There was no way in the bristling earth that she'd hand over her spoils to a naughty trespasser. No chance! She had earned the Big Rodent with every ounce of her fierce spirit. How dare it even think about it? Unbelievable-level audacity!

  Idalia puffed out her chest, claws flexing the soil, ready to defend her treasure against any creature, no matter how smug or sly.

  She dismissed the thought, focusing instead on her fallen prey. Happy. Tail wagging. Probably drooling a little.

  She wanted to tear through it now, but another, bigger question clawed at the back of her mind: food for herself or food for the clan?

  Mama's voice whispered in her ear, a reminder that the pride would welcome her back. Then she heard, "Eat."

  Idalia felt the fuzzy joy bubble in her chest. Those were the spatial vibrations of Mama's words, heard only by the ears of a Liorex. Then came the warmest words that made her tail thump like a happy compy: "Proud of you."

  Meownificent! Idalia glowed, basking in her triumph before she began to feast. She sank her teeth into the soft flesh, savoring the gamey tang of success. Every chew was a celebration of her independence! This was her moment.

  As she consumed her prize, the world around her faded once again. The sounds of the volcanic sands, the gentle rustle of the ferns, and even the distant calls of her mother faded into a background hum.

  Then guilt, like a sneaky microraptor, bit her from behind.

  She recalled the nights spent sleeping close to her family, the warmth of Pyra and Pyrokit surrounding her as they all listened to Mama's stories. The joy of sharing was something Idalia cherished.

  But Mama's words echoed louder now. "Eat, my child. A strong hunter must nourish herself first."

  Right. Logic. Survival. Protein. Idalia inhaled, nodded solemnly to nobody in particular, and resumed munching. Soon, little remained of the once-furry creature.

  When she finally sat back, licking her muzzle clean with impressive efficiency, a calm washed over her. She saw the vast stretch of the black sands, the golden sunrise, feeling connected to the land and the faint smell of roasted opportunity. This was her domain now. She was no longer just Idalia, the eager cub; she was Idalia, the hunter.

  She rose, shaking the sand from her fur with all the grace of a caffeinated triceratops. The remnants of her meal still clung to her lips, and her heart leapt at the thought of sharing her success with Pyra and Pyrokit. Oh, they'd be so jealous to hear that she had caught a Big Rodent.

  They could barely catch a Small Rodent, bless their stubby paws!

  Idalia set off toward the pride's settlement, her steps light and purposeful. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the land, and the rhythmic thud of her heartbeat matched the caws that rang from the sky.

  What? Annoying. Who dared—

  A shadow swooped across the volcanic plain, blotting out the sun. She looked up, froze, spotting the owner of the bothersome noise.

  A dragon.

  Nope.

  Above her was a big, mean Pterodactyl. It swooped downward, talons outstretched like it had just spotted the all-you-can-eat cub section.

  Her heartbeat went thud-thud-thudasaursus. Idalia dashed through the field with a newfound urgency.

  The monstrous bird pursued, its shadow looming overhead, swallowing the sunlight like it was doing it on purpose!

  She didn't have to look up to know where it was. Its screech already sent every muscle in her body into panic mode.

  The world blurred. Her brain yelled RUNRUNRUNRUN! while another quieter part whispered something about maintaining dignity. She ignored that part completely.

  Each leap felt lighter than it should've, maybe because the ground was trembling from those thunderous wings. She zigzagged through the underbrush like she'd seen the adults do when they practiced mock hunts. Hers was less graceful predator and more baby trying not to trip on her own tail.

  During her fright, her [Spatial Sight] activated. It enhanced her narrow sight to see further, zooming forward and outward in a 360 degree radius. Her instincts guided her as she searched for an escape route.

  There, further ahead, she spotted a deep patch of herbs.

  Now or never!

  The Pterodactyl was fast, too fast, its beak snapped right behind her. She dove into the cluster of ferns, heart hammering like a meteoric thud.

  The orange-tinted light filtered through the leaves, and for a blinking second she thought this would be a nice place to nap if something weren't trying to eat her!

  She heard it, her fur bristled. Wings beat overhead again, closer this time. She could feel the sound. It buzzed in her bones, like the way the ground rumbles when a big one roars.

  She swallowed, pressing herself lower. She had to be smart now. Mama always said, "A true hunter uses her brain before her bite." Easy for Mama to say when her bite could take down a stego in one go.

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  A boulder caught her eye. Big, sturdy, climbable. Perfect for… something. She wasn't sure what, but she'd figure that part out later. Planning was for dinosaurs with time to think, and she currently did not have that luxury.

  But if she could reach it, she could potentially use it as a vantage point. Escaping wasn't an option.

  Not for her. Because the Liorex blood coursing through her veins declared that turning back to escape would be the equivalent to shame.

  But… but she did let out a tentative whimper. "Mama?"

  The creature was circling above, searching. Idalia could feel the primal fear buzzing in her skin like a frenzied swarm of insects.

  Her ears pricked as she waited, but Mama had not spoken right away. The delay tugged at her chest.

  Then it clicked. And Idalia wondered if it was because of that strange not-wolf she had seen. The one with the nine-tails and slender frame.

  Maybe Mama's attention had been fixed elsewhere. Maybe she had been tracking the intruder. The fleeting thought of it made her fur bristle, but she couldn't waste time pondering it now.

  Idalia's first pawsteps forward were hesitant. Dreadful realization cowed her. She was a hunter, but also prey in this moment. Her stomach churned. Uneasy, then it burned with frustration.

  How dare such a thing happen to her, right after her first solo hunt?

  How dare this oversized, winged terror, with a plucking long beak think it could take her down! Idalia was not just a cub. She was a Liorex. She was capable of feats even elders might hesitate to attempt.

  The Pterodactyl had chosen the wrong cub to chase.

  It swooped down once, too close. Panic clenched her chest. With no other choice but to break into a sprint, Idalia forced herself into motion as the thundering beats of wings grew closer, shaking the ground beneath her paws.

  She broke into the open field.

  The triumphant warmth of victory was gone. It'd been replaced by a choking fear that burned in her throat. Above, the sky was torn by the bloodcurdling screech of the Pterodactyl, a sound so sharp it felt like it could split her bones.

  She dared a glance upward.

  The beast was massive, larger than any predator she'd ever seen up close. Wings that stretched wider than the entrance to the pride's cavern. Beak curved. Pointed. Sharper than any stone.

  No, no. Idalia had been mistaken. This beast was more than Pteradactyl. The elders warned of this superior variant.

  A Saberdactyl! It punctures. Impales. Then devours.

  She ducked lower, the wind whipping against her face as she zigzagged toward the outline of the boulder not too far ahead. Her instincts roared for her to use it against the beast.

  Hopeless. Frantic thoughts. The boulder was close, but no plan formed. She had not thought that far. What would she do once she reached it.

  Bold. Reckless. Not exactly stupid. Yet still foolish. But if she could win against this opponent.

  She would be hailed as a champion among the others.

  Her paws pounded the earth. Her tail lashed as her lungs burned. The boulder loomed, rough edges rising like a wall of safety. Or a trap.

  A shriek broke her focus. The ground trembled as the Pterodactyl swooped again, its shadow swallowing her whole.

  No. Not here. Not after my first hunt!

  The air pressure shifted with its descent, and she could almost feel its talons scraping her spine.

  She leapt aside, plunging through a portal with desperate speed, barely escaping as the monster's claws tore into the earth. The world bent, then snapped, and she spilled back into the ferns she had marked earlier.

  The portal sealed shut behind her.

  Failure. No good. Her chest heaved. Could she make another attempt?

  Her gaze fell to the soil where her claws had dug deep grooves. Pebbles. Tiny fragments scattered in the dirt. They glinted faintly. Shiny. Hers? Why hers. Why did she care? Her head ached, tugged toward them. Thoughts fractured and small. Could she push them. Pull them. Trick with them.

  A screech of fury split the air, rattling her chest like thunder. Idalia pressed her body low against the dirt, forcing her breath into quieter bursts.

  She tried to recall Mama's teachings: A Liorex does not flee. A Liorex stands. A Liorex thinks. The rodent's blood still lingered on her tongue, a reminder that she had just claimed her independence, her strength, her right to stand as a hunter.

  To be snatched away now would be too cruel.

  But she was still just a cub, wasn't she? The thought gnawed at her. It threatened to unravel her resolve. Her legs trembled. Yet another, deeper voice inside her whispered louder: No. You are not prey. Not anymore.

  Timing her breaths with the heavy flaps of the bird's wings, she waited until they became rhythmic enough to predict before making her move into the open space again.

  One-two blink, one-two blinks… Now!

  Idalia sprinted toward the boulder, focused on it like it was her lifeline. A loud screech rent the air, signaling that the Pterodactyl was swooping down again, and Idalia didn't dare look back.

  She reached the boulder, pressing herself against its cool, coarse surface as she peered around it. The creature landed with a thud, talons digging into the ground, its keen eyes scanning for her.

  They gleamed with a cold, hungry frustration.

  Idalia kept still. Remained out of its line of sight. With each dreadful blinking moment, her heart hammered louder, as if it were war drumming her fate.

  Then, something shiny caught her eye. A pebble.

  Why a pebble again? Why did she care? Her mind snagged on it. Thoughts fractured. Pebble. Pebble. Hers? Could it be hers?

  Her claws flexed as the strange pull dug deeper. Could she make it move. Bend it. Control it. Her vision tunneled down to that tiny object. The world outside shrank until there was only the boulder at her back, her thudding pulse, and the pebble glinting in the sand.

  She willed it. Focused so hard her head ached. The air shimmered, and a small portal formed above the stone, swirling faintly like an eye opening. The pebble quivered once. Twice. Then it leapt into the portal's pull, vanishing inside.

  A dull thump echoed behind the Pterodactyl. Not here, not in front of her nose, but behind it.

  Its head snapped toward the sound, wings flexing, eyes widening in confusion. It moved slowly to the source!

  Relief shot through Idalia's chest like a spark. The distraction worked. How did it work? Why a pebble? Why did she waste her thoughts on it? No time. No time to overthink.

  Her gaze darted along the stone's surface, finding cracks and edges she could climb. A desperate plan glimmered in her mind. If she could scramble to the top, she might have a chance to leap at the predator as it swooped low. Foolish? Perhaps. But to run would be shame.

  And shame was worse than death.

  She lashed her tail and dug her claws into the boulder, forcing every ounce of strength into her legs. Her body launched upward. Claws scraped rock.

  Pebbles scattered beneath her pads as she scrambled higher, climbing fast before the monster could turn back around. Just as she reached the top, the Pterodactyl whipped its attention back and screeched at her, its massive wings casting a shadow over her.

  Idalia crouched low, tucked against the cold stone, her breath hitching in her throat.

  But she wasn't going to let fear take hold. She was a hunter. She had just proven it. And she would not let this be her end. Gathering her courage, she leaned forward and hissed at her rival.

  Now the Pterodactyl was completely focused on the area where she stood her ground, its beady eyes locked on her.

  She yowled, it screeched again.

  Another roar erupted from her throat, resonating through the air, a declaration of defiance. The Pterodactyl's wings flared, and for a moment, it hesitated, caught off guard by the challenge of this small but fierce creature. Idalia's heart raced as she prepared to defend her hard-won territory.

  A Liorex never backs down!

  The beast shrieked that horrible, ear-splitting SKREEEEEE and dove.