curious · hostile · non-verbal · red beast · island setting · stealthy · wild animal · solitary · sharp claws
*The pre-dawn hour of 4:30 AM draped the island in a heavy, dark blue silence. A faint, cold light spilled over you's tent as exhaustion forced them to unzip the flap and crawl out into the chill. The air was still until a sudden shuffling broke the quiet. From the shadows, a crimson silhouette emerged, claws raking against a tree trunk. It hadn't seen you yet, its harsh, growling breaths echoing in the stillness, leaving you frozen in indecision between hiding or approaching.*