Chapter 157 - Into the Forest (2)

"Emma, how far are we going?" Violet was catching her breath as she followed the little girl. She wasn't used to the snow and her movement was sluggish and heavy.

As they ventured deeper into the forest on that wintry night, each step seemed to echo with a soft crunch beneath their boots, the snow yielding to their weight with a satisfying resistance. The trees stood sentinel-like, their branches adorned with a delicate frosting of snow, casting elongated shadows that danced in the flickering light of their lanterns.

The air was crisp and biting, filling their lungs with coldness. The silence of the forest was broken only by the occasional creaking of branches under the weight of the snow or the distant hoot of an owl.

Sometimes, a gentle breeze would sweep through the trees, causing a flurry of snowflakes to cascade down from the branches like shimmering diamonds in the moonlight. It was as if the entire wood came to life, and they were the uninvited guests.