The forest held its breath.
Leaves rustled gently in the treetops. Mist curled low around the strange creatures like enchanted silk. Four Rare Beasts — glossy fur, glimmering horns, luminous eyes — stood frozen, staring at Thalina as if she'd just grown three heads.
"You… you can hear us?" the largest one, a silver-horned creature with shimmering teal fur, repeated in a stunned whisper.
Thalina didn't flinch. She crossed her arms and glared down from Eyrx's tail like a pissed-off queen. "You called me a parasite. A shiny parasite. I should roast your tail."
The creature blinked, then looked to its companions as if silently asking: Did we really say that out loud?
"Oh no," the youngest muttered, backing up a step. "Oh no, oh no, she really heard that."
"This is bad," another said, tail flicking in panic. "I think we're cursed."
