"Howling Hearts: When Hunters Love the Beast"

ee – Thread

ep didn't come

d sinking into her chest. The forest was silent in a way that wasn't natural. No wind,

outs

her d

rown. The trees were taller, the sky red, and the wind whispered names she almost

sn't

t animal

his chest-standing in the clearing with his back to her. S

tur

yes g

oke up, b

_____________

mbered the dream, only the

er today-at least on the surface. Jace was in full form, bragging about catching a squirrel on camera (

tening. Her eyes kep

turned into a withdrawn silence. Even Selene, usually u

last night?" Amara finally asked,

one of those dreams wher

ike... the forest. Except it w

n the trees, but they were all twisted. And there was something wat

ell silent

reamed I was running. Fast. Faster than I

ted down Am

tered. "We all just happen to have spooky

weird vibes. The howling, the dreams, the way the teachers keep stayi

nce," Sel

dowing," Ja

group, heading toward the river. His sudden depart

could

_____________

r a survival scavenger challenge. They were told to pair up,

stuck wi

spoken sin

, past thick roots and moss-covered stones. The

ly. "About earlier. The dre

den said withou

n't have to act like

ning to face her. "What

y, but it was... tire

w. That's the thing. But you

ost in a forest neither of them understood, w

"Sometimes it's easier

oesn't me

ntly. "You sou

just... I feel like there's something here. Somethi

idn't d

ving her with only the sound of the

_____________

berries, herbs, rocks, even a frog Rhea insisted was following her for re

shoulders nearly touching. They didn't speak much, but Amara noticed the way he passe

Soft.

e tension, the fear, the dreams-they were st

at Aiden, who

er wanted t

what might happen

visible thread between them. Somethin