The warmth from the fire did little to relax the tension coiled in Draven's shoulders. Elara's presence beside him was a steady anchor in the swirling currents of his thoughts. She didn't speak, but he felt her understanding. It was different from the sharp, combative synergy he had with Kara, or the blunt loyalty of Jaxon. Elara's was a quiet, intellectual calm that often saw the patterns he missed.
"His intel was flawed," Elara said softly, her voice just for him. "Two extra guards could have changed everything."
"It was an acceptable risk," Draven replied, not taking his eyes from the flames. "But it proves we can't rely on a traitor's word alone. We need our own intelligence before we move on the pens."
He squeezed Kara's hand one last time before letting go and rising. "Jaxon. Bring Diego."
They met in the chill of the gatehouse. Diego and his two surviving men were unbound, their faces a mixture of fear and disbelief. Draven tossed a heavy burlap sack at Diego's feet. It landed with a dull thud.
"Rations and water for three days," Draven stated, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "That should be enough to get you clear of Voss's patrols. Walk north. Don't look back. If I ever see your faces again, I'll assume you broke our deal."
Diego stared at him, then at the open gate leading into the darkness. "You're... you're actually letting us go?"
"I'm buying our credibility," Draven corrected him. "The next man I capture from Voss will know my offer is genuine. Now get out."
Jaxon nudged them forward with the head of his axe, and the three soldiers stumbled out into the night, disappearing into the trees like startled deer.
Draven returned to the fire, where Kara had laid out the crude map again. "The beast pens," he said, drawing a circle around a location several miles to the east. "This is a much harder target. It won't just be men with crossbows. Voss uses these creatures to enforce his will. They're as much a weapon as his soldiers."
"What kind of beasts are we talking about?" Jaxon asked, rejoining the group.
"According to Diego, mostly trained war hounds and armored boars," Draven said. "But he mentioned a restricted area. Cages kept covered. He heard sounds from them at night. Screeches. Things that weren't natural."
[New Objective: Identify and Neutralize Voss's Beast Pens.]
[Warning: Unidentified Hostile Fauna Detected. Proceed with Caution.]
The system notification flashed in his vision, confirming his unease. This was a different class of threat.
"We can't go in blind," Kara stated, her gaze sharp and focused. "I can take Grayfang and scout the perimeter. Map the enclosures, get a guard count."
"Good," Draven nodded. "But we need more. We need to know what's in those cages." He turned to the Thornling, which was quietly absorbing nutrients from the soil near the fire. "Kael, can your scout get inside the compound itself? Sub-surface?"
The Thornling rustled its leaves, a low chittering sound affirming the command. It could burrow under walls, see through the earth itself. It was the perfect infiltrator.
"Then that's the plan," Draven declared, a new fire hardening his eyes. "Kara and Grayfang on overwatch. Kael's Thornling on internal recon. Jaxon, you and I will review the intel as it comes in and plan the assault. Elara, I want you to look through any recovered texts. See if you can find any information on what kind of monstrosities Voss might be dabbling with."
The easy victory of the supply wagons was already fading, replaced by the cold calculus of the next operation. This wasn't about supplies anymore. This was about dismantling an engine of terror. As his team dispersed to prepare, Draven felt the hunt truly begin. They weren't just cutting off the serpent's tail; now, they were going for the fangs.