The eastern horizon slowly brightened.
Night gave way to the first hints of dawn as pale orange light crept across the endless jungle below.
David stood near the edge of the plateau, watching the sunrise paint the tops of the trees in shades of gold.
Beside him, Castiel leaned against a weathered boulder, arms folded as he scanned the ridge through a pair of field binoculars.
The last watch had been quiet.
Just as the first two had been.
The only sounds came from the awakening jungle.
Birds called from somewhere beneath the canopy.
Insects hummed in the morning air.
The river far below roared steadily through the valley.
Castiel lowered the binoculars.
"Looks like we made it through our first night."
David nodded.
"So far."
A faint smile crossed Castiel's face.
"Always the optimist."
David chuckled.
"I learned from Commander Vance."
"You prepare for the worst."
"And hope it never happens."
Castiel looked back toward the camp.
Soft light glowed from inside one of the shelters.
"Looks like someone's awake."
The command shelter's flap opened.
Nyra stepped outside, stretching before making her way toward the communications mast.
A moment later...
June stumbled out of another shelter, rubbing his eyes.
His hair stuck out in every direction.
He looked around the camp.
"...Morning already?"
Lucian emerged behind him carrying two steaming mugs.
"It usually happens after night."
June accepted one of the mugs.
"...You know..."
"I liked you better before you became funny."
"I've never been funny."
"That's exactly what makes it funny."
Lucian rolled his eyes.
Across the camp, Mira quietly stepped out of her shelter, already dressed and organized as if she'd been awake for an hour.
June looked at her.
"How are you already ready?"
She looked at him once.
"I got out of bed."
"...Show-off."
David smiled as more life returned to the camp.
One by one...
Gamma Squad began another day.
Their first full day on Kharos Vale.
David glanced around the camp as the last traces of night disappeared beyond the western mountains.
For the first time since arriving on Kharos Vale, the temporary outpost didn't feel like a construction site.
It felt like home.
The shelters stood in neat rows around the center of camp. Smoke drifted lazily from the cooking station where the portable heater had already been switched on. The communications mast blinked with a steady blue light, sending its automated overnight report to Forward Command. Weapons rested against supply crates while helmets and packs waited to be shouldered for another day in the field.
The camp was alive.
Nyra finished transmitting the morning status report before disconnecting the portable terminal.
"Forward Command confirms all systems operational," she said. "No emergency broadcasts overnight."
David nodded.
"Good."
Lucian handed one of the steaming metal mugs to Castiel before pouring another for himself.
"Coffee?"
Castiel accepted it without hesitation.
"I was wondering how long it'd take before you found the coffee supplies."
Lucian smirked.
"I unpacked those first."
June wandered over, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"You people are monsters."
Lucian looked at him.
"Because we drink coffee?"
"No..."
June pointed accusingly at the mug.
"Because you wake up early enough to enjoy it."
Castiel laughed.
"You'll survive."
"I don't want to survive."
June accepted a ration bar from the supply crate with a dramatic sigh.
"I want pancakes."
Mira walked past without slowing.
"So does everyone."
June blinked.
"Did..."
"...did Mira just make a joke?"
"I stated a fact."
"That's progress."
A small smile tugged at the corner of Castiel's mouth.
Even David couldn't hide a quiet chuckle.
The easy conversation settled over the camp like the morning sunlight.
Yesterday had been exhausting.
Building shelters.
Securing the perimeter.
Establishing communications.
Standing watch through the night.
Today...
Today they finally became explorers.
David reached into one of the supply containers and removed his folded map tablet.
David expanded the holographic map until Sector H-09 filled the air above the tactical tablet.
"Our mission is straightforward."
He pointed toward the dense jungle surrounding their position.
"We clear H-09."
His finger moved to the red marker deep within the unexplored region.
"The Guardian Apex Predator is our primary target."
"As long as it remains alive..."
"...this sector remains active."
He looked around at the squad.
"Every hostile creature we encounter is to be eliminated."
"No exceptions."
"We're not here to avoid threats."
"We're here to remove them."
Nyra's terrain scanner projected the areas they had yet to explore.
David continued.
"As we advance, we'll map the terrain and document anything that could affect future operations."
"But clearing the sector comes first."
He let his words settle before continuing.
"We don't leave H-09 until the mission is complete."
"The Guardian Apex Predator is dead."
"The remaining hostile creatures have been eliminated."
"And the sector has been declared clear."
Only then would Forward Command issue their next deployment orders.
Lucian gave a slight nod.
"So until H-09 is cleared..."
"...this is home."
David nodded.
"Exactly."
"We finish the mission."
"Then we move to the next sector."
David looked around the circle one final time.
"Any questions?"
No one spoke.
The mission was clear.
David gave a single nod.
"Gear check."
The squad immediately began preparing to leave.
Castiel adjusted the sword hanging at his side, making sure the sheath rested securely against his hip and would not interfere with his movement through the dense jungle.
Lucian drew the Bloodcrest Blade several inches from its sheath. The crimson metal caught the morning light as he inspected the edge before sliding it smoothly back into place.
Nyra rested a hand on each of the twin Wind Crest short swords at her hips, making sure they could be drawn freely before activating the terrain scanner secured to her forearm. The display flickered to life, projecting a small topographical map.
She checked the communication link.
"Terrain mapping online."
"Squad communications are clear."
Mira tightened the straps of her field pack before checking the compact twin blades secured at her hips. She pressed each release mechanism, confirming that both weapons would deploy without resistance, then locked them back into place.
June removed the fold-out energy baton from his belt and activated it.
The weapon extended with a sharp metallic snap. Blue energy flickered briefly around the stun core before he collapsed it and returned it to his side.
"Ready," he said.
David secured the Claw Gauntlets around his forearms.
The metallic clasps locked into place.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the mechanisms respond beneath the armored plating.
Satisfied, he turned toward the jungle.
Towering trees rose beyond the edge of the camp, their broad canopies overlapping high above the ground. Thick vines hung between ancient trunks, while pale morning mist drifted through the tangled undergrowth.
From the safety of the plateau, the jungle had looked peaceful.
Up close, it felt different.
The vegetation was too dense to see more than a short distance ahead. Shadows shifted beneath enormous leaves. Strange calls echoed somewhere beyond the tree line, followed by long stretches of silence.
Anything could be moving beneath that canopy.
David turned back toward the others.
"Formation."
The squad moved immediately.
Castiel advanced ahead of the main group, taking the forward scouting position. He remained close enough to maintain visual contact whenever the terrain allowed, while his communicator kept him connected to the rest of Gamma.
David moved behind him at the front of the main formation.
June took the left side.
Mira moved along the right.
Nyra remained protected near the center, where she could monitor the terrain scanner and maintain contact with Forward Command.
Lucian settled into the rear position, watching the ground they had already crossed and making sure nothing followed them unnoticed.
David studied the formation.
Everyone held enough distance to move freely without becoming isolated from the squad.
"Maintain spacing," David said through the comms.
Five voices answered through his earpiece.
"Understood."
David looked toward Castiel.
"You see anything unusual, report it immediately."
Castiel rested one hand near the hilt of his sword.
"You'll be the first to know."
June's voice came through the channel.
"Preferably before it starts eating us."
Mira glanced toward him.
"Stay alert and that becomes less likely."
"Less likely isn't the same as impossible."
"No," Lucian said from the rear. "But silence would improve your chances."
Castiel laughed quietly over the comms.
David allowed the exchange to pass before returning his attention to the jungle.
"Keep the channel clear once we enter."
The humor faded.
Everyone focused.
Castiel stepped beyond the camp perimeter.
Shadows gathered around his boots before climbing his body like drifting smoke.
Within seconds, his outline blurred into the darkness beneath the towering trees.
Then...
He was gone.
Only his voice remained.
"Moving."
David watched the tree line for another moment before raising his hand.
"Advance."
Gamma Squad crossed the edge of the camp and entered H-09.
The change was immediate.
The morning sun vanished beneath an endless canopy of towering trees whose massive branches intertwined high overhead, allowing only scattered shafts of golden light to reach the forest floor. Thick vines coiled around trunks wider than houses, while dense ferns and tangled undergrowth stretched in every direction.
The air grew cooler.
Heavier.
Every breath carried the scent of damp earth, moss, and ancient wood.
The jungle felt alive.
David moved at the front of the formation, his eyes constantly searching.
The ground.
The undergrowth.
The trunks.
The branches overhead.
Then back again.
A threat could come from any direction.
No one spoke.
The only sounds were their measured footsteps and the endless chorus of the jungle.
A soft crackle sounded through David's communicator.
"Scout to Lead."
David touched the earpiece.
"Go ahead."
"I've advanced another thirty meters."
"No contacts."
"Terrain is clear."
David nodded.
"Maintain your distance."
"Copy."
The transmission ended.
Gamma Squad continued deeper beneath the canopy.
Behind David, Nyra monitored the terrain scanner secured to her forearm. A faint blue line steadily traced their route across the holographic display, expanding the map with every step they took.
"So far, everything's updating correctly," she reported. "No signs of previous exploration."
David wasn't surprised.
No human had ever walked this part of H-09.
Every meter they covered...
Every path they recorded...
Would become part of humanity's first map of this sector.
Several more minutes passed.
Castiel checked in every few hundred feet, his calm voice always arriving before anyone caught another glimpse of him emerging briefly from the shadows ahead.
Then disappearing again.
June finally shook his head.
"I swear he's enjoying this."
Lucian didn't take his eyes off the jungle behind them.
"He probably is."
Another transmission interrupted them.
"Lead."
David answered immediately.
"Report."
A short pause.
"Movement."
David raised a clenched fist.
The formation stopped instantly.
"What do you have?" David asked.
"Upper canopy."
"I'm moving closer."
"Proceed."
Silence returned.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Even June kept his thoughts to himself.
Several long seconds passed.
Then Castiel's voice returned.
"False contact."
A burst of colorful birds exploded from the upper branches, their bright feathers flashing between beams of sunlight before disappearing deeper into the jungle.
June released the breath he'd been holding.
"I was already writing my last words."
Lucian smirked.
"You've got better odds if you stop announcing them."
A few quiet laughs broke the tension.
David allowed himself a faint smile.
Then his expression hardened.
"Stay focused."
"One mistake out here can get someone killed."
The laughter disappeared.
Gamma Squad resumed their advance.
As they pushed farther into H-09, David noticed the jungle beginning to change.
The birds grew quieter.
The insects became less frequent.
Even the breeze that had stirred the leaves moments before seemed to fade away.
He slowed.
Raised his hand.
The formation stopped.
David listened.
Nothing.
No buzzing insects.
No distant calls.
Only silence.
Nyra looked up from her scanner.
"I've noticed it too."
June frowned.
"I don't like this."
David kept scanning the dense wall of trees surrounding them.
"Nobody does."
He rested one hand against the gauntlet on his forearm.
"Stay sharp."
Without another word, Gamma Squad continued deeper into the jungle.
Castiel's voice broke the silence.
"Lead."
David touched the communicator at his ear.
"Report."
"I have visual."
The formation stopped immediately.
"Distance?"
"Approximately eighty meters."
"How many?"
A brief pause.
"Six."
"They haven't detected me."
David considered the information for only a moment.
"Hold your position."
"Copy."
David looked toward Nyra.
"Anything on the scanner?"
She studied the holographic display hovering above her forearm.
"No life signs."
June frowned.
"Seriously?"
Nyra nodded.
"The vegetation is too dense."
"The scanner isn't reliable beyond fifty meters in this terrain."
David wasn't surprised.
Technology had limits.
Experience didn't.
He looked back toward the jungle ahead.
"We'll move up."
"Slowly."
"No unnecessary noise."
The formation advanced.
Every step was deliberate.
Branches were pushed aside instead of broken.
Roots were stepped over rather than on.
No one rushed.
After several minutes...
Castiel emerged from behind the trunk of an enormous tree.
He remained crouched.
Pointing ahead.
David moved beside him.
"What do you have?"
Castiel pointed through a narrow gap in the foliage.
"They're feeding."
David followed his line of sight.
A small clearing opened beneath the canopy.
Six creatures stood scattered throughout the area.
Each stood nearly five feet at the shoulder.
Their bodies resembled a cross between a wolf and a reptile. Thick blue-gray scales protected their backs while coarse black fur covered their legs and necks. Long muscular tails swayed behind them as rows of jagged teeth tore into the carcass of a massive herbivore lying in the grass.
The instant David's eyes settled on the nearest creature...
**System:**
**Species Identified — Razorhide Stalker
**Planetary Tier — Blue
**Level — 7
**Threat Assessment — Moderate
The blue window lingered for only a heartbeat before disappearing.
David's expression never changed.
Only he had seen it.
His eyes swept across the clearing.
Six predators.
All roughly the same size.
Spread far enough apart that one could escape if they weren't careful.
Castiel glanced toward him.
"What do you think?"
David studied the clearing for another moment.
"They're Blue Tier."
"Level seven."
"They're feeding, so they're distracted."
Lucian quietly stepped beside them.
"Can we take them?"
David nodded once.
"We can."
He looked back toward the clearing.
"They're spread apart."
"If one gets away..."
"It could alert anything else nearby."
His gaze moved across Gamma Squad.
"We eliminate all six."
"No survivors."
Everyone nodded.
"Castiel."
"The one on the left are yours."
"Lucian."
"Take the center."
"Mira."
"June."
"The two on the right."
He looked at Nyra.
"Stay mobile."
"Follow the other one."
Nyra tightened her grip on the handles of her twin Wind Crest short swords.
"Understood."
David slowly raised his hand.
The jungle fell silent.
Six predators continued feeding.
Completely unaware...
That they had become the prey.
"On my mark..."
David held his raised hand steady.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
The only sound came from the Razorhide Stalkers as they tore strips of flesh from the carcass scattered across the clearing.
One lifted its head.
Its yellow eyes slowly scanned the surrounding jungle.
David watched carefully.
The creature sniffed the air.
Then lowered its head and continued feeding.
"It hasn't caught our scent," David said quietly.
Castiel remained crouched beside him.
"The wind's in our favor."
David gave a slight nod.
"Let's keep it that way."
His eyes swept across the clearing one final time, committing every position to memory.
Two predators remained close together near the edge of the clearing.
One stood over the carcass.
The remaining three circled the opposite side, occasionally snapping at each other over pieces of meat.
None of them were standing watch.
"They're relaxed," Lucian observed.
"They think they're alone."
"They won't stay that way for long," David replied.
He looked toward each member of Gamma Squad.
"No unnecessary risks."
"If something changes..."
"Fall back to formation."
Everyone acknowledged the order with a quiet nod.
David slowly lowered his hand.
Castiel moved first.
"Shadow Veiling."
Darkness gathered around his boots before climbing his body like drifting smoke.
Within seconds, his outline dissolved into the shadows beneath the jungle canopy.
Then...
He was gone.
Lucian moved next.
He drifted through the undergrowth with surprising silence for someone carrying the Bloodcrest Blade.
Mira and June split to the right, weaving between enormous tree trunks until thick vegetation concealed them from view.
Nyra remained closest to David.
Her terrain scanner projected a faint holographic map across her forearm while her free hand rested on the hilt of one of her twin Wind Crest short swords.
One by one...
Green indicators appeared across David's communicator.
Castiel — In Position.
Lucian — In Position.
Mira — In Position.
June — In Position.
Nyra glanced toward David.
"I'm set."
David gave one final look toward the clearing.
The Razorhide Stalkers continued feeding.
Completely unaware they were surrounded.
He took a slow breath.
Then spoke calmly into the communicator.
"Gamma..."
A brief pause.
"Engage."
David's voice faded into the jungle.
For a heartbeat...
Nothing happened.
Then—
Castiel moved.
"Shadow Veil."
Darkness gathered around his boots before climbing his body like drifting smoke.
His outline blurred.
The shadows beneath the jungle canopy embraced him until nothing remained.
He was gone.
The nearest Razorhide Stalker continued tearing at the carcass.
It never noticed the shadow rising behind it.
Castiel emerged without a sound.
His hand tightened around the Shadow Blade.
"Rend."
The blade hummed.
Black energy raced along its edge before the sword disappeared into a single fluid slash.
The Razorhide froze.
A heartbeat later...
A deep wound split across its armored body.
Blood erupted into the clearing.
Its roar shattered the silence.
Every remaining Razorhide snapped its head toward the sound.
David moved.
"Shadow Step."
System: Shadow Step - Ready
System: Activating Shadow Step
The shadows beneath the towering trees surged around him.
His body dissolved into darkness.
He vanished.
An instant later...
He stepped from another shadow directly behind the largest Razorhide Stalker.
The predator sensed him.
It spun with frightening speed.
Too late.
David extended his Claw Gauntlets.
"Predator Step."
System: Predator Step - Ready
System: Activating Predator Step
His muscles exploded with speed.
Every movement flowed into the next.
One slash carved through the creature's shoulder.
He disappeared beneath its reaching claws.
Another slash opened its ribs.
The Razorhide roared and swung wildly.
David was already behind it.
Three more strikes landed before the creature could recover.
The final cross-slash tore through its neck.
The massive predator collapsed into the blood-soaked earth.
System: Razorhide Stalker
System: Level 7
System: Eliminated +45 EXP
A second Razorhide charged toward Nyra.
She calmly drew both Wind Crest Swords.
"Cyclone Domain."
The air around her erupted.
Leaves, dust, and loose branches spiraled upward into a roaring vortex.
The charging creature lowered its head.
Nyra smiled.
"Tempest Dance."
Both swords blurred.
Compressed crescents of wind burst from every swing.
The Razorhide crashed through the first attack...
Only for Nyra to vanish into her own cyclone.
She reappeared above the beast.
Twin blades crossed.
The spinning winds amplified the strike.
The Razorhide slammed into the ground beneath the force before two razor-sharp currents carved across its back.
Another beast lunged toward Lucian.
He stepped forward without fear.
"Blood Weave."
Crimson energy spread from his palm across the Bloodcrest Blade.
The weapon pulsed like a living heartbeat.
Lucian raised the sword.
"Crimson Threads."
He swung once.
Thin crimson threads scattered through the air.
The Razorhide charged directly through them.
Three steps.
Four.
Then...
Its body split apart along dozens of invisible lines.
The beast collapsed in pieces before reaching him.
Behind him...
Another Razorhide broke through the trees toward Mira.
She never looked up.
"Prediction Field."
The jungle slowed.
Every movement became crystal clear.
The tightening muscles.
The shifting weight.
The exact path of the incoming attack.
She opened her eyes.
"Echo Strike."
The Razorhide struck empty air.
Mira slipped beneath its claws.
Her twin blades flashed.
One precise strike.
Then another.
Then a third.
Each cut landed exactly where the previous one had weakened the creature's defenses.
The Razorhide stumbled.
Collapsed.
Never understanding how it had been defeated.
June burst from the trees with a grin.
"There you are!"
"Kinetic Step."
Blue energy pulsed beneath his boots.
Every stride increased his speed.
The ground fractured beneath each step.
The last Razorhide turned just as June reached it.
He spun the Kinetic Baton overhead.
"Momentum Break!"
The weapon released every ounce of stored kinetic energy.
The impact echoed through the clearing like a cannon blast.
The Razorhide left the ground.
Its enormous body smashed through tree after tree before disappearing into the dense jungle beyond.
The crashing finally stopped.
Silence returned to the clearing.
Only drifting leaves...
And the bodies of six Razorhide Stalkers remained.
David slowly lowered his claws.
His eyes swept across the battlefield.
Every member of Gamma Squad was still standing.
Exactly as planned.
David slowly retracted the claws of his gauntlets.
The metallic blades folded back into their housings with a series of quiet clicks.
His eyes swept across the clearing one final time.
Every Razorhide Stalker lay motionless.
The smell of blood mixed with damp earth as the jungle slowly reclaimed its silence.
Broken branches drifted to the ground.
Leaves settled.
No movement.
David waited another several seconds before speaking.
"Status."
Castiel slid the Shadow Blade back into its sheath.
"No injuries."
Lucian rested the Bloodcrest Blade across his shoulder.
"Perimeter secure."
Mira scanned the surrounding tree line.
"No movement within visual range."
June spun the Kinetic Baton once before collapsing it against his belt.
"I don't think they'll be getting back up."
Nyra knelt beside the largest Razorhide and activated her terrain scanner.
Blue light washed across the creature's body.
Her holographic display rapidly compiled information.
"Scanning..."
Several seconds passed.
"Scan complete."
She stood.
"Six Razorhide Stalkers confirmed."
"Average Level six."
"Pack Alpha confirmed at Level seven."
"No additional life signs detected within one hundred meters."
David gave a slight nod.
"Good."
He looked toward the fallen creatures.
"Recover the energy cores."
"Leave the carcasses."
Everyone immediately moved.
Castiel knelt beside the first Razorhide, drawing a combat knife from his belt.
With practiced precision, he cut through the armored scales near the creature's chest.
After several moments, he reached inside.
A faint blue glow illuminated his hand.
"Core recovered."
Lucian extracted another moments later.
"Second core."
Nyra carefully removed the third.
Mira recovered the fourth.
June glanced over at David while pulling a glowing crystal from beneath thick layers of muscle.
"So this is what all the lectures were about."
He held the blue crystal up to the sunlight filtering through the canopy.
It shimmered like polished glass.
David accepted the final core from the largest Razorhide.
The crystal felt warm in his palm.
Almost alive.
System:
Uncommon Energy Core Acquired.
Item Stored.
The crystal vanished from David's hand.
June blinked.
"...Where'd it go?"
David calmly closed his hand.
"Storage compartment."
June stared for another second.
"...I want one."
"You'll have to invent it first," Castiel replied dryly.
A few quiet laughs spread through the squad.
Even David allowed himself the smallest smile.
The tension from the battle eased.
Only slightly.
Nyra finished reviewing the scan data.
"We should keep moving."
David looked at her.
"What did you find?"
"The Razorhide pack wasn't migrating."
She projected a holographic map into the air.
A series of blue footprints stretched across the display.
"They've been hunting within this area for several days."
She enlarged the map.
"Their tracks all originate from the same direction."
A narrow valley several kilometers away.
Lucian folded his arms.
"A den?"
Nyra nodded.
"Most likely."
David studied the projection in silence.
"If that's their territory..."
"...there are probably more."
No one argued.
He looked at Gamma Squad.
"We've completed our first objective."
"Now we find out why five Level 6 and a level 7 predators were hunting together."
He turned toward the valley.
"Stay alert."
"Move out."
Without another word, Gamma Squad disappeared back into the dense jungle, leaving the silent clearing behind as they advanced deeper into the unknown.
The jungle grew denser with every step.
Towering trees stretched hundreds of feet into the sky, their thick branches weaving together to form a living ceiling that swallowed most of the sunlight. Shafts of pale light occasionally pierced the canopy, illuminating patches of moss-covered ground before disappearing into the darkness again.
The air was warm.
Humid.
Every breath carried the scent of damp earth and ancient wood.
David remained at the front of the formation, his eyes constantly moving between the terrain ahead and the dense undergrowth on either side.
Behind him, Nyra occasionally glanced between the path and the holographic map projected from her scanner.
"We're still on their trail," she said quietly.
"The tracks haven't changed."
Lucian stepped over a fallen log.
"They really stayed in one area."
"They were territorial," Mira replied.
"Most predators are."
June brushed a low-hanging vine out of his face.
"I'd rather fight something territorial than something that wanders."
Castiel raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Because if it wanders..."
June looked into the dark forest surrounding them.
"...it could be anywhere."
No one laughed.
The silence that followed was enough of an answer.
Minutes passed.
The deeper they traveled, the older the forest became.
Massive roots twisted across the ground like giant serpents, forcing the squad to carefully navigate around them. Thick vines hung from the canopy overhead, while strange blue fungi clung to the sides of ancient trees, casting a faint bioluminescent glow beneath the shade.
Nyra slowed.
"Hold."
The entire squad stopped instantly.
David crouched beside her.
"What is it?"
She pointed toward the ground.
The soft soil was covered in fresh tracks.
Not Razorhide tracks.
These were larger.
Much larger.
Each print sank several inches into the earth, leaving behind four massive claw marks.
Lucian frowned.
"That's not one of the Razorhides."
Nyra compared the print against her scanner.
"No match."
She looked up.
"Whatever made these..."
"...it passed through less than an hour ago."
David studied the trail leading deeper into the valley.
The footprints crossed directly over the Razorhide tracks.
He frowned.
"It came after them."
Castiel's hand rested on the hilt of his Shadow Blade.
"Or they were running from it."
The realization settled over the squad.
If five Level 6 predators and a Level 7 Alpha had ruled this territory...
Then something strong enough to hunt them had just walked through it.
David slowly stood.
"We continue."
His voice remained calm.
"But from this point forward..."
He looked at each member of Gamma Squad.
"...assume we're no longer the hunters."
The six cadets tightened their formation as they followed the massive footprints deeper into the valley, each step carrying them closer to whatever had claimed dominion over the Razorhides' territory.