Gabi knew something was wrong the moment the cave went quiet. It wasn't normal, like the gentle hush of night settling in or the soft drip of water echoing from stone. This was the kind of silence that pressed against the ears, heavily and expectantly, like the world itself was holding its breath.
The small fire in front of him crackled weakly as he roasted fish on a spit of sharpened wood. The smell was somehow comforting, familiar. It grounded him and gave him a strange sense of comfort. He had eaten little, but enough to keep him moving. It was enough to survive... for now.
His yellow reptilian eyes narrowed as his tail twitched behind him, scales scraping softly against stone. His senses spread outward instinctively, honed from weeks of constant battles and fear. The current Gabi, although still meek, was better than the previous one. At least, he could hunt beasts now... or escape from one.
