It takes me less time than I'd thought it would to trace Raja's tracks through the woods. In a forest this dense, the only way to get through portions of it is to cut your way through, and he'd done exactly that, with his shotel.

The cheetah had headed off in the direction of one of the nearby fields we'd passed on our way here, apparently sticking to the forest rather than the road, which was good. He'd been trying to play it smart. I travel for a bit, following signs of his passage, my mind racing, wondering how far I'll have to trek before I catch up to him or catch some trace of what may have happened.

I'm not nearly as far away from Anala as I'd thought I'd have to look before I begin to smell something disturbing.

Blood. A lot of it.

I speed my pace at that, rushing through the forest, heedless of how it tears at my body and clothing, and sinks into my paw pads. I'm covered in small cuts and up to my knees in mud by the time I find...

...him.

The big cat is lying like a crumpled pool of gold in an earthen ditch, tangled amongst the raised roots of a tree, his long limbs splayed in the dirt and leaves. The moonlight pierces the canopy here, showing his true colors even in night shine. Staining his beautiful, unique pelt is a deep, dark stain, emanating from his lower back.

I stumble down the ditch, falling flat to my rear as I slide down nearly into him, fumbling for his body, my hands shaking. I reach for the wound, and my paw comes away such a deep red, it looks black in the near darkness.