Before Candace could speculate, a low, guttural growl echoed from the far end of the depot, followed by the distinct sound of heavy boots crunching on gravel. It was a sound of human origin, but there was an aggression to it, a territoriality that sent a prickle of alarm through Candace."Someone else," Elara whispered, her hand tightening on her pipe.Candace nodded, her gaze fixed on the source of the sound. "And they don't sound friendly." She could see them now - a group of figures emerging from the gloom, their silhouettes indistinct against the muted light. They were armed, their weapons glinting dully. Their movements were coordinated, purposeful, suggesting a trained unit rather than a disorganized band of scavengers. "We need to get out of sight," Candace said, her voice low and urgent. "Now." They ducked behind a row of overturned buses, the metal cool against their skin. Candace peered through a shattered window, her heart thudding against her ribs. The group consisted of about six individuals, all clad in dark, functional clothing, their faces obscured by masks and goggles. They moved with a predatory grace, their weapons held at the ready. They weren't simply passing through; they were patrolling, searching."They're looking for something," Candace observed, her mind racing. "Or someone." The encounter in the alleyway had clearly been no isolated incident. The symbols on the buses, the presence of this armed patrol - it all pointed to a more organized, more deliberate presence in this area. This wasn't just a random patch of ruined city; it was territory that was being actively claimed and defended.As the patrol drew closer, Candace noticed something peculiar about their gear. While functional, it also bore subtle markings, similar in design to the symbols on the buses, but rendered in a metallic thread that seemed to catch the scant light. It suggested a degree of uniformity, of affiliation, that was unsettling."Are they... are they looking for that thing in the alley?" Elara ventured, her voice a mere whisper."Possibly," Candace replied, her gaze shifting back to the alleyway. "Or maybe that thing is trying to warn them. Or maybe they're all connected to whatever is making those creatures." The possibilities multiplied, each more disturbing than the last. The world was not just decaying; it was being reshaped by forces that were actively at work, manipulating its inhabitants, redrawing its boundaries.