Chapter57

Problem
Juna ran on all fours, her hands and feet hitting the dirt in a rhythm that came as naturally as breathing. 
The monster ahead of her was a boar-like thing with coarse bristles and two Shards orbiting its tusks, crashing through the underbrush while she kept pace just a few steps behind.
'Why does this feel so different,' she thought, feeling the wind rush past her ears while her muscles moved with a strength she didn't recognize. 
In her old life she had been just a normal beastkin, fast enough to hunt small game and quick enough to run from things she couldn't fight, but she had never felt power like this. 
Her body felt lighter, sharper, every step carrying her further than it should have and her claws tearing into the soil with enough force to leave deep grooves.
And then there was the weight on her back, a single wing of faint golden light unfolding behind her shoulder blades while she ran, shifting and folding with every movement she made. 
'What even is this wing thing,' she thought, watching it flex and catch the air, glowing brighter with every stride. 'It feels like part of me but I've never had anything like this.'
The boar ahead suddenly changed direction, its hooves kicking up dirt as it spun around and charged straight at her while she was still lost in thought. She barely registered the movement before the massive shape filled her vision, tusks aimed right at her chest.
'Crap,' she thought, her body locking up as the distance closed too fast. 'I messed up, I wasn't paying attention.'
A boot slammed into the boar's side before she could move, sending it tumbling sideways into a tree with a heavy crack. 
Hajin landed in a crouch between her and the monster, turning his head just enough to check on her. "You alright?"
She sat back on her heels, blinking at the spot where the boar had been, her heart finally catching up to the near miss.
"I'm fine," she said, shaking her head to clear the last of the shock while pushing herself back to her feet. "Thank you for saving me."
"No big deal," he said, already stepping out of the way and giving her a small nod toward the tree. "Go on, give it hell."
The words hit her differently than she expected, simple and casual but carrying enough weight to make something in her chest tighten. She dropped into a low stance, her claws digging into the dirt while her muscles coiled tight.
The boar groaned, shaking its head and pushing itself up from the crater it had made in the tree trunk, bristles twitching as it turned its bloodied snout toward her.
She didn't wait for it to fully stand.