The forest felt different now.
The hunters were gone, but the silence they left behind felt heavier than the battle itself. Even the wind moving through the trees sounded cautious, as if the forest itself knew something was wrong.
Ashra stood close to Rusof, her arms wrapped around herself. The tension in the air made it hard to breathe.
Elder Varic's words echoed in her mind.
Something even we fear.
Rusof's gaze was fixed on the darkness beyond the trees.
"Explain what you meant..." he said quietly.
Varic turned slowly toward the deeper part of the forest. His red eyes narrowed slightly.
"Three nights ago, a disturbance was reported near the northern mountains."
Lena frowned.
"A hunter attack?"
Varic shook his head.
"No..."
He paused for a moment.
"Something killed them."
Ashra blinked.
"Hunters?"
"Yes."
Rusof crossed his arms slowly.
"Hunters dying isn't unusual."
Varic's expression remained serious.
"Their bodies were drained of blood."
The words hung in the air.
Lena's eyes widened slightly.
"That sounds like vampires."
Varic shook his head again.
"Not vampires."
Rusof's voice lowered.
"Then what?"
Varic looked at him.
"Something ancient."
A cold wind moved through the clearing.
Ashra felt goosebumps crawl along her arms.
"Ancient how?" she asked quietly.
Varic studied her for a moment before answering.
"Older than the vampire clans."
Lena stiffened.
"That's impossible."
Varic didn't respond immediately.
"Something has awakened. Something that should have remained buried."
Rusof glanced at the forest again.
"And it's coming here."
"Yes."
Ashra swallowed nervously.
"Why here?"
Varic's eyes shifted toward her.
"Because of you."
Rusof stepped forward instantly.
"Enough."
Varic raised an eyebrow.
"You believe this is coincidence?"
Rusof's voice turned cold.
"She's human."
"Exactly," Varic replied.
Ashra felt every pair of vampire eyes suddenly on her.
"I don't understand..." she said quietly.
Lena crossed her arms thoughtfully.
"Some ancient creatures are drawn to human bloodlines."
Ashra blinked.
"Bloodlines?"
Rusof shook his head.
"Speculation."
Varic looked unconvinced.
"Perhaps..."
Before anyone could say more, a sudden sound echoed through the forest.
CRACK.
A branch snapped somewhere deeper in the trees.
Everyone turned instantly.
Rusof's posture changed.
Predatory.
Alert.
"Stay close to me," he told Ashra.
She nodded quickly.
Another sound echoed.
This time it wasn't a branch.
It sounded like something heavy moving across the ground.
Slow.
Dragging.
Ashra's stomach twisted.
"Tell me that's just an animal..."
No one answered.
Rusof stepped slightly in front of her.
Lena's eyes glowed faintly gold as she scanned the darkness.
Varic remained completely still.
The forest seemed to hold its breath.
Then something moved between the trees.
Not clearly.
Just a shape.
Tall.
Thin.
Too thin.
Ashra felt her heart slam against her ribs.
"Rusof..."
He saw it too.
For a moment the figure stood in the darkness between the trees.
Then it moved again.
Fast.
Too fast.
It vanished deeper into the forest.
Silence returned.
Lena frowned.
"That wasn't human."
Rusof nodded slowly.
"And not vampire."
Varic looked thoughtful.
"So it's here already."
Ashra felt panic rising in her chest.
"What was that?"
Varic answered calmly.
"Something curious."
Rusof's jaw tightened.
"Curious things are dangerous."
Another sound echoed.
This time much closer.
Ashra turned toward it instinctively.
And froze.
Something was standing behind one of the trees only ten meters away.
It stepped slightly into the moonlight.
Ashra gasped.
The creature looked almost human.
Almost.
Its body was tall and thin with pale grey skin stretched too tightly over its bones. Its arms hung unnaturally long, fingers nearly touching the ground.
But the worst part was its face.
Or what should have been a face.
Its eyes were completely black.
Its mouth stretched too wide.
And when it smiled, rows of thin needle-like teeth became visible.
Ashra's voice trembled.
"What is that..."
Varic's expression darkened.
"A Night Feeder."
The creature tilted its head slowly.
Then it sniffed the air.
Ashra felt frozen in place.
Its black eyes suddenly locked onto her.
The smile widened.
Rusof moved instantly.
He stepped directly in front of Ashra.
"Don't move."
The creature twitched slightly.
Then it spoke.
Its voice sounded wrong.
Like several whispers overlapping.
"Human..."
Ashra's breath caught.
The creature took one slow step forward.
"Warm blood..."
Lena prepared to attack.
"That thing isn't supposed to exist anymore."
Rusof's eyes burned crimson.
"Then let's remind it why."
The creature suddenly moved.
Not toward Rusof.
Toward Ashra.
It lunged across the clearing with terrifying speed.
Rusof intercepted it mid-air.
They collided violently, crashing into the ground and rolling across the dirt.
Ashra stumbled backward in shock.
The creature shrieked.
Its claws raked across Rusof's chest, tearing through his shirt.
Rusof grabbed its arm and twisted sharply, throwing it several meters away.
The creature landed on all fours like an animal.
Then it laughed.
The sound was disturbing.
Broken.
Hungry.
"Strong vampire..."
Rusof wiped blood from his lip.
"Ugly monster..."
Lena attacked next.
She darted forward and slashed across the creature's back with her claws.
The Night Feeder screeched and spun toward her.
But instead of attacking...
It looked past her.
Back at Ashra.
The creature's smile returned.
"Her blood..."
Varic suddenly stepped forward.
His eyes glowed brighter than any vampire present.
"You will not touch her."
The Night Feeder hissed.
But it didn't attack Varic.
Instead, it slowly backed away.
Still staring at Ashra.
"Soon..."
The word slithered from its mouth.
Then it leapt into the trees and disappeared into the darkness.
Silence returned again.
Ashra's legs felt weak.
"That thing was looking at me the whole time..."
Rusof turned toward her quickly.
"Are you hurt?"
"No..."
But her voice was shaky.
Lena exhaled slowly.
"That confirms it."
Rusof looked at her.
"Confirms what?"
Varic answered instead.
"The creature is hunting her."
Ashra felt her stomach drop.
"Why me?"
Varic's expression remained serious.
"We don't know yet."
Rusof stepped closer to Ashra.
Protective.
Dangerous.
"Then we find out before it comes back."
Varic nodded slightly.
"Because it will come back."
Ashra glanced toward the dark forest.
The feeling of being watched hadn't disappeared.
If anything, it felt stronger.
Far away in the trees, unseen eyes followed their every movement.
Waiting.
Studying.
Hunting.
And somewhere in the darkness, the Night Feeder whispered softly to itself.
"Human blood..."
"Soon..."