Andres slowly began observing instead of just moving.
The forest wasn’t chaotic.
It was structured.
He noticed:
Certain areas had no tracks at all
Some plants were untouched even by animals
The creature he fought avoided a specific direction “…Territory.”
He muttered.
Then corrected himself.
Not territory.”
Something deeper.
It felt like zones.
Areas where:
Something stronger lived
Something dangerous was avoided
Something regulated the space itself
And that realization made his stomach tighten again.
He wasn’t at the top of anything here.
Not even close.
He looked at the direction the creature avoided.
Then at the opposite direction.
“…If I follow instinct…”
He paused.
“…I survive longer.”
A simple rule.
But important.
He adjusted his direction.
And walked.