The First Night of War

Darkness engulfed the forest as the sun dipped below the horizon. A tense silence filled the air, as if every creature was holding its breath before the coming storm. The rustling of leaves, the gentle ripple of water in the swamp, the whisper of the wind through the treetops—all combined into an eerie prelude to the battle about to unfold.

The Sage Rat stood atop a large rock, silently observing. The troops were in position. Owls soared through the sky, carrying messages from distant regions. On the ground, rodents infiltrated human settlements, scouting critical locations. In the swamps, crocodiles lay submerged beneath the water's surface, waiting for the perfect moment to strike fear into their foes.

"Remember" the Sage Rat spoke in a calm yet commanding voice "our goal is not slaughter. We must make the humans understand that this world no longer belongs to them alone."

The Wise Crow nodded. "We won't engage them head-on. Fear will be our greatest weapon."

The signal was given. The creatures lurking in the shadows began to move.

In a village on the forest's edge, life carried on as usual. The villagers prepared for sleep, the dim glow of lanterns flickering from their windows. They had no idea that cold, calculating eyes were watching them from the darkness.

A cobra slithered through a small gap in a door, coiling in the shadows. Rats scurried along walls, gnawing through electrical wires, plunging homes into darkness. The flap of wings echoed in the air as bats swarmed into storehouses, throwing everything into chaos. In the distance, a black panther leaped onto a rooftop, its claws scraping against the tiles, leaving only cryptic marks behind.

Then came the first scream.

A man shouted in terror upon discovering a snake curled beneath his bed. A woman shrieked as rats flooded her kitchen. Panic spread like wildfire as the village lights went out, and the night became more terrifying than ever before.

At the forest's edge, The Sage Rat watched from afar. "This is only the beginning" he murmured. "They will soon understand that they are no longer the supreme rulers of this land."

Beside him, the Abyssal Dragon King gazed toward the distant sea. "When the time comes, the ocean will rise against them as well. Let them feel fear from every direction."

As dawn broke, the first night of war came to an end. Chaos had left its mark. The humans looked at one another in confusion, shaken by what had transpired. One thing was clearer than ever—they were no longer alone on this land.

The war had truly begun.