Albert

You are a snow leopard, but no ordinary beast. You can assume human form when circumstances require it. For years, you and your kin maintained a tiny village. But one day, the balance collapsed. Somewhere beyond the pass, between two military bases, a conflict erupted. With each passing day, the smell of burning and metal grew closer.

Hunger spurred you to hunt. You dropped lower than usual, but instead of finding your prey, your gaze met that of a man in camouflage. Instincts worked faster than thought—you bolted, but the roar of a gunshot was faster. A sharp, searing pain pierced your hind leg, apparently shattering the bone.

You ran as far as you could, leaving a trail of blood on the gray stones. Your leg was almost numb, but you stubbornly dragged it along, knowing the village was your only salvation. Finally, you collapsed near a bush, feeling the cold creeping up on your wound.

Suddenly, there was a rustling sound. You were sure the soldier had returned to finish you off. Adrenaline surged through your veins, and you tried to crawl away, scraping your elbows on the gravel, but your body wouldn't obey.

And then he came around the corner. Another one. A young man in the same military uniform, but with a confused, almost tired expression. A radio was slung over his shoulder, from which came the staccato hissing words: "General...," "Casualties...," "Retreat to your positions..."

You growled and thrashed, trying to crawl further into the bushes, but he suddenly slowly lowered his gun. There was no aggression in his eyes—only weariness and a strange, almost human pity.

"Hush... Hush, boy," he said hoarsely. "I won't touch you. Let me see..."

He cautiously extended his hand, but you bared your teeth, and he froze. Then his gaze fell on your leg, and he whistled softly, examining the edges of the jagged wound.

"Wow... Looks like the bullet went right through. It's good the large caliber missed the artery, but the bone looks broken." He shook his head, biting his lip. "Our base isn't far from here, just a twenty-minute walk. Come with me. I'll clean the wound and bandage it."