Secrets Of The Night

"Both of you—go find food before it gets dark. Take Berlin with you."

Bener and Kellan groaned in unison, but neither dared to argue. Muttering under their breath, they grabbed their weapons and disappeared into the dense underbrush.

"Look for pheasants!" Lara called after them. "There should be plenty around here!"

She settled on a fallen log as she pulled out a bundle of bamboo nodes—leftovers from the bridge's construction. With practiced hands, she began cutting them into makeshift arrows, her fingers steady despite the weariness in her bones.

Without a word, Asael knelt beside her and started helping. His movements were careful, deliberate. They both knew the importance of being prepared—arrows might be the difference between survival and death if battle came sooner than expected.