Singing and chants filled the space, accompanied by soft jingling sounds.
The bonfire created shadows that flickered to create the illusion of trees moving and colorful smoke spreading in the area came with the sweet scent of herbs.
Cassandra, Talia, and Axel approached the small clearing carefully and squatted behind a waist-tall bush to see what was going on there.
To their relief, there were no dragons or ogres, but women. More than a dozen women, all looking to be in their twenties or thirties. They sang and danced in a circle around the fire, their bodies swaying gracefully in the same rhythm, each with her own moves.
Bells around their ankles jingled softly, and as much as it seemed random, every few seconds the women would stomp in unison, causing bells to burst melodiously.
