Chapter 7: Footprints
The entire village gathered near the eastern gate. No one spoke.
The hunter who had discovered the footprints stood quietly beside Chief Rokan. "They’re this way." Without another word, he led the group toward the forest.
Aren followed from the back. The morning dew still covered the grass, and every step left a faint mark on the soft ground.
After several minutes, the hunter suddenly stopped and pointed toward the earth. "There."
Aren stepped closer. Several footprints were clearly pressed into the damp soil. They weren’t animal tracks. They were human.
Chief Rokan crouched down and carefully touched one of the prints. "Fresh. They were made before sunrise."
Another hunter looked around nervously. "Could they be travelers?"
Chief Rokan shook his head slowly. "No. Travelers don’t hide their tracks."
Aren silently examined the footprints. There were six... no, seven people. Some prints were deep, others lighter. One pair was much smaller than the rest.
A child...?
The thought came naturally. Then another detail caught his attention — broken branches, crushed bushes, small pieces of dried mud clinging to the nearby leaves. His eyes followed the trail slowly.
"They didn’t come from the east..." Everyone looked at him. "They came from the north."
The hunters frowned. "How can you tell?"
Aren pointed toward a bent branch. "The leaves are facing this direction. They were pushed aside while moving south."
The group fell silent. Chief Rokan walked over and inspected the branch himself. After a moment, he nodded. "He’s right."
The hunters exchanged surprised glances. None of them had noticed it.
Aren himself looked confused. How did I notice that?
A sharp pain flashed through his head. The familiar voice echoed inside his mind.
[Memory Synchronization: 6%]
Recovered Knowledge: Basic Tracking
The pain disappeared almost instantly. "So..." Aren muttered quietly. "I remembered again."
"What was that?" Chief Rokan asked.
Aren shook his head quickly. "Nothing."
The old chief studied him for a moment but chose not to ask further. Instead, he looked toward the endless forest. "The northern forest..." His expression darkened. "No tribe has lived there for generations. Only ruins remain."
One of the older hunters swallowed. "The cursed land..."
Chief Rokan gave a slow nod. "If someone came from there, then our world is about to change."
A cold breeze swept through the trees.
Far away, hidden among the shadows, a pair of eyes silently watched the group. Not the glowing eyes of a Grayfang. Human eyes.
The unknown figure slowly stepped backward, then disappeared into the forest without making a sound.
End of Chapter 7