Chapter 108 - Giant Among Trees
Traveling with a team of ten, and without everyone having stealth capabilities, was a logistical nightmare.
Some of them wore armor so heavy that every step hit the earth with a dull, resounding thud. Eventually, Tave had no choice but to ask Darian and Finn to remove their heavier gear, just enough to keep their footsteps from announcing their location across the forest.
Not everyone in the team had builds suited for speed or stamina either. Lina and Elowen, for instance, leaned heavily toward magic. Their steps were slower, their endurance more limited. They weren’t made for this kind of pace.
Others, like Velion, were more balanced, and versatile. He could move ahead and lead the way, or hang back to make sure no one fell behind. He was the glue that kept their movement coherent.
Still...
The one doing the most work?
Tave let out a quiet sigh.
It was clearly him.
He was responsible for monitoring everything ahead, clearing their path, predicting movement, making sure they didn’t stumble into another nest of death.
Thankfully, Panpan took the rear, keeping watch over their backline, making sure nothing crept up behind. And Fang... Fang had already shot forward, scouting ahead through the dark underbrush like a streak of living shadow, scanning for monsters, setting the rhythm of their movement.
Then, from the front, Velion raised his hand.