The hall hung in silence after Salken's words.

Tholn's expression tightened. Movement was a common term that they used as hunters in the glade to refer to tracks and signs of life. They used it to make it easier to communicate that there were beasts around.

He crouched beside Salken, his voice firm but quieter than before, "What did you see? Tell us everything. Not just the end- step by step. What exactly did you and Druven run into?"

Salken swallowed, his throat raw. His gaze slid toward Druven, who still lay unconscious, then back to the crowd that had gathered.

"We had been hunting for signs of strays past the ridge when we heard the movement. Following the trail, at first it was only tracks- clawed prints in the mud, too many going in the same direction. Druven thought it was unusual, but I said we should follow. Looking back now…"

He lowered his eyes, guilt flooding his tone, "...that was a mistake. A big mistake."

Saying this, Salken weakly turned to Tholn, expecting to see disappointment in his eyes. Tholn had been the leader of the hunting party for Glowfen Glade since the Beast Horde attack so he knew the rules and training that the hunters went through and what Salken and Druven did had already broken the rules.

Tholn broke the silence, shaking his head, "It was indeed a mistake, Salken.. You should have trusted your instincts, Salken. Tracks that strange are never harmless. You knew something was wrong."

Salken lowered his gaze, accepting the blame without protest, letting guilt wash over him like a tide.

He braced for harsher words—but instead, Tholn's tone shifted, unexpectedly warm, "Yet mistakes are how hunters learn. You came back alive, and Druven lives still. That means there is still time to do better."

The sudden kindness caught Salken off guard, his eyes flicking up in surprise.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came. The warmth of Tholn's reassurance seemed to dull the sting of Kaelen's harsher remark, leaving him conflicted—ashamed, yet faintly steadied by hope.

He drew in a breath, steadying himself before continuing, "As we pressed on, the signs grew heavier—branches snapped low to the ground, soil torn and gouged, drag marks scoring the earth. Then came something stranger still: patterns stamped deep into the mud, clustered impressions of countless small legs moving in rhythm, as though an army of insects had marched through in formation."

Some of the Kin shifted uneasily at this, muttering. The children huddled closer together, eyes wide, some burying their faces against their elders as if the thought of giant insects carrying meat chilled them more than the cold wind outside. Kaelen simply gripped his brother's hand tighter, silent but resolute.

Ash's ears flicked, his mind sharpening at the realization. Drag marks, insect trails… it seems that they weren't just wandering.

Salken's voice weakened as he then drew a shaky breath, "We followed the trails until we saw them—fifteen in all. A swarm of insects, massive carrion beetles with shells black and gleaming. They weren't feeding wild; they were organized. They carried the body of a slain beast between them, marching in lines. Dozens of legs lifted it as if it were nothing, and they bore it straight into a tunnel carved into the ridge."

The listeners shuddered. One child whimpered and clutched his sister's arm while the other children began to hug one another, providing comfort to one another.

Tholn's eyes narrowed, "A tunnel… built or dug?"

"Dug," Salken rasped, "Fresh earth piled high around the entrance. It wasn't natural. It couldn't be."

Ash's ears flicked, his mind conjuring the image of creatures dragging their kill below ground, "And you followed?"

Salken's jaw tightened, "Druven wanted to. He said we had to know what was inside. He said if they were nesting, we couldn't ignore it."

He coughed weakly, guilt flooding his body as he took a second to compose himself, his brother squeezing his hand tighter, "I told him no. I told him it was too dangerous, that we should circle the area, look for more signs and report this to the leaders."

"What happened?" Tholn pressed.

Salken looked down, shame flickering across his face, "But he didn't listen. Druven went in alone."

The hall grew stiller at those words, the fire snapping loudly in the hush as the Kin exchanged worried glances, realizing this was only the beginning of the tale.

Salken's voice wavered as he went on, "I circled the ridge after Druven entered. I thought if I kept to the surface I might learn more."

He closed his eyes briefly, "I found other tunnels—three, maybe four. And from each, more beetles returned. Each group bore pieces of flesh, torn limbs of beasts, all carried down into the dark."

Gasps rippled. Ash whispered, "They were feeding something. Most likely their queen…"

Rhavri then chimed in, bringing her opinions onto Ash's thoughts, as she clasped her chin in analysis, "Yes… but it bring such a vast amount of meat would mean two things. Either, one, their queen has grown to a Behemoth status and needs all that food to reproduce even more beetles. Or two, they are feeding something else entirely. Something huge and very hungry."

Her tone then turned grave, "either way, neither are positive. A nest this close to the glade is dangerous… the last time this happened…"

At her words, the hall seemed to stiffen. Everyone knew what she was speaking of: the Beast Horde that had once destroyed Glowfen Glade. The memory alone was enough to send shivers through even the elders. Fear and shakiness rippled through the gathered Kin, children clutching one another as tears welled in their eyes.

A small voice broke the silence—Mela, eyes wide and trembling, "Big Sis Rhavi… you don't mean there's going to be another beast horde?"

The question tightened the hall like a noose, unease deepening. Some of the Kin bowed their heads, others muttered nervously, and the children's tears began to spill.

Tholn stepped forward, raising his hand. His voice was steady, simple, and warm, "Peace. Let's not jump to conclusions yet. Nothing is certain. We need to hear the whole story first."

Saying this, he turned back to Salken, encouraging him. "Go on, tell us what happened next."

"I panicked," Salken admitted. "I knew Druven was inside, and I ran to warn him. I entered the tunnel, shouting his name. Before I could go far, he came rushing out, his voice echoing down the tunnel as he yelled for me to run. And then I heard it—the whirring of wings, the screech of carapaces grinding. When I turned, a swarm of fifty beetles came flying after us."

He swallowed hard, guilt shadowing his voice. "For just a moment, I froze. I needed to gather my bearings. In hindsight, that heartbeat of hesitation cost us dearly. It gave them time to close the distance."

"I ran, but at the entrance they nearly caught me. Druven appeared at my side and struck one of them down, denting its exoskeleton with a blow so fierce the creature shrieked. The swarm surged forward, mandibles clashing. Together we fought—we had no choice. I struck and dented their shells, staggering them, while Druven poured his Aether into every strike, killing them one after another. The air stank of ichor and smoke. For a moment, fear turned to fury as we pushed them back," he spoke, his face scrunching as if he was reliving the same fear and emotions at the time as he recalled those memories, "But then their leader came. Larger than the rest, plated in crimson chitin that gleamed dark in the light, its mandibles long and jagged like hooked blades. Its movements were sharp and deliberate, predatory, like a tiger stalking its prey. It was not just another beetle—it was something meant to terrify."

Salken shivered, forcing the words out, "Druven engaged it, throwing himself into battle. Blow for blow, he held it to a standstill. While he clashed with the beast, I fought the swarm, denting their shells while Druven cut them down with Aether-laced strikes. But then the leader turned on me. I never saw it coming."

His hand trembled, "It lunged from the side, too fast. I froze. Druven came to my defense, deflecting the strike. But the force threw him off balance. Then the leader's leg stabbed straight into his chest, and its other legs slashed at him in a blur. I dashed forward at that moment, dragging Druven away from the monster's reach."

One of the older Kin spoke up, voice heavy, "How did you get away?"

Salken drew a breath, his voice rough, "Druven… he used the last of his remaining aether to use Veil of Dusk. To the beetles, we became nothing more than a ripple in the dark. It is an advanced camouflage, draining every drop of Aether to mask sound, scent, and sight. With it, we escaped."

His voice broke, "From there I ran as fast as I could with all my aether. But as we were about to reach the Glade, our trail was caught by the beast that followed us here. I carried Druven, I ran until my legs gave out, using as many tactics as I knew how and still it chased us… but somehow we crossed the threshold."

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