Without another word, the three of them moved into action, their exhaustion forgotten in the urgency of the moment. Kah'el began stacking wood with methodical efficiency, his movements sharp and precise as he rebuilt the protective ring of fires around the clearing. Taryn, despite the gash in her side, carried logs and kindling, her jaw set in determination. Lucien darted between them, using his torch to reignite the piles as they were built.
The first fire roared to life, its warm glow pushing back the encroaching darkness. One by one, the others followed, until the clearing was encircled by a ring of flickering flames. The oppressive weight of the night lifted slightly, though the tension in the trio's movements remained.
