The warmth in the tent vanished as if someone had snuffed out a candle. My heart, which had been hammering with affection just a moment ago, now thudded with anxiety.
The heavy, rhythmic squelch of mud outside was unmistakable. Whatever was out there was massive, and the low, wet huff of air following each step sent a shiver straight down my spine that had nothing to do with the temperature.
Raiden, sensing the shift in the air, let out a tiny, sharp growl from deep within my coat. I immediately pressed my palm over the fabric, muffling him. 'Not now, little thunder. Not now.'
Just as the outside became still, as if whatever was threatening us from outside had disappeared, the tent fabric suddenly rippled as a massive shadow blotted out the dim light filtering through the leather.
I had to cover my mouth so as not to make a sound. It startled me. That huge figure outside definitely wasn't here with a fruit basket to welcome the new neighbors.
