Aria
The forest has moods. Tonight it feels almost merciful and quiet, holding its breath instead of screaming. Perhaps it is satisfied because it took its first life, or maybe it is trying to lull us into a false sense of security. Mist drifts through the trees like ghosts that have forgotten their names. My boots make no sound on the moss.
We've been searching for hours, our small group unraveling into pairs, then singles. I wander alone through the trees, knowing that Kael is not far behind me. The air hums softly, the same pulse it always carries, but there's something underneath it now. Expectation. Hunger.
I follow a thin trail of silver paw prints that glow faintly in the gloom. The rabbit's scent curls through the air. It is something that almost smells like moonlight. V
