Ethan nodded in agreement, then raised a hand and pointed ahead.
A gray-white bird hung in midair. Its wings were frozen mid-flap between two branches, with nothing supporting it from below.
"Look at that one," Ethan said. "Can you sense any life in it?"
Auri followed his finger.
She studied the bird for a moment, then pointed at it, looking even more confused.
"I can!"
Auri focused again.
"But only a tiny bit."
It was alive?
Ethan looked down at the shattered remains of the squirrel and boar, his heart sinking.
Had he just killed the creatures here with his own hands?
He was about to apologize when Auri continued, "But they really want to die."
Ethan turned toward her.
Auri kept her eyes on the bird, sensing the faint trace of life inside it.
"It wants to die very badly."
A grim possibility occurred to Ethan.
