Chapter 274:Rest.
"Good." Larry looked at him for another moment. "I’ve had enough encounters with newbies with them not listening after a few minutes of advice."
"Goes through the ear."
"Yes, they never listen. Some of them have ended up in death, I wouldn’t want any of you dying in your firdt excursion in this place, that would make me sad. I’ve come to like you guys."
Silver’s attention sharpened.
"I swear on my life, I won’t go anywhere until the mission is finished."
Larry lowered his voice.
"That’s more like it."
Silver looked toward the darkness.
"I’m not that suicidal at the moment."
Larry chuckled .
"You’re a funny kid."
Silver remained quiet. Larry left a few seconds later.
The wind passed through the rocks. Somewhere far away, a beast called out, another answered, then another. The valley seemed to come alive as darkness settled over it.
Silver looked toward the mountains again. Something about the situation bothered him. If the cave simply contained something attractive to beasts, they should approach it.
If there was food inside, predators should enter. If there was water, herbivores should remain nearby. But the reports suggested something else. It almost sounded as though they were responding to different intensities of something.
"Silver."
Ravenna’s voice pulled him back.
"Hm?"
"Let’s go and eat, it’s getting late and the cold is picking up."
Silver nodded.
"Okay, should we take something hot?"
Ravenna nodded.
"Yap, I want it steaming."
Silver smiled.
"Let’s go."
They began preparing dinner.
The rest of the camp followed the same routine. The others sat together, discussing the route ahead and occasionally glancing toward Silver’s group.
Silver noticed.
Ravenna was trying to cook beside him, although she wasn’t doing much, while Silver prepared the meat. Their movements were comfortable.
They didn’t need to talk much. She passed him ingredients before he asked. He moved the cooking equipment before cause she needed the space.
Antony occasionally interrupted them with useless comments.
"I think your cooking is getting better."
Silver looked at him.
"You’ve eaten it how many times exactly, I seem to have forgotten."
"I ate it in my dreams."
"And?"
"They’re still delicious. You should cook everyday, right Ravenna?"
Ravenna laughed.
"Yap, I think he’s setting a standard for all of us."
"Mmh, and it’s unfair if he lets us eat slop. Those nutritional solutions makes me want to gag."
"Right, who even came up with those things."
Silver shook his head.
"You can cook for yourselves tomorrow, I’m not your personal chef."
Antony immediately looked offended.
"I was complimenting you."
"Poorly."
"I have a unique communication style."
"You have a terrible communication style, there is a difference between those two words."
Antony grinned.
Dinner was simple but filling. After they ate, everyone began preparing for the night.
The Rankers established watch rotations. Several traps were placed around the outer edge of the camp. Vehicles were positioned to create a partial barrier and weapons were kept nearby.
Silver checked their surroundings one final time before returning to the tent. The valley was almost completely dark now. Only a faint silver glow from the moon illuminated the mountains.
He sat outside for a while with Ravenna. They were quiet as they enjoyed the breeze. The wind moved through her hair lifting it up slightly.
Silver looked toward the distant ridge, then he saw something.
A small movement.
At first he thought it was an animal, then another appeared, and another.
Ravenna noticed his expression.
"What?"
Silver pointed.
"Look, over there... next to that rock that looks like it’s falling."
She followed his finger.
"Ooh, that’s..."
Several small shapes were moving across the ridge. Even from this distance, they were clearly beasts. They were walking in the same direction. Toward the eastern mountains.
Silver watched.
Another group appeared, then another.
"That’s a lot," Ravenna whispered.
"Yeah." Silver’s eyes narrowed. "Too many. It feels like a gathering beast tide."
They watched for several minutes as the animals continued moving. None approached the camp or attacked. They simply passed through the darkness and disappeared beyond the rocks.
Ravenna looked at Silver.
"Do you think they’re going to the cave?"
"I don’t know."
"But you think so."
Silver nodded.
"Yes."
He looked down at his hands.
There was an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. A sensation that they were approaching something important.
Something he had been searching for since entering the valley. Something that might completely change their plans.
Ravenna rested her head against his shoulder.
"We’ll see it tomorrow."
Silver nodded.
"Yeah, I hope we won’t encountere anything too bad."
They remained outside for another few minutes, then Larry called for everyone to get inside their tents.
"First watch starts in ten minutes!"
Silver stood.
"Come on."
Ravenna followed him.
Before entering the tent, Silver looked back toward the mountains one last time. The darkness had swallowed everything.
Silver no longer believed in coincidences, not here, not after everything that had already changed.
Inside the tent, Ravenna sat down while Silver checked their equipment one final time.
"You aren’t going to sleep easily, are you?"
Silver smiled.
"Probably not."
Ravenna sighed.
"You know you could wait until morning."
"I know."
"Then stop worrying."
Silver looked at her.
She smiled.
"I’m not saying we shouldn’t investigate."
"Then what are you saying?"
"I’m saying that whatever is in that cave has been there for a long time." She reached for his hand. "It isn’t going anywhere tonight."
Silver stared at her for a moment, then he smiled.
"You’re right."
"I usually am."
"Don’t get arrogant."
"Too late."
He laughed quietly.
The tension in his chest eased slightly as they settled down for the night. Outside, the camp slowly became quieter.
The first watch began. The others moved through their assigned positions.
The wind continued blowing through the valley.
And far beyond the camp, in the darkness between the mountains, something faintly pulsed beneath the earth. None of them heard it but the beasts did.
One by one, creatures gathered around the distant cave. A small reptilian beast stopped at the entrance and raised its head. Its body became completely still.
Then, from somewhere deep underground, there came a faint vibration. The beast slowly lowered itself to the ground. It did not enter but simply remained there.
More creatures arrived. Some lay down, some stood while some turned their heads toward the darkness.
None attacked one another or crossed the invisible boundary surrounding the cave. They simply waited as though they were listening.
And beneath them, far below the surface where no contractor had yet ventured, something continued to pulse like a heartbeat.