The scratching continues overhead.
It moves from one rooftop to another before suddenly stopping.
Silence follows for a few moments but nothing about it feels good.
It is the sort of silence where every instinct tells me something is watching from the darkness.
I tighten my fists while keeping pace beside Orun.
Alice walks a few steps behind us with her sword already drawn, and Akina scans the rooftops with one pistol raised while keeping the other at her side.
None of us speak.
Even the wind seems unwilling to disturb Xaer now.
The lanterns lining the streets sway gently despite there being no breeze.
Their orange flames burn brighter than they did earlier, stretching strange shadows across the empty road.
Every home remains sealed shut while windows have been covered from the inside.
Not a single villager appears to be looking outside in the slightest. It is safe to assume that this is a common occurrence in Xaer.
"They're afraid," I mutter.
