The scent of rain clung to the earth, thick and rich, as the first drops fell from the sky. Selena inhaled deeply, her ears flicking at the distant rumble of thunder. The dense canopy above provided some shelter, but she could still feel the cold mist brushing against her fur.

  Chase walked beside her, hood pulled over his head, hands tucked into his coat. He hated the rain - complained about it every time. Selena smirked, her tail swaying lazily behind her.

  Selena: You’re sulking.

  Chase: I’m not.

  He muttered, kicking at a loose stone.

  Chase: I just don’t like walking around drenched.

  Selena watched the stone roll ahead before vanishing into the underbrush.

  Selena: Hm. Figures.

  She turned her gaze toward the forest, instincts prickling. Something was nearby - something that shouldn’t be here. She placed a hand on Chase’s chest, stopping him. His heartbeat was steady but questioning.

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  Selena lifted her head slightly, inhaling once more. The scent was faint, but it carried the unmistakable musk of a predator - something foreign. Her ears flattened in response.

  Selena: We’re being watched.

  Chase immediately tensed, his hand drifting toward the dagger on his belt. Not his sword - he knew better than to make sudden movements in these situations.

  A low growl rumbled from Selena’s throat as she turned her gaze to the shadows. She could see the gleam of eyes - waiting, assessing. A challenge.

  She bared her fangs, stepping forward. But the creature hesitated. It had expected easy prey but instead found them.

  A crack of lightning split the sky. In that flash of light, the eyes disappeared, retreating into the depths of the forest.

  Selena waited a moment longer, ears still perked, before turning back to Chase. He hadn’t moved, his eyes watching her carefully.

  Chase: Good thing it didn’t pursue.

  Selena: You scared?

  Chase: Hm! As if.

  Selena smirked, stepping closer to him.

  Selena: I guess the little adventurer I hunted back then isn’t so little anymore, huh?

  Chase turned away with an exasperated sigh.

  Chase: Don’t remind me… Come on. Let’s just keep moving before we freeze out here.

  The rain was falling harder now, washing away the tension in the air. The hunt was over before it began, but Selena found herself… satisfied. Not because of the retreating predator.

  But because Chase had stayed.