The sun was gently rising in the sky, spreading its golden light through the dense canopy of a forest. The rays pierced the thick foliage, creating dancing beams of light that guided a caravan of travelers along a dirt path. The birds' songs echoed above them, mingling with the distant murmur of a stream winding between the trees.
The travelers moved slowly, their steps synchronized with the clinking of harnesses and the rustling of fabrics. At the head of the caravan walked a woman, dressed in a linen tunic and a brown woolen cloak, holding a gnarled staff to support herself on the uneven terrain. Behind her, a cart pulled by two oxen moved laboriously, its wheels creaking over the roots protruding from the ground.