The three lions in front of me growl loudly, separating to try and get around me.

[Careful you don't get caught in a pincer movement! Remember, these guys can probably hurt you quite a bit!]

[I've got it, don't worry!]

Joule has a point. They're bigger than me and there's more of them.

[Prepare Illusion twice and Extended Bite... let's make it four times.]

[Processing...]

I disappear as the (now much less wispy) illusion lowers its head, ready to fight.

Stepping to the side, I tell Joule, [Put one of the Bites on its mandibles.]

[They'll think it's you!]

[Exactly!]

One of the lions pounces, muscles rippling, and the illusion dodges, biting down on one of its front legs. Howling, the lion jumps back, limping slightly. The other two, incensed, leap forward and claw at the illusion. It dissipates immediately, and I'm revealed, right next to one of them. I unleash a Void Bite at point-blank range, and as it jumps away (they're fast!) I manage to chomp down on its side. A massive gash opens, and it stumbles before collapsing.

The lions snarl in fury, but I don't bother showing off. An Extended Bite appears behind one of them and chomps on its tail, nearly severing it. Howling, it jumps forward - right in range. One fully-charged Void Bite later and it's down. I turn to the final one, beginning the Illusion as I do.

It crouches to the ground, growling as it does, then jumps in the air. What's it doing?

[There's a significant build-up of mana concentrating around that thing! Back away!]

I turn and run without hesitation. If Joule says it's a threat, it is.

Behind me, the lion lands forcefully, and a shockwave of rising dirt explodes outwards. At least it was far enough from my hole that it wasn't damaged, but I'm more worried about myself at the moment.

[Bite through it!]

Spinning, I bite the mound of dirt, carving through several hundred pounds of dirt in seconds.

[How should we handle this?]

[I don't know! I can't quantify its abilities, how am I supposed to predict what it's going to do?!]

[Calm down! It hasn't displayed any other skills, maybe that was the only - what's it doing?]

The shards of stone peeled up by the shockwave are lifting into the air, shaping themselves into daggers of rock. They spin neatly to aim at me.

[Oh, dear...]

[What do I do?]

[You can't dodge!]

The lion roars and the shards fire away at incredible speed towards me. I brace myself for the impact.

Bubbles leaps in front of me, taking all of the rock in his squishy body. He seems to be fine, absorbing the rock into himself. I can actually see the stone dissolving.

Walking over to the other, injured lion, it growls at it. As it tries and fails to stand up, the more powerful creature stands in front of it, snarling in my direction.

[All right, we're on even ground now - are you ready?]

[As I'll ever be. Start up another Illusion.]

[You've got it!]

This time, when the wispy form peels off of me, the lion doesn't hesitate. It sprints straight at the illusion, clawing at it.

Except that its claws meet resistance - I'd been walking inside the illusion!

Lunging upwards at the surprised lion, I bit it in the throat, and my mandibles go through easily.

The injured lion growls where it's lying, and I put it out of its misery. I may not be merciful, but I'm certainly not cruel.

A snarl shakes the ground, and I turn to see the largest cat yet. It stands at least seven feet tall to the head, and the crags on its shoulders and forehead look incredibly tough, set with gemstones and metals. Its fur looks more like bristles, waving gently in the slight breeze.

[...cark.]

[It's called a cark?]

[No, that's a - never mind. Be extremely careful. This thing is probably a lot stronger than the lions you were just battling, if not incomparably so.]

[Good.]

[Good?! Why would that be a good thing?]

[Because I have a plan.]