The two exchanged notes on their findings before heading back to their bamboo hut. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting an orange glow over the forest.
As they walked, Ahcehera couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Her fingers hovered near her rifle, her gaze scanning the forest line for anything out of place.
Richard seemed to sense her tension. "Something wrong?" he asked quietly.
"Just a feeling," she replied, her voice low. "Keep your guard up."
The journey back was uneventful, but Ahcehera couldn't ignore the nagging unease that followed her.
As Ahcehera and Richard neared their bamboo hut, the uneasy sensation in Ahcehera's gut only grew stronger.
The forest seemed eerily silent, as though the usual rustle of leaves and chirping of insects had been swallowed by an oppressive stillness.
"Stay close," she whispered to Richard, her hand tightening around her rifle.
