A Forbidden Ritual

The forest was silent, the kind of silence that made every sound seem louder. Cinder stood in the heart of the sacred grove, her breath steady but her heart pounding. The trees around her seemed to lean in, their twisted branches like fingers reaching for the sky. A cold wind brushed past her, carrying whispers of warning.

Behind her, Zara placed a heavy book on a flat stone. The old healer's face was lined with worry, her lips pressed tightly together. "Cinder, are you absolutely sure about this?" Zara's voice trembled slightly.

Cinder nodded, her jaw set in determination. "I have to. If I don't, we'll never stand a chance against what's coming."

The ritual was forbidden for a reason. It was said to unlock incredible power, but at a terrible cost. The last person who had attempted it had vanished, their name erased from history. But Cinder had no choice. She needed strength to protect her pack, to face the enemies closing in from every side.