New Life III

Serena studied the map closely, her fingers tracing the path. "It looks like there are several narrow trails through the woods. We should stick to the less traveled ones to avoid drawing unwanted attention."

Asher offered a small smile. "Exactly. And if any trouble does find us, we can handle it together."

With that, they left the relative safety of the city behind. The road ahead was dimly lit by the light of the moon and scattered lanterns from nearby cottages. The countryside was quieter now, the hum of urban life replaced by the rustle of leaves and distant animal calls.

After hours of travel, the city lights faded into the dark silhouette of the forest. The air grew cooler and damper as the dense canopy overhead blocked out the stars. The duo moved cautiously along a narrow, winding path, alert to every sound.

As they ventured further, Serena whispered, "I have a bad feeling about this place. It's too quiet."