As Elena and her companions tended to the young girl, they heard a cackling laughter coming from the surrounding woods.
"The Baba Yaga," Nikolai growled, tightening his grip on his sword. "She's testing us."
Elena nodded, her own sword at the ready. She had known that this would not be an easy battle, but she had not expected the Baba Yaga to be so relentless in her pursuit.
They set off through the forest, their eyes scanning the trees for any sign of the witch. But no matter how far they walked, she remained just out of sight.
As they walked, Elena began to feel a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach. It was as if the forest was alive, and it was watching her every move.
She looked up and saw that the trees were twisting and turning, their branches reaching out towards her like gnarled fingers.
"Stay alert," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "She's playing with our minds."
Nikolai and Anna nodded, their eyes flickering around the darkened forest.
Suddenly, Elena heard a voice in her mind. It was a woman's voice, soft and alluring.
"Come to me, Elena," the voice whispered. "I can give you anything you desire."
Elena shook her head, trying to clear the voice from her mind. She knew that it was the Baba Yaga, trying to tempt her with her own desires.
But the voice continued, growing stronger and more insistent.
"Join me, Elena," it said. "I can give you the power you've always wanted."
Elena felt a surge of anger. She knew that the Baba Yaga was trying to manipulate her, trying to turn her against her companions.
She closed her eyes, focusing on her own power. Slowly, she began to push back against the voice, driving it out of her mind.
As the voice faded away, Elena opened her eyes, her sword at the ready.
"Let's keep moving," she said. "We can't let her get the better of us."
They walked for what felt like hours, with no sign of the Baba Yaga. But just as Elena was beginning to think that they had lost her, they stumbled upon a clearing.
In the center of the clearing stood a small hut, with chicken legs like the one that had pursued them earlier.
Elena felt a chill run down her spine. She knew that this was the Baba Yaga's home, and that they were walking straight into her trap.
But she also knew that they had no choice. They had come this far, and they could not turn back now.
They approached the hut cautiously, their swords at the ready. But as they drew closer, they heard a soft sound coming from inside the hut.
It was the sound of a child crying.
Elena hesitated, unsure of what to do. She knew that the Baba Yaga was a master of deception, and that this could be another one of her tricks.
But as the crying continued, Elena felt a pang of compassion. She could not ignore the sound of a child in distress.
She motioned for Nikolai and Anna to stay back, and cautiously approached the hut.
She pushed open the door and stepped inside, her sword at the ready.
But what she saw inside the hut made her blood run cold.
The room was filled with cages, each one containing a child. They were all crying and whimpering, their eyes wide with fear.
Elena rushed forward, her heart pounding in her chest. She began to unlock the cages, freeing the children one by one.
As she worked, she could hear the Baba Yaga's laughter echoing through the hut.
"You foolish mortals," the witch cackled.