Lukas followed them for what felt like an hour, when the dogs suddenly stopped in a clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a massive oak tree, its bark gnarled and ancient. The dogs circled it, creating a perfect ring. The sight was so strange, so surreal that Lukas could hardly believe his eyes. This wasn’t a random gathering of dogs.
He crouched down behind a thick bush, heart racing. The dogs had stopped moving. They stood in the circle, staring intently at the tree. Then, without warning, they began barking—loudly, in unison. The sound was deafening, each bark harmonizing with the next, creating a cacophony that echoed through the clearing.