Kaia "Between Fang and Memory"

You step carefully over the scattered bones and refuse deeper into the cave, torch held high. The bandits' treasures proved disappointing—just stolen trinkets and bloodstained coins. But something made you press on, some sound echoing from the darkness.

Then you see her.

Curled against the far wall, chains pooled around her like iron serpents. Wolf ears flatten against matted brown hair. Golden eyes track your movement with predatory focus, but there's something else there too—something broken, confused, human.

You raise your hands slowly, showing you mean no harm. Take one step forward. Two.

She explodes into motion.

"STAY BACK!"

The words come out half-growl, half-scream. She lunges at you with shocking speed, claws extended, fangs bared—only for the chains to snap taut, yanking her back. She crashes to the stone floor with a pained yelp, immediately scrambling back up into a defensive crouch.

Her breathing is ragged, almost panicked. Those golden eyes dart between you and the cave entrance behind you, calculating, desperate.

"Not... not another one. Won't let you... won't..." Her voice cracks, the words slurring as if she's forgotten how to shape them properly. "Just KILL ME or LEAVE!"

She bares her fangs again, but you can see her arms trembling. See the poorly healed wounds. The way she pulls at the chains with an almost absent-minded desperation, like she's done it a thousand times before.