Another group stands apart.
Larger than the smaller ones. Different structure from both. Green-skinned. Tusks. Muscular and broader through the shoulders. Movement heavier. Less controlled, but not untrained.
Also unknown.
Three groups.
One known. Two not.
The image holds.
They move within a confined space—fabric structures, uneven ground, partial barriers built from scavenged material. Nothing permanent. Nothing secure.
Temporary settlement. Not a stronghold. Not safe. The smaller ones move between the others. Bridging. Not dominant. Not subordinate. Variable.
The image shifts. New angle. Closer. The same three groups. Tension is visible.
Posture changes. Distance tightens. The larger unknowns stand too close to the smaller ones. The Zmaj remain slightly apart—but not removed.
Observation. Containment. The smaller ones speak more, hands moving, bodies angled between the others. Interference.
The hum at my throat tightens. I ignore it. Patterns. They are showing me patterns.
The scene changes again.
Different location within the same settlement. More structures. More movement. Same imbalance. The smaller ones cluster near the center. The larger unknowns press the edges.
The Zmaj watch.
Not passive. Ready. The image flickers. Another angle. Closer still. Then one of the smaller ones repeats.
Not the group. The individual. Dark hair. Lighter skin. Movement controlled, not reactive.
She stands between two of the larger unknowns. They are too close. Their posture is wrong.
Forward angle. Reduced distance. Shoulders aligned for movement, not rest. Pressure. She does not retreat. She holds position. Speaks. Hands still. Controlled. Not aggressive.
De-escalation attempt. The others do not move back. The space remains tight. Threat unresolved. My focus narrows. Not the whole.
Her.
The image shifts. Different angle. Same individual. Now among the known. Zmaj. They do not crowd her. Distance maintained. Controlled. Safer.
The pressure at my throat reduces. Slight. Measurable. Data.
The image changes again. Back to the mixed group. Closer than before. The larger unknown steps forward. Distance collapses. One of its limbs extends toward her. Contact imminent.
My shoulders tense before I stop them. Too late. The hum spikes.
Pain drives through my spine—fast, precise, punishing the reaction.
I lock down. Control returns and the image resets.
Same configuration. Same individual. Same encirclement.
This time, I remain still. No shift. No response. The pressure builds anyway. Higher. Deeper. Searching. They want something.
I watch again.
