The Gathering Storm 1

The sun, no longer hesitant but a brazen blaze in the sky, cast long, stark shadows across the blood-soaked clearing. The stench of death still clung to the air, a grim reminder of the dawn's brutal awakening.

By mid-morning, a heavy silence had descended upon the village, broken only by hushed whispers and the occasional heart-wrenching sob. The villager's faces were pale and etched with grief. They had gathered in the central clearing, the village square, the same ground that had so recently been a scene of carnage.

Enzo, still bearing the ragged wounds on his flank, his bright golden eyes dulled, stood on the raised platform usually reserved for celebratory announcements.

Beside him, Sky's expression was grim. Xavier's, usual calm demeanor had been replaced by a tight-lipped concern as he kept a watchful eye on the shaken villagers. Lara, in her human form, but with a restless energy, stood just behind Enzo, her gaze often drifting towards the woods.