Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan)
Chapter 2030

Estelle felt her heart race as she caught sight of the pack of hounds closing in beneath the tree. Her body tensed, and a fine layer of sweat coated her hands gripping the rifle, the clammy sensation causing an

involuntary shiver.

"Don't be scared! I'm right here with you! Baby, I love you!"

Jonathan's words echoed in Estelle's ears, her complexion pale against the dappled tree shadows and dim light. She couldn't see his gaze through the gloom, but she felt it his eyes were on her. Taking a deep breath, Estelle gripped her rifle tighter, her steely gaze fixed on the approaching threat.

"Woof!"

The hounds' barking pierced the quiet forest, their calls ferocious at the foot of the tree.

"Bang! Bang!"

Gunfire followed as Jonathan swiftly took down two of the dogs. His shots were commands, and his men, following suit, aimed and fired at the pack.

The people below immediately provided cover, firing upwards at those perched in the tree.

Using the trunk as a shield, Estelle aimed and fired without a miss. Within moments, a dozen bodies lay lifeless below her.

Suddenly, the hounds scattered, lunging towards Estelle's tree with surprising agility.

Jonathan's eyes narrowed with a fierce intensity. These hounds were specially trained to climb trees! And they climbed swiftly, covering half the tree's height in a few powerful leaps.

Jonathan took out the top two with his gun, but as he prepared to fire again, he was out of bullets!

Four or five ferocious hounds ascended rapidly. Estelle leapt higher, then grabbed a branch, swinging to another tall tree. Before she could steady herself, the hounds were on her trail again, accompanied by a hail of gunfire.

Caught in a crossfire, Estelle relied solely on her nimble reflexes to dodge.

Jonathan chased after Estelle, moving even faster, bounding across two tall trees before sending a hound flying with a kick and plunging his dagger into another's eye with a twist and another kick.

As another hound leaped towards him, he didn't flinch. He grabbed its neck, plunged his dagger into its gaping, fanged maw, and slashed fiercely, nearly cleaving the hound's head in two. Discarding the carcass, Jonathan continued his pursuit of Estelle.

Estelle's rifle was now empty. Suddenly, a whoosh of air and the distinctive foul stench of the hound hit her as its fangs aimed for her shoulder.

The fear deep within made her instinctively close her eyes, forgetting to dodge or fight back, as if she were back in that evening cornered by dogs with no one to help and nowhere to run. The memory of fangs tearing into her flesh was etched deep into her bones.

"Ella!"

Jonathan's urgent cry snapped Estelle out of her trance. Cold sweat rolled down her forehead as she dodged the hound's bite, looking back to see Jonathan's pained, worried eyes meters away. Calming herself, she swung away on a branch.

The relentless hound pursued, its leap fierce as it chased right behind her.

"Roar!"