They gathered their things and crossed the river, leaving the creature’s corpse behind. Dylan even threw one last glance over his shoulder, almost hoping, deep down, to see it move.
That’s how hard it was for him to believe they had actually managed to kill that beast.
Once on the other side of the river, they resud their march toward the cave, just as they had planned.
Maggie led the way, axe in hand. Her imposing fra served as a natural shield, guiding the group with a determined stride, while Dylan and Élisa walked side by side, each watching one flank.
Each step in the soaked mud echoed a little too loudly.
That kind of silence wasn’t peaceful — it was the heavy kind, the kind that often cos just before an ambush.
And Dylan hated that kind of silence.
The trees around them, black and twisted, looked like carcasses frozen in ti. Roots burst from the ground like natural traps, ready to trip them.
Dylan gripped his machete tighter than he’d ever admit. His eyes scanned the undergrowth, the shadows, every tiny movent.
Even the wind felt suspicious.
"It’s just the stress," he told himself.
As they moved forward, the sky darkened. But it wasn’t nightfall. It was heavy gray clouds slowly devouring the brilliant blue overhead.
Dylan lowered his head, worried, then caught Maggie’s gaze. She’d noticed too.
"We better move," Maggie said to the group.
They all nodded and picked up the pace, keeping their eyes sharp. Danger never slowed down.
So far, they hadn’t co across anything hostile. Just to be safe, they had sacrificed one suitcase to store the hare at — the sll of blood could attract the most sensitive predators.
Their march was quick, interrupted only by a couple of short breaks to catch their breath and gather dry wood. Thanks to their brisk pace, they had covered a good distance before the sky was completely swallowed by clouds.
The shadows thickened under the trees. The forest canopy, already unfriendly, now felt like it was closing in on them like jaws. Still, they kept moving, senses on edge, hearts pounding.
That’s when the first drops of rain began to fall.
They started shy, then quickly beca persistent. A ssy drumming on the leaves, then on their shoulders, their bags, their faces.
"Shit..." Dylan muttered, adjusting the suitcase over his head.
The rain wasn’t refreshing. It was cold, heavy, and seed determined to seep into their bones. The muddy ground turned treacherous. Every step sank deeper.
Maggie held the pace, her back straight like an oak beam. Élisa remained silent, but Dylan caught her gaze more than once — worried, alert.
"We shouldn’t be far," Élisa said, her voice barely audible under the drumming of the rain.
But her words didn’t sound convincing. Not because she was lying, but because the forest itself seed to be disorienting them. No sign of the promised cave. Just wet trunks, trees twisted like they were watching.
Then, suddenly — a crack.
It was sharp, like a branch being snapped.
They froze, hearts suspended mid-beat.
They exchanged a look, then all three started running, Élisa now in the lead, the other two following without question.
They didn’t even want to know what caused that sound. Their legs took over, pure instinct kicking in, and they plunged deeper into the woods, searching for any cave, any nook, any shelter.
The wind picked up. Branches bent, creaked, snapped in a chaotic cacophony. But it didn’t matter anymore. They followed Élisa like you follow a hunch, a survival instinct. She ran, veered, sotis backtracked, but they stayed together.
Even when she took a wrong turn, they turned back as one.
They didn’t slow down. The rain soaked them from head to toe, weighing down their clothes, freezing their limbs.
But none of them suggested stopping.
They kept going, breathless, drenched, exhausted. Dylan threw one last glance at his pack, growled, then tossed the soaked wood to the ground. Useless now. Maggie did the sa without a word. All they could do was press on.
The ground was slick. Élisa, barefoot, stumbled now and then but didn’t slow down. Every step cost her more, yet she kept pushing forward, jaw clenched, eyes fixed ahead.
And then — finally — a sign. A strange shape hidden under the roots of a massive tree. A rocky tangle, like a gaping mouth nestled at the foot of the wooden giant.
Two rocks had collapsed against each other, forming a dark triangle. Just wide enough for soone to squeeze through.
"There!" Élisa shouted, pointing.
They rushed toward it, dropped to their knees in the rain, pushing away branches and roots. Dylan went in first, followed by Maggie who had to duck almost to the ground. Élisa brought up the rear, casting one last glance at the forest before disappearing into the shadows.
Inside, it was cold but dry. A slope gently descended, guided by the roots of the tree running along the walls like frozen veins.
They were safe. Well, not completely — they didn’t know what might lurk in the depths of the cave — but for now, things were okay.
Panting, they leaned against the walls, their ragged breathing mingling with the echo of the rain pounding outside.
Dylan burst out laughing — a nervous, almost hysterical laugh.
"You never know what the fuck is gonna happen in this damn forest!"
His voice echoed off the walls, rolling down the dark corridors of the cave like a warning thrown too far.
The silence that followed gave him chills. He swallowed hard, almost ashad to have disturbed the fragile peace.
Maggie got up without a word. She moved a few steps away, found a flat spot near the wall, and began undressing with no sha. First her top, which she wrung out forcefully, then her pants, pressing them with both hands to squeeze out the water — every move precise, almost military.
Dylan couldn’t help but glance over. Her athletic body, all angles and controlled power, was etched in the faint light. At 6’1", she towered over him, and even soaking wet, she radiated the raw presence of a seasoned fighter. Her silhouette could’ve been mistaken for a man’s, if not for her sharply defined features, her well-shaped curves, and that fiercely feminine presence she never tried to hide.
In the army, so guys whispered she "played for their team," but no one had ever confird it — she’d never been seen with a partner.
"Not that I’d mind, personally."
Once her clothes were hung on a dangling root like a natural hook, she sat down on the rock, arms crossed over her knees, eyes lost in the dark.
Dylan looked away, pretending to fuss with his laces. Then he searched for Élisa.
The young elf hadn’t moved. Still barefoot, soaked, she clutched the suitcase with the at like a cursed treasure. Her gaze, distant, seed elsewhere. Sad. Almost guilty.
"Élisa?" Dylan said softly.
She looked up but didn’t answer. Her long face, wet with rain, was marked by a fatigue deeper than the run they’d just endured.
"You can set it down, you know. It’s okay now. We’re here, we’re safe..."
She nodded, but her arms stayed tightly wrapped around the suitcase.
Sothing was wrong.
"What is it now?" he asked, standing up to gently stroke the young elf’s shaved head.
"There’s no more wood, Dylan," she said, her voice soft and dull — like a deep sadness had taken hold of her.
"We won’t be able to eat tonight!"
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