The sun had barely begun to rise, casting pale light over the frosty landscape as Jas, Ivy, and Roman set out to retrieve water. They had been gone for hours, and still, no sign of Milagro.
Roman’s brow furrowed as he glanced back at the empty spot where the dog had lain down the night before, his heart heavy with unease.
“I don’t like this,” he muttered.
Ivy’s lips pressed into a thin line. “It’s strange. Milagro’s always there when we need him. What if something happened to him?”
“He’s fine,” Jas said, though their voice held a hint of uncertainty. “He’s probably just tired. We’ve been pushing him hard. Remember how sore his paw was last night? He might’ve needed a break.”
Roman grunted, clearly unconvinced. “I hope you’re right. But something feels off.”
The trio continued their trek, weaving through the trees and cautiously stepping around patches of ice. The air was heavy with silence, and even the usual hum of the forest seemed absent, like it was holding its breath.
As they approached the stream, Jas couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. Every snap of a twig seemed louder than usual, every gust of wind brushing the trees felt like it carried a warning.
“I swear I heard something,” Jas whispered, stopping in their tracks.
Ivy and Roman paused, scanning the shadows around them. Nothing.
“I didn’t hear anything,” Ivy said slowly.
Roman’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t like this,” he repeated, more insistently this time.
Suddenly, a loud, low growl echoed from behind them. The trio spun around, hearts pounding in their chests. But there was no one—nothing—there.
“Maybe it’s just the wind,” Ivy said, though even she didn’t sound convinced.
Jas took a step forward, instinctively gripping their makeshift weapon. “We need to get the water and get back.”
As they knelt to fill the containers, the growl sounded again, closer this time.
Roman swallowed, his hand instinctively moving toward the knife he kept on his belt. “Get ready. We might not be alone.”
The quiet tension between them thickened, like something unseen was lurking in the shadows, waiting for its moment to strike.