The oppressive silence of the forest was shattered by a sudden, unnerving sound—a clicking noise, faint but distinct. It echoed in the stillness, like the clashing of teeth, sending a shiver down Raika's spine. Her breath hitched, and she froze in place, the guards halting their movements alongside her. The tension in the air thickened, coiling around them like an invisible serpent.
Raika's voice trembled slightly as she whispered, "What is that?" Her words barely escaped her lips, almost swallowed by the darkness around them. She quickly glanced down at the tablet in her hand, the device glowing faintly as it scanned the surroundings. The interface flickered as it worked, but nothing out of the ordinary appeared on the radar. No anomalies, no readings, just an empty screen mocking her unease.