Nile was working late on the emergency tech call, crouched awkwardly under a desk with his tools scattered around him like he was defusing a bomb. The whirring sound of the rebooting server was music to his ears as he finally finished up. Wiping a bit of thermal paste off his hands, he stood and stretched, groaning slightly as his back popped.

“Thanks, kid,” the client said, a frazzled man in his mid-40s who looked like he’d been awake for three days straight. “I don’t know how you did it, but you saved me. I owe you one.”

“Add it to the list,” Nile replied with a grin, grabbing his toolbox. “Try not to blow anything else up for at least a week, yeah?”

The man chuckled wearily as Nile headed out the door, waving over his shoulder. He glanced at his watch and winced. “Late, late, late,” he muttered to himself, jogging toward his van. His fingers were already fishing out his keys when something caught his eye.

A familiar figure with a wagging tail poked up over the passenger seat. Nile froze mid-step, blinking in disbelief. “What the -Peanut? What’re you doing in there, mutt? Did Dom forget to lock the gate again?”

Peanut’s response was immediate and unapologetic. He barked happily, his stubby tail wagging so hard it practically blurred. Nile rolled his eyes but couldn’t help a chuckle as he opened the door. The dog leapt into his lap with surprising speed, his tongue lolling in pure joy.

“Alright, alright, calm down,” Nile said, scratching Peanut behind the ears. The dog leaned into the affection, closing his eyes in utter contentment. “So what do I do with you now, huh? I’m already way late for the party.”

Peanut cocked his head to the side, his expressive brown eyes practically begging. He let out a soft whine for good measure.

“You feel up to some partying tonight, boy?” Nile asked, raising an eyebrow.

Peanut barked again, his enthusiasm renewed. His tail started another enthusiastic rhythm, wagging like it was auditioning for a spot as a metronome.

“Well, I guess that answers that,” Nile said, shaking his head in mock defeat. “But I’m warning you now -if I have to hold your collar while you puke, you’re going to owe me, big time.”

Grinning, he pushed Peanut onto the passenger seat and started the van. Just as he shifted into gear, a shadow moved across the hood. Before Nile could react, a delicately boned feline form landed lightly on the windshield, staring at him with an expression that could only be described as disdainful impatience.

“Whoa!” Nile yelped, slamming on the brakes. Charlie didn’t flinch, her piercing gaze locking onto his like she was judging his entire existence.

“Where the hell did you come from, huh, Charlie?” he asked, leaning forward to get a better look. The cat didn’t respond, of course, but the smug look on her face told him she was unimpressed by his confusion.

Peanut, for his part, didn’t even bark. He gave Charlie a sidelong glance that seemed to say, Finally, you’re here, and went back to wagging his tail.

“Alright, alright, come on in,” Nile muttered, getting out to scoop up the cat. She leapt gracefully into the van on her own, bypassing his hands entirely, and perched on the dashboard like she owned the place.

Nile pointed a finger at both animals. “You two play nice now, you hear? Or I swear, I’ll turn this van right around and head home.”

Peanut gave a half-hearted whuff of reluctant acceptance, shooting Charlie a grudging look before settling into his seat. Charlie flicked her tail, unimpressed, and curled into a donut shape on the dashboard.

Shaking his head, Nile rolled down the passenger window for Peanut, who immediately stuck his head out to enjoy the breeze as they pulled out of the parking lot.

The drive up the mountain was slower than he anticipated. The line of cars stretched endlessly, their taillights forming a glowing ribbon that snaked up the winding roads. Nile sighed, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

“Well, this is great,” he muttered. Peanut barked in agreement, though it was unclear if he was echoing Nile’s frustration or simply enjoying the ride.

The twinkling line of headlights looked like a chain of stars draped across the mountainside. It was a strangely beautiful sight, but not one Nile had the patience to appreciate.

“This is ridiculous,” he said, glancing at Peanut, who turned his head slightly as if to agree. “We’re never going to make it at this rate.”

At the first opportunity, Nile veered onto an alternate route -a little-known back road that wound its way through the forest. The lane was narrow and unlit, but it cut through the densest part of the woods and was almost completely free of traffic.

The van bounced slightly over the uneven terrain, but Peanut and Charlie seemed unfazed. Charlie stretched luxuriously on the dashboard, her eyes half-lidded as if she were enjoying a private spa day.

The alternative route shaved a solid ten minutes off his drive, and when he rejoined the main road, the traffic was surprisingly cooperative. Cars ahead of him shifted to the side whenever possible, creating an impromptu path that let him cruise ahead with ease.

Nile frowned, glancing in his rearview mirror. “That’s weird. When did people on this road get so polite?”

Peanut let out a quiet bark as if to say, Don’t question it, just go.

“Yeah, alright,” Nile muttered, adjusting his grip on the wheel. “Not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth.”

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The rest of the drive was smooth, almost eerily so. The occasional gust of wind made the van sway slightly, and the looming storm clouds overhead seemed closer now, their edges illuminated by flashes of distant lightning. But the road itself was clear, and Nile made good time.

When the old ski resort finally came into view, Nile felt a wave of relief. The skeletal structure of the abandoned lodge was silhouetted against the stormy sky, its broken windows glowing faintly with the light of the party inside. Music and laughter drifted down the mountain, carried on the wind, and the parking area was already packed with cars.

“Well, we made it,” Nile said, glancing at his passengers. Peanut barked, his tail wagging furiously, while Charlie yawned delicately, unbothered by the chaos around her.

“Alright, you two, behave,” Nile said as he parked the van. “No picking fights with the locals, and no sneaking off to eat somebody’s snacks.”

Peanut gave him a look of pure innocence, while Charlie’s gaze practically screamed, You have no authority here, mortal.

***

Upon arriving at the party, Nile was taken aback by the sheer number of people already there. The crowd was enormous, far beyond what he’d imagined. It looked like half the city had decided to show up. Music thumped in the air, a pulsating rhythm that seemed to vibrate through the mountain itself. Nile managed to maneuver his van into a relatively inconspicuous - if slightly questionable - parking spot behind a shabby coffee shop slash diner. It was the kind of place that probably doubled as a biker bar on slow weekdays, but tonight it provided just enough cover for him to squeeze in without getting towed.

He turned off the engine and slumped back in his seat, taking a moment to close his eyes. The muffled roar of the party seeped through the van’s reinforced windows, a rhythmic thrum of music, laughter, and occasional whoops of drunken excitement. For a moment, Nile just let it all wash over him, a chaotic symphony of voices blending into the backdrop of the night.

That moment of peace didn’t last long.

Peanut, apparently fed up with waiting, decided to voice his displeasure. With an indignant bark, the little dog began pawing at the door, claws scraping against the interior with a sound that made Nile wince. The barking escalated into a full-on protest, each yap conveying a clear ultimatum: Let me out now, or the door gets it.

“Alright, alright! Jeez, relax!” Nile grumbled, glancing at Peanut’s furious expression. “Man, you’re almost as bad as Dom.”

The thought made him chuckle as he reached over to unlatch the door. “Fine, we’re going. But don’t expect me to carry you if you get too tired.”

Shaking his head, Nile stepped out of the van, the cool mountain air hitting him like a slap. He was immediately assaulted by the unrestrained cacophony of a party in full swing. The music was louder than he’d anticipated, a bass-heavy mix of EDM and rock that reverberated through his chest. Laughter and shouting voices rose above the beats, blending with the crackle of nearby campfires and the faint clink of bottles.

Peanut immediately jumped down to follow him, his tail wagging furiously as he sniffed the unfamiliar scents, like a bloodhound on a mission. Charlie, true to form, leapt gracefully onto the roof of the van, perching like a gargoyle as she surveyed the scene.

The storm clouds overhead added a dramatic backdrop to the festivities, but no one seemed particularly concerned.

Before Nile could fully adjust to the sensory overload, a blur of shadow shot past him in a silent streak.

“Charlie?” Nile spun around, but the elusive cat had already vanished into the night. Her escape had been executed with the precision of a feline ninja. “Oh, come on! Couldn’t you at least pretend to need me?”

There was no way he was catching her now. He cupped his hands around his mouth and called after her, “Watch out for coyotes, please!” The thought of explaining Charlie’s disappearance to Dom or her dad made him wince. “Great,” he muttered, locking the van with a resigned sigh. “That’s just what I needed tonight.”

As if the universe agreed, a fat raindrop smacked him square on the forehead. Nile froze, staring up at the ominous cloud cover that had thickened overhead. The stormfront had rolled in fast, swallowing the stars and leaving the night heavy with the scent of rain.

“Of course. Why not?” he grumbled, swiping at the drop with his sleeve. “What’s a party without a little impending weather disaster?”

***

“Alright, now where’s Dom,” Nile muttered, scanning the crowd. His eyes lingered on the flashes of color from the cheer squad’s jackets, and he felt a flicker of hope. It wasn’t just about seeing Dom, though -after a long day of work, he could use a bit of normalcy, and Dom had a knack for grounding him.

Peanut, unbothered by the looming storm, let out an impatient bark, snapping Nile back to the present. Surveying the scene, Nile took in the chaotic sprawl of the party. What had been billed as a “bohemian mountain soiree” was quickly shaping up to be a borderline rager. Campfires dotted the mountainside like glowing embers, each one surrounded by clusters of partygoers. People drifted from one group to the next, beers in hand, the smoky scent of barbecue mingling with the crisp mountain air.

“So now what? Where do we start first, eh, boy?” Nile asked, glancing down at Peanut.

The dog barked again and darted away into the crowd, only to circle back a moment later, his tail wagging as if to say, Follow me, already!

Nile chuckled. “Alright, alright. Lead on. Go find Dom.”

Peanut took off again, weaving through the throng with the single-minded determination of a dog on a mission. Nile hurried after him, doing his best to keep up while dodging the occasional stumbling reveler. The ground beneath his feet was uneven, the soft dirt churned up by hundreds of boots, making it all too easy to trip if he wasn’t careful.

As they navigated the maze of firelit gatherings, Nile couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer scale of the party. A makeshift DJ booth had been set up near one of the larger fires, complete with strobe lights that cut through the darkness in erratic bursts. A group of people danced in a loose circle nearby, their movements wild and uninhibited.

Further down the slope, someone had rigged up a barbecue pit, the tantalizing smell of grilled meat wafting through the air. Nile’s stomach growled in response, reminding him he hadn’t eaten since his rushed lunch break.

“Focus,” he muttered to himself, scanning the crowd for any sign of Dom. Peanut, at least, seemed to know what he was doing. The dog darted ahead, occasionally glancing back to make sure Nile was following.

“Hey!” someone called out as Nile passed. He turned to see a vaguely familiar face - one of the cheer squad guys, maybe? “Sick dog, man!”

“Uh, thanks,” Nile replied, giving a half-hearted wave before hurrying on. Peanut, apparently unphased by his newfound celebrity, wagged his tail and kept moving.

The deeper they went, the harder it became to keep track of the little dog in the dim light. Nile’s frustration grew with every step, his nerves prickling with the realization that Charlie was still nowhere to be found.

“Great,” he muttered under his breath. “The cat’s MIA, the dog’s leading me on a wild goose chase, and now it’s probably going to rain. Fantastic.”

As if in response, a soft rumble of thunder rolled across the mountains, distant but unmistakable. Nile glanced up again, his stomach twisting. The clouds overhead looked even darker now, their edges tinged with an eerie greenish hue. The storm wasn’t just coming - it was here, lingering on the edge of the party like an uninvited guest waiting for its moment to strike.

But Nile didn’t have time to dwell on it. Peanut let out a bark that cut through the din, and Nile’s eyes followed the sound. The dog was standing at the edge of one of the campfire circles, his tail wagging furiously as he barked at someone just out of sight.

“Dom?” Nile called, hope rising in his chest. He quickened his pace, weaving through the crowd toward the fire.