Martin parted the tall grass with deliberate care, each rustling movement calculated to avoid startling the team.
As his form emerged, a collective tension tightened among the seated group, their postures subtly shifting, their runes glowing with latent power.
"It's just me," Martin announced, his voice, a relief to their alerted senses, quelling the rising of their defensive aura.
"What's that on your hand?" Earl was the first person to notice the little beast in Martin's arms. He had a questioning look on his face along with a flicker of desire in his eyes, a fleeting wish to possess such an unusual companion.
The creature bore an air of mystery, its features obscured by a tuft of fur, leaving only the faint glimmer of a gem nestled within its crown.
