The path ahead wound tightly between ancient trees whose trunks had grown so thick they merged with each other—some fused mid-air like arched ribs, others forming natural doorways between towering roots.
The deeper they walked, the more the Forsaken Forest began to feel less like a wildland… and more like a living structure.
Thae'Zirak, now fully silent, padded ahead of the group with his wings partially unfurled. His golden eyes scanned the underbrush, his tail swaying with unease.
"There are no birds," he said after a long stretch of silence.
Kaelred tilted his head. "No birds, no bugs, no anything. We haven't heard a single animal since the last camp."
Malakar walked beside him, expression unreadable. "Because the forest is listening."
