Signs of Struggle
Not long after, the group noticed deep tracks pressed into the damp earth. The zookeepers crouched to study them. “Fresh,” one muttered, brushing soil with his hand. “She came through here.”
The prints were wide, heavy, and spaced irregularly, as if the animal had been wandering in distress rather than calm. Julia knelt beside the prints, her hand brushing them softly. The baby squealed again, circling the tracks with renewed urgency. “She’s close,” Julia whispered hopefully.
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