Back in the dark forest, Rina walked with her eyes closed, following Hati effortlessly through the dense trees toward the cave.
As she stepped inside—their shelter for the past ten days—dim green light flickered across the stone walls. Shadows of her companions danced around her, and with a joyful smile, she said,
"I can walk without needing to see now."
Kaelan shot back with a snappy tone,
"Finally. Let's get out of this cave already. I'm starting to feel like it's swallowing me."
They all crawled out one by one, emerging into the cold forest air.
After days of training, their senses had become razor-sharp.
As Alex stepped out, the chill brushed against his skin, and the scent of damp grass and bark filled his lungs.
"Let's find Meika first," he said. "Then we figure out how to get out of this place."
Lyra nodded softly. "You're right."
