**Elena's POV**
The fire’s warmth wrapped around me like a blanket as I sat nestled against Rykor’s side, feeling the weight of the world slowly lift with each passing moment. This small respite was unexpected yet deeply needed—an oasis of solace amid the chaos. But as the night wore on, fatigue began to slip away, replaced by a growing restlessness that skittered beneath my skin.
Then, it happened: a scream pierced through the night, distant yet echoing with undeniable anger and pain. It sliced through the forest's tranquillity like a jagged blade. I jolted upright, my heart leaping into my throat. Instinctively, I knew. It was Winter.
“Did you hear that?” I asked, my voice veering toward panic as I scanned the darkened woods, desperate to pinpoint the direction of the sound.
Rykor no
