Shelter Upgrade

Wiping the thick, amber syrup from her fingertips with a damp cloth, Maeve kept her eyes fixed on the glowing blue interface floating in the dim light of her cabin. The private message from Grinning Cleaver sat on the screen, a digital testament to the complicated politics of survival.

Miles away from her quiet slice of the forest, a heavily grinning Cleaver lounged inside his freshly expanded sh