'I would like for Edith to take the lead right now, but this doesn't seem to be the time for that. If I don't push Karla this way, she might become a liability in this fight,' Liam thought, his gaze cold as it locked onto the Skivok.
"So, if you want to get out of here alive, get on your feet and get ready to fight for your life," Liam added.
Karla's eyes widened at the weight of his words, and so did everyone else's. They were used to Liam's detached demeanor, but hearing him speak so directly, so harshly, with no sugar-coating, showed them a side of him they didn't quite know. It wasn't cruelty—it was clarity. Survival.
Before Karla could respond, the Skivok let out a guttural hiss and retreated into the forest. The group snapped out of their daze as the rustling of leaves surrounded them, signaling the creatures weren't gone, just repositioning.