The clinking of the chain echoed in the kennel as the door swung open abruptly. Emily sat up, still numb from the cold and the pain of the previous day's blows. Her eyes opened to the dark silhouette of Alexander, standing at the entrance, a cold smile on his lips.
"Get up," he ordered. His voice rang out, commanding and icy. Emily, obedient, stood on her trembling legs. Alexander fastened a leash around her neck, the cold metal biting into her sensitive skin. She followed him out of the kennel, the heavy silence of the night still hanging around them.

They walked through the forest, the trees arching overhead, forming a dome of foliage. The first rays of sunlight pierced through the branches, casting golden shards on the damp ground. Emily kept her head down, focused on the steady sound of Alexander's footsteps ahead of her, each step taking them closer to a fate she feared but could not escape.