He kept his senses sharp.
Part of him was searching for bandits.
The other part was looking for an exit.
If his memory was correct, this forest bordered a trade route on one side and rough hills on the other. If he walked blindly in the wrong direction, he could end up deeper inside instead of getting out.
Through the thin mental threads, he felt one skeleton stumble over uneven ground. Another paused briefly, then continued moving.
No signal yet.
Aiden stepped over a fallen log and climbed a small rise, using the higher ground to scan the area. From here, he could see treetops stretching endlessly, broken only by faint trails where animals or people had passed repeatedly.
Bandits wouldn't build their base too close to the forest's edge. Too exposed. They'd want cover, but still access to paths where prey passed.
Which meant somewhere in the middle.
----
It took him almost two hours before he felt it.
A faint tug in his mind.
One of the skeletons had found something.
