The snow-covered forest carried the cold breeze of the morning, still and quiet.
The sun had risen by now, yet the chilling weather hadn't changed at all. The hunting festival was still ongoing—letting nobles wander in the woods until sunset—when the horn will once again be heard.
Small piles of snow formed little mountains on the road, barely allowing the horse to pass. It forced Ren and Zayden to walk side by side, the sound of their boots crunching against the frozen ground echoing faintly between the trees. It was far too risky to ride in such conditions.
Still, they couldn't leave the horse alone in the woods—to be eaten by monsters or wild animals.
"Where are the animals?" Ren asked, eyes darting back and forth, searching for a faint rustle behind the dead bushes or even a silhouette.
