The night was their only ally as they began their journey. Darkness concealed their movements, shrouding the pack in the safety of shadows. Each footstep felt heavier than the last as Leona, Zane, and their team made their way through the dense forest. The air was thick with the tension that hung like a storm cloud. Each rustle of the leaves, every snap of a twig underfoot, seemed louder in the silence, making their hearts race even faster. It was the calm before the storm, and they knew the battle ahead wouldn’t be easy.
Leona could barely hear her own breath over the pounding of her heart. The anticipation gnawed at her, her thoughts swirling as they ventured deeper into enemy territory. She squeezed the pendant her sister had given her so many years ago, the metal cool against her palm
