Petal

The air in the camp was thick that night, heavy with the metallic sting of blood and smoke. The walls, the tents, the very earth seemed to hum with unease. Every distant cry or clang of steel sent a ripple through the people, mothers clutching their children tighter, young warriors pacing like restless shadows, and older wolves muttering curses under their breath.

I could feel it pressing down on me, clawing into my chest. Something was coming.

I sat by the fire, trying to ...