Hours later, the faint light of dawn crept through the mouth of the cave, painting the rough stone walls in muted shades of orange and gold. The fire still burned softly at the entrance, embers crackling lazily, their warmth casting a soft glow across Bruce's resting form.
He was asleep, or at least he had been.
His brow furrowed. His fingers twitched.
Something felt wrong.
It wasn't the smoke or the heat from the fire, it was something else. A chill, an instinctive unease clawing at the edges of his consciousness. The kind of feeling that couldn't be explained, only felt.
'Danger!'
Bruce's eyes snapped open.
SWOOSH-!!!!
A sharp whizz cut through the air.
Without thinking, his hand shot out, gripping one of his daggers as he twisted instinctively, raising it above his head...
CLANG!!!!
The metallic clash rang violently through the cavern, echoing like a thunderclap. Sparks flew as steel met steel, the impact sending a jolt up Bruce's arm.
