Violet
I moved through the aftermath of the chaos with my heart pounding against my ribs.
This part of the forest was a ruin. Small trees had been snapped in half, their splintered trunks jutting up like broken bones. Deep gouges scarred the earth where the creatures had trampled through, and the air was thick with the smell of blood and crushed vegetation.
Our things were scattered everywhere.
I spotted Rowan's bag first, half-buried under a pile of torn leaves and dirt. The strap was broken, but when I pulled it free, most of the contents were still inside. My own bag was a few paces away, its side torn open but still holding together.
I gathered what I could, shoving items back into the damaged bags with trembling hands. A lot of our things, especially the food was crushed or leaking, but I took what was salvageable and I didn't have time to be careful.
