Manticore (animal)
Horrid beasts, manticores are renowned for their aggression towards humans, a behavior made all the more disturbing by their unmistakably humanlike faces.
We have trekked for leagues on end, following a dodgy dirt path deep into a long-deserted valley. The difficulty lies not in the tracking of a Manticore, but in slaying the beast. And for that reason, the hunting party accompanying me is a formidable force. But, as with any hunt, I must slay the beast alone; they are here to render aid should I need it. Hopefully it does not come to that. The tension mounts the further we roam into the valley, and eventually, we see it: the nest of the Manticore, perched at the crest of the furthermost hill. I draw my bow, ready my sword, and advance.