Deviation

The sound of approaching footsteps alerted the beast to the hunters' approach. It turned toward them quickly, well accustomed to the sound of their metal encrusted feet, weighed down by their heavy weapons and the skins of its fallen comrades. It had survived for many years, evading the hunt, and crushing those who were able to get close enough to slash and bash. The scars had taken much time to heal, but seeing how the hunters fought, and what they aimed for, and what they were most hurt by, had allowed it to grow. It was no longer the monster they had once sought. It was something more.

The power of its roar sent the hunters tumbling to the ground, their hands desperately clutching their ears in an attempt to keep their eardrums from shattering. Instantly the beast let its rage fuel its body. The veins running along its wings pulsed and throbbed, their color becoming visibly rage as the adrenaline rushed through its body. It dug its claws into the stone beneath, sharpened long ago after years of battle and digging, preparing itself for the oncoming onslaught.

The one with the hammer was the first to recover. He must have been wearing some kind of earplugs. That was something the beast had witnessed many a time. That was the reason it had spent so much time strengthening its lungs and throat to empower its roar further. It willingly took the first blow to its head, knowing it could take it, waiting for the other hunters to recover as well. It wanted to draw them into a false sense of security. As the others approached, it dug its claws in deeper, then ripped forward with one, sending its body spinning with high velocity in a circle, free claw and tail ripping at the hunters faces and backs. A few managed to dodge out of the way, but it expected as much - which was why it ripped again, sending itself around a second time, knocking those few around as well.

It was an exhausting move, however, and it took a second to recover afterwards. It could see the hunters moving in again, undaunted by its attacks, and dug one claw in once more. But this time it dug deep, getting down to its elbow, before pulling straight back up, tearing a huge chunk of the earth free and into the air, falling on the hunters heads and crushing them like grapes.

It threw itself backwards twenty feet through the air, building space between them as the hunters pulled free from the earth. But it was done. It had survived too long to be hunted now. Another roar, sending them tumbling to the ground, and then he was off, ascending straight into the air.