Shihab wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. The forest around them had grown increasingly quiet as dusk settled in, the usual sounds of birds and insects replaced by an eerie stillness that set his nerves on edge. He turned to the others, his voice low but firm.
"We should stay here tonight," he said, eyeing the darkening forest with unease. His fingers tightened around the strap of his rifle. "Traveling after dark is suicide with those things out there."
Jawad nodded in agreement, tossing his heavy pack onto the cabin's wooden porch with a thud. The old boards creaked under the weight. "Agreed," he said, brushing dirt from his hands. "We'll head out at first light when we can actually see what's coming at us."
Ayham groaned loudly, kicking at a loose stone tha
