That night, Lena confronted the village elders. She had enough evidence now. The footprints, the overheard conversations, and the unsettling looks from everyone she spoke to pointed in the same direction.
“You took him, didn’t you?” Lena’s voice was steady, though her anger simmered beneath the surface. “You took my alpaca to stop me.”
The elder, Mr. Holloway, looked at her, his face expressionless. “We don’t want outsiders here, Lena. You were never meant to bring tourists into this place. This is our home, and we’ve kept it quiet for generations.”