Chapter 5 : The Witch's Familiars

Elena, Nikolai, and the injured woman, whose name was Anna, stumbled out of the forest and onto a small road. They collapsed on the ground, panting and sweating. Elena looked back at the trees, feeling as though something was still watching them.

"What was that thing?" Anna asked, her voice shaking.

"I don't know," Elena admitted. "But we need to get you to a doctor."

Nikolai nodded in agreement. "We can't stay here," he said. "We need to find a way out of this area."

As they got up to leave, Elena felt a sudden sharp pain in her leg. She looked down to see a deep scratch, almost as if something had clawed her. She gasped, feeling a surge of fear and pain.

"What's wrong?" Nikolai asked, his eyes widening in alarm.

"It's nothing," Elena said quickly, not wanting to worry him. "Just a scratch."

But as they walked, the scratch began to itch, and Elena felt a strange tingling sensation in her body. She tried to ignore it, but it was impossible. Something was wrong.

They came across a small village and went to a doctor, who treated Anna's injury and gave Elena some ointment for her scratch. But the itching and tingling only grew worse, and Elena began to feel as though she was being watched.

That night, as they settled down to sleep in a small inn, Elena's nightmare began. She dreamed of a dark figure, with glowing eyes and sharp claws, watching her from the shadows. It whispered her name, calling her to the forest.

Elena woke up screaming, her heart racing. Nikolai was beside her in an instant, holding her tightly.

"It's okay," he said. "It was just a nightmare."

But Elena knew it was more than that. She could feel something calling to her, something dark and dangerous.

The next day, they set off again, following the map deeper into the forest. Elena's scratch had turned into a deep, angry wound, and she felt weak and dizzy. But she refused to let it stop her.

As they walked, they came across a clearing filled with animals. Wolves, foxes, and birds of prey all gathered around a central figure, a woman dressed in dark robes.

Elena felt a chill run down her spine. She recognized the woman from her dreams, the one who had been calling to her. The woman turned to look at Elena, her eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.

"Welcome," the woman said, her voice echoing through the clearing. "I have been expecting you."

"How did you know we were coming?" Elena asked, her voice shaking.

The woman smiled, revealing a row of sharp teeth. "I know many things," she said. "And I have been waiting for someone like you."

Elena felt a sudden surge of fear. "What do you want from me?" she asked.

The woman's smile grew wider. "You have something that belongs to me," she said. "Something very precious."

Elena felt a sudden realization. "The map," she said. "You want the map."

The woman nodded. "Yes," she said. "And I will stop at nothing to get it."

Elena felt a surge of anger. "I won't let you have it," she said, stepping forward. "We will protect it with our lives."

The woman laughed, a cold, harsh sound. "We shall see," she said, as the animals around her began to move in, closing in on Elena, Nikolai, and Anna.

Elena drew her sword, ready to fight. But she was surrounded, outnumbered, and outmatched.