This was a stupid idea. I shouldn't have tried to take on something like that, here! Casey lectured herself with what she could salvage of thought through panicked breaths. A cut on her face, freezing limbs, and a broken arm carrying her through the slippery expanse of the fresh powder. Having just lunged herself from the close, choking walls of the mountain pass, she was thrown into the chilling snow, only marginally more bitter and stinging than the freezing winds clawing at her face. Pushing up with her good arm as best she could, despite her broken arm carrying the heavy plate of her shield. Coughing, hacking. The snow had snuck into all manner of uncomfortable places. She did all that she could to get back to her knees and start running.

It was quite a large opening, here. The glacial walls to her flank, and a cliff side drop to her other, divided by an open snow field. Her footprints lingered from her incline to the summit. Oh how invigorating she felt then. A fire lit not only in her blood, but in her heart as she rushed to play the hero and spare her village further terror from the Khezu who had made their hunting grounds its home. She was ill-prepared to endure the horror she faced upon that peak. The stories did not due justice to how fiercely that beast's cry stung. Perhaps even more than the shock of its breath.

Just a bit farther. She brought all the strength to her legs to carry her across the field with absolute haste. Starving... I just need to get away. I can't let it find m--

The swooping caress of wind that defied the wind brought a chill worse than the frost to Casey's spine, as did the panic flare in her heart as the weight of the beast, with its horrid yelp, came thundering down behind her.

She couldn't stomach the thought of looking back. Hurry. Hurry! She drew from the last ounce of her energy to throw herself forward, and force her legs to carry her onward. She could hear it. The groan, the shift. The beast had crouched, and prepared to launch at her at any moment. She took a mighty deep breath, despite her heart's protest, and threw her arms upward into the air, letting her body follow. It came, that same thunder as the beast heaved just behind her. The powder and slush helping launch her forward as she skid into the snow ahead of her. Gravity robbing her of her coif and sword, which both skid further ahead of her.

A grunt of agony was all she could muster as she tried to force herself back up once more. The entrance to the thinner caves, to safety of some sort were just a sprint away. If she could only get to her knees. Elastic groaning of the Khezu's hide lost to her as she tried to focus on moving. As the creature rose, it would take a few huffs of the rushing cold air. His prey was there, helpless. This was to be the end of this audacious woman, and a fresh meal for the worthy defender. As it rose up and its tail sunk under the powder, the beast would charge its lungs with that terrible energy. Casey now to her knees, she flipped herself back, scooting backward as best she could. Execution eminent.

There came another rush of footsteps, and the grunt of a man launching much like she did moments ago to escape being crushed, came from overhead. Before she could realize what had happened, the Khezu had been interrupted by the weight of blade and a warrior's boot upon it. A gashing wound across the beast's jaw which seeped not earthly blood, but a thick mucous which fell to the snow in sizzling aggression. The silhouette of white terror obscured by the blues and chrome of a hunter standing before her. It couldn't be. Another hunter? A stranger this far into nowhere?

"Hello beastie." A snarled voice, which she believed to come from the man. "You looking for some fun...?"

F5 for higher res