The sky above was calm, the moons shining softly, and the forest around him carried the same quiet rhythm as before he entered.
But the silence broke the moment he took a few steps forward.
Three shadows stood at the tree line. Three pairs of cat-like eyes stared at him without blinking. The trio of catkins who had followed him earlier now stood frozen, their faces stiff, their tails curled tight behind them.
Liam stopped walking and looked at them calmly.
"What do you want?" he asked.
The three catkins reacted at once. All of them took a step back. Their hands shook as they raised their weapons, but their fear was stronger than their anger. Their ears flattened and their breathing went unsteady. They looked one second away from bolting into the trees.
