Then a growl. Then something very large began moving toward the clearing.
Kali's eyes closed for exactly one second. The grip of the Abyss flickered—thin, stretched, running on the last of whatever reserves she had left.
The bear broke from the treeline.
Wish threw the protection orb out—not one sphere but several, splitting it across every target at once. Around the bear: a translucent bubble that caught it mid-lunge and held it suspended, all that momentum stopped cleanly, the animal unharmed but thoroughly contained.
Around the three women: their own separate orbs, sealing them in sudden silence—voices cut off, hands stilled, and more importantly, whatever ability Aisha had just used locked away inside with her before she could try it again.
Wish had made a note to herself the moment the whistle started: abilities like that didn't stop at bears. The orb was as much prevention as protection.
Then she walked forward, knelt beside Kali, and caught her breath.
"You okay?"
