The caravan rolled forward at a steady pace.
Kyle sat on the edge of a supply wagon near the front of the column, his back against a wooden crate. His eyes were half-closed, but his senses were fully alert.
Around him, the other mercenaries lounged on their wagons or rode horses alongside the carts. A few scouts ranged ahead on horseback, but most of the guards were relaxed. The Thornwood Pass was supposed to be relatively safe. A few bandits here and there, nothing the caravan couldn't handle.
Kyle didn't share their confidence.
His Intelligence stat had honed his perception far beyond what a normal mercenary could achieve. He could feel the tension in the air, the way the birds had gone silent, the subtle shift in the forest's rhythm.
He notices the changes in the shadows between the trees and the stares at them.
`Bandits. At least a dozen... Maybe more.`
He didn't say anything. He didn't raise the alarm.
