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They began their journey through the forest, the trees towering over them as they moved in a tight formation. The path was uneven, with roots and underbrush making it difficult to navigate, but they pressed on, their senses alert for any sign of danger.

As they walked, William reached into his pack and pulled out some food rations he had stored. The battle had drained their energy, and they needed to keep their strength up for what was to come.

"Here," he said, passing the rations around. "Eat up. We’ll need our energy."

The hunters took the food gratefully, chewing on the dried meat and fruit as they continued their journey. The forest was quiet, almost eerily so, and the only sounds were the crunch of leaves underfoot and the occasional snap of a twig.

After a few hours of walking, the trees began to thin, and the air grew colder. The sense of foreboding that had hung over them since entering the forest grew stronger, and the hunters knew they were getting close.

When they finally r