As the temperature dropped even further, exacerbated by the increasing windiness, the gathering began to draw to a close, with the harsh conditions making the location inhospitable. The guests started to make their way towards their carriages. Some opted to spend more time with each other, climbing into the same vehicles, while others left in the same carriages they had arrived in at the Forest of Red.
As Emily walked on the snowy ground with Janelle accompanying her out of the heart of the forest, she pulled her coat closer around her to shield the front of her body from the cold. She glanced left and right when her friend inquired,
"What's the matter, Lily?"