I’m a villain within the hero’s party

The ground quaked beneath the pounding fury of the Mother Marshbear's charge. Her scales rippled with tension, claws tearing through dirt and stone as she barreled toward Gabby with unbridled rage. Her roar was primal—echoing with the pain of a threatened mother, thick with killing intent.

But Gabby didn't flinch.

He stood firm, cold gaze meeting her wild eyes without fear. His dagger hovered inches from the cub's neck, gleaming under the moonlight.

But then, the Marshbear stopped.

Its heavy breathing slowed, and its massive paws dug into the ground as it stared ahead. The reason was clear, Gabby had slightly buried the tip of his dagger into the Marshbear's cub, just enough to draw a small drop of blood.

The cub let out a soft, crying growl, struggling to break free from Gabby's grip. Its tiny body wiggled, but Gabby held it firmly.

The Marshbear's expression changed.

Her fierce, angry face softened. Her eyes, once filled with rage, now looked desperate, like a mother begging for her child's life.

Gabby stared at her, surprised by the sudden shift.

"Its reaction shows something deeply emotional and instinctive. When it saw its cub in danger, even with just a small wound, it stopped attacking. Its rage turned into fear and desperation. That moment revealed something powerful: A mother's love," he thought to himself.

Gabby climbed a massive tree, carefully carrying the cub in his arms.

He thought to himself, 'This creature won't dare make a move that could upset me. One wrong step, and her beloved cub could die. The perfect hostage."

Gabby slept deeply high up in the tree, holding the cub gently in his arms. The sun slowly rose and moved across the sky, warming the leaves and casting soft shadows on the ground.

Down below, the mother Marshbear stood still. She never looked away from the tree. She didn't eat, didn't sleep, and didn't move. She just watched, hoping her cub was safe. Her breathing was heavy with worry, but she stayed calm. She knew that doing anything sudden might put her baby in danger.

As the afternoon came, Gabby slowly woke up. He opened his eyes and listened to the sounds of birds and rustling leaves. When he looked down, he saw the Marshbear still waiting and watching.

Gabby began walking through stone terrain, still holding the cub carefully. The mother Marshbear followed him quietly, her steps calm and steady. She didn't growl or attack, just watched him closely.

Along the way, Gabby fed the cub small forest creatures, showing the mother that her baby was safe. But his grip stayed firm, reminding her that he was still in control. One wrong move, and he could hurt the cub. He wanted her to know he was serious.

Gabby thought to himself, "She's the perfect monster shield. Marshbears are one of the strongest creatures in the food chain. With her following me, my journey to survive just got a lot easier."

As they walked deeper into the rocky terrain, the fog around them grew thicker.

Webs covered the stones, stretching across the path.

They kept walking forward and soon saw the body of a dead monster hanging between two stone cliffs, wrapped tightly in webs.

The monster wasn't weak. It was a Blood Serpent—one of the top predators in the wild. If something in these Rocky Mountains could kill a Blood Serpent, then it must be a very strong and dangerous creature.

The mother Marshbear became alert. Her calm eyes now showed caution and fear.

Gabby looked around and thought, "There's another deadly creature living in these hard mountain rocks."

Then, without warning, Gabby saw it.

Suddenly, a monster crawled across the web above Gabby and lunged at him, hanging upside down. It moved fast, its two massive fangs aimed straight at him.

Gabby barely dodged in time, jumping forward. But the attack was so strong, it threw him off balance. He stumbled, nearly falling again as the fog thickened around him.

Now, he was at the edge of a deep cliff. His left hand clung tightly to the rocky edge, while his right arm held the cub close to his chest. One slip, and both of them would fall.

From the thick fog above, the creature revealed itself. It was a terrifying monster with eight long, sharp legs. Its body was covered in dark, stone-like armor that blended with the rocky cliffs.

It had eight glowing red eyes that stared straight at Gabby, and its huge fangs dripped with venom.

Gabby thought to himself, "A Cliff Widow."

The Cliff Widow didn't wait. It jumped straight at Gabby with terrifying speed, its fangs ready to strike. Gabby barely dodged, but the force of the attack pushed him toward the edge of the cliff. His left hand grabbed onto the rocky ledge, while his right arm held the cub tightly.

Just as the Cliff Widow prepared to strike again, the Marshbear lunged forward with incredible speed, smashing through stone as she climbed. Luckily, Marshbears were strong cliff climbers.

The Cliff Widow saw the charging Marshbear and quickly shot a thick white web at her. Gabby didn't waste time. He pulled himself up and ran away from the edge.

The web hit the Marshbear and pinned her against the cliff wall. But with her powerful muscles and sharp claws, she tore through the web in seconds, roaring with fury.

Gabby thought to himself, "We're at a disadvantage. Good thing the ambush failed. I dodged just in time. But we're surrounded by spider webs. This is the Cliff Widow's hunting ground. It can jump far and shoot webs to trap us. I need to be careful."

He scanned the terrain. A narrow path curved along the cliffside, where the webbing was thinner. It was risky, but their only chance.

Gabby darted toward it. The Cliff Widow hissed and lunged, missing him by inches. Its fangs slammed into the stone, cracking it.

The Marshbear roared behind them followed, smashing through a wall of web with her claws.

Gabby ran.

The Cliff Widow leapt again, this time from above. Gabby rolled under a low rock arch, barely avoiding the strike. Sticky threads shot past him, catching on the stone.

The Marshbear let out a monstrous growl, grabbing the Cliff Widow's attention.

She was larger and heavier than the cliff widow, and she charged without fear. Her claws tore through silk and stone alike. The Cliff Widow fired another web, trying to trap her, but she ripped through it with raw strength and fury.

The Cliff Widow tried everything. From venom, speed and surprise attacks but the Marshbear kept coming. Her tenacity was unmatched. Every time the Cliff Widow leapt, she was there. Every time it tried to retreat, she followed.

Gabby reached higher ground, panting, the cub still safe in his arms. He dropped behind a boulder and watched as the fog swallowed the two monsters below.

The sounds of battle faded into the mist.

Gabby thought to himself:

"Normally, a Marshbear avoids a fight as dangerous as the Cliff Widow. But her motherly love knows no limits. Honestly, it's better to work with a monster like her than the squad I used to be with.

Either way, the Cliff Widow is a deadly opponent—and I have no business fighting it. It doesn't matter who survives. I escaped, and I'm keeping her cub. That's all that matters."