The Fallen Elder

Author’s POV

Cheers and triumphant howls bled through the packhouse walls, marking a victory that felt far too hollow for Kaelen to celebrate. He slipped away from the roaring bonfire, letting the chill of the bordering woods clear his head. The lingering tension from the morning’s breach kept him on edge as he scanned the dark tree line.

Then, a wet, rattling gasp broke the silence.

The noise