Squirrelsraced down branches and flocks of birds filled the sky above all headed past Jin. A deer rushed by the light mage, the stink of the wild lingered in the air as it darted into the depths of the woods.
A whiff of burnt fur trailed behind. Smoke rose above the trees in the distance. Gunshots rang out over the cries of the animals. Jin's eyes narrowed. The corners of his mouth tightened. He raced toward the smoke, sidestepping deer left and right. Snapped branches and leaves cascaded to the ground from the rush of tree-running animals. Jin stumbled over a rabbit and small animals as he drove onward toward the threat. More gunshots followed.
All was silent as smoke began to fill the area. Jin covered his mouth as he closed the distance. Outlines of armed men paced back and forth, guns in their hands. A fire burned the length of two trees. leaves glowed crimson in the flames, turned black, and disintegrated into ash.
Jin slid the spear from his back and held it to the side. Ash fell along the shaft as he approached the fire, his mouth still covered with his sleeve.
Blood poured out of the bullet wounds of a deer. A wood elf hid behind a tree that was yet to catch on fire. So far it hadn't spread far but they were moving in. The wood elf's eyes fell on Jin who shook his head and with a quick nod, signaled for the elf to fall back.