The group finally stepped out from the cover of the forest and walked openly toward the settlement, drawing attention almost immediately. People who had been busy carrying baskets, repairing fences, chopping firewood, or tending to small gardens gradually slowed what they were doing, their eyes following the strangers as they entered the village together.
Children paused in the middle of their games to stare openly without trying to hide their curiosity, while adults were far more reserved, choosing to observe quietly as the unusual group walked deeper into the settlement. It wasn't difficult to understand why they attracted so much attention.
Their clothes looked completely foreign compared to the simple linen garments worn by everyone else, their shoes looked strangely refined, and perhaps most noticeably, their skin was incredibly smooth and well-kept, giving them the appearance of people who had never spent years laboring under the sun.
