Chapter 695: Crossing The River
Staying within the shadows, patiently waiting for the demon to finish eating and make its way back into the river, Liam kept his eyes fixed toward the direction from which the river flowed.
The massive aquatic demon was still near the bank, its jaws tearing through clusters of the pale, partially glowing plants with slow, heavy bites. Every movement it made sent faint tremors through the mud and loose stones around it, and each time its teeth crushed through the vegetation, glowing sap spilled down its maw and dripped onto the ground like diluted moonlight.
Liam remained crouched low, most of his weight balanced carefully on his left leg to avoid putting unnecessary pressure on his injured thigh. Smoke stayed beside him, silent and still, his dark body nearly disappearing among the shadows beneath the trees.
’With how long that thing is taking to eat, heading in that direction would be a terrible idea,’ Liam thought, his gaze still fixed upstream.
If the demon remained where it was, then moving was pointless. It would only increase the chance of being noticed. But staying here was just as useless. The more time he wasted, the more likely something else would be drawn into the area.
After a long moment, Liam slowly rose from his crouched position, careful not to disturb the brush around him. His injured leg protested with a faint pulse of pain, but he kept his expression unchanged.
"Smoke," he whispered.
The shadow wolf’s ears twitched toward him.
"We’re moving upstream," Liam said quietly. "Stay low. Stay in the shades. And don’t make a sound unless you sense something."
Smoke gave the faintest grunt in response, barely audible.
Then they moved.
Liam and Smoke slipped through the woods with controlled silence, following the river upstream while keeping a safe distance from the bank.