The gathered wolves stood in clusters, a strange hush blanketing the ruins of the battleground. The lingering scent of blood, smoke, and broken earth clung to the air. The once-grand assembly field now bore the marks of war scorched patches of grass, crumbled stone, and the eerie silence left in death's wake. Isla’s gaze drifted over the graves hastily marked by stones, each one a memory of a fallen warrior. The losses weighed heavy, like invisible chains around her chest.
Beside her, Kael stood in quiet solidarity. His presence was a balm she hadn’t known she needed. He didn't speak, didn't press just stayed, a steady wall against the storm in her heart. Every so often, their eyes met, and something unspoken lingered there. Not yet spoken words, not yet healed wounds, but a promise of p
