The urgency in the air was palpable as Emily gathered her allies in the town square, the flickering torches casting long shadows against the hastily assembled barricades. The thrill of their recent victory was overshadowed by the ominous news of the gathering dissenters.
"Listen up!" Emily called, her voice cutting through the murmurs of concern. "We have new intelligence about a potential threat at the forest's edge. We can't let them catch us off guard again."
Thalia stood beside her, hands on her hips. "We need to split our forces. Aiden and I can lead a patrol to scout the area and gather information. The rest of you should prepare for potential confrontation."
"Good idea," Aiden replied, already looking at the map spread out on a nearby table. "If we can determine their numbers and intentions, we'll be in a much better position to respond."
