The cabin shuddered under the relentless assault. Alessandro, adrenaline coursing through him, returned fire, aiming for the muzzle flashes in the surrounding woods. Clara, surprisingly steady, reloaded magazines and tended to the makeshift barricades, stuffing blankets into gaps to slow the incoming bullets. Silas, a grizzled whirlwind, moved between them, offering guidance and firing his rifle with deadly accuracy.The Shadow Wolves were relentless, their coordinated attack slowly but surely dismantling the cabin's defenses. The front door splintered and gave way, forcing Alessandro to fall back, firing as he retreated. A bullet grazed his arm, sending a searing pain through his body, but he ignored it, focusing on keeping the attackers at bay.Clara, seeing Alessandro wounded, rushed to his side, providing cover as he bandaged the wound. Just then, a Molotov cocktail crashed through the window, engulfing a corner of the cabin in flames."We need to move!" Silas roared, his voice barely audible above the din of gunfire and crackling flames.They scrambled to the back of the cabin, where Silas had prepared an escape route – a narrow tunnel leading into the dense woods. He went first, followed by Alessandro, who helped Clara through the opening.As they crawled through the tunnel, Silas suddenly stopped, his body tensing. "Go on," he said, his voice strained. "I'll cover you."Alessandro hesitated. "What are you doing?" he asked."I'm not as fast as I used to be," Silas replied, his face grim. "I'll slow you down. Get Clara to safety. That's the most important thing."Before Alessandro could argue, Silas pushed him forward, deeper into the tunnel. "Go!" he shouted. "Now!"Reluctantly, Alessandro obeyed, pulling Clara along with him. As they emerged from the tunnel into the woods, they heard a deafening explosion behind them. The cabin, engulfed in flames, collapsed in on itself, sending a cloud of smoke and debris into the sky.Alessandro turned back, his heart pounding in his chest. "Silas!" he cried out, his voice filled with anguish.But there was no response. The cabin was gone, and with it, Silas, their protector, their friend.Tears streamed down Clara's face as she clung to Alessandro, her body shaking with sobs. They had lost everything – their home, their sanctuary, and now, Silas.Alessandro held her tight, his own grief threatening to overwhelm him. He knew they couldn't stay here, not with the Shadow Wolves closing in. They had to keep moving, to find a new place to hide, to honor Silas's sacrifice by surviving.But as he looked back at the burning ruins of the cabin, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were alone now, adrift in a world filled with danger and uncertainty. Silas was gone, and with him, a part of them had died as well. The fight for their survival had just become a whole lot harder.
