"They are only scouting," Aramis confirmed. "There are four of them."
Lara handed the baby back to Atalia, her eyes scanning the ridge. Without a word, the group moved, finding shelter between two massive, lichen-covered boulders. The air hung still, heavy with tension.
Silently, Lara drew her bow, the smooth curve of it familiar in her grip. One by one, Alaric, Aramis, Redon, and the two Masters at the rear followed suit. No words passed between them; they didn't need them.
The scouts could not stay alive.
Six arrows flew. Six thuds answered.
The figures vanished into the dense underbrush, slipping away like whispers of darkness retreating into the earth's embrace, like fallen shadows.
"We keep moving," Alaric ordered, his tone final.
Logan motioned to the path ahead. "There's a cavern further down. Hidden behind a curtain of vines and ancient trees. If we reach it before nightfall, we can spend the night safely there."
