The rocky outcrop provided scant cover as the group huddled together, catching their breath. The shouts of their pursuers echoed faintly in the distance, though every sound in the barren landscape felt amplified.
Ruby crouched at the edge of the crevice, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon. Her jaw was tight, her expression unreadable. "They'll circle back," she said, her voice low. "They always do."
"We can't just sit here," Zoe hissed, her knife already in hand. "The longer we wait, the easier it'll be for them to trap us."
"And running blind is better?" Caleb shot back, keeping his rifle steady in his hands. "We need a plan."
"We need to move," Finn said, pacing nervously. "You think they're the only ones out here? This place gives me the creeps."
