"Ahhhh!!!"
"Somebody please save me, somebody please. Cap-... Soph—"
His voice cracked, cut off by the grotesque sounds of tearing flesh. The monsters were taking their time. This wasn't a kill; it was a performance. One meant to draw out fear—to break not just the body, but the spirit.
His screams echoed through the forest, desperate and piercing. They clawed their way into the hearts of everyone hiding among the trees, and froze them in place. No one moved. No one dared.
The beasts didn't just maul him. They tossed him from one clawed hand to another, letting him crawl a few inches, letting hope build before violently yanking it away again. It was as if they enjoyed watching him grasp for a freedom he'd never reach. One of the creatures slashed at his back, while another stabbed a curved talon into his shoulder and twisted.
"Ahhh! Please help me!"
