The next day, Ash found himself on a sun-dappled terrace of interwoven roots, his hands braced against the rail as a crowd of Murkfen children darted between rope bridges and hollowed trunks.
The layout of Glowfen Glade centered around a cluster of large, gently lit islands, the biggest of which formed a wide play island where the children spent their days.
They had pulled him into their morning game—something Tholn called "the shadow chase," a playful tradition where one plays the prowling hunter and the others try to outwit and surround them.
Tholn patiently showed Ash the rules beforehand, even demonstrating the exaggerated, slow-stalking gait that made the little ones squeal with laughter. Ash, curious and a little amused, had agreed to play along.
