"Dante..." Thalia murmured, already pulling the mule back.
"I saw it," I replied, lowering my hand toward my pickaxe. "And I can confirm I didn't like it."
The forest at night had a kind of silence that made you question whether your own footsteps were even real. Every creaking branch felt like a warning—or an ambush. Even the mule—usually dramatic—was now walking like it was apologizing to the ground.
The trail narrowed between ancient trees, their thick trunks twisted like broken spines. Moonlight barely slipped through the leaves, and the air smelled of damp wood, like something was rotting. It was in that charming atmosphere that the eyes began to appear.
First two. Then five. Then more.
Red. Glowing. Blinking in the shadows with a hunger that didn't need explanation. It wasn't just a reflection. It was looking back. It was moving.
And then it emerged from the darkness—one of the creatures.
ENTITY PROFILE: THE BARKLING
Type: Symbiotic Forest Predator
