CAME FOR ME

ARIANNE POV

As I rode through the dense forest, the warm summer breeze that had once caressed my skin had now turned into a chilly wind that whispered of the impending arrival of winter. My husband sat behind me, his hands steady on the reins as we navigated the winding path that led us deeper into the heart of the woodland.

Beside us, our friends rode in pairs, their figures barely visible through the thick foliage that surrounded us. We had chosen to travel in small numbers, hoping to avoid drawing attention as we made our way through the shadowed forest.

The canopy of leaves above us rustled in the wind, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor. The air was filled with the earthy scent of damp moss and decaying leaves, a sharp contrast to the fresh greenery of summer that was slowly fading away.