**POV: Mason**
The early morning mist hung low over the forest as Mason led the group through the dense undergrowth. They were on their way to investigate one of the marked locations where the presence of the ancient shadow had been strongest.
David walked beside him, consulting a map and occasionally pausing to study the surroundings. Queen Luna Beatrice followed closely behind, her senses attuned to any signs of supernatural activity. Alex and Riley brought up the rear, their expressions a mix of anticipation and apprehension.
The forest was eerily quiet, the only sounds the rustling of leaves and the occasional call of a distant bird. Mason felt a knot of tension in his stomach, a primal instinct warning him of unseen dangers lurking in the shadows.
"We're getting closer," David mur
