Zane
The forest does not like it when you rush. Between the trees every sound lingers longer, every hoofprint stays in the ground for too long, and even the air behaves as if it remembers who passed through it. The road toward the land of the Red Moon was not long for someone riding alone, with light gear and a clear mind. But now I was not alone, and nothing I carried was light.
Elariana lay in my arms like a quiet, warm weight. She did not make me want to slow down. She made me want to go faster. But my wolf warned me at every step. Rushing breeds mistakes. Mistakes breed death.
My pack moved in two lines. Scouts in front, rear guard behind, the wounded and those carrying the most important supplies in the middle. No one spoke without reason. Sounds were short and precise. Every movem
