"A Dangerous Game"

The atmosphere gradually calmed; the once relentless wind died down, replaced by a gentle breeze. Leonard's violent trembling subsided, his muscles slowly unclenching. His features softened, his appearance returning to something closer to normal, though a lingering paleness remained.

Mikaela cautiously approached, her gaze darting between Leonard and the others. "Is it... is it over?" she asked, her voice hesitant. "Do you think he's alright?" She looked at him worried.

Evelyn, leaning against a nearby tree, nodded slowly. "It seems so," she replied, her voice still slightly hoarse. But at what cost?

Kaleb, ever the comedian, chimed in, attempting to break the tension. "Think he scrambled his brains up there? Maybe he thinks he's a chicken now, cluck cluck?" He flapped his arms and started to cluck, but his heart wasn't in it. The display had been too unsettling.