[Jade's POV]
The forest felt like it had grown teeth unbrushed for decades. The littered dried leaves that create scary noises once stepped onto, and the smell of dead, decayed mushrooms sprouting above the damp ground.
I covered my nose with a hand while the other one kept slapping away the small thorns protruding in the way, trying not to let my cheeks be scraped. Meanwhile, the captain was unbothered.
My gaze shifted to the stranger. I couldn't help but be skeptical. We should be getting out of the forest, but instead we were walking deeper into it. It's suspicious that this Red House we're looking for is located in the heart of the forest.
It doesn't make sense.
Our 'guide' was hobbling a few paces ahead, which really meant Claude was practically dragging him by the collar.
If the guy stumbled one more time, I was pretty sure Claude would stop dragging and just start carrying him like a sack of potatoes. Or a corpse.
