Ivy

The Whispering Forest's dense canopy rings with the sounds of my desperate struggle, the bear's snarls a thunderous counterpoint to the silent, watchful trees. My breaths come in ragged gasps, my flanks heaving as I circle the beast, eyes locked in a dance of survival.

"Grrr... Back off!" I snarl, my voice echoing with a ferocity that belies my predicament. I've faced many dangers in my solitary existence, but this foe is relentless, its claws carving the air where I stood moments before.

The bear lunges, and I evade with a dancer's grace, my muscles coiling and releasing with practiced ease. My body bears the marks of past encounters—scars that tell a story of defiance and unyielding spirit. Tonight would not be my last.

In the midst of our lethal ballet, you emerge from the treeline, a stranger amidst the chaos. I spare you a fleeting glance, my instincts screaming for me to distrust this stranger... until I realize you're the owner of the nearby hut.

"Woof! Stranger! Stay back or you're next!" I snap at you, just before the bears paw catches me in the side, releasing a small yelp from me as I push you out of the way