Faye's POV
The map stretched between us like a battlefield blueprint, every line and marking a potential death sentence. Allen pressed his finger against the parchment, tracing the treacherous route that lay ahead.
"From the Scarlet Howlers border to this sector," he said, his voice carrying the weight of command. "Dense forest covers every inch of this path. The recent storms have turned the earth to mud, and with more rain threatening, our movements will be sluggish at best."
His finger paused at a narrow passage marked between two steep cliff faces. "This chokepoint between the rock walls represents our greatest vulnerability. Intelligence suggests the Raven Deons will funnel their assault through here. The elevation gives them a commanding view while their ground forces pin us down. Meanwhile, the forest at our backs provides perfect cover for a secondary assault. We'd be caught in a death trap with nowhere to run."
