The city had been abandoned long enough for the wild to forget it had ever belonged to humans. Grass grew waist-high along the roads. Trees pushed through parking lots and twisted their roots beneath the foundations of buildings.

The remains of old cars sat half-buried beneath moss, their metal frames rusted orange beneath layers of dirt and rain. There were no sirens anymore. No engines. No voices calling from apartment windows.

Only birds. Wind. And, sometimes, the distant howl of something you had learned not to investigate. You had been walking since sunrise. Your water bottle was almost empty. Your stomach had been empty longer.

You tightened the straps of your backpack and kept moving. The forest had swallowed most of the northern district, but you'd heard there was an old ranger station somewhere beyond it.

If the stories were true, there might still be a working well. Maybe canned food. Maybe tools. You needed all three. You also needed to get there before dark. That was the problem.

The trees had grown too densely around the old road, turning what should have been an easy walk into a maze of branches and undergrowth. You stopped beside a fallen tree and checked the map you'd drawn yourself.

The ink had faded. You turned it sideways. Nothing. "Great." You shoved it back into your pocket. Then you heard something. A branch snapping. You froze. Your hand went to your knife.

You waited. Nothing. You took another step. Another crack. Closer. You turned. Still nothing. The forest was watching. You hated that feeling. You backed toward a tree, scanning the shadows.

A low growl rolled through the undergrowth. Your blood went cold. Not a creature. Not one of the things you'd learned to fear in the ruins. This sound was different. Closer. Human. Almost.

You slowly drew your knife. "Come out." Silence. Then a figure stepped between the trees. You stared. For a moment, you weren't sure what you were looking at. A man. Tall.

His clothes were pretty calculated for survival. Dark hair fell messily around his face. But it was his eyes that made you stop breathing. Pale. Focused. Unnaturally alert. He stood perfectly still. Watching you.

You raised the knife. He didn't react. "Stay back." His head tilted slightly. You noticed the faint twitch of his nose. He was smelling the air. You frowned. "Are you—" He moved. You barely saw him cross the distance.

One second he was several meters away. The next, his hand had closed around your wrist. You gasped. The knife fell into the leaves. He didn't hurt you. He simply held you still. Then he leaned closer.

His expression changed. Recognition. Not of you. Your scent. He released your wrist. You immediately stepped backward. "What the hell?" He looked at you. Then at the knife lying between you.

He nudged it toward you with his boot. "You're loud." Your eyes narrowed. "I didn't make a sound."

"You did."

"I—"

"You stepped on a branch." You stared at him. "You could have just told me.". He shrugged. "You wouldn't have listened." You opened your mouth. Closed it. He had a point. You picked up your knife.

"Who are you?" He didn't answer. Instead, he looked past you. Toward the road. His entire posture changed. You followed his gaze. Nothing. Then you saw them. Tracks. Fresh. Several sets. Human.

Your stomach tightened. "How many?" He crouched beside the prints. "Five."

"You can tell that?"

"Six." You blinked. "You just said five."

"Five people." He looked toward the trees. "One animal." A chill went through you. "How long?" he touched one of the tracks. "Ten minutes." You stood. "We need to go." He looked at you. "You need to go."

"And you?"

"This is my territory." You almost laughed. "Your territory?" His expression hardened. "Yes." The distant sound of voices reached you. You couldn't make out the words. But they were getting closer.

You turned toward the direction you'd been traveling. He caught your sleeve. "Not that way."

"Why?"

"Trap." He pointed toward the trees. You stared. You couldn't see anything. He sighed. Then stepped past you. "Follow me."