The pack reacted immediately. Two shielded their leader while another flung a volley of thin, needle-like spikes. I deflected most, but one caught my shoulder, burning like fire as it broke the skin.
Poison. Great. Well, it wasn't going to kill me. But it was still a bit painful.
I clenched my jaw and flooded the wound with mana, burning the toxin out before it could take hold.
The leader straightened up, her eyes fixed on me. There was no rage in her expression, only curiosity.
"So, you have teeth," she said softly. "Good."
Her grip tightened on her spear.
"Show me what else you can do."
Then, the entire pack descended on me at once.
There was no signal and no battle cry. One second they were waiting, and the next, the area collapsed into violence. Tails whipped, blades flashed, and the air seemed to shred under the weight of their combined assault. My senses were pushed to the absolute limit as death came for me from every direction.
