The forest—his sanctuary, his cradle of evolution—was burning.
Flames devoured the once-lush Emerald Green Forest with relentless hunger. Smoke curled and twisted into the sky like the screams of dying spirits, painting the heavens in a murky gray. The scent of scorched earth and burnt wood assaulted Ricky's senses, acrid and sharp, clinging to his every breath.
He hovered in mid-air, suspended in the dying sky, his gaze frozen upon the inferno below. His antennae twitched violently.
Ricky prided himself on keeping a clear head even in the face of danger. But now, an emotion far darker than fear or caution boiled within his chest. Rage. Boundless and wild, it surged through his veins like a roaring tide, threatening to consume everything in its path.
He trembled—not with fear, but with fury so intense it made the air around him buzz.
His hands clenched, his wings beat with increased ferocity, and his spiritual field flared unconsciously, pushing back the encroaching heat.
