I stopped abruptly, my eyes locking onto a massive tree stump that stood like a sentinel in the middle of the clearing. Its gnarled surface was carved with claw marks, jagged lines that ran deep into the weathered wood. The marks weren't random; they were deliberate, layered with years of aggression and defiance. Each scar seemed to whisper a story of the battles fought here—of predator and prey, of survival etched into the stump by the unyielding passage of time.

I crouched lower, my muscles tensed as I edged closer, every sound around me amplified by my racing heartbeat. The bark's splintered ridges loomed in my vision, the gashes catching the soft beams of light filtering through the thick canopy above. It felt alive, this old remnant of a tree, a witness to struggles I could only begin to imagine.

Then, with a deliberate motion, I dropped onto my belly. The cool, damp earth welcomed me, pressing firmly against my skin like an anchor to reality. My chest rose and fell heavily, each breath laden with adrenaline and the primal instinct to stay hidden. The scents of moss, soil, and faint decay filled my nostrils, grounding me in the moment.

The wilderness around me was alive with a quiet intensity. The shadows seemed to breathe, shifting with the wind that sent ripples through the leaves above. Dappled light danced in rhythmic patterns, playing tricks on my eyes as I scanned the area, every nerve in my body attuned to the slightest shift in the environment.

This place, ancient and indifferent, held me in its grip. I could feel its weight pressing down on me—not as an enemy, but as a reminder of my place within it. The tree stump stood silent and unmoving, but its presence loomed, a silent monument to the wild and untamed.

A sudden, sharp screech tore through the stillness of the forest, splitting the air like a blade. It sent a jolt through my body, my muscles tightening instinctively. Without thinking, my tail curled protectively against my belly, a reflex buried deep in my core, born of countless encounters with danger. My ears rang with the sound, but the names that followed in my mind were louder—Anakin, Fives, Echo, Rex. They echoed like distant voices, tethered to memories of a time when I was not alone, when I had something more than survival to fight for.

I sighed heavily, the sound barely audible over the soft rustle of leaves stirred by the breeze. My gaze shifted, pulling me back to the path I had taken, the trail marked by faint impressions in the earth and broken twigs. The way I'd fled—away from them, and from the predator that haunted my thoughts, a shadow that loomed even in solitude.

For a moment, hesitation flickered in my chest, a small ember of doubt that begged me to turn back. To retrace my steps. To find the bonds I had left behind. But I extinguished it quickly, grinding it into the dirt beneath my claws. There was no time for such indulgence. I couldn't afford it.

Survival. That was all that mattered now.

With a sharp exhale, I turned away and darted deeper into the heart of the forest. My movements were swift and soundless, my instincts guiding me through the tangled undergrowth. The scents of earth, moss, and decaying leaves swirled around me, wrapping me in their damp embrace. I let them consume me, hiding my presence within the natural rhythm of the wilderness.

Each step carried me further from the memories and closer to the unknown. My heartbeat synchronized with the rustling shadows, the rhythm steady and purposeful. The forest seemed alive, its breath moving with mine, its depths offering a silent promise: I would evade capture. I would not be found.

Not yet.

SCEMENREAL

C334 hissed low, the sound sharp and serpentine as he pushed himself off the damp ground. Water droplets clung stubbornly to his scaled skin, shimmering faintly in the light as he shook them off with an agitated snap of his tail. A wave of frustration coursed through him, his claws flexing against the muddy earth. He loathed that Indoraptor, the thought of her twisting like a blade in his mind.

Stupid. The word echoed bitterly in his thoughts, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. She had outmaneuvered him yet again, slipping through his grasp and leaving behind nothing but failure. His failure.

C334 straightened, his sharp claws curling into fists as he tried to gather his thoughts. But just as he began to focus, a flicker of movement caught his attention, freezing him in place.

The air grew heavy, thick with an undeniable presence. His slit-pupil eyes widened as his gaze landed on the figures standing ahead of him. Jedi.

They stood with quiet authority, their silhouettes cutting sharply against the backdrop of the forest. Leading them was a man with piercing eyes that burned with barely restrained fury. His lightsaber was ignited, the blue blade humming with restrained energy as he pointed it directly at C334's chest.

"Why are you after Nyx?" Anakin snarled, his voice low and dangerous, each word laced with venom.

The glow of the blade reflected faintly in the sheen of C334's scales, its light flickering in rhythm with the tension that crackled in the air. Anakin's grip on his saber was firm, his knuckles white with resolve, and his intense gaze bore into C334 with a force that felt almost physical.

C334 hissed softly, his tail twitching as his reptilian eyes darted between the Jedi. He could feel the weight of their presence, the suffocating certainty that any wrong move would end in his swift demise.

The moment stretched, charged with uncertainty and the ever-present threat of confrontation. The forest around them seemed to hold its breath, the faint rustle of leaves and distant calls of wildlife fading into silence.

C334's claws flexed at his sides, his mind racing as he tried to decide whether to fight, flee, or speak. The Jedi's resolve was clear, their strength undeniable—but so was his anger. Beneath his simmering frustration was the ever-present drive to complete his mission, no matter the cost.

The predator dipped his head slightly, a cruel smirk twisting across his scaled face. His sharp teeth glinted as his mocking gaze met Anakin's, relishing the tension in the air. "Our king wants her for sport," he said, his tone dripping with condescension. Each word landed like a blow, sharp and deliberate, and Anakin's fists clenched tightly at his sides, his breath quickening.

"What?" Anakin snapped, his voice a mixture of disbelief and rising anger.

C334 tilted his head, his smirk widening as he reveled in the reaction. "Our king," he repeated slowly, savoring the words, "wants your little toy for his own twisted pleasures. She's a killer, Anakin. A weapon. And the Separatists..." He paused, his eyes narrowing mockingly. "...well, they're quite eager to have her back. It's time she returned to where she truly belongs."

The words hung in the air, venomous and cutting. At the mention of where she belongs, Anakin's jaw tightened, his knuckles whitening as his grip on the lightsaber's hilt grew firmer.

Behind him, Rex and the others tensed visibly, their shoulders straightening as they exchanged wary glances. The tension in the air was suffocating, each word from C334 digging deeper into their shared frustration.

"She doesn't belong with the dark!" Rex shouted suddenly, his voice sharp and unyielding, a fierce conviction burning in his tone. He stepped forward slightly, his helmet tucked under one arm as his piercing gaze bore into C334. "She doesn't belong with Count Dooku or anyone like him!"

C334 chuckled darkly, the sound low and guttural, his tail swaying behind him like a coiled serpent ready to strike. "You're fools," he hissed, his condescension thickening. "You think she's one of you? She's no Jedi. She's a killer by nature, driven by instincts you'll never understand. And deep down, she knows it too."

The air grew heavier, the unspoken tension vibrating like a taut string ready to snap. Anakin stepped closer, his blue blade humming ominously as it hovered near C334's chest. His gaze burned with a protective fire, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous growl.

"You don't know her," Anakin said, each word cutting through the silence like a blade. "She's stronger than you'll ever understand. And she belongs here—with us. Not with the likes of you, or your king, or the Separatists."

The forest around them seemed to hold its breath as the confrontation deepened, the emotions swirling thickly between the hunter and the Jedi. In that moment, the line between light and dark felt sharper than ever.