As they pressed on, the forest began to change. The trees grew gnarled, their branches twisted into shapes that looked like clawed hands reaching for the sky. The air grew colder, and the humming whispers turned into low murmurs that made Elyra's skin prickle. They came across a crumbling stone marker half-buried in the moss. Dain crouched to inspect it, brushing away the dirt and leaves to reveal an engraved sigil-a crescent moon flanked by two wolves.

"It's Fenrir's pack," he said, his voice grim.

Elyra knelt beside him, her fingers tracing the symbol. A rush of familiarity swept through her, unbidden and overwhelming. "We're back," she whispered. "This is where we came from."

Nearby, under a pile of decayed leaves and broken branches, Elyra spotted something that made her breath catch. She reached for it hesitantly, her hands trembling. It was a small, tattered blanket, its once-bright colors faded but still discernible. "This was mine," she said, clutching it to her chest. "I remember this."

Dain rose, his expression darkening as he scanned the surrounding forest. "That means we're close to answers. And danger."

Elyra staggered as a sudden vision overtook her. She saw a woman with silver hair-Aurora-cradling a baby wrapped in the same blanket. Aurora's voice was a soothing murmur: "You'll be safe, my love. I promise. I'll protect you from him."

The image shifted to a shadowed figure looming over Aurora, its eyes blazing with malevolence. The vision ended abruptly, leaving Elyra gasping.

Dain caught her as she stumbled, his hands steadying her. "What did you see?" he asked, his tone urgent.noveldrama

"My mother," Elyra whispered, her voice trembling. "She was trying to protect me from someone. From him."

Dain's jaw tightened, and he looked toward the darkening forest. "We'll figure this out," he said, his voice low and resolute.

Elyra clung to the blanket, her resolve hardening. "We have to."