Maria took one more slow step, and Lila suddenly lifted her head high, ears flaring wide, trunk curling upward in a sharp, commanding display. A deep, rolling rumble vibrated through her chest, the kind that meant stop. The kind that meant do not take another step. Maria froze.
Lila took a single, deliberate stride forward, placing herself squarely between Maria and the barricaded corner. Her trunk lowered, sweeping the ground in a stiff, warning arc. Not a swing. Not a threat of attack. A line drawn in the sand. “I hear you,” Maria whispered, raising both hands slightly and stepping back.