Rustle. Rustle! RUSTLE! RUSTLE-RUSTLE!
Everyone froze as the sound of dozens—no, hundreds—of feet scurrying through the underbrush filled the air.
"You hear that?" Rufus asked while Jake, as silent as ever, raised his sword, his eyes sharpening.
Clara, on the other hand, rolled her eyes at Rufus's question. "No, we're just imagining synchronized rustling."
Jessy and Lio tensed, ready to act, walking closer to others.
Selena narrowed her eyes. "It doesn't feel like an enemy…"
Then—
They appeared.
Squirrels.
Dozens of them.
No—hundreds.
Maybe even a full fuzzy battalion of squirrels poured out from the trees.
Red ones. Gray ones. Jet black ones with glowing green eyes. One was riding a turtle for some reason. Another had a flower crown.
Some were carrying acorns like they were holy relics.
The entire forest floor seemed to shift under their fluffy little feet as they surrounded the group.
Everyone stared, dumbfounded.
