Elena, Nikolai, and Anna watched in horror as the animals closed in around them. They were surrounded, and there was nowhere to run.
Suddenly, they heard a creaking sound, like the rustling of branches in the wind. The animals stopped, their attention turning to the edge of the clearing. Elena, Nikolai, and Anna followed their gaze and saw a sight that made their blood run cold.
A strange hut, with legs made of chicken bones, emerged from the trees. It moved forward slowly, its eyes glowing in the dark. The animals around them bowed their heads in reverence, and the woman in the dark robes stepped forward, a triumphant look on her face.
"The curse of the chicken-legged hut," Nikolai whispered, his voice trembling with fear.
Elena had heard of the legend, of the Baba Yaga and her infamous house. But she had never believed it to be real until now.
The hut came to a stop in front of them, its eyes fixed on Elena. She could feel its gaze on her, like a predator sizing up its prey.
"I have come for what is mine," the woman said, her voice cold and commanding.
Elena drew her sword, ready to fight. But the hut was too strong, its power too great. It moved forward, its legs clacking like bones on stone.
Suddenly, a voice spoke up from behind them. "Stop."
They turned to see the old woman from the forest, the one who had warned them about the Baba Yaga. She stood with her staff in hand, her eyes fixed on the hut.
"You cannot have them," she said, her voice filled with power. "They are under my protection."
The woman in the dark robes hissed, her eyes narrowing. "You cannot stop me," she said. "The hut will not be denied."
But the old woman stood firm, her staff glowing with a bright light. Elena, Nikolai, and Anna watched in awe as the hut began to shrink and twist, its legs breaking off one by one. Soon, it was nothing more than a small wooden house, no different than any other.
The woman in the dark robes snarled, her power broken. "This is not over," she said, before disappearing into the forest.
Elena, Nikolai, and Anna stood there, catching their breath. They had faced the Baba Yaga, and they had survived.
But as they turned to leave, Elena felt a strange sensation. She looked down at her wound, the scratch that had turned into something much worse. It was throbbing, pulsing with a dark energy.
She knew then that the Baba Yaga had not been defeated, not truly. Her curse had taken root in Elena's body, and it was spreading.
"We have to leave," Elena said, her voice strained. "Now."
Nikolai and Anna nodded, and they set off, leaving the clearing behind them. But Elena knew that the Baba Yaga's curse was not so easily shaken. She could feel it growing stronger, like a seed taking root in her flesh.
As they walked, Elena felt a sense of dread settling over her. She knew that the Baba Yaga was still out there, waiting for her chance to strike again. And Elena was no longer sure if she could survive another encounter.