Signs of a Massacre

The night passed uneventfully. Hidden deep within the rocky crevice, the group finally found the rest they so desperately needed.

Dain took the first watch, followed by Ayla, then Vale, and finally Klein—who received a long look from Vale before lying down. He remembered the many times Klein had woken him up over false alarms. Klein merely smiled, offering an apologetic shrug and a silent look of solidarity before drifting off, joining the others in sleep.

Now, with the morning wind whistling through the mountains and sunlight piercing the thinning clouds above, the group stirred awake, groggy but alert, ready to face whatever challenge the new day held.

Hunger still gnawed at them, clinging like a shadow. But even just a few hours of rest had dulled its edge. They could only hope they'd stumble upon something edible—be it a plant or a monster—before the mountain could consume them instead.