The forest was quiet.
Too quiet.
Ethan walked near the front of the group, hands loose by his sides, eyes calmly scanning the trees ahead. The branches above swayed with the wind, letting soft beams of light shine through. It should've felt peaceful.
But it didn't.
There was something off about the silence here. It wasn't the normal kind. It felt like the kind that came before something snapped.
Mei Ren was to his left, a few paces behind. She didn't say anything. Her eyes kept flicking from shadow to shadow, picking apart the space between the trunks, like she was tracking something no one else could see.
Her body was tense—not obviously, but enough for Ethan to notice the way her fingers flexed every so often. She was preparing herself for something.
Sera Valcrest stayed a little closer to Ethan, her hands hovering near her waist where her healing glyphs were stored. Her steps were light but cautious.
