章 43: Lost in the Whispering Woods

As she pushed open the heavy wooden doors, Madison steeled herself for whatever challenges lay ahead. The war room buzzed with activity, maps, and scrolls scattered across tables as advisors argued in hushed tones. Wald stood at the center, his face grim as he studied a large map of the kingdom.

He looked up as Madison entered, relief flickering across his features. "You're here. Good. We have a situation."

Madison frowned, moving to join him at the table. "What's happened now?"

Wald gestured to the map, where red markers dotted the western border. "More attacks by those red-eyed wolves. They're growing bolder, striking deeper into our territory. And that's not all." He paused, his jaw clenching. "We've lost contact with several of our outer villages. No messengers, no smoke signals, nothing."

Madison's stomach dropped. "You think they've been wiped out?"