Thirty.
It felt like her soul quietly packed its bags, waved goodbye, and walked out of her body.
"…I'm sorry," she said slowly. "Did you just say *thirty*?"
"At least," Veer replied. "Their scent is thick. Old blood, rot, poison. They're not passing by." His gaze hardened. "They're hunting."
Cutie's ears stood bolt upright, trembling slightly as they angled toward the distant sound only he could pick up.
"I can hear something too," he whispered. "Slithering. Many of them. They're spreading out… surrounding, maybe."
Kaya swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry.
Of course.
Of course the one tribe she'd been mentally blacklisting since day one had decided *now* was the perfect time to show up. Right when her brain was already fried from gods, reincarnations, and emotionally constipated vultures.
Fantastic.
She forced herself to breathe, slow and deep.
The snake coming here was not a good thing. Kaya looked at Veer and asked, "Are they here for the tribe or us?"
