from the gashes. She screamed louder, losing her grip on the knife that was still halfway inserted in the predator's belly. It bled lightly from several bullet wounds in its underbelly, but none of the injuries were mortal.

Salem scrambled to his feet and drew his sword, roaring loudly enough to rival his foe. The gryllixon released Alice and ran away from her body, its claws and gory maw dripping her blood. Salem turned to face the predator and lunged, slashing his blade at it. Ember was right behind him, darting forward to jab its sides with her spear. Salem heard Elijah shouting, but he was too focused to tell what the door gunner was saying.

A moment later he knew; the young man sprinted to the side, holding a submachine gun and a rag. The gryllixon turned away from Salem and Ember, facing the new, smaller prey. It leaped again, ignoring the bullets flying from the end of the gun. The few bullets that did hit the predator bounced off its armored hide. The animal could almost taste the young man's blood, until he dove to the side and the animal somersaulted head over heels.

While the gryllixon was dazed, Elijah climbed onto its back and stuffed the midsection of the rag into its mouth. He grabbed either end and pulled hard, forcing it into the crook of the animal's jaw. The gryllixon tried to reach up and claw at Elijah, who was now riding it like a cowboy on a bucking bronco. He held the ends of the rag behind the animal's ears and tied them together, leaving its jaws unable to close.