"Agreed," Alvin replied. The memory of Hedwig's earlier glare at Misha sent a shiver down his spine.
He had a foreboding that Misha might already be in Hedwig's crosshairs.
Given that this was Hedwig's home turf, Alvin worried their group might not stand a chance in a confrontation.
This added a layer of anxiety to an already tense situation.
Meanwhile, Tabitha remained fast asleep, a serene smile playing on her lips.
After a short play with the fawn, a pigeon flew in from outside the cave and landed on Hedwig's shoulder, cooing softly. Hedwig paused at the sound, glancing at Tabitha still lost in slumber.
With a moment of hesitation, she quietly rose and tiptoed away, not wanting to disturb Tabitha's rest.
Misha, who had always sailed through life with ease, had encountered her greatest challenge in the form of unrequited love.
Ever since Derek had rescued her, she had vowed to marry him when she grew up.
Throughout her life, she had been shielded from hardship and treated like a princess by those around her.
No desire of hers had ever gone unfulfilled.
But she had never anticipated being slapped—twice—by a woman.
"So what if she's a doctor?" Misha fumed.
"She's hideous compared to me—not even worthy of being in the same league."
Resentment welled up within her as she ran to the riverbank.
Staring into the clear water, she examined her face, convinced it must be swollen from the force of the slap.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, vowing to make Tabitha pay tenfold for the humiliation.
Lost in her fury and self-pity, Misha failed to notice the danger creeping closer.
Suddenly, Rolf lunged forward, yanking Misha behind him just in time, shouting, "Look out!"
Misha hadn't realized what was happening when a snake suddenly shot out of the water.
Its jaws wide open, sharp fangs bared, struck directly at her leg.
Misha's face drained of color, her throat tightening as fear gripped her heart.
She stood frozen, unable to utter a sound, her mind blank with terror.
If not for Rolf's quick reflexes, Misha would have met a grim fate.
"Snake! There's a snake!" she stammered once she found her voice, her tone trembling with fear.
Without hesitation, Rolf drew his gun and fired at the attacking snake.
The gunshot echoed through the forest, the snake's blood splattering onto Misha's shoes.
Growing up in privilege, she rarely ventured into the wild.
Even during missions with Derek, she'd only been a "blood bag," never facing real danger.
Now, confronted with this emergency, she was utterly panicked and unable to stay calm.
Misha pressed a hand to her racing heart, the terrifying scene replaying in her mind.
Rolf looked at her, concern etching his voice. "Miss Dalton, are you alright?"
"Fine," Misha lied, her voice trembling. Her legs felt like jelly, but she stood firm.
Rolf, observing the dead snake, muttered to himself, "Strange. These snakes usually don't attack humans. Must be protecting its young nearby."
In the animal kingdom, creatures with their young often become fiercely protective. Their tempers fray, and they stay constantly on guard against threats to their offspring.
"We can't stay here a second longer. Let's move," Rolf urged.
Misha's eyes locked onto a point in the distance, her legs trembling. "It's too late," she whispered, her voice shaking.
"What's too late?"
Rolf followed her gaze and froze.
From the crevices across the stream, a swarm of snakes emerged, a writhing mass of scales and fangs.
The sight was enough to send chills down anyone's spine.
Worse yet, the snakes were heading straight for them.
"Run!" Rolf shouted, but Misha's legs had turned to jelly.
"I'm too scared to run," Misha stammered, her legs trembling so badly she could barely stand.
Rolf didn't hesitate—he slung Misha onto his back and bolted.
In their flight, Rolf thought he heard the distant sound of a bamboo flute.
Recalling the earlier vision of the girl atop the serpent, he realized with a start—Hedwig must be controlling the snakes!