Grugk paused mid-step when he heard the soft cry. A sparrow lay in the moss ahead, one wing twisted at a wrong angle. He knelt and cupped his hands around the small body. The bird struggled weakly, and something white caught his eye — a thin strip of paper tied to its leg. He untied the message with care, steadying the bird against his chest. The parchment unrolled to reveal a single word in black ink: Illithid. Grugk's jaw tightened. He knew the word from Eldra's warnings — creatures that fed on minds, that turned forests into hunting grounds. The sparrow had flown far to bring this warning, and now it trembled in his palm. He looked toward the heart of the forest where the sacred grove stood. Something was coming, and he would need to be ready.