The water was leaving, but it wasn't taking the problems with it.
Kai stood at the entrance to what used to be the main den, watching muddy rivulets drain through passages that had been submerged just days ago. The flood had peaked, held for three terrible days, then began its slow retreat back into whatever geological nightmare had birthed it.
Scout emerged from the newly accessible eastern tunnel, fur matted with sediment and exhaustion written across every movement. The water specialist had been mapping the damage for hours, and the news kept getting worse.
"The primary cache is contaminated," Scout reported without preamble. Water specialists didn't waste words when the data was already bad. "Sixty percent of our fresh water stores are mixed with runoff. We can't use it without risking illness, but we also can't just abandon it because then we'll think we have resources we actually don't."
Kai felt something tighten in his chest. "So we're blind to our own shortage."
