The others gave the space a respectful distance, glancing that way only occasionally, never stopping long. Maria stepped closer. “Lila? You with me?” Nothing. Lila’s entire focus remained fixed on the ground. Her ears twitched once, subtle, not in irritation, but in concentration.
Maria crouched, brushing her hand across the soil. It felt the same as anywhere else, dusty, cool, undisturbed. No disturbed earth, no burrows, no air escaping from pipes beneath. She checked the fencing, the irrigation line, even the shade structure overhead.