The horses refused to go any further.
They stood at the edge of the Deep Woods, pulling against their reins, their eyes wide with panic. One of the horses let out a distressed whinny and stomped its hooves hard against the dirt.
Kael jumped down from his saddle, swearing under his breath. "Fine. We go on foot."
He tied the reins to a thick tree branch. Elara and Mira dismounted quickly, drawing their weapons. The six other strike team fighters formed a tight circle around them, holding their torches high.
The light barely pierced the darkness.
The trees in the Deep Woods were massive, their twisted branches weaving together to completely block out the moonlight.
But the worst part was the silence. There were no crickets. No owls. Not even the rustle of leaves in the wind. The forest felt completely dead.
On the ground in front of them was the trail.
