Chapter 109 - The Swamp Beast
Tave had scouted this area before, through Fang’s eyes. But this was the first time he was seeing it for himself, with his own feet on the ground.
They were descending now, slowly moving away from the high mountain ridges. Tave’s goal tonight was simple: explore more of the terrain, uncover anything that could give him an advantage, something he could use to further his plans.
And as always, he and Panpan moved like shadows in the dark. They slipped between trees and brush, running silent and swift, almost weightless on the ground. Darkness cloaked them, embraced them. They became part of it.
Then Tave stopped, dropping into a crouch behind a thick patch of undergrowth.
Panpan followed smoothly, taking position beside him without question. She moved as naturally as he did, her instincts sharp and quiet.
Together, they peered through the bushes.
Before them, the forest opened into a broad, exposed stretch. The trees were thinner here, spaced wider apart. Moonlight washed over the clearing like silver paint. And in the middle of it all...
Not a lake. Not quite a pond either.
More like a swamp, tangled with reeds and wild grass. Bushes clung low to the surface, and a dense mist rolled across it, making the water nearly impossible to see. Only someone with sharp vision could catch the subtle shimmer of moisture beneath the fog.
It was still. And strangely... unnerving.
"What’s out there, Tave?" Panpan whispered beside him.