Silent Spiders

The screams and gunfire continued through the night, distant yet relentless.

By the time their shift rotation came, Brae was the first to stir—not that anyone had truly slept. How could they, with those monstrous creatures lurking just beyond the firelight?

"You can rest now," she said to Nioh.

He didn't reply, only offering a slight nod. His eyes remained fixed on the horizon, calculating. He was timing the night cycle, searching for patterns.

Brae hesitated before asking, "Are we even going to survive this?"

The spiders hadn't retreated. Not an inch.

Nioh's voice was barely above a whisper. "There isn't enough combustible material to sustain the fire much longer."

Brae swallowed hard. "Then what do we do?"

"Do you have any other weapons?" Nioh asked, still methodically working on the knife in his hands.