Water

Biros cantered through the moon-clad forest, his paws and hooves hitting in smooth, rhythmic beats. His face full of concentration and desperation, he weaved between trees and underbrush, chest heaving with his breath. He wasn't sure if he was simply imagining the crashing sounds coming from behind him, but he wasn't willing to wait and find out. He needed to get away. He knew the ocean wasn't far now, and he thought he could smell the salty tang of the sea's spray in the air. He ran in a jagged formation, hoping to throw off any pursuers on the way. The ground was soft. His claws dug deep into the soil as he propelled himself along. He could feel his muscles beginning to tire. He gritted his teeth and put forth another burst of energy, knowing that he didn't have much choice. If it caught him, it would kill him.

Through the darkness, Biros could finally begin to hear the crashing of waves in the distance. He breathed a sigh of relief through his panting, but a moment later realized he wasn't exactly where he thought he was. In his frantic escape, he had gone off course. He just hoped he'd be able to make it into the water regardless. The trees started to thin and the smell of the sea was closer now, but the crashing of the waves seemed just a little distorted. As Biros burst through the tree line, he realized why. Stretching out in from of him was not the smooth beach he had been searching for, but a sheer drop. It was a massive cliffside, where there would be no way to wade gently into the water. Biros stopped dead at the edge, his heart pounding hopelessly in his chest. He heaved with strained breath, panic rising in his throat as he realized he was trapped. Cornered.

It wasn't long before he heard the crashing behind him once again. Damn. The creature had followed him. Every one of his muscles was tensed and he tried to make a decision. He knew he only had seconds left. He didn't have a choice, he'd have to jump. Just as the wild, discordant crashing reached a fever pitch, Biros looked back at the creature and met its eye. The glowing, empty eyes looked back at him coldly, unfeeling. All he could see in its gaze was hunger and destruction. It roared as it accelerated, ready to envelop him at any moment. Biros turned, and jumped.

He felt for a moment as if he was flying, and then for many moments after that, like he was falling. The sour feeling in his stomach of all of his organs weightless, floating. The wind whipped past his face, causing his eyes to water. He squeezed them shut, knowing that he didn't want to witness his own death. The adrenaline coursing through him body, he hoped, would make it so he didn't feel the impact. Then, at least, he could die painlessly. It took him many seconds to hit the water. His feet hit first, and his legs crumpled with the force. It was like hitting a concrete wall at full speed. The rest of his body followed, and Biros could feel one of his legs shatter. Somehow it didn't hurt, not yet, but the sensation was like red-hot static. His head plunged under the water, and the roaring sound of the air going past was suddenly completely deafened and replaced with a numb tinnitus. He was stunned for several moments, submerged, before he ran out of oxygen. He convulsed, and finally was able to bring himself to the surface for a shaky breath. He couldn't believe he'd survived.