Alex continued to follow Brontes' lead for the next few hours, quickly becoming more and more interested to see where the mischievous little beast was taking him.
However, as they gradually made their way further and further into the deep wilderness, something changed.
The air shifted.
It was subtle at first – barely a tickle on the back of Alex's neck. But then Brontes stopped dead in his tracks, with the hair like bristles along the edge of his spine raising as a low, rumbling growl escaped his throat.
His usually playful eyes narrowed, turning sharp and instinctive, like a predator sensing the presence of another in the area.
Alex slowed to a halt, tensing his body as he heightened his senses to the maximum.
The environment around them began to change.
The terrain was still the vast, surreal wilderness of the Primordial Expanse, but there was something off.
