The forest was alive with a tension so thick it made even the air feel like glass—fragile and ready to shatter. The refelctions of Lunamarite spilled through the gaps in the high canopy above, painting the mossy earth in eerie blue. The chirps of nocturnal birds had long vanished. Now, only the low growls of a predator echoed between the towering trees.
"Shh!" Velara hissed, dragging Rilith behind a twisted root covered in glowing moss. Her breathing was ragged, her wings torn and bloodied. "It's still close."
Rilith's eyes widened. Her usual playful, seductive air was gone. "How? We've masked our presence with magic!"
"It's not working. This forest… it's different."
The ground vibrated.
