The cold wind whispered through the skeletal remains of the city, carrying the faint scent of rust and ash. Torryn Suho moved silently through the desolate streets, his boots crunching over shattered glass and debris. Bear perched gracefully on his shoulder, his sharp claws gripping his tattered jacket as his blue eyes scanned their surroundings with unerring focus. The faint purr rumbling in his chest was the only sound that broke the silence, a steady rhythm that matched Torryn’s heartbeat.

He adjusted the strap of his weathered pack, his gaze flicking to the empty windows that loomed above him like hollow eyes. Every creak and groan of the broken city kept him alert, his instincts honed sharp by years of survival. The once-bustling streets were now a labyrinth of decay, shadows stretching long as the sun sank lower on the horizon. Yet Torryn strode forward, his movements deliberate and calm.

“This place feels off,” he muttered under his breath, his voice low and rough, more to himself than Bear. The cat’s ears twitched in response, as though she understood. He always seemed to. Torryn glanced at him, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips despite the tension in his shoulders.

As he rounded another corner, the faint outline of an old department store came into view. Its doors hung crooked on rusted hinges, but it was shelter, at least for tonight. Torryn exhaled, the weight of the day pressing against him, but his steps didn’t falter. Whatever dangers waited beyond, he and Bear would face them together. After all, this wasn’t the first city to fall under their boots, and it wouldn’t be the last.