Jesse POV
The late afternoon sun cast long, golden rays through the ancient forest canopy as I sat on a fallen log by the river, my impromptu sketchbook balanced on my knee. The notebook—a small, leather-bound gift from Ahti that had mysteriously appeared outside my door one morning—was filling up with crude sketches and detailed observations of the wildlife I'd encountered during my daily excursions.
"And... done" I murmured, adding the final touches to my rough drawing of a deer drinking from the opposite bank. The animal lifted its head at the sound of my voice, ears twitching alertly, before deciding I wasn't a threat and returning to its water break.
I'd been coming to this same spot for several days now, ostensibly to monitor the river for any sign of that water creature. No sign of the ugly bastard since our underwater battle, though the wound I'd inflicted with the Service Weapon had been serious. Either it was hiding somewhere to recover, or it had died from its injuries.
'Think it's still alive?' I asked Remedy silently through our mental connection. The renamed Oldest House's consciousness brushed against my mind like a gentle caress, conveying a sense of uncertainty tinged with caution.
"Yeah, I think so too" I replied aloud, stretching my arms above my head. "These things are resilient. And I doubt something that's survived this long would die from one shot."
I closed the notebook, carefully tucking it into a pocket of my tactical outfit. The Urban Response gear was holding up remarkably well despite daily wear.
A far cry from the animal skins the humans of this era wore, but it helped me feel connected to my former life.
Standing, I brushed off my pants and decided to walk farther along the riverbank than I had done the previous days. Maybe I'd have better luck spotting my aquatic adversary downstream.
"Let's see what else we can find today" I said, setting off at a brisk pace along the rocky shore.
The river flowed serenely beside me, its crystal-clear waters untouched by the pollution and environmental damage of my era. Fish darted between submerged stones, their scales flashing silver when they caught the light. Birds called to each other overhead, filling the air with a symphony of sounds I was slowly learning to distinguish.
There's been activity near me, Remedy informed me as I walked. A family of squirrels has made a nest in one of the upper branches. They've been collecting acorns all morning.
I smiled, picturing the tree disguise Remedy had adopted. The massive trunk with its sprawling canopy blended perfectly with the surrounding forest, though it dwarfed the ancient oaks and pines around it. The interior remained unchanged, the same impossible corridors and shifting architecture but from the outside, no one would suspect it was anything but an exceptionally large tree.
"Any human visitors?" I asked, stepping carefully over a fallen branch.
None near me, Remedy replied. But a small hunting party passed about two miles north yesterday. Adult males with spears.
Our conversations had become a comfortable routine during my daily explorations. Remedy would share observations from around its perimeter while I ventured farther into the prehistoric wilderness. It was comforting to know that no matter how far I wandered, I was never truly alone.
"Tell me if you sense anything unusual" I said, pausing to examine some tracks in the mud—deer again, not the webbed footprints I was looking for.
As I continued downstream, the riverbank widened into a small pebble beach that caught the late afternoon sunlight perfectly. The shadows were lengthening now, the sun beginning its slow descent toward the horizon. I'd need to head back soon if I wanted to return before dark.
'Wait' I sent out and as a result, Remedy's consciousness suddenly surged with alertness. 'Movement ahead. Humans.'
I slowed my pace, approaching more cautiously. Through a screen of reeds, I caught sight of several figures by the water's edge about fifty yards ahead. Moving closer, I crouched behind a large boulder and observed them carefully.
Three women knelt by the riverside, their hands busy with various tasks. They were dressed in simple garments, primitive clothing made from what appeared to be animal hides sewn together, with some plant fiber elements woven in. Their hair hung in long, dark braids, adorned with small bones and beads.
One woman was washing what looked like clothing, simple animal skin garments that needed cleaning. Another was rinsing what appeared to be wild berries in a shallow basket, while the third filled a water container made from what might have been a hollowed gourd.
I watched, fascinated. They were going about their daily lives with their movements being efficient, practiced in a way that was a routine activity for them.
'They seem peaceful' Remedy commented. 'Should you approach them?'
"Definitely not" I whispered. "Better if they never know I exist."
Still, I couldn't tear my eyes away. These women were my ancestors relatively speaking. They were beautiful in their simplicity, in the practiced way they handled their tasks, in the occasional soft words they exchanged in a language I couldn't begin to understand.
The woman washing the berries repeated something, her voice rising and falling in a pattern that reminded Jesse of her own grandmother's storytelling rhythm.
Then the shorter woman made a sound that made both of them double over with laughter, slapping their knees and pointing at something near the woods. Following their gaze to a burnt piece of something, charred beyond recognition.
The tall one gestured wildly at the blackened lump, repeating a sound over and over: "Kah-ga! Kah-ga!" Her companion echoed it, and they dissolved into giggles again.
Jesse's eyes widened. That sound "Kah-ga" had to do something with being burnt hopefully. As the sound was repeated once more she could feel her head start to buzz before dissipating as fast as it came.
"Burnt! Burnt! Keyl shyil brent bresdew"
As I continued to watch, the women began gathering their things. The one with the berries carefully secured her harvest in what looked like a woven sling that she hung across her body, while the woman with the water container sealed it with what appeared to be a wooden stopper. The third woman wrung out the last of the animal skins and folded them neatly.
They stood, brushing dirt from their clothing and chatting among themselves. It was then that I noticed a faint trail leading away from the riverbank into the forest—a narrow path worn by countless footsteps over time. As they turned toward it, my attention was drawn to movement at the forest's edge.
Two men emerged from the trees, stepping onto the path to meet the women. They carried long wooden spears with sharpened stone tips and wore similar animal hide garments to the women, though theirs had additional adornments such as small animal teeth and what looked like claws strung together as primitive necklaces. Their hair was shorter, tied back with what might have been sinew or plant fiber.
The men greeted the women with nods and gestures, immediately taking up positions at the front and rear of the small group. Guards, I realized. Protection from predators and perhaps other human groups as they made their way home.
An idea formed, truly irresistible. I had been observing nature for days, but here was a chance to see something truly remarkable a prehistoric human settlement. With Remedy's imperceptibility extending to me there was no chance of being detected.
'I'm going to follow them' I informed Remedy silently.
I sensed hesitation in Remedy's response, but no outright objection. With a deep breath, I activated my levitation, rising several inches off the ground. Silently, I floated across the river, my boots never touching the water's surface. The sensation was exhilarating the power to defy gravity still felt novel despite the time I'd spent mastering it.
Reaching the opposite bank, I settled gently on the earth and crouched in the underbrush, waiting until the group had proceeded further down the path. Then, maintaining a cautious distance, I began to follow them on the same trail.
The path wound between massive trees, occasionally crossing small clearings before plunging back into denser vegetation. I stayed well behind, relying more on my senses than visual contact to track them. Unlike modern humans who had forgotten how to move silently through wilderness, these people made very little sound making it slightly difficult to see where they were specifically, but on the trail, they were easy to follow.
After about five minutes of steady walking, I began to notice subtle changes in the forest. The undergrowth had been cleared in places, and I spotted what looked like primitive traps set off the main path simple snares for small game. Signs of human habitation.
The path widened, and through the trees ahead, I caught glimpses of an open area. Slowing my pace, I moved with extra caution and walked off the trail and began to use the trees for cover as I approached what was the edge of a clearing.
Finding a large oak with thick foliage, I positioned myself behind it and peered around the trunk toward what was revealed to be a prehistoric settlement.
The sight took my breath away.
In a clearing roughly the size of a small football field, I counted around five distinct family groupings. Each had what appeared to be a simple shelter made from a framework of branches covered with animal hides and plant materials. These structures were arranged in a rough circle around a central fire pit where embers still glowed, sending a thin column of smoke into the evening air.
People moved about the camp with purpose—women preparing food, men working on tools or weapons, children playing or helping with tasks appropriate to their age. I counted perhaps twenty-five individuals in total, from infants carried in slings to elders who sat near the fire, their hands busy with what looked like weaving or tool repair.
The expedition I'd followed was greeted with obvious relief and interest as they entered the camp. Other members of the tribe approached them, examining the gathered berries and water with approving nods. The cleaned animal skins were taken by an older woman who immediately began inspecting them with practiced hands. I tried my best to listen to what they were saying but the rustling of the trees thanks to the breeze made it impossible.
Near one edge of the settlement stood a slightly larger structure, more elaborate than the others. Outside it sat a man wearing a headdress made from what appeared to be antlers and adorned with colorful feathers. His face was marked with ochre patterns, and around his neck hung various objects—stones with holes, animal teeth, and small carved figurines. The shaman, I realized, recognizing the universal human tendency toward spiritual leadership.
Next to the shaman's dwelling was another large structure where a man—most likely the tribal leader—sat on a log that had been smoothed into a crude seat. He was older than most of the other men, with streaks of gray in his beard, but his physique suggested he remained strong and capable. Around his neck hung what appeared to be claws from a large predator.
As the returning party approached the leader, they made deferential gestures, and the women presented him with a portion of their gathered berries. He accepted with a nod, sampling one before smiling his approval.
I remained hidden at the edge of the clearing, absolutely still making sure I absorbed every detail as the sun continued its descent toward the horizon, the tribe's activities shifted toward preparing an evening meal. Several women tended the central fire, building it up with dried wood until flames leapt higher. Others brought out what looked like primitive cooking implements—stone tools and rudimentary clay vessels.
What happened next caught me completely off guard.
As the tribe finished their meal, the atmosphere in the camp began to change. The casual conversations quieted, and everyone's attention turned toward the shaman, who had risen from his position and now stood facing the fire. He raised his arms, the antlered headdress creating an imposing silhouette against the darkening sky.
One of the men approached the fire carrying a small portion of food that had been set aside—meat, berries, and what might have been roots or tubers. With deliberate ceremony, he placed these offerings directly into the flames. The food began to burn, and the shaman started a low, rhythmic chanting.
The sound was unlike anything I'd heard before—not quite singing, not quite speaking, but something between the two that seemed to resonate at a frequency that made the hair on my arms stand up. The shaman's body began to sway, and gradually, the rest of the tribe joined in the chant, their voices creating a haunting harmony.
What started as simple swaying evolved into a coordinated movement. The tribe formed a circle around the fire, their steps following a pattern that seemed both spontaneous and practiced. The shaman's movements became more elaborate, his arms gesturing toward the sky, then the earth, then sweeping in circular motions that mimicked the path of the sun.
I noticed with growing fascination that the food offerings in the fire were burning much faster than they should have been. The flames consuming them seemed to grow brighter, taking on an unnatural intensity that couldn't be explained by the simple addition of organic material.
And then something truly extraordinary happened.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, a single beam of golden light broke through the tree canopy, illuminating the central fire with perfect precision. It was as if the sun itself had decided to participate in the ritual, sending a focused ray to touch the flames at exactly the right moment.
The effect was immediate and dramatic. The fire, already burning with unusual brightness, flared with a blinding intensity that should have been impossible. The flames didn't grow larger but seemed to burn hotter, purer, their color shifting from orange-red to an almost white-gold that matched the sunbeam perfectly.
The chanting reached a crescendo, and then, as if on cue, the entire tribe fell silent. The dancing stopped. Every person stood absolutely still, their faces illuminated by the supernatural fire as they stared into its depths with expressions of reverence and awe.
For several long moments, the only sound was the soft crackling of the flames. The beam of sunlight remained fixed on the fire, defying the natural movement of the sun, holding its position with impossible precision.
And then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the sunbeam faded as the sun slipped fully below the horizon. The moment it vanished, every member of the tribe bowed deeply toward the fire, some dropping to their knees, others pressing their foreheads to the ground in a gesture of profound respect and devotion.
I stood frozen at the edge of the clearing, my mouth hanging open in shock. This wasn't just a ritual—I had just witnessed something genuinely paranatural.
With trembling hands, I pulled out my notebook and began frantically writing, trying to capture every detail while it was still fresh in my mind:
FIELD REPORT: PARANATURAL EVENT - PREHISTORIC FIRE RITUAL - [Crossed Over]
DATE: ~300,100 BC
LOCATION: Prehistoric human settlement, European(Best Guess) forest region
CLASSIFICATION: Potential AWE /Ritualistic Manifestation
DESCRIPTION: Observed tribal ritual involving communal chanting and ritualized movement around central fire. Food offerings placed in fire (deliberate sacrifice?) burned at accelerated rate - violation of several principles. Precise solar alignment occurred at sunset - Fire exhibited properties inconsistent with normal combustion - change in flame color without any corresponding actions. increase in size, color shift toward white-gold spectrum.
THEORETICAL ANALYSIS: The central fire may represent an early Altered World Event/Object of Power, responding to focused collective unconscious/belief through ritual activation. The precise solar alignment suggests either extraordinary astronomical knowledge or (more likely) Multiple tries over generations for the correct timing. The tribal reverence indicates prior knowledge of the phenomena and deliberate invocation.
NOTES:
Ritual leaders (shaman and chief) showed anticipation of effects - this was expected
No fear response from participants - suggests established practice
Potential connection to later fire worship/solar deity traditions across multiple cultures?
Beam remained fixed on fire despite continued solar movement (impossible by standard physical laws).
QUESTION: Does this represent an early manifestation of a conscious paranatural force (Board equivalent?) or is it a more primitive expression of collective unconscious influence on reality?
FURTHER INVESTIGATION NEEDED:
Frequency of ritual performance (daily? seasonal?)
Extent of paranatural effects beyond observed phenomena
Possible presence of other tribal OoPs or AWEs
Connection to prehistoric shamanic traditions
FOLLOW UP: Return to observe subsequent rituals if possible. Document any variations in effects or procedures.
_______________________________________
I paused in my writing, looking up to see the tribe slowly rising from their positions of reverence. The ritual appeared to be complete, and the camp was resuming its normal evening activities. The fire, while still burning brightly in the white-gold color had otherwise returned to its natural state.
I carefully closed my notebook and tucked it away, my mind racing with the implications of what I'd witnessed. The tribal members were now settling in for the evening, families gathering in their shelters as night fell completely over the ancient forest. The guards had taken up positions around the perimeter, spears at the ready to protect the community through the darkness.
As I slipped away into the darkness, moving silently back toward the river, my thoughts churned. This discovery was too significant to ignore—I had witnessed a paranatural event way earlier than I expected in human history. But merely observing from a distance would only take me so far.
An idea began to form in my mind, reckless perhaps, but potentially invaluable from a research perspective. If I wanted to truly understand this early manifestation of paranatural forces, I needed to get closer. I needed to integrate with the tribe, to study their rituals and beliefs from within.
"The question is how," I murmured to myself as I floated silently back across the river.
The more I thought about it, the better the idea sounded. If I could present myself as an injured outsider in need of help, their natural compassion might allow me entry into their community. Hopefully.
I would need to abandon everything that marked me as foreign to blend into this time period, my clothing, my weapons. Everything that connected me to the 21st century would have to be left behind.
'This is crazy' I thought as I began the journey back to Remedy. 'But it might be the only way to truly understand what we're dealing with here'
By the time I reached Remedy's massive tree form, my plan had crystallized. I would strip away all traces of my modern identity and present myself as a wounded stranger—perhaps attacked by wild animals or driven from my own tribe.
"Remedy," I said as the door in the trunk swung open to welcome me home. "I need to talk to you about something important."
I felt the building's consciousness focus on me as I entered, its attention wrapping around my thoughts with gentle curiosity.
"I want to infiltrate the tribe," I said without preamble. "To study their paranatural practices from the inside."
Remedy's response was immediate and alarmed—a surge of protective concern that manifested as a subtle shift in the building's internal lighting, the warm glow dimming slightly.
"I know it's dangerous," I continued, making my way toward my quarters. "But think about what we could learn. These people have access to forces that my time barely understands. If I can study their rituals, their beliefs, their methods of invoking paranatural effects..."
I felt Remedy's consciousness recoil from the idea, flooding our connection with images of the potential risks—exposure, , injury, death. The building's concern was enough that it manifested physically as the tiles on floor rising slightly before lowering as the next continued down the hall like a wave.
"I understand your concerns," I said, trying to project reassurance through our link. "But this could be the discovery of a lifetime. We're witnessing the birth of humanity's relationship with paranatural forces. How can we not study it more closely?"
Remedy's objections continued to flow through our connection, but I sensed a gradual shift. The building's scientific curiosity was beginning to war with its protective instincts.
"Here's what I'm thinking," I said, reaching my quarters and beginning to remove my tactical gear. "I present myself as an injured stranger. Someone attacked by wild animals or driven from my own tribe. I'll need to abandon everything modern—clothes, weapons, technology. Everything."
I felt Remedy's consciousness recoil sharply at this last part, particularly at the mention of leaving behind the Service Weapon.
"I know," I said, carefully removing the paranatural gun from its holster. "It goes against every instinct. But taking it would be impossible to explain. These people have stone tools and wooden spears. A shape-shifting weapon would either terrify them or mark me as some kind of witch."
The Service Weapon hummed softly in my hands, as if sensing the conversation. I set it carefully on my bedside table, feeling strangely naked without its familiar weight at my hip.
"I'll need you to keep it safe," I said to Remedy. "Along with all my other gear. And I'll need..." I paused, steeling myself for what I was about to propose. "I'll need wounds. Convincing injuries that would explain why I'm alone and vulnerable."
Remedy's alarm spiked again, the building's protective instincts screaming against the idea of me deliberately injuring myself.
"Not permanent damage," I clarified quickly. "Just enough to sell the story. Cuts that will heal, bruises that will fade. But they need to be fresh, believable."
I continued undressing, removing every piece of modern clothing until I stood naked in my quarters. The tactical outfit, so practical and reassuring, lay in a neat pile—another anchor to my real identity that would have to be abandoned.
"I know this seems insane," I said, sensing Remedy's continued objections. "But think about the potential knowledge we could gain."
"I'll be careful," I promised. "I'll observe, learn, document everything I can. And at the first sign of real danger, I'll extract myself from the situation."
Finally, after what felt like hours of mental debate, I felt Remedy's reluctant acceptance flow through our connection. The building wasn't happy about the plan, but it understood the potential value of the intelligence I might gather.
"Thank you," I said, relief flooding through me as I ran a hand against the wall carefully in thanks. "I know you're not comfortable with this, but I promise I'll be as safe as possible."
As I prepared to leave, moving naked through Remedy's corridors toward the exit, I encountered Ahti in the entrance hall. The enigmatic janitor took one look at my state of undress and shook his head with a mixture of disapproval and resignation, making sure to look away.
"Off to swim with the sharks again, are we, pikkuinen?" he said, leaning on his mop. "First the big sea monsters, now the little land animals."
"Something like that," I replied, pausing before the massive doors. "I need to get closer to that tribe, Ahti. To understand what they're doing."
Ahti studied me with those pale blue eyes that seemed to see far more than they should. "The naked truth is often the most dangerous kind," he said cryptically. "Be very careful, Director. Some waters are deeper than they appear."
"I will," I promised, reaching for the door handle.
"And remember," Ahti called after me, "even the fish knows when to swim upstream and when to swim down. Don't fight the current unless you're sure you can win."
With that final piece of enigmatic advice, I stepped out into the ancient night.
___________________________
The river was barely visible in the darkness, its surface reflecting only the faintest starlight. I knelt by the water's edge, staring at my reflection—or what little I could see of it in the black water. My naked form looked pale and vulnerable in the darkness, so different from the confident Director who had stood in this same spot hours earlier.
In my hand, I held a sharp piece of flint I'd found near the riverbank. The stone was roughly triangular, with one edge honed by natural processes into something approximating a blade. It would serve my purpose, though the thought of what I was about to do made my stomach clench.
This is for science, I reminded myself.
I took a deep breath and pressed the flint's edge against my forehead, just above my left eyebrow. The first cut was the hardest—my every instinct screamed against deliberately injuring myself. But I needed this to be convincing.
The stone bit into my skin, parting flesh with surprising ease. Pain flared immediately, sharp and intense, and I felt warm blood begin to trickle down my face. Head wounds always bled profusely, I knew—this would look far worse than it actually was.
I moved the flint to my shoulder, creating a jagged scratch that could have come from an animal's claw. Then my arm, my leg, my torso—each cut carefully placed to suggest an attack by wild beasts or perhaps rival humans. Nothing deep enough to be genuinely dangerous, but enough to create the appearance of someone who had barely escaped with her life.
The cold river water mixed with my blood as I knelt there, creating dark swirls that vanished into the current. I used handfuls of mud to dirt my skin, to give myself the appearance of someone who had been crawling through the wilderness for days.
As I stood, wiping my muddy hands on my thighs, I caught a glimpse of my blood in the faint starlight. Even in the darkness, I could see that subtle blue tint that had appeared after I woke up again—the strange alteration to my physiology that I still didn't fully understand. Thank god it was dark; in full daylight, that unnatural coloration would be impossible to explain to a prehistoric tribe.
'At least the darkness is working in my favor' I thought grimly as I began making my way through the forest toward the settlement. The blood continued to flow from my self-inflicted wounds, leaving a trail that would hopefully convince any trackers that I was genuinely injured and fleeing from something.
The forest floor was treacherous in the darkness, roots and fallen branches creating obstacles that I had to navigate carefully despite my urgency. Every few steps, I would deliberately stumble or scrape against a tree, adding authentic-looking abrasions to supplement my carefully planned injuries.
As I moved deeper into the woods, following the mental map I'd created during my earlier reconnaissance, an idea began to form. Simply walking into their camp, even injured and naked, might not be dramatic enough. I needed to sell the story of someone who had been attacked, who had fled in terror through the wilderness.
I paused in a small clearing, perhaps half a mile from where I knew the settlement to be. The tribal guards would be alert, watching for predators and threats in the darkness. What I needed was to make an entrance that would immediately capture their attention while reinforcing my cover story.
I closed my eyes, reaching inward to that familiar well of paranatural energy. The power responded immediately, flowing through my limbs like liquid electricity. I felt my muscles tense, every fiber of my being prepared for explosive movement.
With a deep breath, I began to run.
The first dash carried me twenty feet in the blink of an eye, my feet barely touching the ground as I shot forward between the ancient trees. The sensation was intoxicating—raw speed and power channeled through human flesh, defying the normal limitations of biology.
I chained the dashes together, each burst of movement carrying me deeper into the forest at impossible speeds. Tree trunks blurred past as I wove between them, my enhanced reflexes allowing me to navigate obstacles that would have been invisible to normal human perception in this darkness.
Branches whipped at my naked skin as I passed, adding genuine scratches to supplement my deliberate wounds. The pain was sharp but brief—each dash lasted only seconds before I touched down and launched into the next one.
As I drew closer to the settlement, I began to hear the familiar sounds of the camp—the low murmur of voices, the crack of the central fire, the shuffling movements of people preparing for sleep. The guards would be positioned around the perimeter, spears ready, eyes scanning the darkness for threats.
'Time for the grand finale.'
I gathered my energy for one final, massive dash—not forward this time, but upward and forward in a high arc that would carry me out of the forest and into their camp like something flung by a tremendous force.
I launched myself skyward.
The world fell away beneath me as I soared above the treetops, the settlement spread out below like a collection of flickering lights around the central fire. For a moment, I hung suspended in the night air, naked and bleeding, silhouetted against the stars.
Then gravity reasserted itself, and I began to fall.
As I descended toward the camp's edge, I opened my mouth and screamed—a sound of pure terror and desperation that echoed through the forest and across the settlement. The cry was raw, primal, the sound of someone who had narrowly escaped death and was still running on pure adrenaline.
Guard POV - Kronar
Kronar had been standing watch at the eastern edge of the camp when the scream shattered the night silence. His grip tightened instinctively on his spear as he spun toward the sound, every instinct honed by years of protecting the tribe suddenly alert.
The sound came from above. Impossible, but unmistakable. Something had screamed as it fell from the sky.
He whistled sharply, the low, penetrating sound that served as the tribe's danger signal. Around the camp perimeter, he heard the answering whistles as the other guards acknowledged the alert and moved to investigate.
Movement at the edge of the white-bright firelight caught his eye a pale shape that resolved into a human form as his night-adapted vision adjusted. A woman, naked and bleeding, curled into a defensive ball on the ground just beyond the reach of the camp's illumination.
"Thokk! Garr!" he called to his fellow guards, using the sharp, urgent tone reserved for genuine emergencies. His voice carried clearly across the camp, and he heard the immediate response of feet pounding across packed earth as the other warriors moved to investigate.
Kronar advanced cautiously, spear held ready but not overtly threatening. The woman appeared to be alone, injured, and terrified—but appearances could deceive. Rival tribes sometimes used wounded women as bait to draw defenders out of position before launching surprise attacks.
The woman was making soft sounds whimpering, the kind of noise prey animals made when cornered. Her body shook with what appeared to be shock and exhaustion, and even in the dim light, he could see dark stains across her skin that had to be blood.
Thokk appeared at his left shoulder, the older warrior's scarred face grim as he took in the scene. To Kronar's right, Garr materialized from the shadows, his younger features tense with alertness. All three men held their spears ready, forming a defensive triangle around the mysterious woman while scanning the forest edge for signs of whatever had driven her here.
"Where did she come from?" Thokk whispered, his voice barely audible. His eyes never stopped moving, searching the darkness beyond the camp for threats.
"The sky" Kronar replied, knowing how impossible it sounded. "I saw her fall. Heard her scream as she came down."
Garr's eyes widened. "Thrown? By what?"
Before Kronar could respond, movement in the forest caught his attention. The trees at the camp's edge began to rustle and sway, branches moving in patterns that had nothing to do with the gentle night breeze. Something large was moving through the undergrowth—or multiple somethings.
"There" he hissed, pointing with his spear toward the agitated vegetation. "In the trees."
The woman's whimpering grew louder, more desperate, as if she too could sense whatever was stalking through the forest. She pulled herself into an even tighter ball, her face hidden against her knees, shoulders shaking with terror.
Thokk stepped forward slightly, his weathered features hardening into the expression Kronar had seen before battle. "Circle formation" he commanded quietly. "Protect the woman, watch the trees."
The three guards moved smoothly into their practiced defensive positions, spears pointed outward, creating a protective barrier around the injured stranger. Behind them, Kronar could hear the camp stirring other voices as people awakened to the sounds of alarm, the rustle of movement as more warriors prepared to respond to the threat.
The forest movement grew more pronounced, entire sections of undergrowth shaking as if something massive was pushing through them. Whatever had attacked this woman was still out there, still hunting.
"Stay calm" Thokk murmured, as much to himself as to his companions. "Let it come to us. We hold the light it keeps us safe, we hold the ground."
The woman lifted her head slightly, and for just a moment, Kronar caught a glimpse of her face in the firelight. She was young, perhaps twenty summers, with features that were foreign but not entirely unfamiliar. Her eyes were wide with terror, darting between the guards and the moving forest as if she couldn't decide which represented the greater threat.
"Safe" Kronar said softly, using the word in the trade tongue that most wandering peoples understood. "You safe now."
She looked up at him with such genuine relief and gratitude that his protective instincts surged. Whatever had happened to her, whatever had driven her naked and bleeding through the wilderness, she was under their protection now.
The forest sounds grew closer, more threatening. Branches snapped, and somewhere in the darkness, something large moved with a predatory purpose. The guards tightened their formation, spear points gleaming in the firelight as they prepared to defend both their camp and this mysterious woman who had literally fallen from the sky.
Behind them, more voices joined the alert as the rest of the tribe's warriors fully awakened to the danger. Soon they would have reinforcements, but for now, it was just the three of them standing between this injured stranger and whatever nightmare had pursued her through the ancient forest.