Chapter 75 - Charged Anticipation

The journey back to the hunting grounds felt excruciatingly slow, every step of their horses' hooves muffled by the dense, mossy terrain. The fading light of twilight was their only companion, casting the forest in deep, wavering shadows that seemed alive with possibility. Every creak of a tree or distant snap of a twig sent Elara's heart racing, her grip on the saddle tight enough to hurt. She kept glancing over her shoulder, expecting at any moment to see dark-clad figures emerging from the shadows, blades gleaming, arrows ready to fly. Yet, nothing came. No ambush, no hidden eyes watching from the gloom. Just the eerie silence of the forest. It shocked her, even unsettled her further. Their attackers weren't pursuing them—why? Had the anonymous group decided the fight wasn't worth it?