As the growling echoed ominously through the trees, I felt a shiver race down my spine. The peaceful forest clearing, once serene, now buzzed with an undeniable tension. Ciara and I exchanged nervous glances, our previous laughter fading into distant memory.
"Okay, we need a plan," I whispered, straining to hear the source of the growl. It sounded like something straight out of a nightmare, low and throaty, reverberating through the air.
I tightened my grip on Ciara's arm, my heart pounding furiously. "What's the worst that could be out there?"
Ciara raised an eyebrow, her fiery character flickering behind her calm façade. "A bear? A wolf? A rabid squirrel with a vendetta against couples?" Her sarcastic tone was a little too close to panic for my comfort.
"Don't say that! It could really be a rabid squirrel," I shot back, trying to keep some levity in the face of impending doom.
