The Divine Lycan

Chapter 10

The sun had barely risen when the search parties from Duskwind set out, their figures moving swiftly through the dense forest that surrounded their village. The air was crisp with the morning chill, and the thick canopy above allowed only slivers of sunlight to filter down, casting long shadows on the forest floor. The villagers were focused and silent, their senses sharp as they ventured into the unknown.

Leona led one of the groups, her keen eyes scanning the ground for any signs of Michael’s passage. She had chosen a team of the village’s best trackers, wolves who knew the forest like the back of their hands. But despite their skill, the search was proving difficult—Michael’s trail had gone cold, and the forest was vast and unforgiving.

Leona crouched down, studying the ground where the faintest imprint of a footprint had been left in the soft earth. She frowned, her brow furrowing in concentration. The tracks were old, nearly a week by her estimation, and barely discernible among the tangle of roots and underbrush. But they were the only clue they had, and she wasn’t about to give up.

“We’ll head further north,” Leona said, standing and addressing her team. “The tracks are faint, but they’re all we’ve got. Keep your eyes open and stay alert.”

The wolves nodded in agreement, their expressions serious as they resumed their search. They moved with the practiced ease of seasoned hunters, their senses attuned to every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig. But as the hours passed, the forest remained eerily quiet, offering no further clues.

Leona’s frustration grew as the day wore on. They had been searching for hours, covering miles of rough terrain, but they were no closer to finding Michael. The possibility that he had been taken—or worse—gnawed at her, but she forced herself to stay focused. She couldn’t afford to lose hope, not yet.

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the forest, Leona called for a break. The group gathered around a small clearing, taking the opportunity to rest and regroup. Leona stood apart from the others, her mind racing as she considered their next move.

One of her scouts, a young wolf named Jarek, approached her, his expression troubled. “Leona, we’ve covered so much ground, but there’s no sign of him. What if… what if he’s not out here anymore?”

Leona sighed, running a hand through her dark hair. “I don’t know, Jarek. But we can’t give up. Michael is one of us, and we owe it to him to keep searching.”

Jarek nodded, though the worry in his eyes didn’t fade. “You’re right. I just… I don’t understand what could have happened to him. He’s too skilled to just vanish like this.”

Leona’s jaw tightened. She had been thinking the same thing. Michael was one of their best, a warrior and tracker who knew how to survive in the wild. For him to disappear without a trace was troubling, to say the least.

“We’ll keep going,” Leona said firmly. “We’ll split up into smaller groups and cover more ground. If there’s anything out there, we’ll find it.”

Jarek nodded, his resolve firming. “I’ll take the eastern side. The terrain is rougher, but if there’s any sign of him, I’ll find it.”

“Good,” Leona replied. “Be careful out there. If you see anything, signal the rest of us.”

As the group prepared to split up, a sudden rustling in the underbrush caught Leona’s attention. She turned, her senses on high alert, as the sound grew closer. The others quickly followed suit, their hands moving to their weapons as they prepared for whatever might emerge from the forest.