The lodge door, ancient and sturdy, was splintered, groaning under the assault. A massive, shaggy form was hunched over it, not tearing mindlessly, but methodically and powerfully, seeking leverage.
Claws, thick and dark as obsidian, raked deep furrows into the hardened oak, peeling back planks with chilling precision. This wasn't a beast; this was a hunter, intelligent and patient, trying to breach a fortress.
It was a male bear, fully shifted, standing easily on two legs, a hulking monument of muscle and matted brown fur. Its shoulders rippled, the sheer power contained within its frame radiating outward. As Kaelen launched himself from the shadows, a low, predatory rumble vibrating his frame, the bear paused. Its massive head turned slowly, surprisingly agile for its size, and piercin
