The traveler’s confidence evaporated in an instant, replaced by raw terror as the reality of his situation set in. Without a word, he dropped the rock and turned, sprinting into the darkness with panic driving his every step.
Daniella watched in stunned silence, her body trembling, as the wolf’s presence filled the clearing. For a moment, everything was still, the only sound was the traveler’s fading footsteps. The wolf stood there, a silent guardian, his eyes meeting Daniella’s for a fleeting moment before turning away.