The forest was scarily silent as Aveline and Gabriel quietly sneaked into the hidden cave. Their breathing was heavy and fast, and every movement they made sent a different level of pain through their battered bodies. Aveline lit a small lantern she had kept there, giving out a dim light over the rough stone walls.
Gabriel fell against the cave wall, holding his side where a deep cut stained his shirt red. Aveline looked at him, her jaw tight. She felt heartbroken, and angry at their situation but also worried about his injuries.
"Let me see," she said sharply, kneeling beside him.
Gabriel hesitated initially but finally moved his hand, revealing the wound. "It's not that bad," he said, though his innocent looks told another story.
Aveline grabbed a cloth from her bag and began cleaning the cut. "You're lucky we got away," she uttered. "They were close—too close."
