Ch. 3The Glowing Footprints

The forest was quiet, except for the soft crunch of leaves underfoot. Levi kept his eyes on the glowing trail. Then, the footprints stopped at a thick bush. Rachel peeked behind it and gasped. A small fox with silver fur sat there, eyes glowing like the footprints. "It’s cute!" Rachel said. The fox blinked and ran into the trees. "Wait!" Levi called, but it was gone.

As they turned to leave, the ground trembled. A deep rumble echoed through the trees. Rachel grabbed Levi’s hand. "What is that?" she asked. The air grew colder, and the glowing footprints began to swirl. A shadowy figure appeared, blocking their path. It had no face, only swirling darkness. Levi stepped forward, heart pounding. "We’re not afraid," he said. The shadow hissed and lashed out with a dark claw.