Hale, seeing the eagerness etched upon their faces, gave a single approving nod before turning. He extended a hand toward the forest looming before them, its vastness breathing both mystery and threat, as he spoke in a calm, steady tone.
"This place will be our classroom. Within these woods lie paths, predators, and places to vanish without a trace. Stealth is not merely the art of hiding. It is the discipline of control, control of sound, control of presence, control of attention. Master these, and you master survival itself. Fail, and you forfeit your life before the battle has even begun."
His words hung heavy in the air, each syllable a warning sharpened into truth. Without offering further explanation, Hale stepped into the forest. His movements carried an unnerving calmness, the kind that seemed to declare the woods his domain. Each stride he took was fluid, silent, and deliberate, a quiet proclamation that the forest itself bent to his presence.
