Chapter 2 - The Red Clay
Orion stared intently at the red mud seeping slowly under the wooden doorframe.
His heart hammered violently against his ribs as he realized the deadly, undeniable truth.
The man outside was one of his most trusted lieutenants, now exposed as a filthy traitor.
Ren did not panic, but her eyes darkened with an intense, highly calculating focus.
She silently gestured for Orion to move away from the direct line of incoming fire.
Caesar bared his sharp teeth, completely ready to tear the armed intruder apart.
The man outside knocked again, his voice sounding increasingly agitated and impatient.
He lied smoothly, claiming that the perimeter was compromised and they needed to leave immediately.
Orion pulled his heavy pistol from his shoulder holster, the metal cold against his sweaty palm.
He knew that if he answered verbally, a hail of automatic bullets would tear through the wood.
Ren quietly walked to the old stone fireplace and grabbed a heavy, solid iron poker.
She whispered that the log cabin walls were incredibly thick, but the door was highly vulnerable.
Orion aimed his weapon directly at the center of the wooden planks.
He fired three rapid shots, the deafening noise completely shattering the quiet forest night.
A heavy thud echoed loudly from the porch as the traitor collapsed against the wood.
Silence fell over the cabin again, broken only by the painful ringing in Orion's ears.
He looked at Ren, fully expecting her to be terrified by the sudden explosion of violence.
Instead, she simply walked to the window and peered cautiously out through the thick curtains.
She stated calmly that the man was entirely alone, likely a scout sent ahead of the main force.
Orion realized her calm demeanor meant she had definitely seen this kind of brutal violence before.
He asked her bluntly how she knew about the specific red clay from the northern ridge.
Ren completely ignored his question and began rapidly packing medical supplies into a canvas bag.
She declared with absolute certainty that the rest of the hunters would arrive in less than ten minutes.
Orion argued fiercely that his father was far too weak to be moved into the freezing woods.
Ren agreed entirely, stating they were absolutely not going out through the front door.
She pulled a hidden metal lever cleverly disguised as a coat hook near the pantry.
The floorboards groaned loudly as a hidden trapdoor swung open into absolute, pitch-black darkness.
A sudden, rhythmic mechanical beeping sound began echoing from directly underneath the front porch.
Caesar barked fiercely at the floorboards, warning them of the immediate, terrifying danger.
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The scout had not come alone just to knock on the door.
He had placed a high-yield explosive charge right beneath their feet.
