But just as the trigger squeezed, King surged to his feet. The sudden movement startled everyone—the dart missed, thudding uselessly into the dirt. A roar split the night, low and furious, as King paced in a half-circle. His body rippled with tension, but there was something else, something that froze Daniel and Noah in place.
In his jaws, clamped tightly, was a dark mass. Not food. Not something from the keepers. A black, shapeless lump, glistening faintly in the artificial light. Without hesitation, King carried it across the enclosure and dropped into another corner, curling protectively around it as though shielding it from the world.