Su Qinglan woke up suddenly in the middle of the night. The treehouse was dark, illuminated only by the faint glow of the dying embers in the fire.
She sat up, her heart racing, as she heard a muffled thud followed by a low groan coming from the clearing outside.
She looked down at the bed. Her two cubs, Xiao Er and Xiao Yi, were sleeping soundly, their little chests rising and falling in perfect rhythm.
But when she looked around the room, she realized she was alone. The spots where Hu Yan, Rong Ye, and Han Jue usually slept were cold and empty.
Where did they go? She wondered, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. They would never leave the house in the middle of the night without telling me.
Another heavy sound...like a fist hitting skin...echoed through the night air.
