The Stirring Shadow

The air itself seemed to hold its breath. It was a palpable stillness, not of peace, but of a predator coiled, ready to strike. Kael felt it in his bones, a deep, unsettling tremor that had nothing to do with the ground beneath his feet. It settled over the land like a shroud, muffling the cheerful chirping of birds, muting the rustle of leaves, even dulling the sharp, metallic tang of the wind that whipped around the desolate peaks. This was not the quiet of slumber, but the expectant hush before a storm, a storm of unimaginable power.