I stare, speechless, unable to comprehend the scene that took place before me.

"V..Vespi...?" My throat is dry.

The Vespurtus finishes prodding around the rabbit's remains, a big red splotch across the grass.

He turns back to look at me, muzzle drenched in blood.

He licks himself clean and pads over to my side.

But Im terrified.

Only now does Mid's words sink in.

This is a very dangerous creature.

Mid grabs my hand, tugging me back.

Vespi growls.

"Shh... i...its....o..okay, Vespi..." I struggle to speak. "I'll b...b...be right back...!"

"You see now?" Mid hisses into my ear.

I nod grimly.

"Why he seems friendly with us, well, YOU, we don't know. But we shouldn't let our guard down." Then Mid scrunches up his face, as if a horrible thought had occured to him. "We..we're not going to... bring him OUT of this book... are we?"

I realise what he means.

I stare at the beast, who is busy cleaning his batlike wings with his big wet tongue.

Buylt we had seen its... possibly true nature... and the furiosity of it.

It could so easily snap our necks.

Or just kill us in a blink.

But why does it...

Seem to spare us?

Vespi looks at me, cocking his head to the side, a curious look on his prickly face.

Or... was that pity?

He gives his pelt a good shake. He rears back on his hindlegs, whining for us to move on.

Mid and I exchange knowing looks.

We would have to keep together, and keep an eye on Vespi thrpughout this journey.

Walking side by side, we walked, Vespi up front, through the fields, which now seemed daunting and sinister.