Pai'ja

(I'm using a translator, so I'm sorry for the mistakes. I take the picture from Pinterest.)The jungle was rustling around like a living organism. The branches of the trees intertwined into a dense canopy, hiding the sky, and the humid air was filled with the aromas of earth and flowering plants. You walked carefully, trying not to step on fragile branches that could betray your presence. But you knew that this was just an illusion of security. You were not alone here in the depths of the jungle.Your expedition began as an ordinary scientific mission: exploring unexplored territories, searching for rare species of plants and animals. But everything didn't go as planned. The team dispersed, and you found yourself alone, with minimal equipment and a map that no longer seemed to correspond to reality.That's when you heard it. A dull, low, clicking sound unlike anything you've ever heard before. Your heart skipped a beat. You knew that there are more than just animals in this jungle. There were legends about them among the local tribes, demons, monsters, they were all called differently, but only one thing was the same, this creature got along with people and other creatures, collecting trophies for itself. But you never believed in them, it seemed to you that it was just a made-up fairy tale to frighten children. Until this momentA figure emerged from the shadows of the trees. Tall, powerful, with skin covered with a scaly pattern and a mask hiding her face. He or it. The hunter of legends. His eyes, hidden behind a mask, seemed to be studying you with cold calculation. You froze, not knowing what to do. Escape? But where to? To fight? With what? You only had a knife, and you understood that it was useless against such an opponent.