Could It Be a Trick?

Freckles:

I’d rested without moving for a very long time before I heard a sound I recognized. The High-Voiced One always makes that scratching sound before it enters the Other World from the fresh-smelling portal. I jumped to my feet and ran to the middle of the clearing, ready to greet it. But then I thought better of that plan. What if the invaders were returning? They might try to trick me by coming in a different portal than the one they had left through.

No, it was better to be cautious until I had a chance to assess the situation. There wasn't time to hop back to my tree, so I chose a nearby bush to hide inside.