What was that?
I stood there for a long moment, head lifted, testing the air. Nothing. Just the familiar scents of grass, distant water, and the storm.
But the wrongness lingered in my memory, unsettling in a way I couldn't name.
Something unnatural. Upwind.
I resolved to investigate tomorrow when we took the northern route and returned to the cave, shaking the cold rain from my fur.
The others were already settling for sleep, Torin and Fen in human form, wrapped in their fur cloaks, the others in wolf form, close to the fire's warmth. I took my usual position near the entrance where I could see everyone and still watch for threats.
Daska was still awake and human, staring into the coals. He glanced at me as I stretched out. "You alright?"
"Fine," I said. "Just thinking about the route tomorrow."
He studied me for a moment with that healer's awareness that always knew when something was off. "You sure? You've got that look."
"What look?"
"The 'something's wrong but I'm not going to talk about it' look."
I huffed a quiet laugh. "I don't have a look."
"You absolutely have a look."
I was quiet for a moment, then decided there was no point hiding it from Daska. He'd figure it out anyway. "Caught a strange scent out there. Something I've never smelled before."
His expression sharpened. "Strange how?"
"Unnatural. Almost... chemical? Like the air after lightning but wrong somehow."
Daska frowned, thinking. "Could be something from the mountains. Those strange springs, maybe? Or maybe Kavik’s pack are burning herbs"
"Maybe." But it hadn't smelled like springs or herb smoke. It had smelled...strange.
"We'll check it out tomorrow if we can," Daska said. "Might be nothing."
"Might be."
He shifted and settled down, his breathing gradually evening out into sleep. I shifted, and wrapped myself in my hunting furs, but lay awake, staring at the cave ceiling, unable to shake the unease that had settled in my chest.
Tomorrow we'd head north. Avoid Broken Ridge. Get home safe. That's all that matters.
Eventually, despite my intention to stay alert, exhaustion pulled me under.
CHAPTER 6
ELLIE
The storm had torn through our camp like a divine reminder that we didn’t belong in this world. I stood at the very edge of the valley, keeping away from the rushing water and trying to make sense of the devastation. Two of our three tents were just... gone. Vanished. The third hung in shreds from a broken pine branch, the fabric flapping uselessly in the cold morning wind. Our supply cache had been scattered across fifty yards of muddy ground—protein bars trampled into the dirt, water bottles half-buried in silt, the medical kit split open with its contents strewn like confetti, completely useless.
My hands were shaking. I shoved them into my jacket pockets and tried to breathe. My right thigh throbbed with every shift of weight—the makeshift bandage I'd tied around it was already soaked through, the fabric of my torn trousers sticking to the wound beneath. I’d deal with it later.
"Ellie!"
I turned to see Nathan waving me over, his expression grim. He’d found something. I forced my legs to move, following him along the swollen riverbank. Each step sent a fresh spike of pain through my thigh, but I gritted my teeth and kept going. The water was still running high and fast, churning with debris—branches, leaves, chunks of torn earth. Dev had managed to drag himself up to a small rocky outcropping with mine and Megan’s help, and he leaned over watching Nathan, his face pale with pain. Megan stood a few feet away, her arms wrapped around herself, tears running down her face. Huh. I guess she did have feelings after all.
Then I saw Stephen.
