Lucius had been walking for hours before the trees finally began to look familiar.
He slowed his steps and looked ahead.
The old settlement was close.
Broken branches lay across the narrow path, and several footprints marked the soft ground.
Someone had been here. Lucius pushed through the trees and entered the settlement.
Silence greeted him.
The small houses stood empty. Doors hung open, and weeds had grown around the walls. But it did not look completely forgotten. A wooden bowl sat near one doorway. A piece of cloth was caught on a broken fence. There were even ashes inside one of the fireplaces.
Lucius crouched beside them and touched the cold remains.
Not long ago.
He stood and looked around. “Malia,” he whispered.
A sound came from behind him. Lucius turned sharply. A man
