The forest was too quiet. Not the peaceful kind of quiet… but the kind that pressed against the ears and made the skin crawl. Tall, ancient trees stretched endlessly into the sky, their thick canopies choking out most of the sunlight. What little light filtered through painted the ground in fractured gold, barely enough to illuminate the thick undergrowth and winding roots.
A group of seven moved carefully through the terrain. They were seasoned hunters. Each step they took was calculated, each breath controlled, each movement silent. Their formation shifted naturally as they advanced, covering blind spots without needing to speak.
At the front was a broad-shouldered man with a scar running across his jaw, his hand resting on the hilt of a heavy blade strapped to his back. His eyes scanned constantly, never settling.
Behind him, a woman with short silver hair crouched low, fingers brushing the earth as she tracked something only she could sense. Her nose twitched slightly.
