They continued on through the colorful forest of oversized plants. A path still opened for them wherever they went but it was getting narrower as the deeper plants grew both more resistant against the Greater Elemental and too large to properly bend out of the way. Ironically, the increase in size as they traveled further actually made it easier to see and scout their surroundings, as there were bigger gaps between each mutated obstacle as their roots fought for dominance and secured each of them enough of the soil's resources to continue their growth. A few had even begun releasing spores on their direction, but with the variety of elemental powers present they had no problem dealing with the almost lazy assaults, either by the Wind Elemental creating a gust to carry them away or one of the others redirecting them in their own way. As a precaution, Liam had created a breathing filter over his mouth and nose using his [Spirit of Protection] but it had fortunately not been needed.

  Various park and city animals, both their regular and oversized versions, had made themselves know over the course of their trek, watching from afar or running alongside them for a while until they seemingly got bored and scampered back off into the forest. Each time he [Analyzed] them he was just given their Species' name and a Level between 4 and 9, not enough to pose a threat but enough to hint at the existence of higher Level predators that had reached said Levels through slaughtering the decently Leveled prey animals. None of the one he scanned were on any Path or had a highest Title on the profile he could see, though he guessed that made sense since the creatures, despite having more intelligence than usual, were still no where near as smart or creative as a Human. He didn't know if that was a requirement for walking a Path, but it probably effected it since most of the mindless undead he had fought weren't on one whereas almost every person he met had one. Either that, or it was some other trait that just so happened to correlate with sapience as well.

  He was drawn out of his speculation by another rustle nearby, this one different than before. He could debate the mysteries of the System later, right now he needed to be in the moment. The sound came from ahead for a moment before it stopped and resumed from behind. It then paused again and continued off to the side. It continued like that, getting louder and closer but changing it's position every few seconds until it stopped and the hidden creature attacked.

  Liam's only warning from where the beast was coming at him from was him being covered by a shadow. He turned to look up just in time to see a midnight black cat the size of a tiger falling towards him. He raised his axe to meet itz only for it to blur and flicker out of existence, reappearing next to a [Lesser Water Elemental] and clawing out a good chunk of it with silver, twinkling claws. Then, it was gone again, disappearing entirely from view.

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  Another rustle came from the bushes, not too far away, and the oversized cat returned to its routine of circling them. Liam recognised what it was trying to do. It was an endurance hunter, one that would try to wear them down both physically and mentally until they buckled under anticipation or it's claws. No doubt it would continuously harass them at the most opportune times whilst forcing them to be alert the entire time that it could lazily follow and blink about.

  At the other end of the group to him, a [Wind Elemental] had part of its body scattered from another sudden ambush and there was nothing Liam could do but watch as he, and the rest of his travelling companions, were too slow or too far away to retaliate.

  "Closer together!"

  He impressed upon the Elementals in a serious whisper, getting his point across whilst not allowing his voice to travel too far and attract even more predators.

  The humanoid aspects gathered together their leader forcing the local flora to bend away from them and open up a small clearing they could stand in. They suffered two more 'wounds' whilst they were doing so, though, this time on two separate [Lesser Elementals] that strayed too far from the rest of them. The weaker Elementals were gathered in the centre of them all, with the regular ones forming a perimeter around them since they would be able to withstand far more blows than their unevolved counterparts. Liam and the [Greater Plant Elemental] took the 12 and 6 o'clock positions respectively and began a slow, clockwise circle around the edge of the gathering. Hopefully, the creature would be wary of them and would have to limit its angles of attack.

  They stayed huddled for a while, loosing chunks of their allies as the creature struck wherever their best fighters were not. They even had to have the [Fire Elementals] try to take the hits for their companions since Liam could provide them with some Fire Elemental Energy that seemed to help with the regeneration of their bodies.

  Eventually though, a chance came, as minute as it was. Growing confident, or perhaps just wanting to test him out, the big cat appeared just behind Liam to strike at one of his charges. He could practically feel it's presence as it materialised and struck out without warning. I'm response, Liam's [Spirit of Death] burst out from where ot had patched up his missing shoulder, exploding into motion and spearing the beast through with a long, thin, jagged blade that attack it's vital essences directly. The part of the feline that was struck lost much of its shimmer and it was forced to blink away as he rounded on it.

  Round 1 was Liam's victory. Now it was time to see how the creature would respond.