The forest constricted more as we continued running, the trees winding and intertwining into a nearly impassable barrier. The metallic flavor of fear filled my nostrils, an aroma I couldn't evade—whether it belonged to me or Chloe, I couldn't discern. My boots lost traction on the bumpy terrain, yet I pressed onward, holding Chloe closely to my chest.
"Continue onward!" Noah's voice, clear and authoritative, pierced the noise of my heavy breathing.
He was slightly ahead, his wide shoulders strained with stress, his dark coat catching on branches as he cleared a way for us. The moonlight glimmered on his sweat-soaked hair, emphasizing the defined angles of his jaw and the stern resolve in his silhouette.
The growls of the rogues reverberated through the trees behind us, deep and menacing, a dreadful reminder that they were drawing nearer. Their steps were solid, the noise of breaking twigs and shifting leaves intensifying with each passing moment.
