His confidence evaporated in an instant, replaced by raw terror as the reality of his situation set in. Without a word, he dropped the rock and turned, sprinting into the darkness with panic driving his every step.
Avery watched in stunned silence, her body trembling, as the moose’s presence filled the clearing. For a moment, everything was still, the only sound was the traveler’s fading footsteps. The moose stood there, a silent guardian, his eyes meeting Avery’s for a fleeting moment before turning away.