The forest's dense canopy barely allowed the fading sunlight to pierce through, casting long shadows on the forest floor.
The woman moved steadily through the thick underbrush with Ethan slung over her shoulder. Her movements were swift and deliberate, each step purposeful as if she knew the path by heart.
After an hour of navigating through the maze of trees, the landscape began to change. The dense thicket gave way to a small clearing, bathed in a soft golden light that seemed almost out of place in the otherwise shadowed forest.
At the center of the clearing stood a structure that, at first glance, seemed modest but exuded a sense of quiet strength. It was a hut—or so it would appear to anyone unfamiliar.
Made of dark timber and reinforced with stone, the building stood sturdily against the wilderness. Its sloping roof extended to cover a small porch, and smoke gently rose from a chimney, curling into the sky.
