The forest would fall quiet, and Haruto noticed it slowly, first the crickets would vanish then the frogs near the water and the faint rustling of small creatures in the brush. Before long, the world settled into in unnatural stillness that left his ears twitching for sounds that never came.

He would stop along the narrow path, lifting his gaze to the trees, and while nothing appeared wrong the silence was suffocating around him. Forgive my intrusion, Haruto murmured softly to the trees, lowering his head in a small gesture. I mean no disrespect, and as if to answer him a shriek rang from above bringing the Rekishiya to freeze a chill running down his spine.

The sound would carry through the canopy in a long wavering note, avian and yet not. His eyes lifted slowly toward the dark branches overhead as old stories stirred in the back of his mind, a black cloud...an omen. He did not utter the name that came first to his mind as something above him shifted in the branches. Against every sensible instinct that told him to flee, curiosity kept him frozen in place.

---

Tsukiko

Tsukiko was following Haruto through the forest. The weather had begun to change slowly, fall whispering its promise of cooler days ahead. She had enjoyed Haruto’s company so far. He brought a calm energy that she appreciated.

However, as they walked everything seemed to go quiet. The chorus of crickets had died out. And it felt like they were being watched, setting her on alert. Like Haruto, Tsukiko’s ears twitched in every direction trying to hear something. Haruto spoke softly to the forest around them, seeming loud in the silence.

Not nearly as loud as the shriek that pierced their ears in response. All along her spine her fur was standing up. She quickly stood behind Haruto, a chill running through her. And it wasn’t from the chill in the air.

Plants and healing she could deal with, when it came to some strange creature shrieking at her…well she wasn’t the toughest.

And Haruto, well he wasn’t running. So she would stay with him. Until something came out at them anyways.

H-Haruto… what was that?

Her voice sounded weaker than she meant. Her throat dry from fear. She was still new and didn’t know the kind of fauna that called this place home. For all she knew she was scared of something harmless, but the way Haruto reacted told her maybe that wasn’t the case. She heard something shift overhead but didn’t dare look.

Instead she kept looking around them, and kept close to Haruto so close she could feel the warmth rolling off of him. If they weren’t eaten by whatever was out there, she may never live this down.