Night had truly fallen now, draping the jungle in thick darkness, the air buzzing with the calls of nocturnal insects and the distant cries of unseen creatures. The trees swayed gently in the warm breeze, their silhouettes towering like ancient sentinels around the small camp. The stars shimmered faintly above the canopy, occasionally peeking through breaks in the foliage.
With the tiger-like beast lying lifeless at the edge of the clearing, its blood soaking into the earth, the group slowly began to recover from the earlier shock. Sera had been bandaged, now resting against a tree with her head bowed. Eleanor sat beside her, watchful and quiet, occasionally checking the wound.
Von, as pragmatic as ever, stood over the corpse of the beast, arms crossed and eyes sharp. "We eat it," he said bluntly.
"What?" Sophia asked, wrinkling her nose. "You're serious?"
