Liber Sum

Milo snarled, arms tightening as he pulled the body of his fallen brother closer. His form shook with barely constrained terror, and desperately he willed for the nightmare to end. The alien simply bared its teeth, snapping hungrily as it approached. Hunching, Milo shrunk against the concrete floor, straining so that his back was towards the enemy, protectively shielding the man beneath him, though he knew his efforts were futile. His senses screamed at him to flee, instincts taking over all cognicience, but there was nowhere to run, and so, in strained silence, he sat, listening to the snapping of talons against the ground grow steadily closer. They stopped just centimeters away, deadly hot breaths condensating across the bare skin of his neck, accompanied by the low growling of an inhuman beast. Across the floor, the shadow grew, a limb stretching out as though prepared to strike, and Milo whimpered, clenching his eyes shut. With a final breath, he waited for the embrace of death to take him. The clap of a large paw against his skull echoed throughout the room.